The Best Sunglasses For Sailing

A 10-year yachting career has meant I have dropped more pairs of sunglasses overboard than I care to remember. It has also meant that I’ve tested almost every brand out there.

Here are the best sailing sunglasses that you can currently buy. Had I known about these at the beginning of my career, I may have avoided surfer’s eye!

Eye protection at sea is one of the most overlooked aspects of sailing gear and apparel. Typically you think of the harmful UV rays caused by direct sunlight. But indirectly, the sun’s glare from sails, other white surfaces, and the water can also cause considerable harm.

Long-term exposure effects are well documented, and most sailors know about proper sun protection. But did you know that things like surfer’s eye can also occur if you don’t protect your eyes?

So on that note, let’s get into this!

🏆 Best Overall Sailing Sunglasses

Maui Jim sunglasses are premium eye protection products. This pair of Waterman Wraps is what you should get if you want the absolute best sunglasses for sailing.

Granted, they are expensive, but if you take proper care of them, they’ll last a lifetime. The hallmark of Maui Jim has always been its lens polarization techniques. The Waterman Wraps use their patented PolarizedPlus2 lenses, which cancel 99.9% of the glare and 100% of harmful UV rays.

Another premium feature of these sunglasses is the bi-gradient mirrored lenses which effectively means the glasses perform the act of squinting for you, allowing your retinas to relax and stay protected fully.

Many yachting professionals, including myself, who own a pair of Maui Jim sailing sunglasses report this feeling of having relaxed eyes in even the harshest sunlight.

The Waterman Wrap also features an anti-reflective coating and scratch-resistant transparent shell so that they stand up to a working sailor’s requirements.

With adjustable nose pads and nose bridge, these are a unisex fit secured by the adjustable strap. Removing the worry of losing these overboard.

⛵ Best Sunglasses For Dinghy Sailing

You need a few vital features from a pair of sunglasses that you’ll use for sailing dinghies and lasers. The first is that they float, and the second is that they have an adjustable back strap.

These Sea Specs check both boxes and at an extremely affordable price tag. In addition, the fit is unisex, and there is a wide range of colors to choose from.

With polarized lenses and a UV400 protection rating, these are perfect for sunny days racing around the bay. They are also vented at the top and bottom to prevent fogging up for the days of colder weather sailing.

The secure strap keeps the lightweight frames in position and provides all-day comfort. If they did fall off and into the water, they are designed to float so you could quickly retrieve them.

🌊 Best Sunglasses For Ocean Sailing

Vallon Heron Ocean Polarized Sailing Sunglasses

Summon your inner Bernard Moitessier with these classic Heron Ocean sunglasses from Vallon.

Taking inspiration from Alpine Glacier sunglasses, the Heron Ocean features side shields made from leather and a removable centerpiece to block out the sun’s glare while protecting your eyes from wind and spray.

The Heron Oceans have polarized lenses that intensify colors and provide you with UV400 protection from harmful UV rays. In addition, they are coated with a special hydrophobic layer to eliminate condensation building up against the lens.

A simple but functional unisex frame made from plastic is durable and lightweight, providing excellent comfort for long days of an ocean voyage. In addition, the temples are fully adjustable, so you’ll find the ultimate fit no matter your preference.

Vallon is so confident in their product that they’ll allow you to try them risk-free for 30 days or your money back. Add in their 2-year warranty and free shipping; you can’t beat the offer.

🔎 Best Prescription Sunglasses For Sailing

If you wear prescription glasses, you typically require a glass lens. But for sporting sunglasses, you’ll need polycarbonate lenses.

The Anaconda series from Bolle are ideal for prescription sailing sunglasses. In addition, they are wrap-around with extensive curvature to provide you with the best possible transition from your prescription reading glasses to your sports pair.

Unlike cheaper anti-fog coating techniques, the Anacondas use a hydrophobic coating applied to the lens without needing spray or dip coating. The result is that the anti-fog properties are retained for much longer than cheaper alternatives.

So you’ll get years of high performance from them in addition to the polarized lenses that give your eyes up to 100% UVA/UVB protection.

They are lightweight, durable, and give you all-day comfort thanks to the rubber nose and temple pads. And Bolle’s trademark Thermo grip material has hydrophilic properties making it even more grippy when wet, keeping the frames comfortably in place, even during extreme conditions.

😎 Best Polarized Sunglasses For Sailing

An iconic frame style from Oakley. Their Fuel Cell Wrap sunglasses have been in production for years. For good reasons, they are affordable, comfortable, and last for years.

I’ve owned a few pairs over the years and found the best-performing lens color to be blue for ocean-going scenarios.

In their price bracket, the PRIZM polarized lenses produced by Oakley are arguably the best on the market.

Oakley’s PRIZM technology customizes lenses to suit the environment better. This allows for increased detail and enhanced performance, safety, and experience.

Sunglass lenses that enhance the colors we want to see in our surroundings make it more tolerable to view those colors. They also usually have the same effect on colors that interfere with our perception.

Oakley PRIZM filters out any disruptive light that could interfere with vision while enhancing the colors needed for optimal performance.

If you need a good all-rounder, look no further and get yourself a Fuel Cells by Oakley!

🕶️ Best Oakley Sunglasses For Sailing

A similar design to the Vallon Heron Ocean but in my option the better option because the side guards are made from plastic instead of leather.

Oakley terms them as unobtainium side shields, but maybe they have been watching Wolverine too much. Either way, they are interchangeable, and the bridge blocker is removable.

Another factor that makes the Oakley Clifden’s one of the best pairs of sailing sunglasses on the market is the integrated yet removable, coated woven steel leash that secures them from falling overboard.

Oakley’s Plutonite lenses filter out all UVA, UVB, and UVC rays and harmful blue light up to 400mm. Plutonite is a lightweight lens material that offers superior comfort, clarity, and protection from impact and UV radiation. The Clifden’s also feature the option of interchangeable lenses.

Polarized tungsten Prizm lenses are designed for medium to bright light conditions. They enhance color vividness and increase contrast.

Oakley’s patented high-definition optics give you superior clarity, block 99% of reflected glare, and provide sharp vision from every angle. In addition, the micro bag included helps you keep your sunglasses clean and stored away.

🪙 Best sailing sunglasses under $50