Arid for more than 50 million years and known as one of the oldest in the world, the Namib desert was the scene of an extreme enterprise which saw the celebrated marathon runner Derek Kwik as a key player. Famous for being the only Chinese man in the world to have completed the 4 Deserts competition, which foresees crossing the deserts of China, Chile, Egypt and Antarctica on foot in complete self-sufficiency, Kwik chose to wear Rudy Project ImpactX lenses to face his latest, unforgettable race.
68 hours of racing spread over 7 long days for a total of 250 kilometres, on a route which covered the course of the Fish River Canyon, a breathtaking ravine which is second only in size terms to the Grand Canyon, and stretches through a sea of characteristically red-coloured dunes which are the highest in the world (they can reach 300 metres in height), before arriving at the Atlantic Ocean.
Stage by stage, struggle after struggle, the excursionist alternated his use of three pairs of Rudy Project glasses: Zyon, which can protect the eyes from wind and grains of sand thanks to its side shields, Guardyan, which is equipped with a sturdy but extremely light and vented counter mask and is perfect for the most extreme atmospheric conditions, and the EkynoxSX model, which has a particularly snug and comfortable fit. The presence of ImpactX photochromatic lenses was a constant, guaranteeing excellence and indestructibility, ensuring clear visuals and enabling the best handling of any Namib desert climatic changes: the morning mist, the dry winds that blow from the south-west and the glaring sunlight.
«I’ve grown attached to Rudy Project glasses, which I’ve been wearing since 2002 because I believe that they are the best – says Derek Kwik and, he explains, I really appreciate their reliability and exceptional technical performance. I use them in all my extreme competitions: from African deserts, where the temperatures can reach 50°C, to the frozen wastes of the South Pole, where the winds come close to 111 Km/h. – And, he concludes - They are, without doubt, my most trustworthy travel companions».
