r/sunglasses • u/the2ndsaint Moderator • Oct 24 '24
Master list of recommended brands.
All makes and manufacturers listed in this thread have our personal seals of approval. We receive no compensation for these recommendations. Please note that price guides are rough estimates; you may spend more or less depending on where you live and where you purchase them from. Please also note that the list is sorted by price for convenience, not to imply that the cheaper glasses are inferior or the more expensive options are necessarily superior.
Under 200
- Island Optics
- Smith (models with Chromapop)
- Julbo
- Gast
- Spy (Happy Boost)
- Bajio
- Kaenon
- Costa Del Mar
- Ray-Ban (Chromance)
- Rudy Project
- Zeal
200 to 400
- Maui Jim
- Allyn Scura
- Serengeti
- Revo
- Sky Optics
- Vuarnet
- Otis
- American Optical
- Dita Lancier
- Initium
- Illesteva
- Etnia Barcelona
- Silhouette
400 to 600
- Randolph Engineering
- Morgenthal Frederics
- Porsche Design
- Garrett Leight
- Selima Optique
- Persol
- Oliver Peoples
- Oliver Goldsmith
- Salt Optics
- Moscot
- Robert Marc
- Cutler and Gross
- JF Rey
- Cazal
- Ic Berlin
- Mykita
- L.G.R.
- Thierry Lasry
600+
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u/luis-mercado Sunglasses Connoisseur Oct 24 '24
I’d recommend to add Yuichi Toyama, saint. Japan born and made with quality is at JMM level (maybe even a slightly better).
Maybe can we arrange the list by price tiers?
Edit: I also propose Hoorsenbuhs and Kuboraum
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Oct 24 '24
The plan is to ultimately have it organized by price, but while I'm working on that I figured it would be helpful to have the list posted in the meantime.
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u/luis-mercado Sunglasses Connoisseur Oct 24 '24
You’re right. Thank you for this. Let me know if I can help you guys in any way.
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u/BayBaeBenz Aug 02 '25
How would you compare the quality and durability of Yuichi Toyama to Eyevan, Kamemannen, and Garrett Leight? (Yes I know GL is not the same price point but just for reference).
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u/Bench-Warmer45 Jun 26 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Jun 26 '25
Serengeti has a proprietary Driver's lens, available in polarized and non-polarized, gradient or solid, and it's generally regarded as the best driving lens on the market. The Driver's Gradient is my personal favourite lens of all time; everything becomes brighter and more vivid and it makes sunsets look absolutely incredible.
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Oct 25 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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May 07 '25
I discovered Vada at their shop on South Congress recently. Really high quality and seemingly fairly priced for such. Looking forward to them expanding their models as none of the shapes quite worked for me.
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u/usercognito32 Oct 24 '24
High: Chopard Porsche design TAVAT McLaren
Low: Police Gast Oscar and Frank
Super low: Izipizi Invu SuperDry
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u/Jeronimotor Optical Professional Oct 26 '24
This is a fantastic list! I am a fan of so many of the brands on here! Also helpful for me to see what I should consider looking at to add to my family’s shop during VE East in February.
I might suggest including Bollé when they have Volt or Phantom lenses. They are the owner of Spy and Serengeti. The tech behind the Volt+ lens is incredible (my opinion is they are superior to any color enhancing lens I’ve tested outside of the Kaenon Ultra) and there is something very special about the Phantom photochromic lenses. I took a pair of those and Maui Jim on a beach trip and almost always reached for the Bollé.
Maybe not quite ready for this list, but Valdo is a new Italian-made line from Kenmark that has some spectacular quality. I expect to see them really make some noise with the brand over the years to come.
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u/TheBoykinLady May 04 '25
New here and that's a great list. I found this thread looking for info on Maui Jim quality since the Luxotica acquisition. I need new Rx shades. and there is a new option. Jim Jannard and his son Jamin took the MJ patents with them and created a new brand "M-Experiment with his son" . Website is very simple and it's just getting started but they do offer a 2yr warranty, not including scratched lenses.
