13 Best Polarized Sunglasses For Men and Women in 2021 Review

Last updated 18. June 2022

When summer comes around, will you have the sunglasses to step out and enjoy the warm weather? As the sun warms your skin, the light reflects from surfaces and glares on your eyes affecting visibility. Granted, you need the best polarized sunglasses for men and women before stepping out.

Although polarized sunglasses will still complement your style, they are more functional than aesthetical. They are ideal when you go out fishing or basking on the beach to reduce the glare from the reflections on water surfaces. They are great when you are hiking, biking, walking around town, driving, and for fashion.

The best polarized sunglasses should protect your eyes from the glare from the sun, but you can still pick a stylish pair to complement your look the next time you step out. On top of that, you need something that offers you great value. With so many factors to consider and so many brands to choose from, it is challenging to pick the right polarized sunglasses for women and men.

Are polarized sunglasses worth it? Read on to learn more including how to tell if sunglasses are polarized.

We scoured the internet for reviews, videos, brand descriptions, and expert statements to help you choose the best polarized sunglasses.

View the Best Polarized Sunglasses in 2021

1. O’NEILL Magna Polarized Sunglasses

O’NEILL is one of the biggest names in sunglasses. The O’NEILL Magna is an eco-friendly polarized pair of sunglasses designed to reduce glare and the damages that come with it. The square-front style sunglasses are also a fashion statement so you can use them when running errands around town.

Each pair features renewable materials, especially the eco-polymers made from cotton, wood, and cellulose. If you would rather shop for sustainable materials, the Magna might be the right choice for you. The materials still offer enough protection from UVA and UVB sun rays, the damaging rays from the sun.

O’NEILL uses 1mm of Triacetate Cellulose (TAC), which is a strong polarization material for superior visual acuity. Both the lenses and the frame feature an anti-scratch material, which allows them to maintain their original look for a long time. The glasses are lightweight and you can wear them the whole day without feeling their weight on the bridge of your nose. Besides using them to cancel glare from the sun, you can use them to cancel glare from lights from oncoming cars.

Pros

  •  Lightweight but durable construction
  •  Made from sustainable materials
  •  Frames and lenses do not scratch and maintain original look

Why we like It: You can choose from a range of the four colors to complement your style. The sunglasses sport fresh mirror finishes to enhance their look and make them reflect light away.

2. Ray Ban Unisex Square Sunglasses

The Ray Ban Unisex sunglasses sport a classic but stylish look so you can use it to protect your eyes and to make a fashion statement. They are comfortable with a wide bridge and adjustable nose pads to fit the frame of your face succinctly.

Each lens sports a UV protection coating that limits the penetration of harmful rays from the sun to protect your eyes. Instead of adding a polarization coating like most other sunglasses on the market, Ray Ban has designed polarized lenses from high quality scratch resistant glass. The glass polarized lenses offer improved clarity and contrast whether you use them under the strong sun or to cancel glare at night.

Ray Ban further uses acetate frames that enhance the durability of the sunglasses while still making them lightweight. You can adjust the shape and curvature of the frames to achieve a snug fit. Once you have the fit right, pick from a variety of frame and lens colors to match your style.

Pros

  •  Adjustable frame size and nose pads
  •  Lightweight but durable construction
  •  Up to 32 frame and lens colors available

Why we like it: The Ray Ban Sunglasses are available in 49mm and 51mm to match the size of your face. We like their sturdy construction and their adjustability for precision fit.

3. Woosh Polarized Sunglasses for Men and Women

The Woosh Polarized Sunglasses for Women and Men sport the almost indestructible polycarbonate frame to withstand rugged use. Granted, you can use them as hiking, fishing, or biking sunglasses and still expect them to last for many years. Furthermore, the sunglasses are stylish to complement your street style. According to Woosh, the design is an inspiration from classic curves of the wayfarer – a design that never goes out of style.

The lenses and the frame are scratch resistant to maintain the original look and feel of the sunglasses. On the outer side of the lenses is a UVA and UVB coating that blocks out harmful rays from the sun to keep your eyes safe.

You can choose from a range of close to 15 frame and lens colors to complement your style. Although they were originally designed for beachwear, the sunglasses have found their use in variety of rugged applications. With each pair, Woosh offers you a carrying pouch and a cleaning cloth.

