Choosing the right pair of sunglasses is about more than just style, it means great eye protection, optimized vision and all day comfort for every activity. Here are our top 11 tips to help you make an informed choice next time you buy a pair of sunglasses:
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UV protection
100% UV400 protection should be non-negotiable. This should keep your eyes protected from UVA and UVB rays. With VALLON sunglasses, it’s always included.
Pro Tip: Check your sunglasses provide 100% UV400 protection.
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Clarity
The best way to check lens clarity is to look at the ABBE value. The higher the ABBE value, the clearer your vision.
Pro Tip: VALLON’s V52® lenses have an ABBE of 52, the highest clarity for sports lenses on the market.
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Choosing the right lens for the right activity
While mineral (glass) lenses have a higher clarity, they’re less impact resistant. At VALLON, we recommend nylon polyamide, or polycarbonate lenses that provide better impact protection and durability, without sacrificing on clarity.
Pro Tip: Think about where you’ll be wearing your sunglasses most. For active use, opt for ‘sports’ or ‘performance’ lenses.
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Lens category
Lens category is defined by a VLT (%) Visible Light Transmission. For everyday use, we recommend Cat. 3 protection (8-18% VLT), which will protect your eyes from harmful UV and glare, but keep your vision bright enough for different light conditions. However, if you’re skiing, or hiking at altitude, Cat. 4 (3-8% VLT) protection is a must.
Pro Tip: Match your lens category to your environment - Cat. 3 for daily wear, Cat. 4 for mountain or glacier use.
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Designed for your preferred activities
Sunglasses design will vary based on the activity (and personal preference). For high-glare activities, such as sailing or skiing, having wraparound or side shield protection is an excellent choice to keep your vision clear, and eyes comfortable.
Pro Tip: If you want to pair style with sports versatility, we design our bestsellers such as Howlin and Waylons with a detachable sports headstrap. So you can go from a barbeque with friends to sunset hike without having to switch pairs.
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Comfort
Comfort applies to both how the sunglasses feel on your face, as well as eye comfort. Sunglasses should be designed for all-day comfort and eye protection and not apply heavy pressure on your nose, cheeks, or behind your ears.
Pro Tip: Look out for features such as rubber nose pads, flexible temple ends, and premium materials such as cellulose acetate that can be adjusted to fit your face.
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Fit
Sunglasses do vary in size and design, so you might need to try a few styles to find the right shape and size.
Pro Tip: Check the Size Guide when buying online, or look inside the temple of your favorite pair. You should find a number that looks like ‘57□16□142’ (lens width, bridge width, temple length) this refers to the dimensions of the sunglasses giving you a clear idea of sizing before you buy.
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Lens color
Lens color affects contrast and comfort. At VALLON, we favor brown and smoke lenses for our everyday sunglasses - excellent for contrast, depth perception, and color acuity that keeps your eyes relaxed all day long.
Pro Tip: For activities like skiing or motorbiking in low-light, a yellow or purple lens might be preferred. These brighten your vision and provide good contour perception.
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Polarized vs Non-polarized
Polarized lenses reduce glare by filtering scattered light, improving clarity and comfort - especially near water. However, for activities on snow and ice, non-polarized lenses can offer better depth perception.
Pro Tip: Choose polarization for water-based activities - skip it for snow and ice.
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Build quality
A quality pair of sunglasses provides high clarity vision, UV protection and eye comfort, no skin irritation, and durability. Good quality hinges, lenses and materials all contribute to this.
Pro Tip: Check the Warranty offering for your sunglasses. A longer warranty is a strong indication of quality assurance.
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Value for money
Sunglasses prices vary greatly. Some things to ask yourself when making your purchase: What is the lens quality? What materials are my sunglasses made of? What comes with my purchase? What is the warranty on my purchase? Do I agree with the values of this company? These can all help you decipher if you feel you’re getting good value for money.
Pro Tip: At VALLON, we offer a Lifetime Warranty on all eyewear (excluding prescription products). All our eyewear is delivered in plastic-free packaging, and for every pair sold, 1kg of plastic waste is cleaned up and recycled from our ocean shores worldwide.
Looking for your next pair of sunglasses? Check out our collection today.
