Zebrawood Surf Style Sunglasses
As a tribute to our favorite surf spot and the legendary surfers who have left their mark on the "world's most rippable wave," we bring you the Trestles. The Trestles capture the waves of the iconic spot and the variation of the sandy beach. The classic surf style design, floatability and stunning design make them the best beach inspired fashion item available.
On Point Fashion: Hand sanded Zebrawood frames glossed with a smooth wood wax.
Floatation: Yes, a dry pair floats!
Finest Polarized Lenses: Polaroid Ultrasight, scratch-resistant lenses with UV 400 protection.
About Zebrawood
Imported from Central Africa in countries such as Gabon, Cameroon, and the Congo, Zebrawood is a heavy, hard wood with a coarse texture and a decidedly wavy grain. The pale golden yellow base of the wood is intertwined with numerous streaks of dark brown and black wood, and that alternating layer look is why its named Zebrawood. To show this dramatically contrasting grain, Zebrawood is frequently "quarter sawn", a process of cutting round logs lengthwise into four quarters first and then milling from there so the beautiful cross-section of the grain can be maximized for use. Historically, gun stalks, guitars, skis, and the interior woodwork in high-end cars has been done with Zebrawood.
Polaroid Ultrasight Polarized Lenses
Made by the company that invented the polarized lens, Polaroid Ultrasight lenses are the best lenses on the market. They employ nine functional layers to make an amazing lens. An internal polarizing core that eliminates glare is sandwiched by 4 UV filters that block all harmful UVA, UVB, and UVC light rays. A shock absorbing layer for impact resistance encases this core, followed by an outer top and bottom scratch resistant layer for optimal durability.
The History of Wood in Surfing
Early surfboards in Hawaii, the birthplace of surfing, were carved out of local trees like Koa wood. Wood is not only beautiful, it floats. In the 1950s and 60s, Surf Style sunglasses were all the rage in Southern California and surfing was taking off. Surfboards were made of balsa wood at that time, but would soon transition to foam and fiberglass construction. All of these new fiberglass boards would use wood stringers for rigidity (most still do today), and many had carved blocks of layered wood on the nose and tail. As fins came the scene, they too were made of wood at first. Wood craftsmanship and surfing went hand in hand.
To this day in our San Diego based surf factory, our shapers still play around making fiberglass encased wood fins, wood nose and tail blocks, and even entire balsa wood surfboards. It's in their blood. It's in the roots of the sport they love. Unmistakably, there is a nostalgic connection between handcrafted wood work and surfers, and really all watermen. Tower's handcrafted wood sunglasses are a nod to this rich tradition.
About Trestles
Located between San Diego and Los Angeles, Trestles is unencumbered by urban sprawl thanks to its privileged position just inside the north end of the desolate 125,000 acre Camp Pendleton Marine Base. As it was within a US military base, and not even accessible to the public until the 1970s, surfers in the sixties had to sneak onto the beach to surf and try not to draw the ire of the military personnel. While not a common occurance, there are stories of surfboards being confiscated and warning shots being fired over surfer's heads. While this may sound like a bit of an extreme measure to many sports enthusiasts, this was just another step in a long history of surfers being willing to go to the ends of the earth, sanctioned or not, to find the perfect wave. You could definitely argue it was that, and is still today considered one of America's most consistent waves. It's still a major stop on the modern pro surfing tour.
Our Trestles wooden sunglasses, handcrafted out of exotic Zebrawood, celebrates the determination and wanderlust drive of surfers to literally go to war for good surf.