Pros

  •  Stylish sunglasses
  •  Rugged construction for the active wearer
  •  Available in a range of frame and lens colors

Why we like it: The Woosh Unisex sunglasses are for the wearer who needs protecting from glare while still looking stylish. We love their durable construction and range of frame and lens colors.

4. O’NEILL Polarized Sunglasses for Men

O’NEILL appears again in the list of best polarized sunglasses thanks, to their innovative sunglasses construction. The company focuses on creating stellar and stylish sunglasses for use around town, beach, mountain, trails, and anywhere else. Each pair is as stylish as it is rugged.

Like other sunglasses from O’NEILL, this pair features Triacetate Cellulose coating that reduces the glare from the sun and car headlights. Each lens is designed for optimal visual acuity so you can see clearly while staying safe from UVA and UVB sun rays. The square-front style matches the facial frame of most men.

O’NEILL creates all their sunglasses from natural, renewable materials including eco-polymers from wood cellulose and cotton. This creates a pair of sunglasses that is friendly to the environment. Even then, the frames and lenses are scratch resistant and lightweight to feel comfortable at all times.

Pros

  •  Scratch resistant frame and lenses
  •  Made from natural recyclable materials
  •  Functional but stylish design

Why we like it – O’NEILL sunglasses appear on this list for their strength and durability, their ergonomic constriction, and their style. Although, it is not available in a wide range of colors, it has enough neutral colors to match the style of most men.

5. TOREGE Sports Polarized Sunglasses

The TOREGE Sunglasses stand out, thanks to the flexible frame to match different facial frames. They feature a coating of Triacetate Cellulose that protects your eyes from glare. The coating lets in visible light but blocks all UVA, UVB, and UVC light. They come in handy for town use, hiking, biking, mountaineering, fishing and any other activity where you need to cancel glare and restore color.

The frame has a metal spring hinge that makes it flexible. On the bridge of these sunglasses is a solid three-point support with a rubber nose pad that fits your face perfectly. The TR90 thermoplastic material that makes the frame is soft, durable, scratch-resistant and unbreakable. This material is also lightweight so you can wear the sunglasses all day.

TOREGE uses polycarbonate lenses which are resistant to breakages and are lightweight. These lenses are impact–resistant, scratch–resistant, flexible, and durable. To sweeten the deal, TOREGE offers a lifetime warranty for the lenses and frame. With each pair of sunglasses, you get a storage pouch and a cleaning cloth.

Pros

  •  Comes with a lifetime warranty
  •  High quality materials to last long
  •  Flexible frame for a snug fit

Why we like it – We like the TOREGE sunglasses for men for their sturdy construction. The glasses and the frames feature synthetic materials that make them unbreakable and scratch resistant.

6. Under Armour Square Polarized Sunglasses

Under Armour produces gear for the active wearer. Their polarized sunglasses features ArmourSight lenses which deliver superior optical clarity while resisting impact. Although these sunglasses are great for men, they sport a unisex design. These are square sunglasses with a classical look that doesn’t go out of fashion.

Each pair features ultralight ArmourFusion frames for durability. You can use them for rugged outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, and mountain climbing. They sport screw–free cam–lock hinges that allow temples to lock securely for a snug fit. The materials are lightweight so you can wear the glasses the whole day without fatigue.

You can choose from a range of six frame and lens colors to complement your style. Each lens protects your eyes from 100 percent UVA and UVB rays from the sun. UA offers limited lifetime warranty against any manufacturer defects.

Pros

  •  Rugged construction for active users
  •  Offers superior optical clarity
  •  Stylish look with a choice of six colors to complement your style

Why we like it – The UA eyewear feature durable construction like all other active gear from Under Armour. It is an ideal pair of sunglasses for hikers and active sportspeople.

7. Under Armour Octane Wrap Sunglasses

These are wrap sunglasses that offer a comfortable snug fit for active men. Similar to the Under Armour Square sunglasses above, the wrap sunglasses feature ArmourSight lenses whose engineering allows them to offer great optical clarity and resist impact. Both the lenses and the frame are scratch resistant to maintain the original look and feel of the glasses.

This pair features Under Armour AutoGrip temples for comfort and flexibility. The secure fit makes the sunglasses ideal for rugged use including mountain climbing, hiking, and water sports. Additionally, UA uses Ultralight ArmourFusion frames that deliver maximum strength and durability.

