For most purchases, I tend to go for
the best deal and try not to spend a lot of money, but for certain
things, I don't mind spending a bit more. One of those things is
eyeglasses. As someone who wears glasses for distance, I wear glasses
pretty much all day so it is important to have a pair that is
comfortable and looks good.
I purchased my current Lindberg glasses
back in 2009. It's hard to believe I have had them for about 8 years
and they are still holding up strong. They were definitely not cheap
especially when you add in the cost of the lenses, but I figured, for
something that I will be wearing on my face all day, everyday, I
might as well get something good.
I purchased them from an eyeglasses
boutique retailer that carries some of the higher end brands. For the
Lindberg's, they had many in store to try out, but when you order them,
they actually measure your head to get the exact dimensions and then
the frames are ordered and built to your exact specifications. I
think this is great considering most frames you buy in store are the
ones on the shelf that everyone has been trying on. Also with the
custom build, it allows you to choose the color and shape options so
you can get them exactly how you want.
I remember when my glasses came in the
first time, they accidentally made a mistake and ordered a different
shape for the frame. Luckily, they were able to re-order the correct
frame at no charge so it was only an inconvenience because it took
longer to get the frames.
Overall I have been very pleased with
the glasses. As mentioned before, I have been wearing them every day
for 8 years and they are still in great condition. Even the original
lenses are still in good condition. There have been countless times
where I have accidentally scratched them on things, even metal. I
then check the frame thinking I just ruined them only to find out
they are still in perfect condition. I guess the metal and color used
is very durable because they show no signs of wear even after all
these years.
The nose pads however did wear down
after a few years. They are a high quality, but the silicone did
start to break apart eventually. Luckily, I was able to take them to
a local eyewear place that carries Lindberg and they were able to
replace the nose pads for free! I was very surprised by this,
especially considering the high cost of the frames.
As for comfort, they are super light
and do not cause any discomfort or irritation. They fit very well
which is expected since they are made to order.
Are they worth the high cost? If you
take care of your glasses and plan to keep them for several years as
I have, I would say yes, they are worth it. The quality is top notch
so you can expect them to hold up longer than cheap frames.
Recently I had another eye exam and my
insurance covered some basic frames. I would have liked to get
another pair of Lindberg's but since my current pair is still good, I
decided to just get a cheap pair as a backup. The difference in
quality of the cheap pair vs the Lindberg's is very clear when trying
them out side by side. The Lindberg's are lighter, more comfortable,
and better looking.
I wish the Lindbergs were not so
expensive, but I would probably get another pair when I need to
replace my current frames. If you are someone who takes care of your
glasses and doesn't mind spending quite a bit more for high quality
frames, I would recommend checking out Lindberg.
Update 1-18-24:
After 15 years of daily wear the fishing line that holds in the lenses on my glasses finally broke. It happened to be a day when I was outside for a long time in very cold temperature so it's likely that had something to do with it, but considering this thin material held up for 15 years, I was not too surprised that it eventually broke.
Good news is I quickly learned than this is something that can be fixed. You may even be able to do it yourself with some replacement line, but I ended up taking them to my nearest Lindberg dealer to see if they could fix it. They said yes and they were able to fix them in about 20 minutes. They even re-strung the other side just in case.
So now they are back and good as new! I plan to keep wearing them for now. They are still in good condition and they are comfortable so I have no reason to replace them.
