Review: GUNNAR Fallout Vault 33 glasses – Rad and radiated

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I’m a big fan of GUNNAR collaborating with various companies to offer wearable crossovers. Their team-up with Amazon Prime’s newest explosive hit, Fallout, is par for the course with their GUNNAR Fallout Vault 33 edition glasses. 

If you’re unfamiliar with Fallout, it’s a game series focusing on the aftermath of a nuclear war. In the world of Fallout, the aesthetic was stuck in a 1950s style before the bombs dropped.

So, culture paused in that exact motif. These glasses reflect the entire fandom as a whole and do a great job of representing the feel of the game series.

The GUNNAR Fallout Vault 33 glasses were sent to us by GUNNAR for review.

Who are the GUNNAR Fallout Vault 33 glasses for?

I won’t lie: these glasses may not be for everyone. But, if you’re a fan of Fallout, whether it be the games or the new Amazon Prime exclusive show, these are a must-have.

Between the colors, the frame style, and the quirky Vault-Tec logos on the glasses and accessories, you’re in for a treat as good as iguana on a stick. 

GUNNAR Fallout Vault 33 glasses features and specifications

Technical details

Starting with the lenses, the GUNNAR Fallout Vault 33 glasses come in a few options: amber, clear, sunglasses, or prescription. For this review, we got their fantastic yellow-tinted blue light-blockers, known on GUNNAR’s website as “Amber.”

I recently reviewed GUNNAR’s Tallac sunglasses and think the Fallout Vault 33 edition glasses look great if you opt to go with the sunglasses lens. But, if you’re looking for something more suited to working at a desk or a computer, the amber coating is among the best available.

Those needing a prescription can choose GUNNAR’s entire line of lenses, such as amber-transition lenses or their 98% blue light-blocking hard yellow Amber Max. As reviewed, the Amber glasses offer 65% blue light blocking, but they will tint your entire color spectrum slightly yellow.

As with all GUNNAR glasses, you get some additional features, such as 100% UV protection. With the shape of the frames matched with the Amber lens, you can also expect to have some protection against dry eyes.

The G-Shield lens coating is anti-reflective and resistant to smudges. I agree with their claim to have anti-reflecting. However, I always recommend keeping the pack-in microfiber cloth on hand as a finger will still smudge it. 

Specs

• Retro-futuristic square-style stainless steel and nylon frame material
• Flexible spring hinges
• GUNNAR patented lens technology
• G-Shield lens coating: anti-reflective & smudge resistant
• Blocks harmful blue light and 100% UV
• Officially licensed Amazon Studios Fallout glasses
• Lense options: Amber, Clear, Sunglasses, Prescription
• Specifics: lens width: 52 mm | lens height: 42 mm | nose: 22 mm | frame width: 139 mm | temple: 145 mm | weight: 20 grams (without packaging)
• 24-month warranty

Design and colors

Let’s go into detail about this frame. If you’re familiar with the Fallout universe, you should expect anything from it to have a 1950s aesthetic.

With that said, the coke-bottle style of these frames feels like something that could have been worn on-screen for Amazon’s Fallout TV series or within the Fallout games.

Some GUNNAR glasses just hit the mark when it comes to the look it’s going for. The Fallout Vault 33 edition is among them.

They have the period look and feel down.

As for the colors, the GUNNAR Fallout Vault 33 glasses come in gunmetal and olive to bring a more militaristic and post-apocalyptic appeal. You can find a tiny, subtle Vault 33 logo in yellow on each temple, the same one used in the Prime series.

Comfort and weight

While some other GUNNAR glasses come in acetate, carbon fiber, or wood, the Fallout Vault 33 glasses are made with stainless steel. This means they are heftier than some of GUNNAR’s other offerings. It isn’t a bad thing, but just worth noting.

According to GUNNAR’s website, the “flexible spring hinges” should be similar to their recent tokidoki Year of the Dragon glasses. However, that just isn’t true. They don’t flex into various angles and that’s unfortunate.

Due to that, they’re rigid and can sometimes be a bit much if you have a big head like I do. When the spring hinges work on other GUNNAR glasses, they feel so much nicer on my head.

When compared, the Fallout Vault 33 glasses feel unnecessarily tight. The upside is that I never felt like I would break the glasses with my hands. So, it’s a bit of a trade-off.

It isn’t a deal breaker. But I own quite a few GUNNAR glasses, and not having the hinge move even a bit felt like it wasn’t living up to the premium price tag.

What’s in the box?

I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the accessories that come with the glasses. As always with GUNNAR’s higher-grade glasses, you get a glasses case, cinch pouch, and microfiber cloth.

But GUNNAR went a little above and beyond this time. Vault-Tec, the in-universe brand, was a mega-corporation before the bombs dropped. You can find their logo plastered on everything in the box.

I’m used to the hard case being either their cheaper cardboard and magnet option that comes with some glasses, or the fancier, hinged hard case like the Tallac had. But, no, they did something a little different for the Fallout Vault 33 edition.

The case is closer to the same kind that came with the Tallac, which was more of a faux leather. However, they gave it a S.P.E.C.I.A.L. shape, design, and metal material to make it look like it was made by Vault-Tec.

In cursive, you can find the words “Revolutionizing safety for an uncertain future” printed on the inside of the top of the case. I’m so happy that they went above and beyond for this.

The microfiber has the Vault 33 and Vault-Tec logos printed on one side, with Fallout and GUNNAR on the other. As for the usual cinch pouch, you get a Vault 33 Vault Boy printed on it, giving his signature thumbs up.

All of it is so well done that it’s easy to forget that this was just a collaboration for a streaming show. So, absolutely well done, GUNNAR.

Alternative options to the GUNNAR Fallout Vault 33 glasses

You should notice that GUNNAR glasses are a bit pricey. The reason is due to the quality. Plenty of blue light-blocking glasses are on the market, but you get what you pay for as they generally use cheaper materials or have flimsy frames.

Here are some options that give you a similar coke-bottle-style frame if you don’t necessarily care about the Fallout collaboration. Plus, you’ll save a ton of money, so it won’t matter if they break or get lost.

Final Verdict

The GUNNAR Fallout Vault 33 glasses hit every mark that a Fallout fan will want in a collaboration and wearable.

If you’re a Fallout fan and need a new pair of glasses, it’s worth your time and investment to grab one. You’ll be styling through the wasteland in no time.

Aside from the minor hinge issue, the glasses are well-made, look great, and feel more or less comfortable on most heads. If you’ve got a larger face, you might want to check out a different pair of GUNNARS.

They’d be a great addition to any streamer looking to stroll around New Vegas or as a unique look in public. 

You can find the Fallout Vault 33 glasses on GUNNAR’s website for $99. This style sold out nearly immediately at launch. However, they’re back up as presale, with a shipping date of August 2024.

If you can’t wait that long, some styles are still in stock on Amazon.

Do you love the Fallout series and want to get a deeper connection to the style? Wish they’d make a pair for larger faces? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Gunnar Tallac Sunglasses – Perfect for the wasteland
• GameScent – Now you can smell your games
• Oxa – Learn how to breathe properly
• Baseus Blade 2 – A super slim but pricey laptop power bank

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.