I've been a Transitions customer since Gen 1 in the early 1990s where there was still a material tint indoors and it took a long time to fade back. I currently use XTRActive brown with the gold style mirrors. The next combination I want to try is the XTRActive green with either the copper or green style mirrors.
As soon as I saw these Tom Davies frames and the Transitions Ruby lens I was hooked. I immediately popped into one of Tom’s stores in London. Now I need to find someone who can replicate the recent Fight Club red gradient lens you did. Think I’ll finish it with the Sapphire blue flash mirror. Thanks for the inspiration! Keep up the videos and the great work that you do.
I’ve ordered mine today, from the UK! Didn’t intend to get them. My 6yo son had an opticians appointment and I decided to update my eyewear game while I was there!
I just ordered some reybans with this ruby transition. Still waiting on them. Only thing i might regret is getting the dark red Ferrari reybans. Looked good online, probably wont look great in person 😢
Thanks for this one! Love the custom tint videos you do. Question, can you do a 50% amber lens with ruby flash coating and transistion xtraactive gold mirror? Thanks
I recently got the ruby red lenses for my ray ban new wayfarers, looks so good. One thing I noticed and wondered if you had the same experience. I found them to look more like blue light reflecting glasses with little color indoors for the first 2 days, after a few times in the sun now the color seems more consistent. haven't seen any mention of a burn in period so maybe it's just me
That is strange. I have not experienced that before. Photochromic lenses can slowly lose their ability to fade back to clear, but this should not happen for two or more years not days.
@HicksBrunsonEyewear just to clarify they do go back to clear in fact it's moreso looking through them.. I just noticed a more pronounced and consistent rose colour after a few times transitioning.. still very happy with their performance!
I’m so torn between amber and brown lenses. I think I’m liking the look of amber a little more but I worry it might not darken to “sunglasses level”. what would you say about the difference between those two?
The Amber does look nice. It shows more of a true looking brown. Darkness levels are so close in Gen S, I do not think that should make your decision. I wear both, and have a hard time telling any difference, unless you are comparing XTRActive Brown to the Gen S Brown or Amber. XA Brown will get darker in most situations, and for that reason it is my personal favorite.
Hi Daniel, do you see the residue slight tint in the Gen S and XTRActive vs the completely clear lenses in the Gen 8 indoors? I'm not sure if I want any tint at all while indoors.
I really don't see any "residue" tint color on most Gen 8 or Gen S lenses that I have seen. That technology is about as clear as you can get while indoors. Now, if you lay any photochromic lens flat on bright with paper you may see a slight 'residue' tint color on Gen S or Gen 8. While you are wearing the glasses though, Gen S should not show any visible tint to most people when looking at you. Even many of my XTRActive lenses are so light that most people do not ever notice any color while I am wearing them indoors, even though most XTRActive lenses will have a slight hint of tint even in their clearest state.
Thanks so much! The Tom Davies TD731 is $594. The lenses will depend on your prescription lens type. You can shop the look here: hicksbrunson.com/products/tom-davies-td-731?_pos=1&_sid=184e01a56&_ss=r
These look great. I work in an office with huge windows and a lot of light. If i got the XTRActive, would i be walking around all day with tints indoors? In this case are these Gens better? I cant decide which one to get.
If the windows are letting in a lot of light, and if you spend a lot of time in a very close proximity to them then you might notice some tint possibly in the 15 to 25% density range for XTRActive, which is lighter than standard indoor tint. Gen S might still activate some, but should be much less perhaps under 15%, but might be just ever so slightly visible depending on how close and for how long you are near large windows. I have not tested that exact scenario, but the only time I have seen my lenses darken more than 25% indoors was when the ground was covered with snow, and I was close to the window. The snow is like a giant mirror on the ground and it really pumps up the reflected UV and visible light coming inside.
It also depends on if the windows block UV light. Down South many window brands block at least some, if not virtually all, UV light which means transition lenses will not darken. XtraActive can possibly have a very slight tint since they are also good for driving and cars/trucks windows have some UV protection. One thing to note is if you live in an area that temperatures consistently exceed 75 degrees Gen S will not be as effective. For whatever reason they do not perform well in hot temperatures. That's a show stopper for me since I live over 6 months in SW Florida.
This is really helpful! I couldn’t believeTransitions website doesn’t show what it’s like to look through the lens. Do you know if GenS don’t lighten when it’s cold out? The older transitions lenses did not, which was a big problem for me in winter. I’m thinking of getting Ruby Amber or brown, for good contrast when cycling and hiking in cloudier weather. Any recommendations there?
There are two variable in photochromic lens tech. UV intensity and temperature. Everything moves more slowly when it is cold, and this includes the molecules in Transitions lenses the move and change color. This means that fade back times are noticeably slower in colder temperatures. The new Gen S should mitigate this effect at not be as slow in colder temps as compared to Gen 8.
