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A good pair of sunglasses is an essential piece of hiking equipment. It protects your eyes from UV rays, glare, and dust and ensures you have a fantastic visual experience on the trails. Because hiking entails being in the great outdoors and under direct sunshine for hours at a time, only the best hiking sunglasses will do.
To help you out, the hiking sunglasses reviews below take a look at the best hiking sunglasses on the market. These pairs provide excellent visual clarity, UV protection, comfort, and durability. As for choosing tips, our buying guide outlines everything you will want in a pair of sunglasses for backpacking or hiking.
OUR TOP PICK
Oakley Flight Jacket Prizm Hiking Sunglasses
- What Makes These Hiking Sunglasses Stand Out
- Best outdoors sunglasses for all-around use
- Nose bridge and frame block light while still allowing air circulation
- Unobtanium nose pads and temples provide a secure fit
- Open-edge brow design maximizes your field of vision
- O-Matter frame is amazingly lightweight yet strong and durable
- Lenses are made of high quality material
Size: One Size
Face Fit: Medium To Large
Lenses: Prizm
Frame: O-Matter
EDITORS CHOICE
Smith Uproar ChromaPop Hiking Sunglasses
- What Makes These Hiking Sunglasses Stand Out
- Best versatile sunglasses for walking, hiking, and everyday use
- ChromaPop lens technology adapts to light changes
- Interchangeable nose pads for everyday and active use
- Evolve frame material is lightweight yet tough and durable
- Perfect for outdoor activities
Size: Lens: 55 x 44mm
Face Fit: Medium
Lens: ChromaPop
Frame: Evolve (TR90)
Base Curve: 6
BEST VALUE
TOREGE Polarized Hiking Sunglasses
- What Makes These Hiking Sunglasses Stand Out
- Best polarized sunglasses on a tight budget
- UV400 protection against UVA and UVB rays
- Polarized lens blocks glare due to reflected and scattered light
- Lifetime breakage warranty and care for the lens and frame
- Rimless jacket frame maximizes the field of view
- Anti reflective coating and high scratch resistance
Size: Medium
Lens: Polarized Tri Acetate Cellulose
Frame: Polycarbonate
Duduma Polarized Sports Hiking Sunglasses
- What Makes These Hiking Sunglasses Stand Out
- Best sunglasses hiking for large faces
- UV400 lens protect eyes from both UVA and UVB rays
- Polarized sunglasses filter reflected and scattered light
- Lifetime guarantee on the frames and lenses
Size: 5.51 x 2.52 x 1.57 inches
Lens: Polarized Polycarbonate
Frame: Plastic
- What Makes These Hiking Sunglasses Stand Out
- Best premium outdoor sunglasses
- High-definition optics provide superb clarity
- Protection against UVA, UVB, UVC and harmful blue light up to 400mm
- Wraparound lenses block dust, light, and wind
- Lightweight yet robust plastic frame construction
Lens width: 59mm
Bridge: 12mm
Arm: 133mm
Lens: Plastic
Frame: Plastic
- What Makes These Hiking Sunglasses Stand Out
- Best polarized hiking sunglasses for large faces
- Polarized lenses ensure glare won't obstruct your vision
- Lightweight yet impact resistant polycarbonate construction
- C-Wall molecular bond protects against scratches
- Backed by a rock-solid lifetime warranty
- High scratch resistance
Size: Lens: 60.4mm, Bridge: 16mm
Face Size: Large
Temple: 130mm
Material: Polycarbonate
- What Makes These Hiking Sunglasses Stand Out
- Best hiking glasses for female hikers
- Female specific fit provides an optimal fit for medium faces
- 12% visible light transmission is ideal for hiking in blinding sunlight
- Removable side shields for blocking reflected light
- Wraparound frame and Grip Tech temples ensure no slippage
Size: 58-15-130, Female Specific
Lens: Spectron 3CF (Polycarbonate)
Frame: Polycarbonate
- What Makes These Hiking Sunglasses Stand Out
- Best hiking sunglasses for a personalized fit
- Fully adjustable frame for a custom fit and feel
- Polarized lens cuts out UV rays and harsh glare
- Frame can withstand frequent bending without damage or breakage
- Hydroleophobic coating enable the lens to repel water, oil, and dirt
Size: Lens: 63mm, Bridge: 17mm, Temple: 136mm
Face Fit: Medium to Large
Base Curve: 8
Lens: Polarized ChromaPop
Frame: QuickFit Temples
Costa Del Mar Menâs Fantail 580g Sunglasses For Hiking
- What Makes These Hiking Sunglasses Stand Out
- Best hiker sunglasses with glass lenses
- 100% UV protection and polarization efficiency
- Scratch-resistant coating on the lens protect against scratches
- Tough and break-resistant injected bio-based nylon frame
- USA-made quality backed with a lifetime guarantee
Lens: 59 x 14mm
Bridge: 14 mm
Arm: 127 mm
Lens: 590 Glass
Frame: Co-injected Bio-based Nylon
Julbo Sherpa Glacier Mountaineering Sunglasses for Hiking
- What Makes These Hiking Sunglasses Stand Out
- Best sunglasses for mountaineering and hiking at altitude
- Pre-curved wraparound temples provide a secure fit
- Removable side shields for glare protection
- Lightweight sunglasses with breathable side covers
- The sunglasses are designed for outdoor activities
Size: Medium
Lens Width: 54 millimeters
Lens: Polycarbonate
Look for sunglasses that offer 100% protection for both UVA and UVB rays or, alternatively, a rating of UV400 or higher. This is critical for protecting your eyes from UV damage.
