The Best Sunglasses for the Outdoors in 2024

As an avid group of outdoors people, GearJunkie has had the chance to put hundreds of sunglasses to the test in harsh conditions. We have tested literally hundreds of sunglasses. Over the years, the cream has really risen to the top, producing this list of the best sunglasses for outdoor pursuits.

The lead tester of this review has been kind of crazy for sunglasses ever since he had corrective LASIK eye surgery in 2016. After a lifetime of corrective lenses, LASIK opened up a new reality in which Denver’s 300 yearly sunny days became a remarkable opportunity to wear shades regularly.

Below, you’ll find a selection of the best sunglasses you can buy. We also include some good budget sunglasses and pursuit-specific eyewear for fishing, boating, running, mountaineering, and more. Finally, we feature a few models that meld fashion and function.

If you don’t have time to shop and just need the best sunglasses for general outdoor use, we recommend the Costa del Mar Fantail Pro or, for smaller faces, the Mainsail. For women, we recommend the Smith Optics Wander — or check out the Tifosi Swank if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option.

Editor’s Note: We updated this guide on November 20, 2024, with the addition of the Wiley X Founder as the best protective sunglasses and a Price & Value summary explaining what you get for your money.

The Best Sunglasses of 2024

Other Great Sunglasses We Tested

Sunglasses Comparison Chart

How We Tested Sunglasses

GearJunkie editors have spent years learning about outdoor products, including sunglasses. We meet with brands to learn about the latest technology. Then, we research and test the best products on the market to ensure they perform in their intended environment.

Our goal is to help you find the best products for your outdoor pursuits. And we’ll do our best to find them within your budget, too.

The lead author of this article, Sean McCoy, has worked in the outdoor gear testing industry for nearly 15 years. He began his career serving customers as a rock climbing specialist at Midwest Mountaineering in Minneapolis. He then worked at newspapers to hone his reporting and research skills.

As GearJunkie’s former Editor-in-Chief, he tested hundreds of pairs of sunglasses over his 10 years at the helm. Today, he oversees editorial production across multiple websites, and he still loves testing gear.

Mary Murphy also contributed to this article. former managing editor at GearJunkie, Murphy put optics to the test as an avid hiker, paddleboarder, and skier.

Geajunkie editors Adam Ruggiero and Rachelle Schrute also contributed testing notes for this article.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Sunglasses

If you’re shopping for sunglasses, we’re here to help. Below, find our best advice for choosing sunglasses for any budget. If you’re searching for women’s sunglasses specifically, be sure to check out our guide to the Best Sunglasses for Women. How about fishing, running, cycling, and driving? Don’t worry, we’ve covered the Best Fishing Sunglasses, running sunglasses, cycling sunglasses, and driving sunglasses, too.

Best Sunglass Brands

What are the best sunglasses brands? After in-depth testing and research, our team agrees that Costa del Mar makes the best sunglasses you can buy, period. We base that judgment on lens quality and durability, which we’ve found to be unrivaled even by other top sunglasses.

But if Costa isn’t your jam, don’t worry. There are many great premium sunglasses these days. The other best brands for sunglasses, according to our testing and research are Maui Jim, Bajío, Smith, and Spy. Roka makes great sunglasses for athletes, as do Julbo and Dynafit. Ombras and Shwood are both remarkably good for small brands.

Among the classics, Ray-Ban and Oakley are still excellent brands, and some of their classic styles are among the most popular on the planet.

If you want some party sunglasses on a budget, don’t forget about Pit Viper, the bombastic brand that builds wild styles with quality lenses.

As an outdoor publication, we do not consider fashion-first sunglasses from designer or fashion-first brands. In our opinion, they do not match the quality of more focused sunglasses. If you’re looking for styles from Chanel or Versace, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Frames

When choosing sunglasses, frame material helps dictate both appearance and weight. Among our favorite models, you’ll see recycled plastic from fishing nets and even titanium used for the frames.

Titanium makes an exceptionally light frame material we prize for its durability, but you’ll pay a premium price for it. Other metal frames include Monel, Flexon, and aluminum. Most of our test glasses for outdoor use do not use metal frames.

The majority of the frames we test are made from various types of plastic. Common plastics include zyl (zylonite or cellulose acetate), nylon, epoxy, and cellulose acetate propionate.

These are durable, light materials but have questionable sustainability. We look for brands that use recycled plastics when possible, such as the Costa Del Mar Pescador above.

Lens Material

For optical clarity, there are no better lenses than mineral glass. They also provide excellent scratch resistance, so they’re a top choice when clear vision is a priority. However, glass lenses have some flaws. They are heavy, expensive, and more prone to shattering than plastic lenses.

Next down the scale for optical clarity are lenses made from a material called CR-39. It performs nearly as well as glass but weighs about half as much and is less prone to shattering.