As someone who has sensitive eyes, how does Gen S compare to Xtractive? Also how does Gen S do in vehicles? Do they darken when driving or no? Any insight on which one would be better suited for my sensitive little eyeballs would be greatly appreciated, thanks! PS - Transition lenses are really cool, though I've always wished you could transition them on demand by the push of a button or something, do you see any such tech in the near future or should I keep on dreaming?
There is a company that has the technology to activate by touch. The technology is called Electrochromics. I'm not sure if it is on the market yet. It looks cool, but as with all wearable tech I fear frame design will be limited because of the necessary onboard hardware required to make it 2ork. You may have already seen it by now, but I made that comparison video here: th-cam.com/video/iV-Ik2HWRxo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=riVeyi5VMlrmMBbA
Thank you! As of right now we have not seen a price bump, but that could change. XTRActive is a different technology, and is available in Grey, Brown, and Graphite Green only.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear Don't know should I wait for Gen S or go for Xtractive, my main concern is does it Xtractive get dark in very bright office without concrete walls, where are only enormous windows. I'll appreciate your feedback
@@zakara007Yes, xtrActive will react to visible light, and is better for light sensitivity. Gen S (and 8) only respond to UV light, they will NOT have any activation in a car or inside, so they will always be extremely clear inside regardless of brightness (unless a window doesn’t have UV filter) VS xtrActive which gets to about 30-50% tint in the car with full light.
Gen S is the successor of Gen 8 technology. It is faster and darker than Gen 8, but XTRActive is still the darkest in most situations, and is the only one that can darken behind a windshield.
How do they behave in the car? I imagine the XTRActive ones will still be a better option, but could you make a video comparing them? Thank you very much!
XTRActive is still the better option in the car, but is just not as fast to fade back. I have a new video coming out soon comparing Gen S and XTRActive as they each serve a unique purpose.
I've been waiting for a good review that answered all my questions. You made my wish come true. And you did it all. Thank you for not having your camera automatically white balance. 😊 1) Your frame is amazing. What is it? 2) I have a gold metal frame I want ruby with a gold mirror. I hope I can have that made.
Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed my review! I am wearing my new Tom Davies TD 731, which I love! Check it out here: hicksbrunson.com/collections/tom-davies/products/tom-davies-td-731
Nice! I've been waiting for a video like this! But do Gen S have a built in blue light filter like the Xtractive? I don't have any eyesight problems but I need anti-blue light glasses because I spend all day in front of the monitor and I also need new sunglasses for when I go out. I want to know if the Gen S are right for me
All Transitions lenses including Gen S filter some blue light from indoor sources like screens. XTRActive technically filters more. If you want additional blue light protection you can add a Blue Light filtering anti-reflecting coating to any of these lenses to bump up the blue light protection.
We do Gold, Silver, and Blue mirrors on all Transitions colors, and with any combination of custom indoor tint colors. Red, Pink, and Green mirrors are limited to XTRActive Grey and Brown.
Thanks the informative review!!! Essilor has made some impressive advances in this technology. Outside, I prefer wearing XTRActive vs. traditional transparent lenses. Indoors, I prefer wearing Gen 8 or traditional lenses. I have a pair of Essilor Varilux Lens with Transitions XTRActive and a Fire Red Mirror Coating. I also have Transistions Gen 8 and XTRAactive with Mirror Styles and without Mirror Styles. XTRActive Grey with Fire Red Mirror Coating Pros + All visible light wavelengths activate the XTRAactive vs. UV activates the Transitions Gen8 + Great for outdoor sports and driving, use them everyday for walking and running outside + Become much darker than Transitions Gen8, even more so when below 70 F outside + Better than Transitions Gen8 for outdoor activities and driving + Quick to darken and lighten, still work great after 1 year of daily use Cons - Prefer not to use indoors, too much light attenuation and too many internal reflections from indoor light sources - Try not to use these outside at night because of internal reflections from vehicle lights, street lights, etc. - Still usable after dusk, but prefer to wear Transitions Gen8 or non-Transitions lenses
Well said. I agree that the Style Mirrors look cool and are great to wear out in bright sun, but there are a lot of reflections that are distracting at night. Indoors, they don't bother me that much, but they bother some people.
Hello, I am from India. I just decided to go with Transition Gen 8 along with Sapphire Hr coating as I have to make a glass within few days as my present one is broken. I just came to know about this Gen S lens today. Don't know whether to wait for Gen S to come to India and should I go with Gen 8? Is there any significant upgrade for which I should wait? Can you please help on this?
Gen 8 is a very nice lens, but Gen is much faster to fade back to clear. It may not worth the wait if your old glasses are broken and you need a new set now.
Can you explain if there is any difference in light transmittance between the different colors? In other words, does green let in more light (when fully darkened) than gray, for example?
There very well may some difference, but I am not privy to those numbers. I highly doubt Green and Grey would be significantly different. Amber and Ruby probably feel very different just because those colors heighten contrast and can feel brighter than grey.
