As a major retailer, we at KONAsports face difficult daily decisions on which product is of the utmost quality to be housed in our store. You don’t make it over 40 years in any business by supplying sub-par product to customers. That’s why when it came to deciding on new eyewear, suppliers Kaenon (KAY-nun) were a no brainer. Kaenon sunglasses are designed in Newport Beach, CA and hand-painted in Italy.

How did Kaenon start? In 2001, two brothers took it upon themselves to create a better sunglass. They developed a proprietary polarized lens and wrapped it in unique frame styles and color treatments to suit their active lifestyles. They quickly realized, for the first time, one pair of sunglasses could fulfill both on and off the field necessary qualities. The creators of Kaenon live by one truth — Never Compromise. With this philosophy, and a steadfast commitment to their values, Kaenon has made the impossible, possible. Using their SR-91 technology, Kaenon has created a new polarized material, for its eyewear lenses, that performs in every situation.

After the superior clarity of SR-91 lenses came to light, Kaenon continued to introduce industry-altering SR-91 polarized corrective lenses. Today their prescription eyewear is produced to rigorous quality control specifications, supported by excellent customer service, and delivered promptly. All of their polarized sunglasses are warranted for one year from the date of purchase (void without proof of purchase) against breakage caused by defects in materials or manufacturing. Not to mention all SR-91 lenses come with a lifetime warranty that covers cracking or spitting of the lens at drill-mounts, or elimination of the inner polarizing film and the lens material. All this ensures your experience with Kaenon will surpass that of any other sunglass company.

Who wears Kaenon? World-class athletes ranging from sailing to golf, from baseball to fishing, have taken to Kaenon shades. Kevin Youkilis, of the Boston Red Sox, wears Kaenon’s Hardcore model. 2006 Olympic Gold medalist, alpine ski racer Julia Mancuso prefers the Burnett style of shades. Mancuso is the only American woman to win three Olympic medals (two silvers in 2010). Joining the likes of these fine athletes is also well-known cyclist Mark Weir, who has won more than 19 competitions, in addition to setting numerous records. Weir prefers the Arlo style. Join the ranks of these top-notch athletes by ordering your own pair of Kaenons from KONAsports.com...

Back in the 19th century New Jersey was known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic”. This nickname was earned due to the estimated 5,000 shipwrecks that occurred along the shoreline. Needless to say, it wasn’t an attractive travel destination. (That’s where lighthouses come into play, but that’s a whole other story.) In an attempt to change this mindset, and make the shore a safer place, Atlantic City created the “Constable of Surf” position. These people were essentially Atlantic City cops in beachwear. After seasons of supervision, numbers indicated that vacationers were, in fact, safer with a “Surf Constable” on duty. Industry savvy even in the 1890’s, Atlantic City became the first beach in New Jersey to employ full-time lifeguards, allowing the city to flourish in the summer months. Guarding lives became an integral part of the City's growth.

Now, lifeguards are stationed on nearly every beach along the coast and continue to be a main source of safety for all vacationers. Most communities actually have their lifeguards sworn-in to the police department. Some geographic locations call for lifeguards to assist in mountain rescues and can sometimes function as a primary EMS provider. Since New Jersey beaches have become even more of a summer vacation destination (Thanks MTV!), lifeguards are a very important component to life here at the shore. Not only do they protect swimmers and enforce rules, but they always look good doing it too! It doesn’t hurt when you’re able to perfect your tan every day at work, or if you’re rocking these Native shades.

As much as we love to embrace it, we also need to protect ourselves from the sun’s harsh UV rays. The human understanding of the sun is still developing—with so many anomalies, a lot of the sun’s behavior remains unexplained. Still, current technology allows UV protection to not only exist in sunglasses, but also in hats and clothing. Items such as our Kona Rashguard help to protect us from the sun's harmful rays, while keeping up with trending fashion. With the trending incline in extreme weather conditions, this kind of technology is definitely something to consider this summer, along with sunscreen.

There is a culture within the classes where the shoes on ones feet reflect social status, or how a person wants to be perceived. But shoes are much more than a symbol of hierarchy. Shoes were originally invented to protect and comfort the human foot during a wide variety of activities. Cavemen wrapped their feet in animal skins, and now, through centuries of innovation and engineering there are countless footwear categories, brands, and styles covering every sport and activity imaginable. Although mass production has made shoes more readily available around the globe, unfortunately, not everyone in this world is privileged enough to own a pair.

That’s why these days it’s important to support companies that take it upon themselves to make a difference in the world around them through the fairness of their manufacturing process, and the structure of their business model. Companies like Patagonia, Billabong, and TOMS shoes take these extra measures very seriously, and we like to support them for that reason. Since 2006, TOMS shoes has implemented their One for One program. This initiative has allowed TOMS to give shoes to people in need around the world every time a pair is sold. This program has benefited people in over 20 countries and as of September, 2010, they’ve given away over 1,000,000 shoes. An exchange such as this is extremely crucial in developing countries, where soil-transmitted diseases are among the leading causes of illness. The shoes provided to these individuals helps prevent these diseases and the long-term harm they cause. Not only that, but in some cases lack of shoes prevents children from gaining admittance to school, reiterating that shoes put an individual into a different social class and prevent them from improving your life and stature within society.

TOMS manufacturing practices are essentially an open-book and exist in Argentina, China, and Ethiopia under a watchful, and always improving eye. Blake Mycoskie (TOMS founder) was on a trip to Argentina when he experienced the poverty and struggles of the area first-hand. Mycoskie recognized the traditional Argentine alpargata shoe as the best solution. He reengineered the design using recycled materials and prepared it for the US market with the mission to inspire a better tomorrow by taking action today.

I recently learned that TOMS also does “One for One” on their eyewear line, helping less fortunate people see. Every pair of TOMS glasses sold will provide one person around the world with medical treatment, or a pair of prescription glasses, or sight-saving surgery. And since most blinding conditions are not only treatable, but curable, this is yet again another massive movement for the for-profit company with a giving core.