Gunnar Muir Review – A Sustainable Take on a Classic Look

Earlier this year GUNNAR Optiks surprised players by announcing the Arbor collection. These two frames, with Groot joining shortly after, were a welcome step towards a more fashion focused direction. This is something they continued with the newly announced Strata collection, and will likely keep going as the year progresses. While Muir, and Humboldt allow for an eco-friendly alternative to traditional glasses, their most exciting aspect is the addition of Clear Pro 20. This lens is the fruit following years of effort to deliver a lens capable of blocking blue light, with the hopes of delivering “true color rendition.” Given the bold claims, do they meet expectations, or do they fall short?

Prescription Experience

Prior to talking about the glasses themselves, I want to cover on the prescription aspect since it won’t apply to everyone. Before I was able to get either pair of 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.

I will also note the glasses featured in this review are not prescription.

Unboxing

For those unfamiliar, Gunnar recently changed their packaging to reflect the companies new direction. Instead of having a simple white box with the company name, they feature a grayish blue and white box that matches the recently revamped website.

Inside is the glasses case, which contains everything included with Muir.

Accessories

I have mixed feelings about the Arbor Collection’s “eco-friendly” case. While the inside features the same soft protective material I’ve come to expect from Gunnar, the outside is made of cardboard, or similar material. My concern with this is longevity, and the potential for accidental damage.

It’s simply not the type of case I would want on my person in the event it rains/snows, or a wide variety of other situations. All it takes is a single slip up, and it goes from pristine to damaged. This is less of a concern with their usual cases, as they have a silicon/rubber coating that protects them. It’s an annoying situation given a second case defeats the cohesive experience that is great to see in sustainable products.

That said, I appreciate the thought that went into every aspect, including said case. This starts with obvious things, like the aforementioned cardboard exterior, to subtle touches like the case being noticeably thinner than their usual square holders.

With Muir I also received a cleaning cloth, and pouch in Gunnar’s revamped style. Neither are as fun as the various collaborations, though they’re perfect for any fashion forward person. Both are also listed as being “Eco-friendly,” though I am not sure what, if anything, is different about this version.

Design

Like other glasses in the Arbor Collection, these are made out of wood. Specifically, “sustainably harvested ebony wood material laminated to carbon fiber.” Like Humboldt, which is named after Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Muir gets its name from Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County, California.

Gunnar went in a more traditional direction with Muir. I recall them being called “Clark Kent” glasses, something I can absolutely see comparing the two. I also love the thought that went into them, as I initially thought the two dots on the front were metal, seem to be a lighter wood.

Unique and Special

Like all glasses in the Arbor collection I appreciate the imperfections found on the frames. It shows the goal is to be on the more sustainable side, even if there is a nick in the wood. There is also a spot above the right nose pad that just doesn’t match the rest of the frame. I can see some people disliking these quirks, but I feel like it gives each frame character.

As previously mentioned, Muir shares a fair bit in common with the Groot glasses. When comparing the two I was surprised there were more differences than wood, and the dots on the front. Groot is slightly larger, though it’s a marginal sum. Based off the official specifications, Groot’s lens is 2 mm wider, 3 mm taller, with the frame width being 3 mm wider to accommodate. Despite being larger in most ways, Muir is listed as being 3 mm larger at the temple.

Finally, Gunnar gave Muir plastic temple tips. This is the only frame in the Arbor Collection with this option. Depending on position about 2 to 3 cm of plastic is visible. Speaking for myself, it’s enough where my hair covers it completely, though those with a shorter style might have some visible. While I think it detracts from the sustainable side of the glasses, it makes the comfort side a bit easier.

Comfort

In my previous reviews I mentioned concerned about longevity. Specifically, I am not entirely sure how well they will hold up in a wide variety of conditions. Having plastic temple tips slightly mitigates these concerns, though most of the frame is still wood.

The main advantage is less longevity, and more comfort. Since wood has a grain it feels very different from plastic. There is a sensation that takes some getting used to, as well as more sounds when running against my hair.

I actually think the plastic temple tips are the perfect middle ground. It largely eliminates the increased noise caused by my hair, and feels almost identical to traditional glasses.

Performance

Let me start by saying this review is simply based off my personal experiences with Clear 35, Clear Pro 20, 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 over 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 going down to Clear Pro 20, my sleep-wake cycle didn’t feel any different. In fact, I’d be legitimately surprised if there was any difference compared to Clear 35, even if I took detailed logs.

Lens Differences

As mentioned in the opening, the Arbor collection stands out by adding Clear Pro 20 lens to the line up. These are supposed to deliver some blue light protection without adding any kind of tint. Generally speaking, as the tint increases, so does the effectiveness. I can also say it’s obvious Clear 35 has a slight amber, even if pictures don’t convey this.

After using Clear Pro 20 for about a month I can say I believe the claim that these do not add a tint. I tried looking at them side-by-side, swapping between Clear 35, and asking other people with the consensus being they accomplish this goal. Now, to be clear, I would not say my ability to spot color imperfection is anywhere near the level of a professional these lens were designed for, but I genuinely believe they’re worth a try if this is a concern.

Clear Pro 20 vs Normal

The pictures above give an idea of how these lens perform next to our white theme. A thorough examination shows no real difference with the webpage. The only thing that looks kind of off is the website on my laptop. However, that tint is present on the version without any of the glasses, consistently appears across multiple images, and when enlarged seemingly matches the Clear 20 images.

In the event you prefer a different lens shade you can see the differences below. Please note, Clear Pro 20 is not currently available with prescription at the moment, and will be Clear 35 instead.

Clear 35 vs Normal

Having worn Clear 35 for a months, it’s surprising how quick the adjustment period is. Most things look largely the same, kind of like comparing a television set on cool, and then changed to warm. Where the difference is most pronounced are white backgrounds, like the page I write these articles on is immediately noticeable, or similarly colored objects. Though by and far it will not stand out if you’re not doing color work.

Clear 35 vs Amber 65

The difference between Clear 35, and Amber 65 is less pronounced than one might think. Instead of being a radically different look, the world looks closer to a sepia tone photo. This is most noticeable with white backgrounds, though other colors vary.

Clear 35 vs 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.

Reflections

Reflections have been something of a battle with Gunnar glasses. The different tints, and elements to each lens result in varying amounts of reflection, which can be a big deal depending on the situation.

Consistently Amber has been the best at it, followed by Clear, and finally Amber Max. I would not say Clear Pro is able to beat Amber, but I am happy to say it’s a solid second in regard to reflections.

Gunnar Muir Review Verdict

Out of the three Arbor Collection styles Muir is my favorite. It offers a fresh take on a beloved style. That isn’t to say there aren’t negatives, like the case has a lot of downsides, and some will dislike the plastic temple tips, the overall style of great. Add in the delightful addition of Clear Pro 20, and it’s an easy choice for anyone who wants to up their work game without compromising.

Editor’s Note: Gunnar Muir was provided to us for review purposes. Since certain elements are unchanged from our other Gunnar reviews, they were reused here. The comparison pictures of other lens use various other Gunnar glasses.