Cablz Zipz are marketed as the only eyewear retainers with patented ball bearing technology. The ball bearings allow the cable to work/move the way it wants to. By forming an archway or space behind the bead without adding any unnecessary torque on the cable or the rubber, Cablz Zipz can be put away without bending or getting kinked. This allows them to return back to their original position and gives Cablz Zipz the ability to spin within the rubber attachments.
About Cablz Zipz
Cablz Zipz are the brainchild of creator Ron Williams, a self-professed “avid outdoorsman and inventor.” Williams used a variety of eyewear throughout his life, but one fateful day, while checking for incoming traffic, his retainers snagged and knocked his sunglasses across his face. This event changed his life, as it instilled within him an idea of making his own retainers. Eventually, through ingenuity and hard work, he eventually developed the first Cablz Zipz prototype and the rest was history.
A Look at How They’re Made
Cablz Zipz are made from stainless steel cables, two securing rubber pads that can stretch to fit most glasses’ arms, and the adjustable ball bearings. Overall, the product is compact, but stretchy, and can fit comfortably across the back of most heads.
- Stainless steel cables: the stainless steel cables are coated with rubber in order to ensure comfort and uniformity throughout the product
- Rubber pads: the comfy rubber pads are designed to fit snugly on the arms of your glasses, and are available in multiple sizes, from extra large to smalls, based on the size of your eyewear. They’re well-made and, if fitted correctly, will not touch your ears. While they’re fairly solid and can be adjusted with minimum issues, some users reported small cuts in the end due to overuse.
- Ball Bearings: Two small ball bearings made from rubber that adjust the fit from the back. They’re not cumbersome or uncomfortable, and are easy to get used to if the product is properly tightened.
Compared to other products on the market, you can definitely tell Cablz Zipz are made with the utmost quality. And unlike other retainers, these sit in the back of your head instead of your neck, ensuring your glasses stay in front of your eyes at all times.
Cablz Zipz Features
The main draw of the Cablz Zipz is the adjustable ball bearings that can be fitted up to half of their original size when they are cinched (tightened). For example, an 18” cable can be shortened to 9” when adjusted to its maximum distance. This is by far the most useful feature of the product, and comes in handy if you ever need to lend your sunglasses to a friend.
The rubber pads can come in a variety of sizes, but the pair that was reviewed was an Universal End size that can fit three different types of frames. The glasses used during this review were a medium frame. However, they are not very intuitive. While trying to use the product, there was no mark indicating where the glasses arms should clip onto the rubber inserts, and for awhile, I was uncertain if they fit correctly.
While the cables are of solid construction, and the Cablz Zipz are overall well-made, they can rust if exposed to air. This can happen due to the rubber getting cut or nicked. Overall, the product is strong, although while the steel itself can withstand an unintentional cut or snag, the rubber cannot.
Cablz Zipz come in a variety of colors, which makes them attractive to the fashionable user.
Do Cablz Zipz Work as Advertised?
Performance is everything during a product test. The pair that was tested was used in a shipboard environment that, while full of hazards, is not normally high impact, which is what Cablz Zipz are normally intended for. However, it was utilized in a couple of scenarios for testing purposes and the results were as follows:
Test one involved trying to shake them off the tester’s head while they were moving brusquely.
While the pictures don’t do it justice, the repeated motions made the glasses fall off the participant’s head and the Cablz Zipz held them tightly in place. Even as the subject tried to vigorously shake them off, the rubber pads did not let go of the glasses and kept them on his face throughout the entire test.
This test was meant to simulate the normal climbing up ladderwells and stairs, as well as the overall fitness routines (running and aerobics) of a sailor’s day to day life, and Cablz Zipz performed great during the test. The glasses stayed near his eyes instead of being caught by his neck.
Test number two was performed during a particularly stormy day in which the ship was rocking heavily.
What was discovered was much of the same, despite the movement and the heaving and hoeing going around the vessel. The glasses stayed pretty much intact throughout the experience. This test was actually more of a coincidence and was only possible due to a nearby storm. The seas were rough, but the Cablz Zipz held strong, as a testament to its product quality.
As far as the other aspects of the product, they’re definitely not cumbersome; at about the size of a regular pen, they don’t weigh much at all, and can fit well under most hats and helmets (which sailors use often).
Their color scheme is cool and with a variety of themes; they can definitely fit any individual’s taste, and when it comes to actual practicality? Well, they’re easily adjustable and can be resized easily with the use of the rubber pads in the back.
However, as mentioned earlier, the rubber can be broken and the cables exposed which can make it rust. These conditions, however, are outliers based on a few customer reviews available online.
Who Should Buy Them
Thrill seekers, daytime runners, and watersports fanatics are the target audience for this type of product. Cablz Zipz mesh well with an active lifestyle, and definitely benefit those whose hobbies include a lot of jumping and high impact. Additionally, they come in a variety of colors including, pink, blue, green, orange, blue/white, yellow, and more in order to fit them to your palate. Basically, if you like jet-skiing, running trails, and dune bugging, Cablz Zipz are for you!
Cablz Zipz Retail at a MSRP of $14.99. You can pick a set up at US Patriot.
Star Rating:
The Bottom Line
Cablz Zipz effectively serve their intended purpose of keeping your eyewear attached to your body during strenuous and high-movement situations, but unless you live an extremely active lifestyle, they won’t see much use.
Disclaimer: The content in this article is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of US Patriot Tactical.