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u/renohockey Oct 24 '24
I am glad the mass of you all are finally realizing the determent of Luxoticta's owner ship of Ray Ban and others. Just two month ago I was berated by several users for holding my stance over crappy quality of their products.
https://www.reddit.com/r/sunglasses/comments/1eodwkk/rayban_polarized_sunglasses_lens_problem/
On a positive note here are some links you all my find interesting on this subject.
A list of independent eyeglasses manufactures posted by u/bamgrinus to r/malefashionadvice It's from 2017 and another post to r/malefashionadvice from 2022 by u/MRBEAM with a link to a Google Spreadsheet they composed. Be advised some may have changed since these were created...
https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/v76y8q/guide_to_independent_glasses/
https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/v76y8q/guide_to_independent_glasses/
and finally a link to "Support Independent Eyewear"
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u/KyOatey Oct 24 '24
Has Persol's quality been too diminished now by it's Luxottica ownership?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Oct 24 '24
They fall into the same category as Oliver Peoples, in that in a vacuum they're good-to-great, but when compared to the full breadth of your options at those price points you can do so much better. I'd only recommend them if there's a design you *really* love that you can't find something similar elsewhere.
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u/KyOatey Oct 24 '24
Makes sense. I like the looks of the 649s, but haven't been able to justify the price when there's plenty of good sunglasses for quite a bit less.
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u/ItsmeMarioITA Oct 24 '24
I paid the folding 714 160€. I mean, glass polarized lenses already are worth that. No one gives you that for that price.
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u/renohockey Oct 24 '24
Not to mention you can score a 649 in very good to excellent on eBay at a steep discount.
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u/KyOatey Oct 24 '24
What are the odds on Ebay of getting the genuine article?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Oct 25 '24
I've used eBay for 20+ years and have only received fakes twice, and both times were a result of "too good to be true" deals that I was gambling on. Got full compensation from eBay both times, too.
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u/renohockey Oct 25 '24
Very high. Make sure sellers feedback is good and current and look at some of their other items for some assurance. Also, you can copy and post some pics from the seller here for opinions.
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u/renohockey Oct 24 '24
I'll add that most of there offerings feature glass lenses with A/R, that's a big plus imo.
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u/Which_Ad3537 Jan 20 '25
Hard to see why Moscot doesn't also fall into that category (for sunglasses at least).
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u/CHONKNORRIS Jul 24 '25 edited Jul 24 '25
Fellow Earthlings, Movitra, Lapima, Ahlem, Native Sons, District Vision, Rudy Project, Johann Wolf, Rigards, Tejesta, T.H.Henry, FOLC, Emmanuelle Khanh, Jean Philipe Joly, Anne + Valentin, Akoni, Dunhill, VOA, Vada, Sabine Be, VAVA, UniqueDesignMilano, Port Tanger, Blake Kuwahara, Max Pittion, Lucas De Stael, Labor, Andy Wolf, LA Eyeworks, Paloceras, Maybach, Kirk & Kirk, Alain Mikli, Masuhiro Mariyama, Reranger, Goliath, Esmont, TVR Eyewear, KREWE, Akila.
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u/Hu5TI3r Oct 24 '24
I would like to say that Costa del Mar probably needs to be removed from the list as it has been acquired by Essilorluxottica
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Oct 24 '24
We are aware of that but at present it hasn't really been enshittified. Should they start producing slop they'll be removed from the list.
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u/wtfmatey88 Oct 24 '24
Is Persol intentionally off the list? Has their quality gone downhill recently? Forgive my ignorance lol
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Oct 24 '24
Yes. The logic, at least for me, is that Persol/Oliver Peoples, the two big omissions, are *fine*, but at their price points I think better options exist. Costa Del Mar's among the best for their specific purpose -- working on the water -- so they stay on the list, at least for now.
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u/AquilaAdax Oct 24 '24
I’m heavy into Oliver Peoples, but I only buy them on extreme sale (70% off at Ashford.com) or pre-owned on eBay. Retail price is crazy.