That's right. Gen S like most other photochromics does not get as dark in warmer weather. Transitions XTRActive is still the best performer in warmer weather. I do a comparison between the two technologies in this video: th-cam.com/video/iV-Ik2HWRxo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=5dfgCfD1LewvIrwY
I live in Phoenix and had 2 pairs of single;e vision distance Transition Xtractive glasses. Within a short period of time, both sets were totally unusable due to crazing from the heat. It was as if I had Vaseline on the lenses. I had my eyes refracted recently, and the optometrist could not even get a reading on my glasses. I wrote to Transitions which acknowlded this is a known issue with these lenses and heat. Are the Gen S less susceptible? I need something reliable.
Hello Mark, I'm sorry to hear about your experience. Crazing is a separate issue that in my experience has little or nothing to do with Transitions, and more to do with the type of anti-reflective coating and the lens material it was applied to. I've seen this happen to any lenses whether or not they are Transitions. Certain combinations are more resistant to heat, but none are completely immune to heat damage. This is why I advise my clients never leave their glasses inside a car parked outside in the summertime. The interior reaches temperatures as hot as an oven, and that can absolutely damage lenses. Best to avoid extreme heat. With a good quality coating and material, just being outside in the sun is normally not a problem. This is because you are moving about in the air. However, if you just set your glasses down on the sidewalk for half an hour on 100+ degree day that would probably craze them.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear Thanks for your input. I have had "Photogray" lenses for at least 30+ years while living in Phoenix and never had a crazing issue. My last pair (about 5 years old) and previous driving glasses have been in my car winter and summer. I changed glasses for a new Rx, and after all of that time, the lenses stopped changing color. It was only after receiving the last two pairs of Transitions that I experienced the crazing. Perhaps it was the anti-reflective coating that the company used. Transitions did write to me stating that all of their lenses will craze in the heat. I now have a brand new pair of glasses from another company, but I purchased photochromatic lenses to see how they will work. I do have a glasses holder in the upper panel of my car and will keep them there. I have my fingers crossed.
I bought a pair of Face a Face frames and high index XTRActive Transitions lens with a non-reflective coating. The total price as around $1,500.00. Is this typical of designer frames? It seems awfully expensive.
That sounds about right for a high quality frame such as a Face A Face paired with high quality lenses. Face A Face uses premium quality acetate materials that look better and last longer. With Face A Face you are paying for the quality of craftsmanship more so than the name.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear Thank you for taking the time to respond to me. I truly appreciate it. I love your channel. It's my go to from now on for when I need new frames/lenses.
I ordered frames in the ruby! And grey, amber, and graphite green 😂 Graphite green wasn’t included in this video. What is the difference between that lens color and emerald?
Graphite Green is basically the color of glass RayBan G-15 lenses. It's probably what you think of when you think of green lenses. You likely won't be disappointed.
All coatings are not created equal. Premium coatings are harder to scratch, and can't peel off because they are bonded to the lens at the molecular level. Try Transitions XTRActive lenses for better performance in higher temperatures.
On paper these lenses are considered Category 3 when fully darkened but personally I would consider them more like Category 2.5. If you want something that replicates most sunglasses you still have to go with XtrActive and deal with the negative. These Gen S are a nice step forward after 5 years of Gen 8, but far from a game changer.
Personally I prefer XTRActive too. The benefits are that it works better in warmer weather, and can darken pretty darn close to category 2 behind the windshield. Sure, they are a little slower to fade back, but for a lot of us, that is not really that big of a deal. Others value speed over questions like, "exactly how dark do they get in x, y, and z circumstances?" I do think that fade back time now clocking in under 2 minutes down from 5 is a significant leap forward for those who value speed.
They get as dark in direct sunlight in temps around 75 and below. In warmer temps and in the car or out of direct sunlight, XTRActive will get darker but will not fade back to clear as fast as Gen S.
Two different technologies. XTRActive still works better in warmer weather, and will darken up to category 2 behind the windshield. Gen is will not darken behind the windshield, but has the fastest darkening and fade back times.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear ok thx for the info. And can you confirm if Nova Xtractive Transition Lens is of great quality in India because In India when I wanted to get the transition Xtractive Lens, the optition said that I would have to get Nova Xtractive Transition Lens and then that is what I got and it seems good but just want to know if it is of great quality? Thank you !!
They do different things really. If you want the fastest fade back time then it's Gen S all the way. If you want the choice off all the Style Colors then it's Gen S. If you want them to work better in warmer weather, and to activate to a category 1 or sometimes a category 2 behind the windshield then you want XTRActive.
Sorry, I made a mistake in the video by saying that there are 9. There are 8 colors in total. Grey, Brown, Graphite Green, Amber, Amethyst, Emerald, Sapphire, and the new Ruby. I was missing the Graphite Green color, but it is strikingly similar to Emerald.
Can you see a faint red tint at the beginning of the video before I darkened the lenses? I take your point that a faint color is slightly visible when the lens laying flat on white paper, but they are so close to clear that most will never notice this when worn on the face.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewearI've purchased the Gen S Sapphire and the residual greysh tint is so faint it's negligible. I would say they are 98% clear, even so it's only noticeable if you look for it under certain conditions.
