As summer creeps up in the northern hemisphere, a pair of brand new SunGod Sierra sunglasses falls into my hands. Fresh from the design studio, they offer the best-on-the-market in style, durability and price. Let me introduce you to the best travel sunglasses for real travelers.
SunGod Sunglasses
Sunglasses are an essential travel item; I am usually chasing the sun (and I can’t wait to be back in Bali!). They also help avert gazes on long train journeys, hide jetlag-induced black circles and spruce up the same outfit I’ve been wearing for the past 6 months (or 4 years). As with any of the kit I pack, the product needs to stand the test of time, travel and treachery; they will get shoved to the bottom of my beach bag, squished into the side-pocket of my (broken) backpack and fall off my head whilst I stare up at airport boards.
This leaves me in a dilemma, do I buy something decent, by that I mean with a hefty price tag, but robust in design, or do I just pick up a knock-off pair in each new destination at one of those dodgy by-the-road stands (been there, done that!)? The latter leaves me fearing for my eyesight and the inevitable breakages are tiresome, even if I and the seller enjoy the fashion show. I guess the last one I bought in India only lasted for 3 months…Then I discovered SunGod sunglasses; sleek designs, awesome quality lenses and a shout-out-loud price tag of only £65, which includes polarised lenses.
To give a little context, SunGod, a British brand, was founded in 2013 by two adventure junkies who set out to disturb the status quo of the optics industry. Based in Verbier, the Swiss Alps, they know how to put their products to the test. They’ve already sent them to the top of Everest and to space and back.
With Cat 3 lenses, #adventureproof frames (basically unbreakable) and an unrivaled lifetime guarantee against breakage, in case you go really wild, they are well and truly built to last. Even better – they’re fully customizable, colors, lenses and all. The design process alone is a short-haul flight’s worth of entertainment. From a classic all-black design to crazy color combinations, the choice is yours and they provide plenty of inspiration via their @we_are_sungod Instagram page. They also deliver worldwide, ideal for the permanent nomad.
Sunglasses for travelers
Now for the exciting bit – I’ve got my hands on their brand-new design for summer 2018, the Sierras. This long-awaited ‘lifestyle’ design adds to their current selection which includes the Classics2, the well-loved wayfarer design; the wider, sportier Renegades and the more serious Pacebreakers. With a rounder frame and skinnier arms, the Sierras bring a more feminine, versatile design to the collection.
They are of course still built with SunGod’s renowned lightweight, #adventureproof frames, which have a cool matte finish. New to this design is the innovative and unique pop-lock screwless hinge, reducing the risk of loose arms. The lenses themselves, including the new ‘Rose’ tint, offer 100% UV protection, triple-layer scratch resistance and an anti-reflective inner lens coating, which reduces glare. They are also interchangeable and impact resistant.
Tech aside, the Sierras are effortless to wear. I’d be equally as comfortable wearing them in a café in Paris, on the white sands of the Whitsundays or at a base camp in Nepal. Light as a feather and responsive to changes in light, I barely even know I’m wearing them until I’m inevitably asked where I bought them.
So, my dilemma is resolved. For a near-unbreakable, timeless and versatile pair of sunglasses, at an extremely affordable price and with a traveler-essential lifetime guarantee against breakage, I can highly recommend SunGod. Try designing your own pair here.
Best sunglasses for travel
Update: I’ve been wearing my travel sunglasses in Bali for months now, and I’m loving them! I do think they are the best sunglasses for backpackers as they are pretty resistant, cool and they are the best sunglasses for travel adventures! I drop them all the time, they still look amazing (and there are no scratches!).