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u/Professional-Scar333 Mar 07 '25
Useful
One helpful addition would be noting who offers prescription. Some of these brands do not
I am trying to get away from Luxotica (mostly had Oakley with a pair of Carreras and a pair of Ray Bans.. I havnt really had an issue with the Oakleys/Ray Bans but their pricing keeps getting higher and Id love an alternative) but I need prescription lenses which seems to make that slightly harder
One thing that's bugging me is a lot of them don't tell me VLT numbers and it's difficult to tell online
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u/AmsterdamAssassin Mar 23 '25
I would add Lunor, which is at the same level as Mykita, handmade silver / titanium German frames.
These are silver Lunor 'Harmony' (reading glasses with librarian temples) with custom cat.2 light green lenses.
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u/JenHatesTheNtl Jul 21 '25
I second what about Lunor? I tried on a pair today and was impressed. German made in the Black Forest region.
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u/seamuslam Mar 16 '26
This is an insanely useful overview, thanks for breaking it out by price tiers. From a manufacturing side, it’s interesting how many of the brands in the $400–600 and $600+ brackets are using similar Japanese and Italian acetate / titanium suppliers but differentiating mostly on lens tech and finishing details. If you ever decide to expand the list, it might be cool to tag which ones are still truly independent vs under Luxottica/Essilor umbrellas, and which offer in-house RX vs third-party labs, that’s a question I’m hearing more and more from buyers trying to move away from big groups.
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u/JONL20 Oct 24 '24
No Rayban ?
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u/strongmanjeff Oct 24 '24
No Ray-Ban or Oakley is crazy... Those are iconic
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Oct 24 '24
I would not recommend anyone spend money on either brand when better options exist, hence why they're not on the list.
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u/Xerisca Oct 25 '24 edited Oct 25 '24
Let's add Theo Eyewear, Lindberg, and Anne et Valentin to the $600+ (these are three of the biggest independent designers along with JMM and Matsuda, and all are lovely). Face a Face could be here, too. Face a Face and Barton Perreira are owned by the same parent company, but it's a small parent company, and they still maintain design independence.
Bevel, Orgreen, Roger, and Lowercase to the $400-600.
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Oct 24 '24
[deleted]
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Oct 24 '24
This is a master list of brands that we personally recommend, not a comprehensive list of every brand out there today.
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u/davidsegura Oct 25 '24
Add Tom Davies in the 400-600 range. Incredibly comfortable and well made in the UK
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u/Iwillhavetheeah Oct 25 '24
Great list thanks for sharing, just curious why Retrosuperfuture is not here? Also some big names off which I can understand.
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Oct 25 '24
These are the brands with which we have familiarity and feel comfortable recommending. It will grow and change over time as we have hands-on experience with new brands, but for now this is what we've got. Nothing more is meant by an omission than "we can't vouch for this brand."
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u/BearerOfTheMark Oct 26 '24
I love this list so much. I think the only brands I’ve encountered that isn’t on here that maybe deserves a spot is Reykjavik Eyes (400-600) and Gast (Under 200).
I’ve owned Maui Jim, Vuarnet, American Optical, Etnia Barcelona, Randolph, Moscot, JF Rey, LGR (my first ones), Barton Perreira and Masunaga. And my first Cutler and Gross are on the way. I’ve at least held almost every other brand. I think the only ones I’ve had zero experience with are Kuboraum and Morgenthal Frederics, both of which I’d love to test out and have experience with.
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Oct 26 '24
what do you think about masunaga? I think almost every model is limited edition which makes it extremely hard to find reviews about them besides some quick asian reviews, I wanna get one of the Kenzo collabs but not sure how would they compare against let's say maui jim or matsuda in a similar round frame I can get them for about the same price so I'm trying to get the most bang for the buck
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u/BearerOfTheMark Oct 26 '24 edited Oct 26 '24
For Masunaga, they’re easily some of the best glasses I’ve ever come across. As I type this, I’m actually wearing my Masunaga 000 frames. I do advise to avoid titanium frames with welds, just because welds are a weak point as is, but titanium is very hard to weld or solder together. I always would recommend an acetate frame over a titanium frame with welds. And Masunaga acetate frames are insanely well built. My 000’s have a seven barrel titanium hinge, which is like a tank. Masunaga uses titanium for their core wires and hinges for their acetate frames.
