We’re sharing our picks for The Best Sailing Sunglasses to help you choose the perfect pair of lightweight, durable shades to wear when you set sail. The avid water enthusiast knows that sunglasses are essential to wear when boarding a sailboat and pushing off and wants to know which pair is best. With so many options for polarization, frame materials, and lens colors, we've selected the best sailing sunglasses out there to make your search easier and more efficient.
Versatile gray tints are the best and most popular lens color for sailing, as they can handle overcast days as well as bright sunlight. Copper lenses are best suited to variable light conditions and dark water, while yellow or amber lenses are the most reliable on overcast days. Tried-and-true water sports eyewear makers like Costa, Maui Jim, and Smith offer sunglasses with state-of-the-art lens technology in a variety of colors to suit different light conditions. Blue mirrored lenses—for example, the Blue Hawaii lenses from Maui Jim—are great for sailing in conditions where both the water and the sky are bright blue.
Yes! Polarization cuts glare caused by bright, direct sun on reflective surfaces like water, offering the clearest field of view while cutting through the water. Choose sailing sunglasses with polarized lenses and reduce eye strain and fatigue while piloting a small boat or working on a catamaran. You'll even find that many watersports eyewear brands offer polarization as a standard feature, in prescription-ready and standard lenses.
The Best Sunglasses for Sailing:
Founded by yacht racers who got their start selling sunglasses on the beaches of Hawaii, Maui Jim has become a trusted name in watersports eyewear, and a favorite among sailors the world over. The Cliff House 247 sunglasses exemplify the brand’s emphasis on award-winning optical clarity and eye protection, making them an easy choice for the Best Sailing Sunglasses Overall. The sleek, aviator-style silhouette is crafted in featherweight titanium to resist corrosion in salt- and freshwater environments, and maintains its shape through extended wear. Take to the high seas, the lake, or the sound confident in your eye protection wearing the Cliff House from Maui Jim.
With a slick rectangular, wraparound profile and the option for Oakley’s Prizm™ Lenses, the Portal X sunglasses stand out from the rest as the Best Oakley Sunglasses for Sailing. The frames boast lightweight O Matter™ construction that resists damage from sun, heat, and water, and feature Unobtainium® temple tips and nose pads that get grippier when wet for a secure fit. The bayonet temples contour around the head for increased comfort and stability. Whether you expect choppy water or smooth seas, the Oakley Portal X will safeguard your eyes in style.
If you often sail in a dinghy, you know that you need to be ready for anything, as manning a smaller vessel takes concentration so you don’t capsize. The Smith Pinpoint Sunglasses were an easy choice for the Best Sunglasses for Dinghy Sailing, as their sleek wraparound profile and Megol nose pads promise a secure fit in wet conditions. The rectangular frames feature a flexible, durable Evolve™ bio-based plastic construction and will stay put as you tack and reeve. The 6-base lens curvature ensures a wide, unobstructed field of view, and Smith’s ChromaPop™ lenses offer 100% UV protection in both the polarized and non-polarized options. Gear up for a great day on the water wearing the Pinpoint shades from Smith.
Revo has been a trusted name in sports eyewear for almost 40 years, and their Crawler sunglasses are an easy standout for the Best Polarized Sunglasses for Sailing. Not only are these fully wrapped frames lightweight and durable, the shades boast Revo’s unique NASA-based Serilium+ lens technology to resist impacts while providing ultra-clear optics. Never miss a minute of the action wearing the Crawler shades from Revo.
Protect the health of your eyes on your next sailing expedition, and look fashionable doing it, wearing the Kaenon Cali sunglasses. Our pick for the Best Women’s Sunglasses for Sailing, these shades boast an oversized, retro-chic square profile. Crafted in ultra-durable TR-90, these lightweight frames resist damage from salt- and freshwater, and the Kaenon’s SR-91® polarized lenses offer optimal contrast and a clear field of view. Expect impressive comfort and reliable performance from these fun shades from Kaenon.
Your young sailor will look great and avoid eye strain and burn wearing our choice for the Best Sailing Sunglasses for Kids: The Oakley Quarter Jacket. These semi-rimless frames feature a sleek wraparound profile and an 8.75- base lens geometry with HDO™ to provide optimal eye coverage at the periphery. The lightweight O Matter™ construction is ultra-durable and flexible, so the frames will adjust easily during exertion, and the temples contour around the head for a secure fit. Send your young athlete to sailing practice with confidence outfitted in the Quarter Jacket from Oakley.
From one of the most trusted names in water sports eyewear comes the Costa Ferg XL prescription sunglasses, exemplars of the company’s performance tech and signature attention to detail. Named for the brand’s founder, Ray Ferguson, the lightweight frames are an easy choice for the Best Prescription Sunglasses for Sailing. The wide, wrapped profile offers optimal eye coverage, and the Costa 580® lenses enhance blues, reds, and greens for ultra-clear optics. Upgrade your sailing gear when you opt for the Rx-ready Costa Ferg shades.
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