Yours did not clear in 2 minutes. Maybe rarher than talking on and on and on about how fast it is, just time it. It would make far more informative video. This just feel like a very long and winding commercial.
Why not produce a matrix of where this stuff will and wont work instead of pretending that each "new" generation solves all problems. I bought a pair six years ago. Went black in the watery UK Winter Sun. Barely changed colour in Thailand's sear your eyeballs out glaring heat. Just got another pair after being promised new gen technology solves all problems. No real difference. It's clearly not just the heat otherwise walking out of aircon would turn them. It's something about the geography, angle or wavelength. They know but they aren't telling.
Both Gen S and XTRActive work all around the world, but each user has his or her own preferences. Do you want faster transition times, or darker tints in warmer weather. Technology constraints limit us for now to needing two different lenses depending on your preference. There are two variables that affect photochromic technology. UV intensity and temperature of the lenses. They generally get darker and stay darker for longer in cooler temps. Those molecules that move from clear to dark move more slowly when they get colder, like all particles do. When they get warmer they move more quickly. They are in an unstable state when UV intensity is coming and going, and they are always trying to move back to the clear state. Gen S is much faster to move back and forth, but XTRActive is still the best tech for working well in warmer weather. Gen S does not replace XTRActive. The two technologies are needed because of the varying climate differences around the world and user preferences.
Perfect video, no one ever shows you from the inside out. Great stuff 🎉
Glad you enjoyed it!
Ruby is so gorgeous with that matte red with blue accent frame.
I've been a Transitions customer since Gen 1 in the early 1990s where there was still a material tint indoors and it took a long time to fade back. I currently use XTRActive brown with the gold style mirrors. The next combination I want to try is the XTRActive green with either the copper or green style mirrors.
The Emerald green is a fantastic color!
As soon as I saw these Tom Davies frames and the Transitions Ruby lens I was hooked. I immediately popped into one of Tom’s stores in London. Now I need to find someone who can replicate the recent Fight Club red gradient lens you did. Think I’ll finish it with the Sapphire blue flash mirror. Thanks for the inspiration! Keep up the videos and the great work that you do.
I'm happy to have helped you explore your eyewear style. That lens combo sounds amazing! Let me know if I can help.
I have just ordered the Xtractive in grey, I have been wearing photochromic glasses since 1975 [Reactions/Reactolite]
Early adopter! :-)
Living in Las Vegas the heat makes the Gen S barely change outside maybe 10-15 percent in full sun, in the heat of the day.
Yes, warmer weather is a challenge for all photochromic lenses. XTRActive New Gen is still the best option in warmer weather.
I’ve ordered mine today, from the UK!
Didn’t intend to get them. My 6yo son had an opticians appointment and I decided to update my eyewear game while I was there!
I just ordered some reybans with this ruby transition. Still waiting on them. Only thing i might regret is getting the dark red Ferrari reybans. Looked good online, probably wont look great in person 😢
Does they cost more than Gen8? Thanks
@zakara007 yes they cost more, but only a few dollars per lens
@@justnosa3481 pls tell me from where did you placed order?
Those glasses are amazing, but that's cuz the dude totally looks like a top model. If I wear them they'll probably suck 🤣.
Thank you. You are too kind my friend! I'm sure you would rock them with the right frame style for you!
Thanks for this one! Love the custom tint videos you do. Question, can you do a 50% amber lens with ruby flash coating and transistion xtraactive gold mirror? Thanks
Thank you. We can do 50% Amber on Ruby with a Flash Gold mirror.
@@HicksBrunsonEyeweardoes the gold coating cause issues when its clear?
@@fernandohernandez-wr9ui I have a Mirror Styles lense. Works great outdoors during daylight--too many reflections indoors and outdoors after dusk.
I recently got the ruby red lenses for my ray ban new wayfarers, looks so good.
One thing I noticed and wondered if you had the same experience. I found them to look more like blue light reflecting glasses with little color indoors for the first 2 days, after a few times in the sun now the color seems more consistent. haven't seen any mention of a burn in period so maybe it's just me
That is strange. I have not experienced that before. Photochromic lenses can slowly lose their ability to fade back to clear, but this should not happen for two or more years not days.
@HicksBrunsonEyewear just to clarify they do go back to clear in fact it's moreso looking through them.. I just noticed a more pronounced and consistent rose colour after a few times transitioning.. still very happy with their performance!
grey/navy/red zyl with the amber color just filled today
personally I love when the lenses stay tinted for a bit
I totally agree!
I’m so torn between amber and brown lenses. I think I’m liking the look of amber a little more but I worry it might not darken to “sunglasses level”. what would you say about the difference between those two?
The Amber does look nice. It shows more of a true looking brown. Darkness levels are so close in Gen S, I do not think that should make your decision. I wear both, and have a hard time telling any difference, unless you are comparing XTRActive Brown to the Gen S Brown or Amber. XA Brown will get darker in most situations, and for that reason it is my personal favorite.