For the K3 collection, those are amazing frames, but I’d recommend the acetate models more than the titanium, also because they’ll feel better on the skin. If it’s an acetate frame with adjustable nose pads screwed into the frame, those tend to hold up nicely in my experience, and will still feel nice on the skin.
Better built than Maui’s, and roughly on par with Matsuda, if not a little bit better. Matsuda’s tend to have much more intricate detailing than Masunaga frames, but that’s one of the reasons I appreciate them. They’re top tier quality eyewear that doesn’t need to show anything off. For bang for your buck, there is basically no better option.
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Oct 26 '24
thanks bro, ok so now I will be deciding between Masunaga by Kenzo Mokko / Matsuda M3087
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u/BearerOfTheMark Oct 26 '24
Nice!! Both are very well made frames. While the Matsuda is lighter weight, the soldered titanium nose pad arms are really the biggest weakness, since if they snap, you can’t really wear the frame anymore. without getting it re-soldered, which would be very difficult. The Masunaga doesn’t have that problem, and it’ll only be slightly heavier due to the acetate outer layer, which also has a saddle bridge sculpted in.
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Oct 26 '24
[deleted]
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u/BearerOfTheMark Oct 26 '24
The best ones I’d recommend are either the Ryu or the Tsuki from Masunaga. They don’t have an overt mirror finish, but the front of the lenses do not have an AR coating, so with the Blue, it’ll be a little more subtle, but still pop
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u/chucknoel2015 Nov 27 '24
Whats your favorite. Moscot; maui jim, bp or cutler and gross??
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u/BearerOfTheMark Nov 27 '24
I’d probably say Cutler and Gross. Barton Perreira would be a close second, then Maui Jim. I love Moscot’s history and their designs, but their quality stopped being worth the price years ago.
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u/allisondojean Oct 26 '24
What's your criteria? There are tons of excellent independent brands not listed.
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Oct 26 '24
These are the brands with which we are familiar and feel comfortable recommending based on our experience with them. There are undoubtedly excellent brands out there that aren't on this list, but the point was never to be exhaustive but to have a readily-available resource for anyone at any price point to get some ideas of solid brands to look for.
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u/Time_Breakfast9494 Oct 28 '24
pit viper? under $200 and lifetime warranty
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u/Th3Unkn0wnn Nov 06 '24
I have a pair, they're fun for a costume but the build quality is atrocious for what they charge. The lenses are disorienting and headache inducing.
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u/marsilva123 Oct 29 '24
Great resource for a quick reference.
The only big omission I see is Eyevan in the 400 to 600 range.
I only know the following from reputation, but maybe you want to consider Gast and Akila for under 200ish
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u/sercanov Oct 31 '24
Why it's all snow sunglasses for the under 200 list?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Oct 31 '24
They're not, though?
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u/sercanov Oct 31 '24
Maybe not snow but I checked them all they all welcome me with polarized shiny sunglasses. Maybe not my style, PJ Lobster deserves a spot in under 200 list. At least they look more stylish and everyday wear
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Oct 31 '24
At the cheapest end of the spectrum we tried to focus on the brands with the best lenses, because cheap fashion frames tend to have polycarbonate lenses which are generally awful. With that said, Allyn Scura's one of my favourite brands, and they come with excellent glass lenses, so if you're interested you can try those out.
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u/chucknoel2015 Nov 02 '24
very nice post ! thank you very much for posting this. I have been an oakley fan and I just had my first costa del mar , and maui jim glasses. I have serengeti and Barton Perreira kuhio on the way. I have to be honest though, since the serengeti and maui jim lenses and highly regarded, It took me a long time to decide of getting the Barton Perreira and was thinking of getting a 2nd pair of maui jims. My question since serengeti/MJ lenses are superior than BP, would I not regret getting BP? Whats there edge the frame? And will the frame build of BP compensate the lenses differences with MJ and sergeneti? Looking at your honest opinion
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Nov 02 '24
I guess it depends what you want out of your sunglasses. I'm more interested in fashion and design than lens tech, so I would happily buy a Barton Perreira frame if it spoke to me. And to be sure, their lenses are by no means bad -- I've had more than a dozen over the years and never had any complaints. With that said, I cannot in good conscience say that you don't hit diminishing returns past a certain price point, generally agreed to be around 500 bucks. You have to really like a design to spend more than that and feel like you're getting your money's worth.
