In the Amazon Prime streaming series hit, Fallout, based on the post-apocalyptic game franchise from Bethesda Games, there’s a lot of edgy, biting comedy and snark between two of the main characters, Lucy and Cooper. One of the better moments during the first season occurs when protagonist Lucy says to the ghoulish anti-hero and unlikely traveling partner, Cooper, “I may end up looking like you, but I’ll never be like you.”
Well, that prediction may or may not prove out in the series, but as it happens, there’s a way to emulate some of the look that may be familiar to both the Fallout streaming show and fans of the gaming series. That is, if you’re looking for GUNNAR Optiks glasses — namely, the Fallout Vault 33 Gamer Glasses.
Since the company’s founding in 2006, GUNNAR’s main claim to fame is their blue light-blocking lenses used by gamers and other folks who put their eyes in focus in front of screens for hours a day. While computers and mobile devices frequently have blue light- blockers baked in, we’re still often in front of many screens a day where unfiltered blue light reaches our eyes. Blue light exposure has been demonstrated to cause fatigue and discomfort with eyestrain and even reduced sleep quality, so folks who put in longer hours gaming, laptop work time, and so on, will feel the effects in front of pixels the most.
We’ll find out how well the GUNNAR Fallout Vault 33 gamer glasses can do in some use cases.
The package deal:
The GUNNAR Optiks Fallout Vault 33 gamer glasses came packaged in a GUNNAR-branded gray-and-white cardboard box. Inside is a foam sleeve and an electric blue cargo box-themed metal glasses case inside of that.
The case features the “Vault-Tec 33 Industries” logo in yellow on one side and the Fallout and GUNNAR logos on the other. It’s cool branding — and of course, it’ll be immediately familiar to Fallout fans.
Inside the case itself, the glasses are nested inside the similarly blue-colored microfiber bag with a yellow drawstring. The bag is dominated by the Vault Boy mascot with his well-known smile and thumbs-up pose. Folded underneath the glasses sits the electric blue microfiber cloth with the “Vault-Tec 33 Industries” logo in yellow.
The glasses themselves are olive and gunmetal, which, while breaking out of the blue-and-yellow styling of the accessories, fit well with the amber lenses. The frames are thicker and had a goggle-like feel, kind of steampunk in my initial impression, while the temple arms are much thinner. The amber lenses are familiar to anyone who’s worn blue light-blocking lenses before.
From a marketing perspective, the consistent and neat Fallout-themed branding of the glasses stood out the most. Many gamers are likely to appreciate that touch.
Let’s move on to see how they look and feel when worn.
Performance:
First of all, I should note that the version of the Fallout Vault 33 gamer glasses I’m reviewing are non-prescriptive. Since my vision isn’t quite 20/20, I’ll focus on their value for big-screen usage and general use in different environments — excluding high-focus environments.
The thick frames were slightly distracting at the edges of my field of vision, but overall, the lenses should be large enough for most potential wearers. Also, you can feel the heft of the nylon and stainless steel used in the body of the glasses. At 20 grams (about 7 ounces), the bit of weight lends a feel of solidity and sturdiness compared to lighter. With the help of the spring hinges, they also feel like they’re less likely to slip and slide when worn — even for a few hours at a time.
The lenses themselves did an excellent job helping create a clear, brighter, higher-contrast outdoors view near water, in snow, in dense fog, in bright sun— luckily, with only a minimum of squinting required. Cleaning up the lenses with the microfiber cloth was easy, including most smudges and smears. From a gaming perspective, playing games on a large-screen LED TV, including fast-moving action games, was more comfortable with my eyes not feeling the strain after several play sessions of at least one hour.
Official specs:
- Lens width: 52 mm; lens height: 42 mm; nose: 22 mm; frame width: 139 mm; temple: 145 mm; weight: 20 grams (without packaging)
- Retro-futuristic square style stainless steel and nylon frame material
- GUNNAR patented lens technology
- G-Shield lens coating: anti-reflective and smudge resistant
- Blocks harmful blue light and 100% UV
- Officially licensed from Amazon Studios
- Package includes collectors glasses case, collectors microfiber pouch, collectors microfiber cleaning cloth
- 24-month warranty
Value:
While some sites, including the official GUNNAR website offer the glasses at their MSRP of $99.99, as is often the case, Amazon offers the GUNNAR Optiks Fallout Vault 33 glasses at a discount. For around $77-78, buyers can pick between two different lens types for almost identical discount pricing. If Fallout branding isn’t a priority, Amazon and Best Buy both offer the well-reviewed GUNNAR Intercept glasses for $49.
Of course, if someone interested is seeking lower-priced options from well-known companies. like Razer, who offer their Anzu smart blue light glasses on Amazon for $39.99. HyperX offers their Spectre Stealth blue light-blocking glasses on discount for $34.99 (from $39.99) at Amazon as well.
Pros:
- Durable lenses, solid frame, and feels unlikely to be easily damaged from normal wear
- Comfortable fit (at least for my head and face, which is on the larger side)
- Bonus points in the glasses’ favor if you’re a Fallout series fan: The branding is on-point with the case, the lens cloth, as well as the styling of the glasses as well.
Cons:
- There are certainly feature-comparable blue light lenses for less than the MSRP cost of these glasses (but the established GUNNAR brand, warranty, and Fallout theme might compensate for it for some buyers).
Ideal for: These GUNNAR Optiks gamer glasses are well-made and durable for indoor or outdoor use, big screen-gaming, or with a prescriptive adjustment, possibly for up-close mobile/computer work and play. Amber lenses aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, of course, but there’s a clear-lensed version (that blocks less blue light) or the blue-lensed sunglasses version (that blocks more blue light) of these glasses available too, with customizable add-ons for the prescription lenses. The $99 MSRP may be a bit steep for some folks, but the 24-month warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship should help many buyers breathe a sigh of relief.
Among the wide variety of gamer glasses GUNNAR makes, these glasses get a special thumbs-up if you’re a fan of the Fallout franchise, whether from the gaming or TV series side.
The Fallout Vault 33 Gamer Glasses glasses are recommended for gaming-forward folks who want to make a pop culture or gaming fashion statement — and visual clarity, comfort, and functionality matters just as much.
