Sunglasses
Archive
These 15 progressive companies are making sustainable clothing that looks as great as it wears.
It started with a salsa bowl, some cheap Australian sunglasses, and a little help from Kickstarter. Now, Sunski is making waves—and its founders are living the dream.
More gear companies are making running sunglasses that are both stylish and functional—to improve your vision and your PR
Virtual reality is just for gamers. But augmented reality—a new wearable technology—could revolutionize how we train for sports, making athletes faster, better, and more precise.
The first time I put on a pair of Spy Discords with the Happy Lens technology, I was blown away by the sharp optical clarity and how well the shades protected my eyes. But do these lenses actually make you happier, as the name would suggest? Sort of. Before…
From the coolest kayak we’ve ever seen to a super grippy water shoe, this is the gear you need for those quiet days on the river.
Who needs interchangeable lenses when one pair of glasses can do it all?
Not everybody can get behind screaming, flourescent shades. That's OK. This year's crossover designs pair subdued styling with hotshot performance.
Rapture for the watersports set: Goggle-like, smudge-free, water-shedding.
When it comes to holiday giving, you should never have to choose. This year, our editors have pulled together 68 perfect ideas—priced from $4 to $50,000—guaranteed to make anyone on your list feel like a million bucks.
Whether you’re looking for glacier glasses, everyday drivers, or racy speedsters, we’ve got the right pair for you.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Rudy Project Ability Sunglasses.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Adidas Adilibria Shield S Sunglasses.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Kaenon Sequence Sunglasses.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Smith Optics Skyline sunglasses.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Oakley Miss Conduct Sunglasses.
Outside reviews the best gear in the 2011 Summer Buyers Guide, including the Smith Optics Tenet Sunglasses.
Most sunglass frames give me a headache. What’s your recommendation for an ultralight, ultra-comfortable frame? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
I'm on a tight budget. What are some quality, practical holiday gifts for my wife that won't require a second mortgage? The Editors Santa Fe, NM
This svelte wonder is eminently forgettable—high praise for sports shades, which should be neither seen nor felt. Light weight is only part of the disappearing act. The rimless design means there’s no frame to impede your view. The wrap lens shape covers eyes so well, you barely notice the…
GOT BLING? Smith pimps up the sports wrap with a big-frame, big-lens magumba that slips in just enough of the necessities—coverage, security, shatter-resistant poly lenses, depth-enhancing optics—to qualify as legit. OK, semi-legit: bocce, yes; mountain biking, no. Fashionably thick temples aid with peripheral protection, while copper polarized lenses dial up…
Good God, these things are plaid! Hell, yeah, they are, and that’s not even the most awesome thing about them. Dark-gray polarized lenses kill glare while showing scalpel-sharp detail plus surprising depth and contrast for gray tinting—a testament to Oakley’s superior plastic. Throw in the adventurous but classic looks,…
The Throttle pulls off a rather nifty trick: In addition to being superlight—they weigh less than a pack of Gu Energy Gel—the grippy temples also make them the most comfortable glasses here. nativeyewear.com…
Jessica Simpson glam meets sporty sensibility. Polarized lenses are dark enough for sailing at high noon, and a flexible nylon frame clings gently—but firmly—to your temples. www.kaenon.com…
Wherever you roam—on the sea under a blazing sun or in the forest on an overcast day—these polarized green-gray lenses, with a gradient that’s darker up top, let your eyes relax and enjoy the scenery. revo.com…
MOST TECHNICAL The photochromatic lenses are a delight in low light or even mist, with a pale yellowish tint that knifes through murk. But when the morning fog finally burns off, the Race’s tint quickly darkens to a snow-and-ice-worthy shade of amber, blocking out an impressive 93 percent of available…
Why They’re CoolTweak the omni-adjustable nosepiece and wire-core temples on the rad Ketyums and achieve new personal bests—in speed, daring, whatever. » The temples and frames are fashioned from a proprietary metal alloy, jointed over the eyebrows to allow for flex. » The mirrored copper poly lenses have an anti-mirror…
MR. VERSATILE “Robin, my Batglasses!” Yes, this specimen’s secret multisport identities evoke camp and gadgetry. How? Snap-in foam gaskets and a headband (which replaces the detachable temples) turn these shades into decent ski goggles, and if you’re running or cycling, a snap-in foam brow piece nicely doubles as a sweat…
Combat-ready shades? Who knew? Rudy borrows military technology from Apache attack-helicopter windshields to fashion eyewear for troops, and puts the same supersubstance, ImpactX, into the Kalyos. The polarized photochromic lenses, in color-neutral gray, have optics as braggable as their toughness, taking you from medium-bright conditions to full-on sizzling sun,…
FLYWEIGHT Even in the hand, the Syluro appears to be screaming-fast, with not a milligram of unnecessary baggage. At just over an ounce, this svelte number weighs half as much as some shades here. And it still has beefed-up metal hinge pieces and super-strong ImpactX lenses (with material originally developed…
How to make perfect cycling sunglasses: Start with photochromic lenses (not polarized, which hide the glare on slick spots) for day-to-night wind deflection and auto-adjusting tint. Then throw exhaust vents on the lenses to cut fogging. Next, grippy rubber at nose and temples. Last? Price it right.