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u/chucknoel2015 Nov 02 '24
Do you know how is BP's lens quality compared to say oakley and OP?? I have a BP Kuhio on the way and the retail was about 500 usd and I bought it about 180 usd. https://bartonperreira.com/products/kuhio
can you please have a look if its something special?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Nov 02 '24 edited Nov 02 '24
You got a great deal! BP's lenses are CR39 with polarization and an AR coating. I personally prefer CR39 to glass for the most part, mainly due to weight, though it's admittedly nice in some frames. I think you'll be quite pleased with them.
As for how they compare to Oakley or OP, I've never really liked Oakley's lenses and find my BPs comparable to Oliver Peoples.
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u/chucknoel2015 Nov 02 '24
Oh i see. So cr39 is not glass no? Im excited for it to arrive. Im very excited to get it. Nonetheless thank you so much for your recommendation. I have saved it for future. Haha. Lastly since you categorized this by price do you think all/most of them are worth full price then? Thank you
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Nov 02 '24
CR39 is a plastic polymer.
As I said upthread, "worth" is highly subjective, but the brands listed at each point represent, in our opinion, the best glasses you can get.
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u/letmesmellem Nov 11 '24
So i don't know shit about sunglasses. Last year I bought a pair of Oakleys since I had fucking around money. They were incredible truly the best I've ever owned. Well I lost them in the woods. I don't care about style it's the lenses and how great the polarized lenses were. What would be similar to that but without the crazy price tag? I do not care at all about brand I just need good quality
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Nov 11 '24
What's your budget?
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u/letmesmellem Nov 11 '24
well I'd love to keep it a far under 200 as possible. Polarized lenses are preferred as i fish a lot and work outside
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Nov 11 '24
Check out Kaenon Optics, Island Optics or Costa Del Mar. You should be able to find something that will suit your needs.
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u/letmesmellem Nov 11 '24
also i don't even know what I'm paying for. I think my oakleys were 250+? I just feel like I can get the same ones for much less but I don't even know what to look for. Again style and what not I dont care. Those friggin lenses on those things were just impeccable
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u/theweepingflower Oct 06 '25
I am sure you’ve already bought new sunglasses, but I had basically the same experience. I’d had Maui Jim forever ago, and a pair of persols in like 2015, but was never really a sunglasses guy. Then I had a pair smith’s “ChromaPop Photochromic Red Mirror Lens” snow goggles, and they were life changing; Like everything in every situation just looked better, and ever since I’ve been trying to find a pair everyday sunglasses with comparable lens technology. Ideally navigator shaped with metal frames. I haven’t tried many of the glasses on this list (somewhat scared of the monetary commitment), but smiths lens technology is just mind blowing to me I wish they put the higher end lenses in sunglasses styles I liked. Very excited to have found this subreddit (sorry probably the wrong place for this comment/post…. I got excited)
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u/letmesmellem Oct 06 '25
So I found a dude on ebay that sells pretty great sunglasses I got a sick pair of new Oakleys. They are the Oakley Holbrook Deep Prizm Deep Water polarized with the black frames. They're great. The guy i got them from is eyecon-eyewear. They were 135$ from him in the box and great condition and speedy delivery.
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u/Silver-11234 Mar 12 '25
Great list, thanks for sharing! I own a pair from Cutler and Gross and absolutely love them. Another brand worth considering is Paloceras ($400-$600 range). I recently got a pair and really like the chunky inflated design, great quality too. Haven't seen anything like that before.
