Storm 镜片与光致变色镜片：两种不同技术，应对两种不同问题
导言
我们最常被问到的问题之一是：“我需要光致变色镜片还是 Storm 镜片？” 简短的回答是：这取决于你想解决什么问题。更完整且更有价值的回答，则需要先了解这两种技术实际上各自能做什么。
The Storm lens is a high-contrast optical lens developed by Out Of in collaboration with the Department of Physics at the University of Milan and manufactured by Zeiss. With a Visible Light Transmission (VLT) ranging from 46.10% to 49.49% depending on the model, it is specifically designed for conditions of constant low light.
What a photochromic lens does
A photochromic lens changes its tint in response to the amount of light present in the environment. In bright sunlight, it darkens to protect your eyes from excess light. As light decreases, it clears to let in as much light as possible.
The problem it solves is variation in light quantity: strong sun, shade, tunnels, woodland alternating with open spaces. The photochromic lens manages the flow of photons reaching the eye.
What it does not do: it does not improve the quality of visual perception. It does not increase contrast. It does not “add” visual information that the light itself does not carry.
What the Storm lens does
The Storm lens was designed with a different goal: increasing contrast perception in low-light conditions. It does not change tint, it does not adapt to light — it does one thing, but it does it extremely well: it makes terrain details visible that would otherwise be lost in flat light.
It achieves this through a precise selection of transmitted wavelengths, developed with professors from the Department of Physics at the University of Milan and manufactured by Zeiss. The Storm lens transmission curve is calibrated to amplify the subtle chromatic differences the brain uses to reconstruct terrain relief when shadows are absent or very weak.
With a VLT between 46.10% and 49.49% depending on the model, the Storm lets through an optimal amount of light for low-light contexts without compromising protection.
Visual contrast: a concept worth understanding
When we ride through woodland on a grey winter day, or when we come out of a tunnel under an overcast sky, it is not just the quantity of light that is low — it is the quality of visual information. Diffuse, uniform light creates no shadows, and shadows are what we use to perceive depth, texture, and terrain relief.
A photochromic lens in these conditions will clear (correctly, because there is little light), but it does not change the fact that ambient contrast is low. The Storm, on the other hand, works precisely on this: it amplifies the signal where it is weak, making visible the differences that would otherwise go unnoticed.
When you need a photochromic lens
A photochromic lens is the right choice when light conditions vary greatly during a single ride. Riders doing MTB on mixed terrain — sun, shade, tunnels, woodland alternating with open spaces — need a lens that adapts continuously without having to stop.
The traditional photochromic (like the The One lenses in the Piuma sunglasses) works well for gradual transitions. IRID® technology goes further: it adapts in under one second, handling even sudden and instantaneous changes, transitioning from Cat. 1 to Cat. 3 with unlimited gradations.
👉 For maximum adaptability: Bot 3 and Bot 3 Lite with IRID® lens — instant electronic photochromic, no battery required.
When you need the Storm lens
The Storm is the right choice when light conditions are constantly low and flat: winter rides in the woods, overcast days, shaded trails. In these contexts, the problem is not that the light varies — it is that the light is always scarce and uniform, and what is missing is contrast.
In those situations, a photochromic lens will clear to its maximum and then there is nothing more it can do. The Storm will keep working on contrast, making the terrain far more readable.
👉 For sunglasses: the Storm lens is available on the Rams — sport sunglasses with Zeiss lenses, 19.5 grams, carbon fibre-loaded Grilamid frame.
👉 For ski goggles: the Storm lens is included as a free gift with the Katana and the Shift, or available as a single replacement lens for the Zenith, Void, Katana, Shift, and Open.
Can they coexist?
In theory, a lens with high VLT (for low light) and a transmission curve optimised for contrast — like the Storm — covers both problems for consistently difficult conditions. It is not the same as a photochromic that adapts, but in consistently dark conditions it is the most effective choice.
For those facing highly variable conditions — from full sun to complete shade — the ideal combination would be a photochromic lens with integrated contrast optimisation. This is an area where Out Of’s optical research continues to evolve.
The practical choice
| Situation | Recommended technology | 太阳镜 | 护目镜 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Variable light (alternating sun/shade) | IRID® photochromic | Bot 3 Bot 3 Lite Vision 1 | Electra 3 |
| Gradual transitions, lower price | The One photochromic | Piuma Swordfish | Void The One Katana The One Shift The One |
| Constant low light | Storm lens (contrast) | Rams | Katana (included for free) Shift (included for free) Zenith, Void, Shift, Open (replacement lens) |
If you ride primarily in variable light and need an all-in-one lens: photochromic. If you ride primarily in constant, flat low light — woodland, winter conditions — and want to read the terrain better: Storm. If you do both on different rides, you may want both options in your kit.
