The Best Running Sunglasses to Save Your Eyes
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At a Glance: The Best Running Sunglasses
Editor’s Pick: Oakley Radar EV Path
Budget Pick: Goodr OG
Best Lenses: Smith Reverb
Ultra Lightweight: Rudy Project Propulse
Style Pick: Nike Skylon Ace
Celebrity approved: Knockaround Fast Lanes Sport
Extra Coverage: Julbo Fury Photochromic
Interchangeable Lenses: 100% Hypercraft
Spending time outdoors is one of the many benefits of running, but you can get too much sun. UV rays – which are present even when it’s overcast outside – can wreak havoc on our eyes, as well as our skin.
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For runners spending hours a week outdoors, the discomfort and risks posed by UV rays are even higher. Here’s where the best running sunglasses come in. The best running sunglasses protect against all three types of UV rays (UVA, UVB, and UVC) to ensure healthier eyes down the road. They block out glare and, in some cases, improve vision with contrast-enhancing tints.
(As well as new shades, consider getting some good sunscreen before your next run.)
What Are the Best Running Sunglasses?
Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best running sunglasses to help protect your eyes. Unlike regular sunnies, these shades are made for intense activity with comfortable, lightweight designs that stay put on your face. Most of these also offer more shade than your average everyday sunglasses.
To create this list, we consulted both running experts and amateurs alike on the kinds of shades they prefer, and we tested sunglasses ourselves on different types of runs in different weather and terrain. See more on our testing process further down this article.
1. Oakley Radar EV Path
If you’re a serious runner (or a serious connoisseur of running gear), go for these Oakley Radar EV Path sunglasses. The shades use Prizm polarized lenses that protect against all UVs, enhance colors, and greatly reduce glare. With wrap-around coverage and tall lenses, that protection is effective from all angles. The frame, meanwhile, uses Oakley’s rubber-like material (Unobtanium) on the nose and temple pads. These feel very comfortable and prevent the glasses from bouncing or falling off during intense runs. Sizewise, the Radar EV Paths’ are best for medium faces but should fit almost anyone.
$221.00
Promising Customer Feedback: “The Radar glasses are comfortable, fit well, and don’t slide down your nose, without feeling too tight. Vented lenses work well in getting just enough air to your eyes. The best feature is the clarity and contrast that Oakley lenses offer!” — Michael
2. Goodr OG
If you’re looking for a pair of reliable shades that can handle intense runs and fall off your face without a problem, check out Goodr. The brand makes some excellent active sunglasses, including these best-selling OG frames. Designed to prevent slipping and bouncing, the sunnies have a grippy coating on the frame to keep them in place. The polarized lenses are great too, and the $25 price tag is shockingly low considering the glasses’ quality.
$25
Promising Customer Feedback: “Love these glasses, I have so many pairs of Goodr – for running in, and working outdoors, and driving, and walking the dog, and well you get the idea…” — Michelle
3. Smith Reverb
Smith’s ChromaPop technology is a favorite among skiers and snowboarders, but runners can also enjoy the premium lenses in these Reverb glasses. Similar to polarization, Smith’s ChromaPop tech is a chemical lens coating, but it’s better at highlighting color differences. This makes it easier to see details (i.e. roots on the trail) while still turning down the brightness. Even without this beloved tech, we think the Reverbs are a winner thanks to a comfortable feel and a full coverage design.
$99.00 $199.00 50% off
Promising Customer Feedback: “Love these glasses. They are so lightweight that I sometimes forget that they are on me during my runs.” — Ismael
4. Rudy Project Propulse
Another good pick for long-distance runners is these Propulse sunglasses from Rudy Project. Boasting a 26-gram weight and a grippy build, the glasses are designed to stay comfortably in place on any terrain. One of the sunnies’ best uses is for hot weather running because they feature an all-over venting system to reduce fogging in humidity. The polarized lenses, which are made of a durable composite, can be easily switched out and come in a few color options. In terms of fit, we suggest the Propulses for runners with small to medium-sized faces.
$219.99
Promising Customer Feedback: “Excellent sunglasses. Light and fit comfortably, even with a bike helmet on. The clear-to-black transition works as well as I could have hoped for. They block just enough light that everything looks bright but my eyes feel comfortable and I do not need to squint.” — Lyne
5. Nike Skylon Ace
These Skylon Ace sunglasses from Nike are a great option for workouts, runs, or stylish casual outfits. The Italian-made shades feature an angled, wrap-around design that covers everything without adding too much weight and material. They’re also very secure thanks to a rubberized nose pad and long temple tips that bend around the back of the head. Overall, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more stylish pair of full-coverage, high-performance running sunglasses.
