Budget Buoyancy: Goodr Tidal G Floating Sunglasses Review

If you’ve spent any amount of time on a body of water, chances are you’ve found sunken, destroyed sunglasses. I see them all the time, and with each discovery, I feel a moment of excitement, with dreams of finding a set of Costas dancing through my head. Every time, it’s met with the disappointment of algae-covered gas station glasses.

I’ve been on the other side of that as well. I’ve lost expensive Smiths. Last summer, I watched my wife’s Ray-Bans get sacrificed to the lake gods. It happens more often than anyone would like, and it sucks.

Whether they’re cheap or expensive, you’re out some cash thanks to your own poor decision-making. And to pour salt in the wound, you get to spend the rest of the day squinting in bright sunlight.

Goodr, one of the more popular budget sunglass manufacturers today, singled in on this problem with its latest offering, the Tidal G. To kick off the summer, I took them to the lake, river, and a few pool parties to see if they solved the age-old problem.

In short: The Goodr Tidal Gs do float, which makes them much more challenging to lose on the water. They’re a budget set of shades at $45, meaning you shouldn’t expect premium performance in terms of optical clarity. However, they offer polarization, fun colors, a good look, and a great price. With a water-resistant coating built into the lens, they’re built for beach days, fishing, and any water-based activity.

If you want to compare the Goodr Tidal G to other sunglasses, the Gear Junkie crew has tested, read our Best Sunglasses for the Outdoors and Best Fishing Sunglasses buyer’s guides.

Goodr Tidal G: It Floats

The first day I got the Tidal Gs, I had the perfect opportunity to test their flotation claims. Our area had been inundated with a week of rainstorms, and we finally got a hot, sunny day. My stepson was begging to go to the swim club.

Usually, I leave the sunglasses on the lounge chairs, but this time, I wore my shades. In the pool, I took them off and tossed them in. Yep. They floated. They don’t float high in the water like a cork, but they stay at the surface.

Since they seemed to have neutral buoyancy, I wanted to conduct further testing. In the shallow end of the pool, I dove down and placed the sunglasses on the bottom. The sunglasses slowly rose to the top. In 5 feet of water, it took about 20 seconds for them to resurface.

Takeaways From Flotation Tests

After messing with the Tidal Gs in a pool, I extrapolated a few thoughts on the real-world functionality of the flotation. If you’re on a non-moving body of water, the floating quality will definitely prevent loss of the sunglasses.

On a moving body of water, you could still lose them, especially if they end up in a swift water section of a river. Since they float just beneath the surface, it may take you a minute to find them. In fast water, they may get swept downstream before you can locate them.

That being said, if they fall off your face or head and you see right where they fall, you won’t lose them. If you plan on wearing them while fishing along a creek or swimming in a river, a swift recovery is likely. However, if I were whitewater rafting, I’d still tether them to myself with Croakies.

Water-Repellent Lenses

While the main selling point for the Goodr Tidal Gs is the flotation, there is a much less obvious feature that I found myself falling in love with on the water: The lenses are water-repellent.

One of the most annoying things about wearing sunglasses is having water splash onto them. If you’re an angler, you know the frustrating feeling of having a fish splash your face and get water on your sunglasses. Parents are all too familiar with kids splashing them on the lake. Water sticks to lenses, creating water spots and blurry areas that impede your view.

With the water-repellent coating on the Tidal Gs, I found water beads right off the sunglasses, and my lenses stayed exceptionally clear. Even after cliff jumping with the sunglasses on, I never had to reach for a drying cloth or clean my lenses. The feature works perfectly, and I’m surprised it’s not a standard feature on higher-end sunglasses. The water repellency and flotation make the Tidal Gs right at home on the water.

Fit

The Goodr Tidal Gs are advertised as a medium fit. I wear sunglasses with fits from medium to extra large, and I don’t stress too much about sizes. Despite being medium-sized sunglasses, they aren’t too small for me. They also fit my wife well. Whether you’re a male or female, I think you’ll be happy with the fit. They just look good.

