Sunglasses run the gamut, and you could spend anywhere from $5 to nearly $200 a pair and find people, lots of them, who will swear by your brand and model. This leaves you plenty of options, but plenty of ways to go right.
Here are the five best pairs of sunglasses:
Jackson Nemesis Safety Glasses Black Smoke Mirror, $14.50/3 pairs
These glasses are super popular and they’re priced really well. You’ll pay a little more if you want anti-fog treatment, but the way these glasses sit on the face, you might not need it. Here’s the details:
- Lightweight construction, soft temples for comfort
- Singe wrap-around lens for eye protection
- Neck cord included
From the reviews:
“Great safety/sunglasses! I use these while working on the ranch and farm. They are lightweight and hold on to your head perfectly even while sweating, bending down, and looking down … yes, it’s hot as you-know-what in South Texas in the summer.”
“Probably the best safety sunglasses I’ve ever owned, comfortable, well fit, won’t fall off, dark and durable lenses!”
“I wear them for work as safety glasses, and I wear them at home as sunglasses. At work these do not fog up as easy as many other brands.”
These glasses provide protection similar to those of goggles in order to keep wind, dust, sand or other debris out of the eyes. Adjustable angles allow the wearer to customize their fit. Other features include:
- Impact resistant molded lens with SuperCoat anti-fog coating
- 1.8 mm thick Polycarbonate lens with a base 6 curvature
- Closed cell Polyurethane foam seal
- 99% UV protection for UV A, B and C, 180-380 nm.
- Tested to ANSI Z87,1-2010
- High velocity impact resistant, Z87+
Here’s what the reviewers have to say:
“The foam lined eye sockets fit me perfectly and act like goggles, preventing saw dust, grass clippings or weed chunks from flying into your eyes. Most other safety glasses will not prevent object from blowing in from the sides, but these do.”
“They are comfortable with the padding and have not fogged on me at all. I cut (chainsaw) and split two cords of wood with them and they were great. The tint is perfect for a regular sunny day and a cloudy one as well.”
“I spend the majority of the spring, summer and fall cutting grass, or trees. I have tried many safety glasses, but few have given me the tangibles that I needed, to work in the environment that I work in.”
J+S Active PLUS Cycling Outdoor Sports Athlete’s Sunglasses, 100% UV protection, $15
J+S Vision markets its sunglasses for runners, cyclists, tennis players, golfers and water sports. The lenses have a 400 UV rating and block 99%-100% of UVA and UVB radiation.
- Polycarbonate lenses
- Dark grey lenses reduce glare while allowing true colors
- Clear, yellow and brown lenses also available
- Anti-slip legs provide extra grip behind ears
The reviewers’ take:
“I bought these for farmwork, they work great, are comfortable and don’t slide off when covered in sweat.”
“For someone like me that uses the crap out of my outdoor and sporting gear, price becomes one of the primary reasons to select a product. Combine low price with a very solid build and great fit, you just can’t beat this deal.”
“These glasses are great. Very light with great coverage. I use them more for outdoor work than cycling.”
Oakley Men’s Flak 2.0 OO9295 Polarized Iridium Rectangular Sunglasses, $193
Oakley bills itself as for world-class athletes, but there are farmers who swear by them. They’re durable and lightweight, for sure, and are built to last. Some of the details on this set:
- Plastic frames and lenses
- Three-point fit holds lenses in precise optical alignment
- Optimized peripheral vision and side protection
- UV protection filters out 100 percent of UVA, UVB, UVC and harmful blue light
Here are the details from the reviews:
“I’ve been wearing Oakleys since 1996, and these might be my favorite pair. They fit great, very comfortable, blocks the entire sun, and look really good.”
“They look really cool, protect my eyes without dimming too much and images seems sharper when wearing them.”
“I believe that taking care of your eyes is extremely important, and I trust Oakley. The style is important to me also.”
KastKing Cuivre Sport Sunglasses, Mirror Color PC Polarized Lenses, UV Eye Protection, $30
There are plenty of types of sunglasses in the middle between the inexpensive pairs and the Oakleys of the world, and this is one of them. Some of the features:
- Lenses polarized to reduce glare
- Impact resistant lens material provides protection from flying objects
- Premium frames are lightweight and flexible
- Nose and temple pads protect against slippage
- Lenses available in smoke, brown, and copper
Reviewers say:
“I bought my KastKing Cuivre with copper lenses, since I am used to it. It performs very well in low-light conditions, and removes glare overall. I was particularly satisfied with how the glasses fit my face.”
“I normally wear a baseball cap and because of how skinny these are the rim of the hat ISN’T pushing down on them which is supper nice. I love these glasses because they are super comfortable to wear and they look freaking awesome.”
“The lenses noticeably cut the glare and pass the moire test: Just stare at a computer monitor or TV and the polarization is blatantly obvious. It’s difficult to find true polarized lenses at this price point.”
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