The lenses on the Hall Sq. (plus a number of different Oakley pairs) manipulate gentle that will help you see the colours and particulars that you just would possibly miss with different sorts of lenses. That is key for having fun with your environment and seeing what’s forward of you on the roads or trails.
Of Oakley’s efficiency fashions, the Hall Sq. is a standout for its sporty-but-not-too-sporty look and light-weight, snug really feel. It additionally has some critical grip on each the nosepiece and the earsocks to maintain it in place, even while you’re coated in sweat.
Materials: Nylon, polycarbonate | Polarized: No | RX possibility: No
Greatest Funds Decide: Goodr Bolt G
Goodr sun shades have a large runner fan base for a great purpose: They’re budget-friendly, they arrive in a number of enjoyable colours and types, and the standard is nice (particularly for the value!). Whereas the model’s OG mannequin is by far their hottest (Dr. Blitzer is “obsessed” together with her pair), it’s their Bolt G that provides essentially the most runner-friendly options, says King. Suppose: vents within the lenses that promote airflow and stop fogging, plus an adjustable nostril piece for a customized match.
With the Bolt Gs, you even have the choice of mirrored lenses (which assist scale back glare), or gradient lenses (that are darker on the prime, to dam overhead rays and improve floor visibility).
Materials: Copolyester, TAC (tri acetate cellulose) | Polarized: Sure | RX possibility: No
Greatest Funds RX: Tifosi Selca
Whilst you can add a prescription lens to a number of frames on this listing, it sometimes comes at a reasonably steep value. Not so with Tifosi’s aviator-style Selcas. They’re additionally absolutely customizable, so you’ll be able to select the colour of your frames and lenses, in addition to whether or not you’d like polarization.
Once I took the Selcas out on a future, they had been snug and bounce-free. Tifosi shades are additionally designed to not pull in your hair while you slide them on and off, which is a bonus. My solely criticism is that they did fog up a bit on a sizzling, humid day.
Materials: Plant-based materials, polycarbonate, rubber | Polarized: Some colours | RX possibility: Sure
Greatest for Marathons: Nike Victory Elite
When Underwood is able to lock in and race a quick marathon, she reaches for her Nike Victory Elite sun shades. “They’re tremendous light-weight they usually simply keep put,” she says. “I additionally love the look. Placing them on seems like I’m able to go.”
Designed particularly for ladies (primarily based on insights from Nike’s prime elite runners), the Nike Victory Elites have an adjustable nosepiece and temple arms for the precise match. A one-piece wraparound lens additionally gives loads of safety and protection.
Materials: Nylon, polycarbonate, rubber | Polarized: No | RX possibility: By way of clip-in
Most Sturdy: Knockaround Campeones
Knockaround sun shades are meant for simply that—being knocked round. The Campeones, the model’s full-coverage defend possibility, are not any totally different, which I confirmed throughout testing. After a number of drops (each intentional and unintended), they survived and not using a scratch.
Purposefully non-polarized, the Campeones are made for athletes who profit from depth notion, like path runners and mountain bikers, since slightly little bit of glare might help you inform distance, slope, and depth. (The lens’ mirrored coating helps scale back the worst of the glare.) Plus, I put my sweaty fingers all around the lenses to check their water- and oil-resistant coatings, and was shocked by simply how minimal a smudge I managed to make.
Materials: Polycarbonate | Polarized: No | RX possibility: No
Greatest Anti-Fog: Rudy Venture Astral Sphere
The lenses for many operating sun shades are minimize out of a cylindrical piece of glass or plastic. However your eyes aren’t formed like cylinders—they’re spheres. That’s the thought behind Rudy Venture’s Astral Sphere sun shades, which as a substitute are minimize from a spherical piece of polyurethane. This materials can be a higher-quality, extra sturdy plastic than the polycarbonate that almost all different lenses are produced from.
There are many advantages to the Astral Sphere’s extra anatomical form—the additional room between your eye and the lens can scale back the danger of fogging, in addition to improve readability and luxury. What’s to not love?
Materials: Bio-plastic materials, polyurethane | Polarized: Some colours | RX possibility: Sure
Greatest for Small Faces: 100 P.c Hypercraft XS
Attempt on sufficient efficiency sun shades, and it’s not exhausting to come back to the annoying conclusion that almost all of them are made for males, who on common have bigger faces than ladies. Many pairs which are supposedly one-size-fits-all are too huge for some runners. That’s why 100 P.c made the XS model of their common Hypercraft mannequin, with all of the options runners love in a barely smaller bundle.
The Hypercraft XS have full wraparound protection, they usually’re tremendous light-weight—at 23 grams, they really feel surprisingly sturdy. The lenses are scratch-resistant and handled to repel water, filth, and oil. And if one lens isn’t sufficient, you’ll be able to swap it out for one more (the case is even designed to hold a number of lenses).
Materials: Nylon, carbon fiber, polycarbonate | Polarized: No | RX possibility: No
Greatest Cat Eye: Roka Lola
I’ll admit it: Typically, I select aesthetics over efficiency with sun shades, and it was the Roka Lola’s fashionable cat eye frames that first drew me to them. However there’s extra to those shades than meets the attention (ha), and the Lola packs as huge a efficiency punch as practically another possibility on this listing.