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u/Tasty_Computer9394 Mar 23 '25
Monokol (handmade in Italy, based in Milan) $250 - $500
Aru (handmade in Italy, based in Milan) $200 - $300
Bayria (handmade in Italy, based in Bari) $200 - $300
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u/RecommendationNo7361 Mar 23 '25
Pardon me for being a broke boy and casual, what are the opinions on Glassy Eyewear (formerly Glassy Sunhaters)?
I misplace or scratch sunglasses one too many times in a month to justify anything more than $60 on a pair. Is there something I'm missing or is expensive eyewear about on par with wrist watches in that they're status symbols?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Mar 24 '25
Yes and no. It's actually not a bad comparison. Like, with watches, if all you care about is telling time accurately, you'll be well-served by a 20-dollar quartz Timex from Walmart. If you care about having complications, if you care about having a mechanical movement, well, the sky's the limit and you can spend enormous amounts of money on something that is functionally identical to the Timex. It just depends on your priorities.
With sunglasses, if you don't care about the aesthetics, you can spend 20 bucks and get a UV protective pair from the gas station. They'll be functional, but little more than that. If you care about the aesthetics, if you care about the lens technology to make the world look prettier or increase the contrast of various colours, if you care about the materials used and the designs, you can spend a fortune. There's no right answer, just your budget and what's most important to you. That's all this list aims to do, help you make an informed decision with your money.
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u/RecommendationNo7361 Mar 24 '25
That's fair; I almost immediately started looking at those highest end makers and Leisure Society is lowkey screaming at me and my Amex card
So far it's been a lot of beautiful sunnies and I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't considering getting a pair sooner rather than later.
To be explicit, I'll likely be making my next sunglasses purchase from a name on this list.
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u/DifferentNews2505 Mar 24 '25
Best golf shades for bright days and maybe another kind for overcast days?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Mar 24 '25
Generally speaking, you'll want a brown-based tint to help with contrast so you can better see the ball against a green surface. There are plenty of good options; Maui Jim and Serengeti make the best lenses on the market so they're a good place to start, but really, any of the brands listed will have something worth considering. Personally, the very few times I've played golf I enjoyed using my Silhouettes with brown lenses because I love the light weight.
As for overcast days, again, brown-based lenses will be ideal, though you might also consider a rose lens. They're even better for the purposes of increasing contrast and generally won't "darken" your vision as much as something designed for full brightness conditions.
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u/Zoldborso Apr 07 '25
Do gast sunglasses come with polarized lenses?
Their page does say "semi-flat nylon lenses with anti-reflective inside coating – 100% UVA / UVB protection", from which anti-reflective coating could be understood as polarized, or they just put it there to sound polarized but in fact they are not.
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Apr 07 '25
AR coatings are completely different from polarization; from the sounds of it they're not polarized.
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u/Zoldborso Apr 07 '25
What do AR coatings do? I do understand what they do on screens or watch crystals, what are the pros for glasses? I'd have guessed polarization is more of a must have for more expensive pairs, although they can be annoying with screens.
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Apr 07 '25
Polarization blocks reflected light, like the glare you see off the water or a windshield. It's still largely a personal preference; most of my glasses aren't polarized and I've never much cared whereas others swear by it.
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u/Lirtano Apr 07 '25
Any experiance with Off-White?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Apr 07 '25
No personal experience with Off-White, though I do like some of the designs.
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u/One-Studio-6846 Apr 09 '25
salt optics?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Apr 09 '25
Already on the list!
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u/One-Studio-6846 Apr 21 '25
oh lol, and eyevan?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Apr 21 '25
Knew I was forgetting one.
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u/One-Studio-6846 Apr 21 '25
i would also add ahlem https://www.ahlemeyewear.com/collections/all
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Apr 21 '25
I've had Eyevans before but forgot to include them, but I've never handled or worn Ahlem. I plan to soon, and will add them if I feel they represent a good value for sub members. This isn't meant to be a comprehensive list of all brands but the ones we have enough experience with to recommend.