Thanks to hydrophilic rubber pads and swappable lenses, the Dea can handle the sweat and variable light conditions of an aggressive mountain-bike session. But the fashionisto style is all about riding a cruiser to Sunday-afternoon beers. tifosioptics.com…
The Script’s lenses filter blue light for excellent depth perception and detail, and a curved three-tone frame provides optimal fit. www.oakleywomen.com…
The Churada’s photochromic, polarized copper lenses offer unmatched depth and clarity on the slopes. And with the removable, vented eye-cups in place, they act like goggles, shielding eyeballs from blowing wind and snow. panoptx.com…
HARDCORE MEETS HIP Loud and proud, this oversize job does surprisingly well on sweaty runs, staying put and providing solid protection. Kaenon’s SR-91 lenses (copper polarized here) provide glass-like optics in a shatter-resistant material and rank up there with the elite when it comes to the prized trifecta of acuity,…
Why They’re CoolSmith goes Hollywood with a glitzy update of its lens swappers, the Sliders, without upstaging function. » The three poly lenses in this kit span the tint rainbow: rose-copper, yellow, sienna-brown. » With security enhanced by rubber stickies, and good protection from light, you can use these dudes…
The Chanel-inspired Elizas are all style, but the view from the bronze-fade lens isn’t quite as crisp as the others here. spyoptic.com…
Women don’t need to settle for the Terminator look just to get performance shades. In this totally feminine number, you can break hearts, then whup some ass on the beach volleyball court. The Envy is a powerful sun buster with polarized poly lenses in a gray tint deep enough for…
With a tiny Bluetooth-enabled cell-phone headset built into the thick temples, the Confidant is simultaneously cool and practical. Even better, the earbud is removable—and, if you break it, replaceable—and Zeal didn’t shortchange the photochromic lenses. The impressive tint-density range (23 percent to 87 percent light transmission) can handle everything…
Go extra large with the Rx-ready Tone, which features high-end Zeiss polycarbonate lenses and plenty of coverage. This piece is perfect for scoping lines on the slopes or just hanging out on an après deck. Burly stainless-steel hinges complete the solid build. giro.com…
Elvis would approve. On snow or sea, slide on any Costa with the company’s top-of-the-line 580 polarized glass lenses and you’ll be amazed. Glare dies. Colors vibrate. Depth perception jumps. Silver mirroring, spring-loaded hinges, sticky rubber temples, and a gold scheme just sweeten the deal. costadelmar.com…
A sweeping frame protects and compliments broad, high cheekbones, and the gradient lenses are ideal for variable light conditions. www.dirty8eyewear.com…
These chunky numbers hark back to the Buddy Holly frames of the fifties, but they’re lighter than they look. And when you’re riding the trail, the side-vented photochromic lenses quickly adjust from bright to dark yellow, ensuring clarity in changing light conditions. specialized.com…
1. The Mogul’s lightweight glass lenses mean zero eyestrain, a huge but unsung benefit of stellar optics. Plastic/polycarbonate’s undetectable distortion and surface imperfections make your eyes tired and cranky, and the surfaces sooner or later get all fuzzy from microabrasions. But, unless you take a diamond to it, glass…
Rudy Project hits the sweet spot where sportsworthiness becomes fashion and vice versa. This frameless wonder fends off 70-mile-an-hour winds as effectively as ski goggles, but it’ll also turn heads in Santa Barbara. Add dreamy optics and negligible weight and the result is a Gear of the Year award. 1.
With a wide peripheral view, the Betrays are fit for a romp in the woods yet fashionable enough for a stroll through the city. oakley.com…
Few sunglasses can switch from the Pacific Crest Trail to Rodeo Drive like this frameless number. Copper-tint polarized resin lenses protect against glare and pump up contrast for active sports. There’s secure grip in the right places, and the modest-size wrap lenses don’t sacrifice protection for fashion. Flair starts…
BEST FOR BOATERS The near-extinct single-piece shield lens, once a staple of performance eyewear, survived in exile on Rodeo Drive, a prisoner of designer-label fashion. Now Maui Jim springs it free with this hingeless, frameless model. Coverage couldn’t be better, nor could the view. The Breakwater’s polarized rosy-tinted lenses slay…
Inexpensive sunglasses don’t get much better than this. The Eightball has more than just badass looks, a snug and secure fit, and great coverage going for it. It also sports polarized lenses and grippy rubber nosepads, making it a stylish shade that’s up for any adventure.