The nose pad on these sunglasses can be adjusted to multiple positions to offer a customized fit for all adults’ facial shapes and sizes. The lack of screws on the cam-lock hinges ensure that the temples lock in place for a sturdy and lightweight fit. With their rimless frame jacket, the sunglasses give you a wide field of vision when you engage in outdoor activities.

Pros

  • Delivers superior clarity
  • Snug fit for the active wearer
  • High quality materials to resist impact and scratches

Why we like it – We like the UA Wrap Sunglasses for their sturdy construction and the snug fit they offer regardless of the shape and size of your face. They are available in ten neutral colors to match your style.

8. Oakley Mens Holbrook Square Sunglasses

The Holbrook Square Sunglasses from Oakley sport a bold masculine design for use around town, the beach, and out in the mountains. The classic square design makes the sunglasses stylish enough to match different styles. Further, Oakley designs the sunglasses in more than ten lens and frame colors to complement your style.

Each pair features Grilamid material frame which is scratch resistant, impact resistant, and highly durable. The lenses are polycarbonate to resist breakages common with glass lenses. These lenses sport a polarization coating to cancel the glare from the sun and reflections off the water surface. These Plutonite lenses offer protection from UVA, UVB, and UVC rays from the sun. Better yet, the sunglasses allow in visible light for superior clarity.

Holbrook lenses are prescription-ready, allowing you to use the frame with prescription lenses. Because the frames are sturdy, you can always buy replacement lenses and snap them in place.

Pros

  •  High quality Plutonite lenses
  •  Classic square style that makes the glasses fashionable
  •  Lightweight construction for all-day use

Why we like them – We like these sunglasses for their bold look and the sturdiness of the materials. Their scratch and impact resistant construction allows it to maintain its original look and feel for many years.

Best Polarized Sunglasses for Women

1. Kate Spade New York Women’s Avaline 2 Sunglasses

Because women love style, the Avaline 2 Sunglasses feature a sleek aviator style look and comes in a wide range of colors to match your fashion. The arms of the sunglasses are flexible enough to accommodate different face sizes. Its nose pads are also adjustable for a snug and lightweight fit for all-day use.

The snug and lightweight fit make the sunglasses ideal for the active user. You can, therefore, use them for hiking, mountain climbing, and other involving activities. The stylish design allows you to wear them to the beach and for use around town. The frame is very slim to enhance the lightweight construction of the sunglasses and provide a wide field of vision.

At 58 millimeters, the lenses are wide enough not to obstruct your vision. With each purchase, you get a hard case to hold your pair and a soft microfiber cleaning cloth.

Pros

  •  Stylish and sleek aviator style for women who love fashion
  •  Lightweight construction with adjustable features for a snug and lightweight fit
  •  High quality materials to resist impact and scratching

Why we like it – These sunglasses fit the oval-oblong as well as rounded shape of women. Its wide lenses construction makes it ideal for all women regardless of the shape of their face.

2. O’NEILL Praia Polarized Sunglasses for Women

O’NEILL appears again on the list of best polarized sunglasses for its Praia Polarized sunglasses. The company focuses on design, durability, and clarity of vision. These features are not lost on the Praia. It sports a classic oversized style, which allows you to use the sunglasses for the beach or streets.

The triacetate cellulose polarization layer enhances the clarity of your vision while protecting your eyes from UVA and UVB rays from the sun. The layer is scratch and impact resistant, making the sunglasses retain their original look and feel for many years. Its arms are a little adjustable to fit rounded and oval faces.

Although these sunglasses are only available in two color options, they still complement your style. Each pair comes with a case and a cleaning cloth to protect them when not in use. Like the Avaline 2 Aviator sunglasses above, the O’NEILL Praia sport a sleek and lightweight construction for all-day use.

Pros

  •  Sleek look for use in the beach and town
  •  High quality synthetic materials to resist scratches and impact
  •  Uses the proven TAC polarization layer

Why we like it – The retro style of these sunglasses coupled with the neutral colors make it ideal for use in areas that need you to be stylish as well as in the mountains and trails. It is also sturdy and offers a clear vision.

3. Oakley Women’s Drop-in Cat-eye Sunglasses

Oakley specializes in creating stylish but functional women’s and men’s sunglasses. Their drop-in cat-eye sunglasses sport a style that looks almost like square sunglasses with a touch of cat-eye style sunglasses to complement your street and beach wear. The sunglasses have a sleep construction with plastic materials that make it lightweight, scratch, and impact resistant.

