The Greatest Driving Sun shades of 2024

How We Examined the Greatest Driving Sun shades

Our Professional Testers

Right here at GearJunkie, we put on sun shades practically each single day, whether or not we’re driving round city, hanging outdoors with pals or household, or doing one thing lively like working, biking, mountain climbing, {golfing}, or paddling. We’ve been fastidiously scrutinizing the sun shades marketplace for nearly 20 years, and have examined dozens of various merchandise in that point.

In our newest 2024 replace, year-round Lake Tahoe resident Nick Bruckbauer added a number of new pairs of shades to this evaluate, drawing on his expertise driving within the high-altitude sunshine and reflective snow round Lake Tahoe. You don’t admire having a terrific pair of driving sun shades such as you do if you’re trying into the California sunshine at 6,300 ft of elevation, reflecting off a blanket of 4 ft of recent snow!

Our Testing Grounds

Nick principally wore these sun shades within the Lake Tahoe space, testing them whereas driving across the lake, in addition to throughout each day outside actions like mountain climbing, rise up paddle boarding, and path working. He additionally examined these sun shades on coastal journeys to Monterrey, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles, in addition to a 5,000-mile summer time roadtrip from California to Wisconsin and Missouri. Nick has worn these sun shades in nearly each driving situation possible, together with full-on summer time sunshine, trying straight into sunrises and sunsets, being surrounded by glare from winter snow, and thru overcast and foggy days which are nonetheless awkwardly vibrant.

Our Testing Course of

Our testing course of considers body and lens high quality, total sturdiness, glare management, peripheral imaginative and prescient, consolation, and elegance. We wore all of those sun shades in several circumstances, and in lots of instances, wore them side-by-side to get a direct comparability. All the sun shades on this record stood out from the pack. As new types hit the market, we’ll remember to check and think about them for this record.

Purchaser’s Information: How you can Select the Greatest Driving Sun shades

Eye Safety

An excessive amount of daylight may cause everlasting harm to our eyes. Similar to pores and skin, eyes have to be protected against the solar’s UV rays. A superb pair of sun shades will hold your eyes protected and cozy on and off the street.

Driving Security

In vibrant circumstances, sun shades may help us see the street forward with readability and accuracy. With out sun shades, our capacity to understand depth and distance may be severely impaired, particularly within the early morning or late afternoon gentle.

Consolation

Correct imaginative and prescient and eye safety apart, driving within the vibrant solar is simply plain uncomfortable. With out driving sun shades, extended squinting can result in nagging complications.

What to Search for When Buying the Greatest Driving Sun shades

Your go-to driving sun shades ought to elevate your expertise behind the wheel. When it comes time to pick out the very best pair for you, there are a number of vital elements to contemplate. On this purchaser’s information, we are going to go over the first advantages of the very best driving sun shades and totally clarify what you need to think about earlier than making a purchase order. Don’t accept something lower than the right pair of driving sun shades.

Sort of Body

Body Dimension & Form

Earlier than buying a pair of the very best driving sun shades, it’s smart to ensure they’re well-fitted and cozy. Completely different body dimensions and shapes work higher for various folks. You want a body that won’t trigger discomfort or require fixed adjustment.

Some frequent body varieties to take a look at embrace wayfarers, aviators, round, rectangular, protect, and rimless. When you’re not sure what dimension or sort of body suits your face finest, go strive on some shades in particular person to start out narrowing down your choices.

Body Sort & Protection

Glasses with wider frames and taller lens designs will present extra protection and safety. Keep in mind that daylight may also enter your eyes from the aspect if you are driving, and it might be smart to decide on a pair of glasses that gives added safety from all angles.

Body Materials

Whereas body materials comes down to non-public choice, you ought to be conscious that some supplies are extra versatile and sturdy than others. Most driving sun shades function a body made out of acetate or nylon. Each supplies are light-weight and are capable of maintain their form even in excessive circumstances. Metallic frames are frequent, too, although they have a tendency to supply much less wraparound safety.

