Wow did we get more than we bargained for with Amazon Studio’s new Fallout series. We did an extensive writeup on all eight episodes, and even interviewed some of the stars of the show and the showrunners and creators. It’s been a whirlwind, but there are a handful of really cool tie-in items that somehow match the awesome quality of the show. The team at Gunnar have put together an awesome new post-apocalyptic retro-futuristic Fallout Vault 33 glasses. If you’ve spent an inordinate amount of time wandering the wasteland trying to find the perfect eyewear, you’ll appreciate these.
First and most obviously, these are a square-framed stainless steel lightweight frame with a nylon finish. The arms of the glasses are fitted to the front with a flexible spring hinge, with a sweet 33 carved into the temples. Unlike my other Gunnar glasses, these have a small ring around the lenses that helps block out light bleed from the sides. The olive drab green and gray is a great combination of colors, reminding me of the recently-released Fallout PC Collection that ships in a mini nuke!
Aesthetics aside, the lenses in the Fallout Vault 33 glasses get all the benefits of the advancements Gunnar has made in the last decade. That means harder lenses with better coatings that aren’t just on the surface, but in fact baked directly into the lens itself. It also means they block UV better than anyone else in the business, literally stopping 100% of incoming harmful UV. If you stare at screens all day, you might know that the vast majority of Blue Light blockers can stop roughly 40% of harmful rays coming off your monitor. Gunnar again sets the bar, stopping 65% or more, depending on which lens you pick. On top of that, they’ve also made the lenses anti-reflective and smudge resistant as a bonus. Somehow, with all of these advancements, and with the metal frames, these weigh just 20 grams.
When I saw the shape of these, I knew they’d fit the conveyed aesthetic from the games, but I wasn’t so sure I’d like them on my face. I was surprised how comfortable they were, and how stylish they were. My wife models them far better than I ever could, but I can’t argue how nicely they rest on my nose. The lighter weight made them easy to forget I was using them, often not realizing that they were still on my face hours later when I would absentmindedly scratch my nose and bump them. That also speaks to the tint. I don’t have the right measurement tools to confirm this scientifically, but these feel like a lighter touch on the yellow shade. These are available in clear, amber, sunglasses, and prescription versions of all three, and comparing the amber option to my other Gunnar sets and at least to my eyes they seem lighter.
Gunnar has always done a good job packing their glasses to ensure they show up without a scratch. They really upped their game for Fallout. Other Gunnars show up in a cardboard box that contains a semi-hard case with an eyeglass case with a drawstring and a cleaning cloth. Sure, Fallout Vault 33’s set shows up in the same cardboard, but inside is a metal clamshell case! It’s the trademark Fallout blue, it says “Vault-Tec Industries” with the familiar logo and 33 inside the circle. The edges of the case are made to resemble a long rifle case, with rivets on the corner reinforcements points. Opening it up you’ll find the Vault-Tec slogan of “Revolutionizing safety for an uncertain future” printed inside. The bag for the glasses has a smiling and familiar face – Vault Boy in a Vault 33 yellow and red jumpsuit, giving his enthusiastic thumbs up. The yellow drawstring really ties it all together, literally – enjoy that pun. As always, Gunnar has included a separate microfiber cloth to clean the glasses, and true to form this is also sporting the Vault-Tec Industries message and logo, as well as the encircled 33. It’s an extraordinarily well-themed combination that is also thankfully as functional as it is stylish.
I do want to point out that Gunnar stands behind their products. These glasses have a 24 month warranty, which is fairly unheard of in the glasses industry. Before Lasik, the best option I had was a single year of coverage before my local glasses shop would want to reach their hand in my pocket for more caps. Here, I know that I’ve got two years of peace of mind. I know I have the attention span of a goldfish so there’s a good chance I’ll be looking at the Season 2 set by then anyway.
It’s odd to be excited for a pair of glasses, but Gunnar is doing a magnificent job of combining style and functionality in a package that looks the part. Sure, you can buy what we in the military affectionately called “birth control goggles”, with their oversized and heavy rims, and get a heavy-as-a-brick lens with coatings on the surface, or you can pick up something that gives a nod to one of the best RPGs out there. While it’ll be a minute before we see Season 2 of the new Amazon show, at least I can let my fandom fly in the meantime.
You can pick up a pair of Gunnar Fallout Vault 33 glasses at this Amazon link, or at the official Gunnar store. Look for our continued coverage, because Gunnar pre-shared a whole lot of secret goodies that we can’t wait to share with all of you in the year ahead!
Ron Burke is the Editor in Chief for Gaming Trend. Currently living in Fort Worth, Texas, Ron is an old-school gamer who enjoys CRPGs, action/adventure, platformers, music games, and has recently gotten into tabletop gaming.
Ron is also a fourth degree black belt, with a Master's rank in Matsumura Seito Shōrin-ryū, Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do, Universal Tang Soo Do Alliance, and International Tang Soo Do Federation. He also holds ranks in several other styles in his search to be a well-rounded fighter.
Ron has been married to Gaming Trend Editor, Laura Burke, for 28 years. They have three dogs - Pazuzu (Irish Terrier), Atë, and Calliope (both Australian Kelpie/Pit Bull mixes), and an Axolotl named Dagon!
Buy Now
Buy Now
Buy Now
Buy Now
Buy Now
Buy Now