The lenses have a polarization layer and synthetic materials that make them break–resistant. Like other sunglasses from Oakley, this pair protects you from UVA, UVB, and UVC rays from the sun. Because Oakley creates gear for outdoor use, their sunglasses have a rugged construction that makes them ideal for mountain climbing, hiking, beach activities, and much more.

The sunglasses are lightweight for the active wearer. They offer excellent vision by letting in as much visible light as possible while blocking out harmful UV rays.

Pros

  •  Stylish design for beach and street use
  •  Plastic construction is lightweight and durable
  •  Ideal for small and wide faces

Why we like it – this pair of sunglasses is versatile for use in different settings – stylish for use in the beach and rugged for use as hiking and mountain climbing sunglasses.

4. Cole Haan Women’s Polarized Sunglasses

Cole Haan Sunglasses feature a plastic frame and polycarbonate lenses. The advantage of this construction is that they are scratch and impact resistant and they feel light no matter how long you wear them. They sport a cat-eye style that makes them stylish for use around the beach, streets, and out in the jungle. Their integrated nose pad and sleek design make them deliver a snug fit for the active wearer.

The lenses offer protection from glare and UV light, thanks to the protective coating on the surface of the lenses. Further, the lenses are wide at 56mm to give a wide field of vision. At only 1 ounce, you can wear these sunglasses all day without feeling their weight. You can choose between a solid black frame and a camo patterned frame for your style.

Cole Haan designed the sunglasses to fit the different face shapes – both rounded and oval faces. It is a sleek pair of sunglasses with a small rim.

Pros

  •  Lightweight plastic construction
  •  Stylish and sleek design
  •  Rugged construction to maintain its look and feel

Why we like it – We like the Cole Haan for its lightweight plastic construction that makes it ideal for all-day use. It is also rugged enough to last may years and resist scratches.

5. Jessica Simpson Metal Aviator Sunglasses

The Jessica Simpsons Aviator sunglasses feature a metallic frame that makes them rugged for use in hiking, mountain climbing and other involving activities. They are available in rose gold tone, gold, and silver options – three finishes that complement women styles.

On the outer part of the lenses is a protective les coating that blocks harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun. The lenses are made of a polycarbonate material that makes them scratch and break resistant so you can use them for many years. With the metal frame and arms and the synthetic lenses material, the sunglasses maintain their original look and smoothness for many years.

These are wide polarized sunglasses to offer a wide field of vision. Each Jessica Simpson pair comes with a soft microfiber case and a cleaning cloth to prevent damages on the frame, arms, and lenses. Even with its metallic frame, the sunglasses are still lightweight so you can wear them all day.

Pros

  •  Sturdy metallic frame
  •  Strong protective coating to protect your eyes
  •  Fashionable design for use around the beach and streets

Why we like it – We love the fact that these glasses sport a sturdy metallic frame that doesn’t make it heavy. The aviator style also makes it versatile for use in different settings.

Best Polarized Sunglasses Shopping Guide

What are Polarized Sunglasses?

Are polarized sunglasses worth it? The best polarized sunglasses have always been a good choice for those who love outdoor life. The sunglasses block harmful ultraviolet rays and allow in visible light to make objects clear. They block the glare from water surfaces when you are fishing or enjoying life at the beach and the glare from the road when you are driving.

If you love fishing, boating, basking at the beach, or you are bothered by the glare from the sun, a polarized pair of sunglasses will come in handy. Even if you do not go out much, but your eyes are light-sensitive, you can use polarized sunglasses.

How do Polarized Sunglasses Work?

Do you know how to tell if sunglasses are polarized? Polarized sunglasses improve contrast to give you a clear vision. When sunlight hits flat surfaces such as water, tarmac, and metallic surfaces, the light is reflected. The beams of light then travel in a uniform direction that creates an annoying and dangerous intensity that may damage your eyes or reduce visibility. When a surface reflects light, everything looks hazy especially objects from far.

Polarization makes the sunglasses absorb and reflect the dangerous sun rays so they do not reach your eyes. The layer, however, allows more visible light through so you can see objects clearly. With that, are polarized sunglasses worth it for you?

