By understanding lens quality and impact resistance, you can choose the best pair of sunglasses for your intended use — whether outdoor activities, driving, fashion or just everyday wear. This guide explores different sunglass frames, lenses and other features to help you choose the ideal pair for different activities.
1. Best Sunglasses for Sports and Outdoor Activities
The role of sunglasses in sports and outdoor activities is to protect your eyes so that you can perform at your best. Choosing sunglasses with specialized lenses is a must to reduce glare from bright light that reflects off surfaces like roads, water and snow. This enables better contrast and clearer vision, ensuring a safer experience during outdoor activities and sports.
If you live an active lifestyle and frequent the great outdoors, selecting the right pair of sport sunglasses is key for performance, protection and comfort. For the following high-impact exercises, choosing lightweight yet snug-fitting sunglasses is important to prevent bouncing and slipping:
- Running and jogging
- Hiking
- Cycling
- Winter sports, such as snowboarding and skiing
- Water sports, such as surfing, water skiing and kayaking
With that in mind, athletes, outdoor enthusiasts and adventure-seekers can benefit from sunglasses with the following features.
High-Coverage Frames
Wraparound frames curve around the sides of your eyes, ensuring a secure fit and a broader field of vision. They offer high-quality coverage and protection against wind and debris, making them ideal for high-impact sports.
Shield sunglasses are another great option for outdoor sports. They have a lightweight, single-piece lens that fits snugly against your face, offering effective coverage and UV and wind protection. The lack of rims on the edges of the lens allows for a wider field of view.
Specialized Lenses
Lenses contribute significantly to the performance and comfort of sports sunglasses. Look for a pair with specialized lenses that minimize glare, provide UV protection and enhance safety. For instance, polarized lenses have specialized filters to reduce glare. They enhance the visibility of your surroundings, which is particularly important for navigating uneven terrains and obstacles.
Another option is photochromic (transition) lenses, which automatically darken when exposed to UV light. This provides clear visibility for outdoor activities and fluctuating light conditions. Alternatively, you might opt for mirrored lenses, which contain a reflective coating for optimal UV and glare protection.
Size and Shape for Your Face
It's equally important to factor in the influence of sunglass size on sports performance. Choosing the ideal size and shape for your facial structure helps ensure a secure, comfortable fit. This doesn't just apply to sports and outdoor activities — you should consider shape and size for every use, including fashion, work and daily wear.
Here are a few examples of compatible face shapes and sunglass styles:
- Round faces: Square or rectangular frames complement softer features with more edges and angles.
- Oval faces: Round, square or rectangular lenses and oversized frames balance your face shape.
- Heart-shaped faces: Square glasses balance out hard and soft features.
- Diamond-shaped faces: Round or oval frames add softness and dimension.
- Square-shaped faces: Oval or rounded frames soften stronger features.
Compatible Lens Color
Lens color can also factor into your decision. For instance, if your outdoor activities usually take place in low-light conditions, such as fog or cloudy weather, you might benefit from a gray, yellow or green tint. Bright, sunny conditions might call for blue, red or gray.
Different lens colors serve different purposes — amber or brown tints increase contrast and depth perception, making them fitting for activities like mountain biking or hiking. Orange and yellow lenses can boost visibility in low-light conditions, so they're suitable for overcast days or activities during early mornings and evenings. Gray lenses are a versatile option for general outdoor use, as they maintain true color perception, minimize brightness and protect against blue light.
2. Best Sunglasses for Work or Lower-Impact Activities
Daily activities, whether driving to work or tending to your garden, also call for the right pair of shades. Here are some examples.
Outdoor Work
General outdoor work — such as construction, gardening, farming and landscaping — requires snug, properly fitting sunglasses that keep dirt and other debris out of your eyes. Look for features like:
- Impact-resistant lenses: Polycarbonate lenses are ideal. They help protect your eyes from flying debris like dust, wood chips and shards of rock.
- Protective lenses: Polarized lenses enhance visibility, making them best for construction and other outdoor work in brightly lit settings. Also, choose glasses that offer optimal UV protection.
Driving
When driving in bright, sunny conditions, sunglasses help reduce glare and enhance clarity on the road. Here are some key features to look for:
- Versatile lens color: Gray or green lenses provide good contrast and color balance, making them a go-to for driving. This is important for accurately deciphering traffic signals and watching other vehicles.
- Polarized lenses: Polarized lenses are highly recommended for driving because they reduce glare from reflective surfaces like the road, other cars and water. This can significantly improve visibility and reduce eyestrain. However, some drivers find that polarized lenses can interfere with seeing LCD screens on dashboards, so it's worth testing this out beforehand.
-
Frame style: Choose a frame style that doesn't obstruct your peripheral vision. Wider lenses and thinner frames are typically the best choice. Make sure the frames fit comfortably and don't slip down your nose while driving.
3. Best Fashion Sunglasses
Sunglasses intended for fashion should combine style with function, allowing you to tackle the day with confidence. If you're looking for sunglasses that are solely for style, these trendy and chic options can help you look and feel your best:
- Aviators: Aviator sunglasses are a timeless choice and suit many face shapes. They come in various colors and materials, from classic gold to modern matte black.
- Round sunglasses: Round sunglasses have a retro vibe and can add a touch of bohemian flair to your look.
- Cat-eye sunglasses: Cat-eye sunglasses are glamorous and feminine, with an upswept shape that accents the cheekbones.
Consider your personal style and face shape when selecting sunglasses that suit your signature aesthetic. Color is another important consideration — while shades like yellow, blue and pink add personality and character to your outfit, neutral colors like brown and black are versatile and easy to pair with any attire.
4. Best Everyday Sunglasses
Perhaps you're seeking sunglasses for daily use and vision. You can get prescription sunglasses with various types of lenses, including:
- Mirrored: If you're outdoors frequently, mirrored lenses offer effective sun protection.
- Polarized: Choose polarized lenses to decrease glare from reflective surfaces.
- Photochromatic: These sunglasses shift from clear to tinted, depending on the ambient light. If you don't want to switch to sunglasses when going outdoors, photochromatic lenses are ideal.
You can also customize your sunglass lenses to your preferred color, material, shape and size. Your eyewear provider can discuss different options with you to help guide your decision.
Find Your Perfect Pair at Eyemart Express
After our journey through various sunglass styles, we hope you feel better equipped to make an informed decision for your activities and lifestyle. At Eyemart Express, we understand the nuances of picking the perfect sunglasses and can help you customize a pair to your liking. Browse our selection of sunglasses to explore the latest styles, or find a store near you!
