GUNNAR Promises Big Changes and Exciting Collaborations in 2024

Keeping an eye on the future of blue light protection...

GUNNAR Cupertino Frames

After spending much of 2023 getting to know GUNNAR Optiks, I’m excited to say the future looks bright for the gaming eyewear company. In a pre-CES briefing last week, I sat down with representatives of GUNNAR to hear more about where the brand will be taking its signature blue light-blocking lenses. 

While 2023 came with exciting partnerships with Activision for Assassin’s Creed: Mirage, Diablo IV, and World of Warcraft, there’s so much launching in 2024 that I’d say GUNNAR is entering an entirely new phase of its business model. 

Coinciding with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2024) in Vegas, GUNNAR’s first release of 2024 is a premium acetate frame that caters to a variety of users. Launching January 10, Cupertino frames will be GUNNAR’s most customizable yet. 

With the lens insert bundle, users can easily swap between the 35%, 65%, 90%, and 98% lens inserts. If you don’t want all four, you can pair any additional lens with the signature 65% amber lens.

Each individual lens is magnetized to easily snap on and stay in place so you can customize the grade of your blue light-blocking glasses based on your situation. If you’re going from the artificial lighting of your office to the natural glow of the sun, you’ll swap to the 90% sun insert. 

I received a pair of the Cupertino frames from GUNNAR, and compared to the Mirage Interceptor model I was using from last year, it’s definitely a higher-quality material. The magnets on the lenses are very strong and easily snap into place and will stay locked in even if you’re actively moving about. Fingerprints and smudges are the banes of my existence, and so far, I haven’t had issues keeping the glass clean even when swapping out lenses.

Cupertino glasses retail for $175 for a pair of lenses and $200 for all four.

Changes Abound for GUNNAR

One of the biggest improvements coming to the company’s line is a new lens material—Mineral Glass. GUNNAR is taking cues from the clarity and focus of high-end photography equipment and outfitting some of its future frame styles with the new glass designed for maximum purity, distortion protection, haze reduction, durability, and color accuracy. 

Speaking of color accuracy, GUNNAR is catering to a new market with a new reduced-tint lens. As the 65% amber lenses can distort colors and any of the company’s lower-grade lenses offer little to no blue light protection, GUNNAR wanted to find a middle ground with a lens catering to graphic artists and professionals working in vibrant worlds of color. The new 20% protection offers a fair amount of blue light-blocking without the color distortion that comes with darker tints.

New GUNNAR Frames for 2024

It’s not just lenses getting an upgrade in 2024, though. Acknowledging that its current lineup caters primarily to a male aesthetic, GUNNAR is expanding its library of frames to appeal to all genders. The Strata Collection, scheduled for a Valentine’s Day release, unlocks the Palomar, Pismo, and Pacifica frames. These unique styles step away from a basic rectangular shape for a more stylish appearance that appeals to a broader audience. 

Just two weeks before the Strata Collection launches, GUNNAR will add to its harder-edged frames with Plaid, an attractive design featuring a black-and-grey plaid print. On March 19, it’s also launching the Arbor Collection, featuring the rounder Muir and Humboldt frames.

GUNNAR’s 2024 Collaborations

During GUNNAR co-founder and CEO Joe Croft’s appearance on Shark Tank in 2018, marketing expert Rohan Oza failed to see opportunities for creative branding. However, last year alone, GUNNAR worked with Marvel and major players in the gaming space to release special edition frames. Again proving Oza wrong, GUNNAR is moving ahead with several collaborations in 2024 that will appease Marvel fans, streamers, and lovers of Japanese pop culture. 

GUNNAR's Collaborations for 2024

From two Overwatch frames, including the D.Va Tokki Collectors Edition glasses, to frames branded with characters like Marvel’s Groot, Wolverine, Punisher, and Deadpool, GUNNAR continues to show its dedication to remaining the go-to source for nerdy, protective eyewear.