The glare from water surfaces is the most dangerous for those who fish, boat, or engage in water activities. The intensity of the reflected light is too much and may damage sensitive parts of your eyes. By blocking the reflected light, polarized sunglasses make you look at water surfaces and beyond comfortably.

The only place where polarized sunglasses are not advisable is when you are skiing down a hill. In such an activity, the glasses will block reflected light from icy patches, which you need to see to guide your skiing.

The best polarized sunglasses might also make it challenging for you to see LCD screens, bank ATMs, gas station pumps, and some phone screens (depending on the technology that the phone uses).

Granted, the best polarized sunglasses come in handy for outdoor use where glare-canceling and image quality come in handy.

Choosing the Lens Material

In case you would like to check the actual difference between materials, check out the video below.

Lenses come in four different materials; acrylic, polycarbonate, polyurethane, and glass. If you need to understand what are polarized sunglasses, you need to understand the lenses. The different materials that make up polarized sunglasses have advantages and disadvantages.

Acrylic is the most affordable of all materials. However, it is relatively less durable and might make you wonder, are polarized sunglasses worth it? It also has low visual clarity. If you are on a budget and you need glasses for light use, this material might be great for you.

Polycarbonate is also quite affordable, but it is better than acrylic. The material is impact resistant and provides decent quality. However, the material might scratch with rugged use.

Polyurethane is another material that is more expensive than the first two. It has quality characteristics to make it durable, cancel glare, and offer enhanced visual clarity.

Glass has some of the best lenses quality and is the most expensive. They offer the best visual clarity. Manufacturers treat glass lenses so they never harm the user if they ever break. If you search what are polarized sunglasses, glass lenses will be the most common.

Choosing a Frame for the Best Polarized Sunglasses

Once you learn how to tell if sunglasses are polarized, you need to go ahead and choose the best frame for them. Frame materials are either metal or nylon.

Metal frames are very sturdy to resist impact and last through the years. These frames can be adjusted to offer a snug fit. Adjustments should be done by a professional to ensure that the frame goes back to shape. The flexibility of these frames makes them ideal if you are not sure which size to pick. Most manufacturers create slim metallic frames to reduce the overall weight of the sunglasses.

Nylon frames are lighter than metal frames. Most nylon frames last longer than metal frames because they are almost unbreakable unless you deliberately break them. They are available in a ton of colors and shapes to complement your style. Nylon frames are ideal for sports, hiking, and mountain climbing sunglasses, thanks to their durability.

Plastic sunglasses are also common. Unlike nylon and metal, plastic sunglasses are cheap quality and may snap if you ever accidentally sit on them. However, they are lightweight, comfortable, and affordable.

How to Tell if Sunglasses are Polarized

When shopping online, even when you know what are polarized sunglasses, you just have to rely on reviews to pick the best polarized sunglasses. However, once you have your pair, you can test it. To test the sunglasses, hold up a digital watch face while wearing your glasses. Rotate the watch face until the digital screen goes black. If the screen doesn’t turn black, then your lenses are not polarized.

Choosing a Style

The best polarized sunglasses should protect not only your eyes, but also complement your style. The most common styles for the best polarized sunglasses are square, wrap-around, aviator, and drop-in Cateye sunglasses. The latter two are more common with women sunglasses while the former is common with men sunglasses. The first two are unisex sunglasses common in men and women sunglasses.

Choosing a style is a matter of personal preference. You can even pick two designs to interchange.

Another common style is the rimless frame jacket sunglasses where the lower part of the sunglasses doesn’t have a frame. This gives you a wide field of view.

Interchangeable Lenses

Some sunglasses come with lenses that snap in and out of place. These types of sunglasses are great for many reasons. For starters, you can interchange the lenses when one lens works for one situation but won’t work for another. For instance, you might need polarized sunglasses for fishing and a different type of glasses for skiing. You can use the same frame and have two sets of lenses. This would be great if you find a frame design that you love. You can also buy new lenses once the old ones are worn out and the frames are still working

Are Polarized Sunglasses Worth It?

Now that you understand what are polarized sunglasses, and how to tell if sunglasses are polarized, should you get some? The best polarized sunglasses will help protect your eyes from cataracts and excess light. They also allow you to see better without the haziness that comes with reflected light. Although you might pay more for the polarized sunglasses, they will help you see better outdoors.

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