Gunnar Tokidoki Year of the Dragon Glasses Review – Practical, and Stylish

For years Gunnar Optiks was simply known as the blue light blocking glasses predominantly used by gamers. This continued as they started collaborating with gaming/comic companies, with options ranging from Fallout to Assassin’s Creed. In recent years Gunnar has started to branch further out, with one of the most notable products being their collaboration with Lifestyle brand Tokidoki. With new consumers in mind, do they meet expectations, or is it a step in the wrong direction?

Prescription Experience

Before talking about the glasses themselves, I want to cover the prescription aspect since it won’t apply to everyone. Before I was able to get any of these glasses I had to submit a current prescription. It was nice to see them verify it was current since the last time I bought glasses they didn’t even verify I had a prescription. They also requested I download a mobile app to measure my head/pupil distance. It took about 20 seconds, gave them the numbers, and they did the rest.

Since my last eye exam my prescription changed, so I can’t compare these glasses to another pair I obtained elsewhere. However, I can say with absolute certainty they’re a lot clearer than my old pair. For this reason I would personally trust them to make lens with the right prescription.

Unboxing

As previously mentioned, Gunnar is going through something of a shift. One of the most notable changes is to the packing itself.

Instead of having plain white box with Gunnar, their logo, and the “performance & protection” tagline, they look closer to what I’d expect from a glasses company. White is replaced with a blueish grey, and the bottom part has glossy dots. Perhaps the most interesting shift is removing the performance line for “Visionaries Since 2006.”

Accessories

Right off the bat the Tokidoki Year of the Dragon glasses make a bold statement with the included case. The fiery red case is reminiscent of older bags/cases made of crocodile skin. It’s a playful design that caters to the more fashionable side of things.

The case itself is okay quality. It has a slick plasticky feel, with a rather deliberate design. The top has larger “scales,” with the bottom being random, and varied. Perhaps my favorite choice is the subtle branding. Instead of printing visible logos, they are stamped on the top/bottom. Outside of a bright light the only reminder is the distinctly different feel. I don’t care for how it changes the texture, but I do think this choice is perfect for the product.

Cute Accessories

The Inside is felt lined, and held closed with a magnet. After doing a brief shake test I am confident the magnet will remain closed under normal circumstances. However, a lot of force, or unfortunate position can result in the case opening. For this reason I suggest putting them in a pouch, which is included with this model.

While the cleaning cloth and pouch remain unchanged from other models, both have eye catching Tokidoki designs on them. One side of the pouch has Cactus Dog, SANDy, Donutella, and Strawberry Milk riding a dragon boat. On the reverse is a series of red clouds. It might be hard to see in pictures, but a number of characters are hidden in the design. The same pattern is present on one side of the cleaning cloth, with the other featuring a more traditional art piece.

Build Quality

Around the time we changed our tech review format, Gunnar Optiks moved to the more traditional website. Among the biggest changes was categorizing each of their glasses in a different tier. Previously we covered Vertex, which is part of their signature collection, with Tokidoki Year of the Dragon achieving one of the highest levels, Legendary.

Despite some big claims I am actually really impressed with their quality. They are extremely light weight, feel comfortable, and require legitimate force to damage. In addition to that, the distinct “cat eye” look, coupled with the small frame profile results in a lot of visible space not obstructed by the frame.

I also like the flexible spring hinges. These make it easier to fit on any head without adjustment. It’s a small feature, but one I greatly appreciate. If only to ensure they don’t bend in certain situations.

Design

Tokidoki Year of the Dragon glasses have a surprisingly subtle design. Outside of the aforementioned “cat eye” lens, the only distinct Tokidoki design is the name on the side, a bold handmade acetate section on the temple tips, and a metal Tokidoki logo at the very end. The non-prescription version also has the logo laser etched in one of the corners, though it’s easy to miss.

Cat Eye Catching Design

The only design part I don’t care for are the nose pads. Normally these are silicon, or a polycarbonate. With these they use a gold colored metal. My concern with this is discomfort during colder times, and cleaning. Thankfully, they are removable if you want to avoid these issues.

Performance

Let me start by saying this review is simply based off my personal experiences with Clear 35, Amber 65, Amber Max 98, and a pair of Blokz I obtained years before. I can also confirm I’ve worn a pair of Gunnar glasses every day for about a year now.

The supposed benefits of blue light blocking glasses include reduced digital eye strain, and better sleep-wake cycle. These root issues can also cause additional problems, such as headaches. 

While I strongly believe these helped with my frequent headaches, I saw no additional benefits with any Gunnar lens. Even after wearing Amber 65 for months and going down to Clear 35, my sleep-wake cycle didn’t feel any different. At most there was a marginal change that wouldn’t be perceptible without detailed logs.

Lens Differences

Tokidoki Year of the Dragon comes in Clear 35, and Amber 65. Those who opt for a prescription gain Amber Max 98 as an option, as well as transitions. An example of how the tint changes things can be found below.

Gunnar Vertex (Clear 35) vs Normal

Having worn Clear 35 for a months, it’s surprising how quick the adjustment period is. How much of a difference it makes ultimately depends on what you’re looking at. The orange deskmat that can be seen in the photos looks identical. When fixating on a black object, such as my keyboard, there is a slight difference. The only thing that is immediately noticeable is a white background, which gains some hints of yellow.

Gunnar Vertex (Clear 35) vs Gunnar Vertex (Amber 65)

The difference between Clear 35, and Amber 65 is less pronounced than one might think. Instead of being a radically different look, all the aforementioned things are simply more apparent. It just isn’t so much a white object looks yellow, similar to an aged photo.

Gunnar Vertex (Clear 35) vs Gunnar Vertex (Amber Max 98)

Amber Max 98 is a lot more pronounced. Not only does it take a minute to get used to, it radically changes how things look. Worth considering if blue light blocking is the most important thing to you.

Gunnar Vertex (Clear 35) vs Zenni Blokz

Overall, there isn’t a huge difference between these two. The only advantage Blokz has over Gunnar is a lack of tint, or at least one notice. Gunnar has confirmed plans to release a clear lens, though I cannot confirm when, or even if, this model will support it.

Reflections

One of the biggest surprises with Gunner lens is the potential for reflections. This isn’t great on both Clear 35, and Amber Max 98. For whatever reason Amber 65 is the least pronounced of the three.

This has remained true across multiple different days, tests, and styles. I included an example of all three to show how they perform.

Tokidoki Year of the Dragon Glasses Review Verdict

I am honestly surprised at how much thought went into these glasses. Instead of sticking the Tokidoki logo on an existing design, these glasses are meant to be a fashion statement. Every aspect of the design, be it the case, pouch, cleaning cloth, or even the frames themselves push this idea. Along with this, the fashion forward design is further accentuated by the unique lens shades. Best of all this design does not come at the expense of function. They are lightweight, feel great, come with the usual accessories, and are a choice I can say I am disappointed with.

Editor’s Note: Tokidoki Year of the Dragon Glasses were provided to us for review purposes. Since certain elements are unchanged from our other Gunnar reviews, they were reused here. The comparison pictures use the Vertex model for consistency.