Sort of Lens

Polarized Lenses

A superb-quality pair of driving sun shades ought to have polarized lenses. When harsh daylight displays off surfaces, together with tail lights, puddles, and cease indicators, the ensuing glare may be quickly blinding. Polarized lenses can block a few of this intense mirrored gentle and make driving safer and extra snug. A few of our favourite lenses are the ChromaPop lenses from Smith Optics.

Drivers must be conscious that polarized lenses may also make it tough to see some digital dashboard shows. Earlier than buying, check the sun shades towards your sprint show to ensure you can nonetheless learn the shows.

Gradient Lenses

Gradient lenses are lighter on the backside and darker towards the highest. Whereas driving, the darker a part of gradient lenses can block daylight, whereas the lighter portion of the lens will nonetheless let you see your dashboard and the street clearly.

Transitions Lenses

Transition lenses are capable of change from clear to darkish relying on the sunshine circumstances. As a result of these lenses depend on direct UV gentle to work, they most likely aren’t the only option for driving, as your automobile’s windshield filters out among the solar’s UV gentle. Nonetheless, there are some nice driving sun shades with transition lenses.

Lens Materials

Most sun shades lenses are constituted of polycarbonate or glass. Glass tends to supply the very best optical readability and can be more durable and extra scratch-resistant. Whereas polycarbonate lenses aren’t as sturdy, they’re extra light-weight and fewer prone to break upon impression.

Sturdiness

The sturdiness of a pair of sun shades relies on supplies, craftsmanship, and weight. On the whole, glass lenses are extra scratch-resistant, whereas polycarbonate lenses are much less prone to shatter beneath impression.

Acetate and nylon frames strike stability between hardiness and suppleness. Once you aren’t sporting your glasses, hold them protected in a spot the place they won’t be scratched or broken.

Worth & Worth

The value of a pair of driving sun shades can range from beneath $50 to nicely over $400. Many cheaper pairs is not going to be polarized or present enough UV safety. Costlier sun shades might embrace higher-quality supplies and lens expertise. We all the time suggest making your choice based mostly on consolation and efficiency slightly than value.

Funds

Imagine it or not, however you possibly can nonetheless get high quality pair of polarized sun shades for nicely beneath $100. Our favourite funds decide, the Tifosi Swick Polarized, is available in at simply $60, and supplies a easy but trendy body form and high-quality lenses. We’ve worn them driving, mountain climbing, working, and paddle boarding, and so they excel in all actions. At this value level, you could be sacrificing some higher-end supplies like lens coatings or extra premium body supplies, however a funds pair of shades can shield your eyes simply in addition to the costlier fashions.

Mid-Tier

When you step as much as the $100 to $300 value vary, you’ll begin seeing a number of the massive identify producers. A lot of the fashions we examined from manufacturers like Smith, Ray-Ban, and Oakley fall into this class. Along with paying a bit extra for the model recognition, this class will sometimes embrace higher-grade body supplies and higher-end lens options just like the ChromaPop lenses from Smith. Our prime total decide, the Smith Redding, falls on this class with a listing value between $215 and $295, relying on the body and lens choices chosen.

Premium

When you begin taking a look at choices over $300, you’ll begin seeing extra designer manufacturers and merchandise that is perhaps equally targeted on fashion and trend than on operate and efficiency. Two of the costliest merchandise we examined, the Shinzu Tamura Umeda ($325) and the Persol Steve McQueen (beginning at $472), each have classically styled body shapes and high-end lens choices. The body of the Persol Steve McQueen additionally folds in half, a novel function we haven’t seen on every other check fashions. At this value vary, the value tag may be attributed to extra premium supplies, fancier body designs, and numerous lens choices.

Ceaselessly Requested QuestionsShinzu Tamura Umeda and our favourite sportier-looking mannequin is the Smith Redding.