Hi Daniel, do you see the residue slight tint in the Gen S and XTRActive vs the completely clear lenses in the Gen 8 indoors? I'm not sure if I want any tint at all while indoors.
I really don't see any "residue" tint color on most Gen 8 or Gen S lenses that I have seen. That technology is about as clear as you can get while indoors. Now, if you lay any photochromic lens flat on bright with paper you may see a slight 'residue' tint color on Gen S or Gen 8. While you are wearing the glasses though, Gen S should not show any visible tint to most people when looking at you. Even many of my XTRActive lenses are so light that most people do not ever notice any color while I am wearing them indoors, even though most XTRActive lenses will have a slight hint of tint even in their clearest state.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear, thanks so much Daniel. I just got the Gen S with The Varilux Physio 3+ and Crizal Rock. Hopefully, everything turns out.
Great presentation, thank you!
THANKS for the update and quality content. Imma get me those Ruby Lenses fur sue 👌
You are going to love them!
Thanks, great video! Really nice comparison of the different colors.
Can you please tell me what is the cost of the pair you’re wearing?
Thanks so much! The Tom Davies TD731 is $594. The lenses will depend on your prescription lens type. You can shop the look here: hicksbrunson.com/products/tom-davies-td-731?_pos=1&_sid=184e01a56&_ss=r
These look great. I work in an office with huge windows and a lot of light. If i got the XTRActive, would i be walking around all day with tints indoors? In this case are these Gens better? I cant decide which one to get.
If the windows are letting in a lot of light, and if you spend a lot of time in a very close proximity to them then you might notice some tint possibly in the 15 to 25% density range for XTRActive, which is lighter than standard indoor tint. Gen S might still activate some, but should be much less perhaps under 15%, but might be just ever so slightly visible depending on how close and for how long you are near large windows. I have not tested that exact scenario, but the only time I have seen my lenses darken more than 25% indoors was when the ground was covered with snow, and I was close to the window. The snow is like a giant mirror on the ground and it really pumps up the reflected UV and visible light coming inside.
It also depends on if the windows block UV light. Down South many window brands block at least some, if not virtually all, UV light which means transition lenses will not darken. XtraActive can possibly have a very slight tint since they are also good for driving and cars/trucks windows have some UV protection. One thing to note is if you live in an area that temperatures consistently exceed 75 degrees Gen S will not be as effective. For whatever reason they do not perform well in hot temperatures. That's a show stopper for me since I live over 6 months in SW Florida.
This is really helpful! I couldn’t believeTransitions website doesn’t show what it’s like to look through the lens.
Do you know if GenS don’t lighten when it’s cold out? The older transitions lenses did not, which was a big problem for me in winter.
I’m thinking of getting Ruby Amber or brown, for good contrast when cycling and hiking in cloudier weather. Any recommendations there?
There are two variable in photochromic lens tech. UV intensity and temperature. Everything moves more slowly when it is cold, and this includes the molecules in Transitions lenses the move and change color. This means that fade back times are noticeably slower in colder temperatures. The new Gen S should mitigate this effect at not be as slow in colder temps as compared to Gen 8.
As someone who has sensitive eyes, how does Gen S compare to Xtractive? Also how does Gen S do in vehicles? Do they darken when driving or no?
Any insight on which one would be better suited for my sensitive little eyeballs would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
PS - Transition lenses are really cool, though I've always wished you could transition them on demand by the push of a button or something, do you see any such tech in the near future or should I keep on dreaming?
There is a company that has the technology to activate by touch. The technology is called Electrochromics. I'm not sure if it is on the market yet. It looks cool, but as with all wearable tech I fear frame design will be limited because of the necessary onboard hardware required to make it 2ork. You may have already seen it by now, but I made that comparison video here: th-cam.com/video/iV-Ik2HWRxo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=riVeyi5VMlrmMBbA
Just ordered my first pair of transition lenses. I got the ruby with a anti glare coating
Great video! What about price for new Gen S comparing Gen 8 and does is it come with Xtractive as well? Thanks
Thank you! As of right now we have not seen a price bump, but that could change. XTRActive is a different technology, and is available in Grey, Brown, and Graphite Green only.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear Don't know should I wait for Gen S or go for Xtractive, my main concern is does it Xtractive get dark in very bright office without concrete walls, where are only enormous windows. I'll appreciate your feedback
@@zakara007Yes, xtrActive will react to visible light, and is better for light sensitivity. Gen S (and 8) only respond to UV light, they will NOT have any activation in a car or inside, so they will always be extremely clear inside regardless of brightness (unless a window doesn’t have UV filter) VS xtrActive which gets to about 30-50% tint in the car with full light.
@@zakara007also there is no wait for Gen S, they’ve been available to order for 3 weeks now.
Do these now get as dark as the current Xtractive? Basically do they get as dark as like normal rayban g-15/b-15s?