$69.95 $79.00 11% off
Promising Customer Feedback: “I use this for flying (need non-polarized), driving, and exercise. These are very lightweight, but still very sturdy and durable. My older pair has held up well with hard use for many years.” — RCVC
6. Knockaround Fast Lanes Sport
Don’t be fooled by the affordability of these Knockaround glasses: The polarized shades are actually durable, comfortable, and great for taking on runs. The frames are made of a lightweight rubberized plastic that grips your nose and ears to keep the shades in place. Even if they happen to fall, the glasses’ polycarbonate lenses are quite hard to damage.
Plus, Knockaround glasses are something of a trend with celebrities from Matthew McConaughey to Snoop Dogg seen wearing the affordable shades. That means you can easily rock these to the grocery store or coffee shop right after a run. We recommend the glasses for medium-sized faces, although they work fine on small and large heads too.
$38.00
Promising Customer Feedback: “I wore these for the bike and run segments of an Ironman triathlon and did all my training in them. They’re durable, lightweight, and stay put when running or cycling. I’m still using them almost 2 years later and they still perform great. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another pair.” — Anonymous
7. Julbo Fury
If you run in the early morning or evening when the light is shifting, check out these Julbo Fury sunglasses. They come in either bright or low-light options – the latter providing optimal shade in transitional light. All of the Furys (no matter which lens type you choose) feature vented lenses that effectively prevent fogging from humidity and sweat. The frame, sized for medium to wide faces, is fitted with grippy, shock-absorbent pads on the nose and ears for a comfortable, jiggle-free fit. At the top of the frame, there’s also a close-fitting brow bar that prevents sweat from getting into your eyes.
$98.00
Promising Customer Feedback: “Top-notch sunglasses with great lenses that get you covered on most light conditions. They’re very light so they don’t feel sturdy at first, but they are. A great buy for me! Totally recommended.” — Andre
8. 100% Hypercraft
If you wear sunglasses in almost all weather, from cloudy to sunny, consider these Hypercraft shades from 100% that feature interchangeable lenses. The lenses themselves are very high quality, boasting a scratch-, water- dirt-, and oil-resistant treatment for cleanliness throughout long runs.
$97.00 $165.00 41% off
Promising Customer Feedback: “These glasses are good quality and great for sports; lightweight and comfortable on the face — especially the nose. Good value” — Steph
Running Sunglasses Buying Guide
Not all the best running sunglasses are made the same. Here are a few things to consider while shopping.
Design: Most runners prefer a wrap-around design for total coverage. This will block sunlight and glare at all times of day, including sunrise and sunset. However, some runners like more street-ready frames, such as wayfarers. These less athletic-looking glasses are good if you hit the grocery store or coffee shop after a run.
Lenses: The lenses in the best running sunglasses differ quite a bit with varying tints and polarization. Certain tint colors suit different settings, such as rose tints which improve contrast, and dark dints which block more light. Contrast-enhancing tints, such as rose or orange, are ideal for technical trail running where you need to spot roots, rocks, and terrain changes.
Dark tints, on the other hand, are good for urban settings where you encounter glare from windows, asphalt, and cars. Polarized lenses, which only let in light at a vertical angle to eliminate glare, are usually preferred. However, polarization isn’t totally necessary in low-glare situations such as trail runs.
Style: All sunglasses – even sporty pairs – should look good. Head size is the first thing to think about, as the wrong size sunglasses can make your head look oddly small or too large. Also, running sunglasses can be either sporty or more casual. Both are viable options, especially now that sporty shades are making their way into the fashion world.
How We Chose the Best Running Sunglasses
We started our research process by consulting experts and customers on the kinds of running sunglasses they like. After some brands kept reappearing, we tested as many as we could get our hands on to see which ones we liked the most. We took the glasses on a few different runs (short runs, sprints, and distance runs) in terrain and weather ranging from stormy trails to extra sunny city streets. After deciding on our favorites, we rounded them up here, making sure that each option could be purchased at a major retailer and had an average customer rating of at least 3.7/5 stars.
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