For one, they’re our lightest choose, at a virtually exceptional 19 grams. And through my run, they carried out completely, with no fogging, bouncing, or slipping (the latter because of Roka’s proprietary Geko expertise—there are barely sticky pads at your temples and nostril that get even stickier after they get moist). If not one of the Lola’s eight shade and tint combos fit your fancy, you’ll be able to construct your personal pair, with 4 frames and 12 lenses to select from (plus, you’ll be able to add a prescription). And if the match across the nostril isn’t supreme, strive one of many different nosepieces included together with your buy—one is sure to really feel excellent.
Materials: Nylon, polycarbonate | Polarized: Sure (until you select a non-polarized lens in customization) | RX possibility: Sure
What to think about when searching for operating sun shades
An important issue to search for in any pair of sun shades is UV safety, says Dr. Blitzer. Go for sun shades which have a 400 UV ranking, which signifies that they shield in opposition to 100% of UV rays. Heads up: Darkish lenses aren’t essentially higher—the colour and darkness of the lens is not associated to the quantity of UV safety it gives. As an alternative, choose your tint primarily based on the sunshine circumstances and setting you’ll sometimes be operating in (some tints work higher for decrease gentle, as an example, or for trails) and your preferences.
Polarized lenses, which filter out the glare you would possibly expertise coming from the street, automobiles, or water, are key for while you’ll be operating in brilliant, direct daylight. However polarization isn’t a should, relying on the place you’ll be operating. And, in some circumstances—like in the event you typically run on trails or in low gentle—chances are you’ll wish to keep away from it, as it could actually mess together with your depth notion and make screens troublesome to learn.
There are additionally photochromic lenses, that are just like transition lenses in that they regulate to altering gentle circumstances. These are a fantastic possibility for runners who’ll be out and in of the solar (like on a path run via the woods), or for individuals who wish to mix them with prescription lenses, in order that they’ll depart their frames on (even when there’s no solar).
Sun shades which are too small may cause complications. Pairs which are too massive might bounce or slide round and might fog up extra simply. Most manufacturers will label their sun shades as finest for small, medium, or massive heads—some even include adjustable nosepieces or temples that will help you discover the right match.
That mentioned, nothing beats attempting on a pair before you purchase it. Dr. Blitzer recommends shifting your head up and down to check in the event that they’re truly going to remain on and be snug whilst you’re on the transfer. (If you happen to sometimes run with a hat or headphones, deliver these with you to ensure the match is appropriate.) Additionally key for consolation: Grips across the nostril to forestall slipping, even while you’re sweaty.
Working sun shades weigh lower than your typical sun shades—most will likely be beneath 30 grams and made with gentle, sturdy supplies (like polycarbonate), reasonably than the glass you’d discover in a extra fashion-forward pair. Keep away from sun shades with thick rims, which is able to lower your peripheral imaginative and prescient.
The form of the frames comes down to private desire—you may want a sportier, shield-style pair, or extra of a traditional body that may work exterior of your run too. But in addition, remember that wraparound shield-style frames can provide you extra safety from the solar—in addition to anything that will attempt to get in your eyes, like mud, pollen, or particles.
Working sun shades can include dozens of different options—like interchangeable lenses, which let you make a swap in the event you want a distinct tint, or wish to use the identical body to your prescription lenses.
Lenses can include totally different coatings, like anti-scratch, anti-fog, anti-smudge, or a mirrored coating, which might help scale back glare. Some efficiency shades even have air flow options, to maintain air shifting and your lenses fog-free.
How we discovered and examined these sun shades
To search out the most effective operating sun shades, I requested an eye fixed physician (who can be an avid runner) and a operating coach for his or her favourite pairs, then went looking for different prime fashions available on the market. For a month, I examined their strategies and extra pairs on runs starting from a number of miles to a dozen, together with simple paces and races. I paid consideration to how nicely they blocked brilliant daylight, the readability and distinction they provided, how snug they felt, whether or not they bounced or slipped, and the way nicely they held as much as sweat and humidity.
Regularly requested questions on operating sun shades
Are polarized sun shades good for operating?
Sure, polarized sun shades are good for operating—particularly on brilliant, sunny days, as they scale back the glare that may come off of issues round you. (Meaning much less eye pressure, i.e. much less squinting.) There are some downsides to polarization, although, as it could actually make it troublesome to learn screens and might scale back your depth notion. If you happen to’re steadily operating in low gentle or depend on depth notion for technical trails, chances are you’ll wish to go for non-polarized lenses.
Why do my sun shades fog when operating?
“Sun shades fog normally comes from the sweat in your face steaming and getting caught beneath the glasses,” says Underwood. “To keep away from it, you want airflow shifting beneath the lenses. If you happen to’re a heavy sweater, put on a body that sits out out of your face extra or has holes within the lenses to permit for airflow.” It’s also possible to search for lenses which have an anti-fog coating.
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