The sun is a merciless ball of burning gas spinning in space over 90 million miles from our little old Earth. To protect your precious retinas on a sunny day of climbing, cycling, rafting, or any outdoor activity, we recommend a pair of sports sunglasses with a quality lens that filters out the sun's harmful UV rays—and looks good doing it.
Most sunglasses designed for our beloved outdoor activities unfortunately suffer from presenting as overly sporty, which just doesn’t jive well for anyone that likes to keep a low profile. Some folks like to rock wraparound speed shades day in and day out, but that ain't us.
We really only want one pair of sunglasses to handle it all—daily life and sport. Fortunately, there’s a decent selection of shades out there that pack those high-tech features found on the ultra-sporty options into stylish casual frames. Scroll down to read about some of our favorite options for sunglass frames to hold you down while climbing at the local crag, cranking out PRs, or just cruising around on your townie bike.
Roka Rory
Roka Rory
Performance eyewear brand Roka seems to put as much effort into their lifestyle frames as they do their high-performance shield lens frames. The Rory is smart looking frame made from an ultra-lightweight nylon that features the brand’s patented GEKO fit retention system, consisting of a grippy temple coating and nose pad that will keep them put while sweating and bouncing around. Six frame finishes are offered along with 17 different shaded lenses for various lighting condition needs in addition to options for prescription lenses.
Price: $160
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Rapha Classic Cycling Glasses
Rapha Classic Cycling Glasses
Leave it to the masters of roadie fashion Rapha to offer a frame that’s boldly titled the Classic Cycling Glasses whose design cues pull inspiration from the classic style gods Coppi and Anquetil. The Italian-made frame has a slight curve for a secure fit, but it’s also outfitted with temple grips and a nose piece that’s packaged with two sizes to customize a secure fit. The sunglass is offered in five frame finishes with three different lenses to suit your light transmission needs.
Price: $125
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POC Require Polarized
POC Require Polarized
The polarized version of POC’s Require sunglass removes bright, blinding reflections from surfaces like roads and water thanks to Carl Zeiss Vision lenses. That means this very stylish frame would do great for a road ride or even the occasional angling outing. Minimal rubber points at the temple and nose improve grip to the wearer's face. Available in any color you’d like, so long as it’s black.
Price: $230
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