Polycarbonate and Trivex are two other materials popular for their impact resistance. While both have less optical clarity than glass or CR-39, polycarbonate and Trivex lenses are much more impact-resistant than other types of plastic and thus popular with cyclists, shooters, and others who put a premium on physical eye protection.

Shape & Design

Beyond style (and let’s face it, style is important), the shape of sunglasses has a big impact on performance. Wider, larger sunglasses will offer more optical and physical eye protection.

Wraparound styles will protect eyes from the sides as well as directly in front. But larger sunglasses do not fit every face well. Those with smaller faces will want sunglasses that stay secure when moving the head up and down and side to side.

Similarly, those with larger heads and faces should favor larger shapes and designs. Smaller sunglasses will not protect the eyes well here, and too snug a fit can cause headaches for the wearer.

Polarized Lenses

Many sunglasses can be purchased with either polarized or nonpolarized lenses. For fishing, watersports, or other activities where glare reduction may be beneficial, polarized lenses are a much better choice. By cutting down on glare, polarized lenses allow the wearer to see into the water much better than non-polarized lenses.

They also tend to make blue skies pop more vividly. Some prefer nonpolarized lenses for driving, as they can cause strange aberrations with some windows.

Price & Value

Over our many years of testing, we have come to realize that with sunglasses, you really do get what you pay for. Our lead tester has had a single pair of Costa del Mar Pescadors for more than four years now and wears them very regularly. Amazingly, they are still in excellent condition and unscratched. If you can care for gear, even when used hard, quality sunglasses will last much longer than their cheap brethren and are a better investment long term.

Budget

Since we don’t all have $200+ to spend on high-end shades, we covered a few budget-friendly models above. While the optics and longevity of more affordable sunglasses aren’t quite up to par, the models we’ve tried from brands like Tifosi and Knockaround are pretty darn good for the price. Budget-conscious shoppers or those who are prone to scratching, losing, or breaking sunglasses will find a lot to love here. And, in many cases, you aren’t giving up much, if anything, in terms of style.

For just $35 to $38, Knockaround sunglasses come in a huge range of frame styles with polarized and non-polarized lenses in a variety of tints and reflective coatings. The optics are decent, they look more expensive than they are, and they will barely make a dent in your bank account balance. Heck, at that price, you can buy several pairs and stash them in the car, backpack, and around the house, so you’re always prepared.

Tifosi glasses also stand out for their impressive value. At $60, the Tifosi Swank with polarized lenses provides a clear step up in optical clarity and frame quality. The brand also offers a huge range of frame styles and lens options from $25 non-polarized casual shades up to $80 performance models that come with three interchangeable lenses.

Mid-Tier

As we climb above the $100 mark, we see glasses from more established brands along with notable improvements in optics, durability, and models designed to meet more specific performance demands. In general, we find lenses that provide a better visual experience by enhancing color and contrast and reducing glare. Often, the lenses are also more durable, with more resilient protective coatings.

In the mid-price tier, an interesting newcomer is Ombraz, with its unique Armless Sunglasses ($160). This brand has done away with frame arms in favor of an adjustable cord that wraps around the head for a secure, stable fit. This design choice dramatically reduces the chances of them slipping off your face or breaking them in your pocket or backpack. On top of that, they come in six different frame styles with your choice between three colors of high-quality Zeiss polarized lenses.

Another standout is the Julbo Fury. These sporty shades might not be the best for casual wear, but they became Sean McCoy’s go-to for activities like running, biking, or backcountry skiing. With loads of coverage and a light-on-the-face feel, these glasses shield the eyes well and have excellent lenses. The Spectron CF lens will set you back $140, or you can upgrade to the self-adjusting REACTIV lens for a $60 bump in price — but you’ll be prepared for any light condition.

Premium

While it may sound absurd, we’ve found that when you shell out $200 or more, you can expect greatly improved durability and optical quality. Our top-rated sunglasses from brands like Costa Del Mar have proven themselves over years of testing, and they still look almost new today. That’s why the brand’s sunglasses are consistently some of our favorites — they work very well and last a long time.

Lenses are the primary reason you’re paying more for premium sunglasses. Brands like Costa Del Mar, Oakley, Smith, and others have invested lots of money and time into research and development to create lenses that are crisp and clear and enhance your ability to see the world around you. We are particularly fond of Costa’s Polarized Glass lenses we tested in the Fantail Pro ($292), which are stellar for use on and around the water but are surprisingly durable, too. On top of that, Costa uses an eco-friendly but tough Bioresin for its frames, which has helped our test pair stand up to over 4 years of regular use.

While the performance differences between the premium models and the budget options may not be that important to many users, we’ve found that they are noticeable and typically worth the added expense, in our opinion. Getting your money’s worth is another story, and your ability to treat your sunglasses with care should be considered when choosing what sunglasses are right for you.

Frequently Asked Questions