The Extremists

Get in the action with technology- and style-driven eyewear geared to extreme sports.
By Erinn Morgan

Are you in the game? The extreme sports crowd digs sports sunwear as well and is willing to spend the dollars to get the style and function they want. In fact, snowboarders spent $255 million on sunglasses in 2003. According to Board-Trac, skateboarders spent $25.6 million on sunglasses in 2004 and surfers opened their wallets to spend $104.2 million. On average, surfers and skateboarders buy one pair of sunglasses per year at an average price of $63.

Surfers, snowboarders, skateboarders, dirt bikers, and mountain bikers require technical performance. These action sports enthusiasts also covet cool style. It is a match made in heaven for an optical retailer an audience that needs and wants your products. The question is: Are you targeting them?

Those who are, say this niche business is growing. "Action sports eyewear continues to be strong for us," says Dave Weiler, sport buyer at Iacon, which has over 100 sunglass specialty stores nationwide. "And I believe a lot of our customers do participate in action sports."

At SportRx.com, an Internet retailer of prescription sports eyewear with a brick-and-mortar presence in San Diego, the extreme eyewear segment is a huge part of the business. "It has simply exploded for us," says optician and owner Gabby Bloch.

WHO'S GOING TO EXTREMES?

This is truly the customer who wants it all style, performance, and safety with new technology leading the pack as a performance booster. "Sports eyewear technology is getting better all the time as far as fit and coverage," says Bret Hunter, owner of two Sports Optical locations in the Denver area. "And that's not just for lenses, it's frames too."

Action sports enthusiasts are also style-conscious. "It is really about how cool the brand is," says Weiler. "Surfers rarely wear eyewear in the water, but they definitely want something hip and cool for afterwards."

As a result, many sports eyewear companies have amped up their style quotient, coming out with products that mimic trends in fashion eyewear. "Even goggles have really become a fashion statement," says Weiler.

For example, new goggle styles include unique bands, some customizable and some hopped up with Swarovski crystals. Other sports eyewear has followed the rimless trend or the return to oversized frames.

Still, many sports participants are purists and prefer straight technology and performance in their eyewear. "Many people will buy something sport specific for function some even want to match their bike," says Richard Young, OD, and owner of Main Street Optometry in Northport, N.Y. "And they will buy something more stylish for everyday wear."