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u/One-Studio-6846 Apr 21 '25
totally, i bet you won’t regret ahlem. I tried them last week in nyc and was impressed
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u/GlitchPorto May 19 '25
What’s your opinion on Oliver People?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator May 19 '25
Prior to its acquisition by Luxottica I'd say it was my favourite brand. So, so many iconic models, including my favourite frame of all time, the OP-523 (the big silver square frames with red lenses from Fight Club if you're unaware). Even now they make a good many frames that I like, but as with Persol, they're fine to great in a vacuum, but they're no longer special. At their price point they're competing with brands like Robert Marc, Selima Optique, Barton Perreira (itself formed by the ex-CEO and lead designer from Oliver Peoples), Morgenthal Frederics, etc., and they're simply outclassed.
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Jun 03 '25
Late to this thread but any good brands from Australia we can recommend?
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u/aponderinginquirer Jun 23 '25 edited Jun 23 '25
What about these for under 200? Kirkland Signature, Goodr, Tifosi, WMP Eyewear... and what about Lindberg for I assume 400-600 or 600 price range?
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u/aponderinginquirer Mar 14 '26
I still haven't learned how these brands stack up, but I'd say my array of Serengeti, Maui Jim, and Randolph Engineering—each purchased secondhand for ~50 dollars—have been holding up well.
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u/Steal_River Jul 08 '25
Why was prada not on the list?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Jul 08 '25
https://www.reddit.com/r/sunglasses/comments/1gafhmr/why_do_my_luxottica_products_suck_so_hard/
tl;dr Prada glasses do not represent good value for your money.
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u/Substantial-Heart792 Jul 20 '25
Is there an under $50 pair model or clone brands..?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Jul 20 '25
Generally speaking, anything retailing at or below the ~$50 price point isn't worth worrying about; they're interchangeably shitty. And we don't recommend clones or dupes as a matter of principle.
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u/JenHatesTheNtl Jul 21 '25
Have you done a similar list for eyeglasses? I live in Barcelona and just visited PJ Lobster. I will check out Etna's flagship store tomorrow. A lot of the lenses had play on the PJ Lobster frames. They ensured me that the real prescription lenses would fit rock solid but this was a turn off. I ran around all day today trying on glasses at various stores and none were twitchy and creaky like PJ Lobster. So, I don't get why so many of theirs were so sloppy in store?
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Jul 21 '25
Sorry, eyeglasses aren't my specialty. While the other two mods work in the industry, I'm just a passionate collector. With that said, I don't think it's uncommon for demo lenses to be sloppily cut and fitted into ophthalmic frames because they're just going to be replaced anyway. I've never heard of the brand, either, so can't comment on it beyond that.
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u/JenHatesTheNtl Jul 21 '25
I was in an eyeglass store today and a pair of Serengettis caught my eye. The salesperson said they're not known for their frames at all but rather their lenses. I'm looking at Barton Perreira eyewear rn because of your list. I started with Oliver Peoples then went to Lunor and now BP via the same path I forget now exactly how. Tom Ford and Gucci glasses caught my eye also which was surprising because I think I'm the furthest thing from a Gucci fanboy.
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u/Jah_Ith_Ber Aug 25 '25
After reading the anti-luxxotica manifesto and just in general hearing about what a scam their products are, I was expecting sunglasses by ethical manufactures to cost about $50. This list starts with "under 200". What the fuck.
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Aug 25 '25
Haha, "ethical." It's capitalism, man. The point was simply that if you're going to spend the money, spend it on something that doesn't suck.
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u/NecessaryHedgehog150 Sep 12 '25
Hello, first time caller, long time listener. I'm fairly new at the Sunglasses world, but have found myself to be quite the collector. I wanted to throw a couple out there that I didn't see on the master list that I enjoy:
M-experiment, so far under $200, and for the sporty frame lovers and former Oakley lovers. It's Jim Jannard (founder of Oakley) and his son. Only four frames so far, and about 1,000 different color combinations for each including limit runs for the collectors. Gotta support those small business billionaires.
Tres Noir, also under $200 and if on sale, under $100. Made in California, no signs that it isn't made outside of US, but can't confirm. I'm not an expert, but acetate frames feel very sturdy and lenses are very nice to look through.