Gen S is the successor of Gen 8 technology. It is faster and darker than Gen 8, but XTRActive is still the darkest in most situations, and is the only one that can darken behind a windshield.
How do they behave in the car? I imagine the XTRActive ones will still be a better option, but could you make a video comparing them? Thank you very much!
XTRActive is still the better option in the car, but is just not as fast to fade back. I have a new video coming out soon comparing Gen S and XTRActive as they each serve a unique purpose.
I've been waiting for a good review that answered all my questions. You made my wish come true. And you did it all. Thank you for not having your camera automatically white balance. 😊
1) Your frame is amazing. What is it?
2) I have a gold metal frame I want ruby with a gold mirror. I hope I can have that made.
Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed my review! I am wearing my new Tom Davies TD 731, which I love! Check it out here: hicksbrunson.com/collections/tom-davies/products/tom-davies-td-731
Hi what brand of spectacles are you wearing. They look really cool.
Thanks! I'm wearing the Tom Davies TD 731. You can shop the look here: hicksbrunson.com/collections/tom-davies/products/tom-davies-td-731
Nice! I've been waiting for a video like this!
But do Gen S have a built in blue light filter like the Xtractive? I don't have any eyesight problems but I need anti-blue light glasses because I spend all day in front of the monitor and I also need new sunglasses for when I go out. I want to know if the Gen S are right for me
All Transitions lenses including Gen S filter some blue light from indoor sources like screens. XTRActive technically filters more. If you want additional blue light protection you can add a Blue Light filtering anti-reflecting coating to any of these lenses to bump up the blue light protection.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear Thank you very much! I guess I will do that
@@CarloCognome Also calibrate your monitor to 6500K
I got my glasses with gen s. There really nice they get quickly dark and back to clear on my ray ban there nice transition. I recomended 100%
Yes, they are extremely fast. I'm especially impressed with the fade back to clear speed. A real innovation for me.
do you think red mirror would look good with these ruby lenses? which color mirrors are available again?
We do Gold, Silver, and Blue mirrors on all Transitions colors, and with any combination of custom indoor tint colors. Red, Pink, and Green mirrors are limited to XTRActive Grey and Brown.
What anti-glare coating do you have on your personal glasses in the video? Is it Cryzal Sapphire HR?
Yes. It is Crizal Sapphire 360.
Is there a staggered roll out? My local optician doesn't have Gen S available yet.
It was released in North America in April, with Europe next and Asia and other countries towards the end of 2024.
Thanks the informative review!!! Essilor has made some impressive advances in this technology.
Outside, I prefer wearing XTRActive vs. traditional transparent lenses. Indoors, I prefer wearing Gen 8 or traditional lenses. I have a pair of Essilor Varilux Lens with Transitions XTRActive and a Fire Red Mirror Coating. I also have Transistions Gen 8 and XTRAactive with Mirror Styles and without Mirror Styles.
XTRActive Grey with Fire Red Mirror Coating
Pros
+ All visible light wavelengths activate the XTRAactive vs. UV activates the Transitions Gen8
+ Great for outdoor sports and driving, use them everyday for walking and running outside
+ Become much darker than Transitions Gen8, even more so when below 70 F outside
+ Better than Transitions Gen8 for outdoor activities and driving
+ Quick to darken and lighten, still work great after 1 year of daily use
Cons
- Prefer not to use indoors, too much light attenuation and too many internal reflections from indoor light sources
- Try not to use these outside at night because of internal reflections from vehicle lights, street lights, etc.
- Still usable after dusk, but prefer to wear Transitions Gen8 or non-Transitions lenses
Well said. I agree that the Style Mirrors look cool and are great to wear out in bright sun, but there are a lot of reflections that are distracting at night. Indoors, they don't bother me that much, but they bother some people.
Hello, I am from India.
I just decided to go with Transition Gen 8 along with Sapphire Hr coating as I have to make a glass within few days as my present one is broken.
I just came to know about this Gen S lens today.
Don't know whether to wait for Gen S to come to India and should I go with Gen 8?
Is there any significant upgrade for which I should wait? Can you please help on this?
Gen 8 is a very nice lens, but Gen is much faster to fade back to clear. It may not worth the wait if your old glasses are broken and you need a new set now.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear Thanks a lot for your suggestion.
@@_Shouvik.Sarkar Did you get it?
Is the ruby close to an FL-41 tint used to minimize migraines?
It is somewhat close to it at the mid-tint point when not fully darkened.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear thanks! I wonder if the ruby transitions s with a flash sapphire looks good.
Can you explain if there is any difference in light transmittance between the different colors? In other words, does green let in more light (when fully darkened) than gray, for example?
There very well may some difference, but I am not privy to those numbers. I highly doubt Green and Grey would be significantly different. Amber and Ruby probably feel very different just because those colors heighten contrast and can feel brighter than grey.
awesome video, covered every question I had
Thank you. Happy to help!
Are these affected by heat? I know gen 8 doesn't work as well with high heat. Big issue where I live in Az.