I appreciate how lightweight the sunglasses are. They have to be to float, but it also makes it feel like you have nothing on your face. I don’t get annoying pain on or behind my ears after wearing them for long periods of time.

On top of the comfortable weight, the sunglasses have a nonslip finish, which is helpful when wearing them while swimming. The frames have a slightly tacky, rubberized feel that keeps them from sliding off your face.

Where the Tidal Gs Miss

I’m going to preface this by saying that I’m a bit of a sunglasses snob. I’m a very dedicated fisherman and have found that having the best lenses available translates to more on-the-water success.

You’ll usually find me wearing sunglasses that cost almost six times as much as the Goodr Tidal G. So, keep in mind I’m comparing these budget-friendly sunglasses to those.

Clarity

While I love the water-specific features, you have to remember they’re a $45 set of sunglasses. The lenses are a basic, lower-quality polarized lens. When looking at the front of the lenses without wearing them, you can see distortion. It’s less noticeable when you wear the sunglasses, but they’re not as clear as high-end models.

Part of that has to do with the lens construction. They are not made of glass, which would give you the best clarity. They’re TAC lenses, which are not as clear, but are lighter and more scratch-resistant. Given the price, though, they perform well.

I also found the frame design allows for weird glare and reflections in my peripheral vision in the rear of the lens. Since they aren’t fully wrapped, a very noticeable amount of light enters the sunglasses from the back.

Frame Design

Another odd thing I noticed about the frame design: the arms don’t tuck behind my ears when I put them on top of my head or on top of my hat. They fall off my head much more easily than my other sunglasses when not on my face. Good thing they float and are scratch-resistant.

At first, I thought the arms must be shorter, but they’re actually longer than those on my other sunglasses. Something else about the frame shape causes the issue.

Color Options

This is likely a bigger deal to me than to other people. I care a lot about lens color for different applications. Lens color affects how much light is let into a lens.

If I’m fishing in saltwater, I want a blue lens that blocks as much light as possible. In freshwater, I like a bronze lens, which lets in more light, allowing me to see better underwater.

The Tidal G comes in five different lens colors, three of which are different variations of blue. You’re pretty limited in lens colors. What’s more, you can’t mix and match lens and frame colors.

Goodr is all about eye-popping, fun colors like “Lazy River Royalty.” For some, that’s great. However, if you’re looking for a specific look, you’re likely out of luck.

For example, I’d love to have the non-reflective green lenses that are on the “Lazy River Royalty” on the black frames of the “Buoys Don’t Cry” color scheme. However, they don’t offer that option, so I’m stuck with black frames paired with a blue lens or a frame color I personally don’t like with the lens I want.

Who Should Buy the Goodr Tidal G Sunglasses

With those negatives aside, anyone who spends time on the water will be happy with these sunglasses — even sunglass snobs like myself. I have multiple pairs of higher-end sunglasses, but still find myself wearing these. There are activities where I would typically ditch my sunglasses, but the flotation and water-repellent lenses allow me to use the Tidal Gs.

For example, on the Fourth of July, my family and I drove our boat to a popular cliff-jumping spot. Rather than leaving my shades on the boat when swimming to the cliffs, I left them on.

When they inevitably came off on the jump, I didn’t stress about them. I grabbed them out of the water and climbed back to the top. After being in the water, the lenses remained clear thanks to their water repellency.

As a dedicated angler, I can’t leave out a word on fishing. Are these the best fishing sunglasses? No. Due to the price, the lenses don’t stand a chance against the clarity, color options, and sight fishing capabilities of Costa, Bajío, and Smith Optics. I still opt for those when I’m looking for the best performance.

But if those are out of your price range, these are among the best budget fishing sunglasses you can find. They’re polarized, cut through glare, and have passable sight fishing performance. At $45, the Tidal Gs are a good deal, and an even better deal when you consider that you won’t lose them and have to buy another set when they fall in the water.

If you find yourself spending time on the water this summer or living it up at pool parties, grab a set of the Goodr Tidal Gs and don’t worry about losing your shades.