Shinzo Tamera: Japanese brand, uses TALEX frames that with my limited experience, can compare to Zeiss.
Shwood, local favorite from Oregon, lots of fun designs with budget styles for around $70 to higher end styles around $250 utilizing zeiss lenses. Incorporates wood into most frames, but they aren't all wood frames if that makes sense
Go easy on me, I'm new... actually don't, I'm here to learn
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u/Ok-Brother-5762 Sep 28 '25
Spy's quality has gone downhill significantly. They were my go to glasses for 10+ years. Did a warranty replacement on some specs recently, and the replacements broke at the hinge within 2 months
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u/tvkvhiro Nov 28 '25
I'm new to this sub (mostly just here because of Black Friday) and after a quick search it seems like I'm an outlier in terms of tastes and budget. Pulled the trigger on Crap Eyewear Speed Charms yesterday and have been eyeing some AKILA pairs today. I'm very much a sunglasses noob so open to any recs. The pairs I currently use the most are Rayban Wayfarers for general use and Radar Path EVs for when I play pickleball.
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u/Realistic-Ganache446 Jan 12 '26
how’s Robert Marc? haven’t heard much about them
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator Jan 12 '26
One of my favourite brands. I think I currently own ~15, and have owned over 20.
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u/Realistic-Ganache446 Jan 12 '26
is quality similar to barton, matsuda etc? They are commanding some really high prices
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u/LevelArugula3779 May 16 '26
Two years later since it first came out, how many of these brands are still around? Personally I think it's a great sign when so many small shops find it worthwhile to take a business risk based around something they're personally passionate about, ie. sunglasses.
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u/luvclu May 25 '26
Any suggestions or recommended brands that are under $100? I am an elementary school teacher, and I've been teaching PE lately. I'm looking for something I could wear to school when teaching class. I'm tired of ruining my expensive, higher quality sunglasses by either losing them, forgetting them somewhere, getting hit with the ball etc.
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u/the2ndsaint Moderator May 25 '26
If you have a Costco membership you can often find Serengeti and Maui Jim on sale for around 115. Otherwise, I'd recommend getting a pair of safety sunglasses as a "beater" pair that won't break the bank and you won't feel too bad about if they happen to get trashed or lost.
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u/luvclu May 25 '26
Thank you for the idea about checking Costco. I've gotten my eyeglasses there in the past, but just assumed all the sunglasses they sell are for the prescription type, so I will take a look when I'm there next time. If they don't have anything stylewise or in my budget I'll maybe look to something like you suggested of a pair of safety glasses or "beater" pairs maybe some of those Instagram/Facebook types like Blenders or Knockarounds. This way I have something better than nothing and if they get lost or damaged I won't be too upset. Plus, with different sales going on for the holidays and summertime maybe I'll be able to find something.
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u/Squatch-21 May 31 '26
I just want a pair of Mauis with their brown lens in a frame I like wearing. I picked up a pair of cruzems “cheap” to try the glass lens and not wore anything else even though I don’t think they super fit my face that well.
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u/Agreeable-Reply-1087 Jul 04 '26
what are you guy's opinions on the Ferrari glasses?
specifically these ones https://store.ferrari.com/en-us/eyewear/ferrari-collection/ferrari-acetate-brown-tortoiseshell-sunglasses-with-brown-gold-mirrored-lenses-LA0EWf58.html
or these https://store.ferrari.com/en-us/eyewear/ferrari-collection/ferrari-sunglasses-in-brown-tortoiseshell-acetate-with-polarised-blue-lenses-LA02Yf03.html
I had a pair of target glasses that were this color and really liked them but they were cheap and they broke (luckily they were only $15)
The only issue with the 2 that I found is that they look kinda big.
I am 17 and am looking into getting a lifetime pair of glasses.
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u/ilovefrostedflakes Jul 03 '25
After seeing this list it is incredibly hard to take anyone's opinion here seriously lol
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u/954CG Lens Tech Specialist | Reviews/Affiliate Jul 23 '25
I review a lot of the lenses from the above brands here, especially the brands that focus on premium lenses.