That's right. Gen S like most other photochromics does not get as dark in warmer weather. Transitions XTRActive is still the best performer in warmer weather. I do a comparison between the two technologies in this video: th-cam.com/video/iV-Ik2HWRxo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=5dfgCfD1LewvIrwY
I live in Phoenix and had 2 pairs of single;e vision distance Transition Xtractive glasses. Within a short period of time, both sets were totally unusable due to crazing from the heat. It was as if I had Vaseline on the lenses. I had my eyes refracted recently, and the optometrist could not even get a reading on my glasses. I wrote to Transitions which acknowlded this is a known issue with these lenses and heat. Are the Gen S less susceptible? I need something reliable.
Hello Mark, I'm sorry to hear about your experience. Crazing is a separate issue that in my experience has little or nothing to do with Transitions, and more to do with the type of anti-reflective coating and the lens material it was applied to. I've seen this happen to any lenses whether or not they are Transitions. Certain combinations are more resistant to heat, but none are completely immune to heat damage. This is why I advise my clients never leave their glasses inside a car parked outside in the summertime. The interior reaches temperatures as hot as an oven, and that can absolutely damage lenses. Best to avoid extreme heat. With a good quality coating and material, just being outside in the sun is normally not a problem. This is because you are moving about in the air. However, if you just set your glasses down on the sidewalk for half an hour on 100+ degree day that would probably craze them.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear
Thanks for your input. I have had "Photogray" lenses for at least 30+ years while living in Phoenix and never had a crazing issue. My last pair (about 5 years old) and previous driving glasses have been in my car winter and summer. I changed glasses for a new Rx, and after all of that time, the lenses stopped changing color. It was only after receiving the last two pairs of Transitions that I experienced the crazing. Perhaps it was the anti-reflective coating that the company used. Transitions did write to me stating that all of their lenses will craze in the heat. I now have a brand new pair of glasses from another company, but I purchased photochromatic lenses to see how they will work. I do have a glasses holder in the upper panel of my car and will keep them there. I have my fingers crossed.
I would love these frames could you send me a link to these exact ones please
I love them too! Let us know if you need any help. Here is the link: hicksbrunson.com/products/tom-davies-td-731?_pos=1&_sid=127b8a14a&_ss=r
I bought a pair of Face a Face frames and high index XTRActive Transitions lens with a non-reflective coating. The total price as around $1,500.00. Is this typical of designer frames? It seems awfully expensive.
That sounds about right for a high quality frame such as a Face A Face paired with high quality lenses. Face A Face uses premium quality acetate materials that look better and last longer. With Face A Face you are paying for the quality of craftsmanship more so than the name.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear Thank you for taking the time to respond to me. I truly appreciate it. I love your channel. It's my go to from now on for when I need new frames/lenses.
I ordered frames in the ruby! And grey, amber, and graphite green 😂
Graphite green wasn’t included in this video. What is the difference between that lens color and emerald?
I missed Graphite Green. It is more of a grey-green compared to Emerald which is more of a true green. They are quite similar looking side by side.
Graphite Green is basically the color of glass RayBan G-15 lenses. It's probably what you think of when you think of green lenses. You likely won't be disappointed.
I wish that my lenses adapted better when I lived in Arizona, but I also wish that they didn’t have a coating that completely started to peel off…
All coatings are not created equal. Premium coatings are harder to scratch, and can't peel off because they are bonded to the lens at the molecular level. Try Transitions XTRActive lenses for better performance in higher temperatures.
On paper these lenses are considered Category 3 when fully darkened but personally I would consider them more like Category 2.5. If you want something that replicates most sunglasses you still have to go with XtrActive and deal with the negative. These Gen S are a nice step forward after 5 years of Gen 8, but far from a game changer.
Personally I prefer XTRActive too. The benefits are that it works better in warmer weather, and can darken pretty darn close to category 2 behind the windshield. Sure, they are a little slower to fade back, but for a lot of us, that is not really that big of a deal. Others value speed over questions like, "exactly how dark do they get in x, y, and z circumstances?" I do think that fade back time now clocking in under 2 minutes down from 5 is a significant leap forward for those who value speed.
How they darken compared to Xtractive ?
They get as dark in direct sunlight in temps around 75 and below. In warmer temps and in the car or out of direct sunlight, XTRActive will get darker but will not fade back to clear as fast as Gen S.
Wow. So what is the difference between Gen S & Xtractive? Is Xtractive relevant anymore?
Two different technologies. XTRActive still works better in warmer weather, and will darken up to category 2 behind the windshield. Gen is will not darken behind the windshield, but has the fastest darkening and fade back times.
Michas gracias por tu video me ayudo mucho saludos
so cool .....spiderman glasses- every kid's dream
Right on! It would be cooler if wearing the frames gave you the ability to shoot webs and scale walls.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear true
What category darkness is the xtractive lens in sunlight?