While polarized sunglasses aren't for everybody, I highly recommend them. They help reduce glare off snow and water, which in turn improves your visibility.
If you spend much time in extreme conditions, the right sunglasses lens color can make a difference. Gray lenses generally offer the least distortion of colors in views around you. If you do a lot of snow sports, you might want to consider using lighter-colored lenses which can improve your depth perception and contrast in flat light.
Hiking Expert
How To Choose A Pair Of Hiking Sunglasses â Buying Guide
Frame
With sunglasses for hiking, the frame should be sturdy yet lightweight and flexible. Such a frame can withstand a lot of abuse without breaking and provide comfort on the trails. A wraparound design is ideal as it ensures the sunglasses will sit comfortably snug on your face. Frames with a rimless jacket design are also preferable as they maximize your field of vision.Â
Durability
With a pair of adventure sunglasses, you will need a higher level of durability than if you were looking for beach or pool sunglasses. Since itâs inevitable that your pair of sunglasses will get knocked and dropped, itâs important to look for frames that are highly resistant to breaking and lenses that wonât shatter or scratch easily. Â
Sports sunglasses are ideal as they are sturdy yet flexible and can withstand more impacts than regular sunglasses. The use of frame and lens materials such as polycarbonate and other high-quality compounds ensure their durability. Some manufacturers even market their frames as unbreakable and back this with a lifetime warranty.
Comfort
Another advantage of choosing sports sunglasses for hiking is that they are constructed with lightweight polycarbonate and plastic materials. This means that they wonât weigh you down. To ensure slipping around wonât be a problem, go for a pair with a wraparound frame and soft nose pads. A well-ventilated design is also essential to keep fogging at bay.Â
Lenses
The whole point of wearing hiking sunglasses is to get protection from UV rays, glare, and dust. Since the lenses are responsible for all these functions, they are the most important part of your sunglasses. Whether you opt for glass or polycarbonate lenses, make sure they are impact and scratch-resistant.
As for polarized vs. non-polarized lenses, polarized lenses are best as they will eliminate glare and ensure you have a clear vision when hiking in bright conditions. As you compare different hiking sunglasses, you will notice that most sunglasses come with multiple lens colors ranging from gray to blue. The kind of hue to go for comes down to the kinds of conditions you will be hiking in.Â
UV Rating
Besides protection from reflected light, the sunglasses should block harmful UVA and UVB rays. For glasses, there are five levels of UV rating ranging from 0 to 4. A zero rating means that the sunglasses offer the least UV protection. On the other end of the spectrum, category 4 offers the greatest protection.
However, most sunglasses donât state the category they fall in. Most will only say that they offer â100% protection up to 400nmâ. This ânmâ stands for nanometers which is a reference to the wavelength. If your sunglasses offer 100% UV protection up to 400nm, you can rest assured they will shield your eyes from ultraviolet light.
Scratch Resistance
When hiking, your sunglasses will no doubt come into contact with abrasive elements such as a brush. Without scratch-resistant coatings, the lenses are very likely to get scratches.
A scratch on your lenses can not only affect the effectiveness of the sunglasses but it will also be a major annoyance and will most likely mean that you will have to buy a new pair of sunglasses. Due to this, be sure the pair you choose has a scratch-resistant coating on the lens. Â
Curve
Not only should the lenses block UV light and glare, but they should also wrap around your eyes without leaving a gap through which harmful rays or dust can find their way into your eyes. In order to do this, the best hiking sunglasses will curve to your face shape to provide maximum coverage for your eyes.
Side protection is especially vital when hiking in winter or alpine conditions and tromping through the snow. In this case, itâs smart to go for mountaineering glasses such as the Julbo Sherpa Glacier sunglasses, as they come with side covers to block peripheral light.
Weight
The weight plays an important role in how comfortable the sunglasses will be to wear while hiking. Even slightly heavy glasses can quickly make you feel very uncomfortable, especially when wearing them for a whole day of hiking.
Thankfully, performance sunglasses are constructed with lightweight materials. Having plastic frames ensures the glasses will feel light and comfortable on your face.
Design
First and foremost, the design of your sunglasses should ensure your comfort and performance on the trails. The good thing is that the best hiking sunglasses also look good, so itâs easy to find a pair of sunglasses that will provide visual clarity, eye protection, and comfort without sacrificing style.
FAQs
Q:Â How Important Is To Have Polarized Lenses?
It's very important to have polarized lenses if you will be hiking under intense sunlight or walking through snow. In this case, you will be exposed to a lot of glare and will need polarized lenses to eliminate this reflected light so you can an enjoy clear vision. Wearing non-polarized lenses in the face of glare can cause eye issues such as strain.
Q:Â How To Care And Store My Hiking Glasses So They Last Longer?
To clean your sunglasses, use a soft sunglasses cleaning cloth and clean water or a neutral detergent to wipe away the dirt. During transportation, wrap them in a soft case and stow them in a hard case. In your backpack, avoid storing them where they could get crushed.
Globo Surf Overview
A good pair of sunglasses is one of the essential hiking gear. The best hiking sunglasses should provide clear vision, protect your eyes from the elements, and withstand the rigors of hiking. All the options in our hiking sunglasses reviews meet these criteria. We hope this buying guide will help you choose the best sunglasses for your hiking and backpacking adventures.