Glacier glasses are back with this mean mirrored-lens number, which eschews old-school side shields for an all-encompassing wraparound design. But the Egg Square’s coolest feature? It folds down to half the size of other shades, hinging at mid-temple and nose. carrerasportna.com…
You’ll barely notice these shades—but others will. The wrap style delivers uncompromising peripheral vision. A springy rubber nosepiece holds them securely in place. www.arnette.com…
An angler’s dream, these high-definition, polarized amber lenses cut the glare coming off the water, plus the removable rubber side shields ensure you won’t have to worry about wind, dust, sand, or spray. costadelmar.com…
Road-trip much? While the rest of me sat seething in gridlock under a sizzling sun, my eyes were relaxing behind these polarized photochromic glass lenses, which mitigated glare off chrome, windshields, and all other things shiny while showing the path ahead in exquisite depth and detail. Which made it…
MEAN AND LEANA smidge less of anything and the ultra-minimalist Kicker would be missing something important. But it’s all there: optics, protection, and security. Since the gray polarized poly lenses present a slightly flattened view, the Kicker is best suited to sailing, say, or riding your cruiser bike—activities that don’t…
Just twist the Whisper’s arms and insert your lens color of choice. It comes with three polarized options: clear, rose, and brown. smithoptics.com…
If you pack a cell—and you know you do—Oakley’s Razrwire lightens the load and keeps you moving. No need to stop hiking or get off the bike to take a call; simply reach up and tap a button to connect to a Bluetooth-enabled phone. Got voice dialing? Tap and talk…
The Serpent is stylish enough for casual wear, but thanks to its wraparound shape and nonslip rubber temples, it hugged tight even on the bumpiest of singletrack. bolle.com…
Disproving conventional wisdom that gray lenses make for a flat, blah view, Maui Jim’s high-tech PolarizedPlus2 lenses add contrast and depth to reveal colors in all their throbbing glory. The optically ground glass yields superb clarity and detail, with a dark tint for searing brightness. And the oversize frames provide…
Zeal Optics’ Maestro nails it with its new ZB-13 sepia polarized polycarbonate lenses. The amber tint amps up depth perception, intensifies contrast, sharpens edges, and performs masterfully in so many light conditions that you’d think they were photochromic (the kind that adjust to brightness). But the lenses don’t change—they’re…
Smarter than its predecessors, the Split Thump features removable earbuds and disguised controls (the O’s on the temples) for the integrated digital audio player, which now handles almost all file types, including iTunes formats. Mac or PC; 512MB; oakley.com…
Why They’re CoolYour peepers will plead to stay in the car and keep on drivin’ in these shades, shamelessly engineered for motoring. The polarized copper-tint lenses prove that glass remains the royalty of optics—the view is sharp-edged and wondrously 3-D. » The metal-frame Monzas hang on hard when the road…
Why They’re CoolYou barely feel these rimless half-ounce wonders, which perform like big wraps. A springy stainless nosepiece and temples support poly lenses. The copper tint, enhanced by polarizing, reveals a splendidly sharp take on reality. » The rearward swoops at the lenses’ outside corners make for good protection from…
Not only did the Octopus lens stay streak-free on a drenching Class IV rapid; it actually repelled water. Caution: Of the two sizes available, the small is small—really, really small. julbousa.com…
Thanks to dark gray-tint polarized poly lenses that won’t splinter in a crash, the Poseidon rules the waves, from whitewater paddling to surf kayaking. A special lens coating sheds spray, while an inner film layer absorbs glare from the rear, common in highly reflective water settings. Wide-wrapping lenses provide…
Unlike a lot of other big and sassy sunglasses, the Turntable’s high-tech lenses mimic the curve of your eyeball and help reduce eye fatigue. Upgrade to the polarized lenses if you spend a lot of time in or around the water. smithoptics.com…
GLASS MASTERY Like the Costa del Mars, these polarized, oleophobic shades prove that optically ground glass is still tops. And with the signature blue-flash mirroring of Revo’s premium J6 lenses, the cognoscenti will know what you’re wearing a block away. This unit’s stylishly wide temples actually provide nice side protection…
Why They’re CoolThis petite sports wrap loves things strenuous and sweaty, while remaining—dare we say it?—a lady. The design slenderizes the familiar wrap by squeezing the lens into a pleasing feline shape. On a small face, nothing is lost in coverage. » The view is pretty, too, through poly lenses…
1. Rudy has taken LCD-obscuring polarization down just four notches, to 96 percent. It’s enough to kill glare but also let you see the screen on your iPod, phone, etc. Developed for sailors who need to filter out reflected light and still read electronic gauges, it’s great for all…
Why They’re CoolThis is polymer haiku, spoken in slender curves, that works like an optical Clydesdale. » Featherweight, borderless poly lenses beat back light with double-gradient mirroring; polarizing cuts glare and bronze tint pumps up contrast. There’s rubber at the nose and ears for gonzo security. » They ain’t art;…
GANGSTA WRAPThe O-folk make a flashy and vaguely criminal statement with these gold-mirrored frameless numbers. But the Dartboard happens to be a solid multisport performer. Give this one props for security, protection, and outstanding optics. The warm-brown tint dials up detail and depth, and a polarized poly lens kills glare…