It is capable of category 3.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear ok thx for the info. And can you confirm if Nova Xtractive Transition Lens is of great quality in India because In India when I wanted to get the transition Xtractive Lens, the optition said that I would have to get Nova Xtractive Transition Lens and then that is what I got and it seems good but just want to know if it is of great quality? Thank you !!
How does it compare to Photofusion X?
I have not compared them as of yet.
YAY i buy my glasses at walmart vision center bc of my insurance so i can’t wait to get the new RUBY transitions!!
Great video. Where did you get the samples you showed? I've been trying to obtain some and I'm having a hard time.
Thank you! I ordered uncut lenses from my lab as soon as they became available.
I think I’m going to like it!😍😍😍
Optimeyes have these?
Sorry, I can't speak for them. :-)
I have not found them in EU (Holland) yet.. :(
They roll out around the world at different times. I hope you get them soon!
They are coming soon. Pearle Opticiens is busy preparing for the roll out as we speak.
@@henk4639 aaah I just got the emerald color! Time to save up for a second pair :)
Xtractive or Gen S?? This is the question I struggle with mostly. Can you compare them and give your opinion?
They do different things really. If you want the fastest fade back time then it's Gen S all the way. If you want the choice off all the Style Colors then it's Gen S. If you want them to work better in warmer weather, and to activate to a category 1 or sometimes a category 2 behind the windshield then you want XTRActive.
The colours available are not 8?
8 doesn't have the new colours there Is an amber tho
@@strictlykev311 Gray, Brown, Graphite Green, Amber, Emerald, Sapphire, Amethyst and Ruby. That's 8 unless I'm missing one.
Sorry, I made a mistake in the video by saying that there are 9. There are 8 colors in total. Grey, Brown, Graphite Green, Amber, Amethyst, Emerald, Sapphire, and the new Ruby. I was missing the Graphite Green color, but it is strikingly similar to Emerald.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewear No worries. Thanks for the very informative video. For this one and all the others you make.
@HicksBrunsonEyewear as far as I was aware neither the 8 or the extra active have a ruby red color available. That's why I went with gen S
Dang...I just got gen 8 litterally a week ago. Is it a large difference and would it be worth the up grade to the S?
You might check to be sure you actually have Gen 8. Gen S has been available more than a week. It is possible you do have Gen S.
I wish. I got it from costco and they said they only have gen 8. The workers didn't know what gen s was.
My daughter choose them bc she wanted to look like an X-men 😂😂😂
Haha! Your daughter sounds pretty cool!
Is it better than xtractive polarized?
It is faster to fade back to clear, but will not darken in the car like XTRActive. Both lenses serve a unique purpose.
How the hell did I go from watching Seiko Watch reviews to Transition eye glasses reviews 😂 I hate photochromic in my glasses.
I have no idea, but I'm glad to have you here my friend! I hope you'll stick around for some of my other adventures. Have a great day!
Didn't realize he has $1,000 on his face lol
It's not 100% clear indoors.
That’s not what I heard. Personal experience?
@Mouse01011 In this video. You can still see a faint tint remaining. Best to put the lens in front of white blank paper.
Can you see a faint red tint at the beginning of the video before I darkened the lenses? I take your point that a faint color is slightly visible when the lens laying flat on white paper, but they are so close to clear that most will never notice this when worn on the face.
@@HicksBrunsonEyewearI've purchased the Gen S Sapphire and the residual greysh tint is so faint it's negligible. I would say they are 98% clear, even so it's only noticeable if you look for it under certain conditions.
I have ruby red and while in my apartment and watching TV it is crystal clear.
Yours did not clear in 2 minutes. Maybe rarher than talking on and on and on about how fast it is, just time it. It would make far more informative video. This just feel like a very long and winding commercial.
Fair point. There is still a hint of tint after 2 minutes that lingers for a while. Maybe I'll take a deeper dive here at some point.
Why not produce a matrix of where this stuff will and wont work instead of pretending that each "new" generation solves all problems. I bought a pair six years ago. Went black in the watery UK Winter Sun. Barely changed colour in Thailand's sear your eyeballs out glaring heat. Just got another pair after being promised new gen technology solves all problems. No real difference.
It's clearly not just the heat otherwise walking out of aircon would turn them. It's something about the geography, angle or wavelength. They know but they aren't telling.
Both Gen S and XTRActive work all around the world, but each user has his or her own preferences. Do you want faster transition times, or darker tints in warmer weather. Technology constraints limit us for now to needing two different lenses depending on your preference. There are two variables that affect photochromic technology. UV intensity and temperature of the lenses. They generally get darker and stay darker for longer in cooler temps. Those molecules that move from clear to dark move more slowly when they get colder, like all particles do. When they get warmer they move more quickly. They are in an unstable state when UV intensity is coming and going, and they are always trying to move back to the clear state. Gen S is much faster to move back and forth, but XTRActive is still the best tech for working well in warmer weather. Gen S does not replace XTRActive. The two technologies are needed because of the varying climate differences around the world and user preferences.