Best Durable Sunglasses to Last Through Summer and Beyond


Sick of your sunglasses breaking? These pairs are tougher than your average.

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Buying sunglasses can be a significant investment. If you plan to spend big on a pair, you want to know they are going to last.

Unfortunately, even the best sunglasses have weak spots, especially around the hinges and lenses. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best durable sunglasses so you can grab a pair that will get you through the summer.

Assuming you don’t lose them, that is. There’s nothing we can do about that, unfortunately.

What Makes Sunglasses Durable?

We were fairly open about the sunglasses we chose to put on this list. Some of the glasses made it because of the materials used (William Painter The Hook), others because they look to solve the problem of sunglasses durability in a unique way (Ombraz).

Also, we should point out that these glasses are lifestyle glasses designed with durability in mind. If you are looking for a pair specifically for withstanding the pressures of intense activity like skiing or volleyball, this isn’t the article for you.

Now, on with the list. First up, we have a pair made from aerospace-grade titanium…

Seven Best Durable Sunglasses

William Painter The Hook

William Painter

William Painter’s The Hook sunglasses are made from aerospace-grade titanium. It’s if good enough to withstand the pressures of air travel, it should be good enough to withstand the occasional drop from eye-level. Oh, and there’s more. William Painter is so confident about its glasses that they offer a lifetime guarantee, meaning that even if you do somehow break them, they will replace the glasses for free. Impressive.

Buy William Painter The Hook on williampainter.com

Oakley Forager

Oakley

The Oakley Forager is made from the brand’s trademark O-Matter, a material that is more flexible than acetate. This makes the classic durable as they are more likely to flex than break when they receive a heavy blow. Of course, the material will flex back into its original position. According to Luxottica, the company that makes Oakley glasses, the material is twice as durable as acetate yet 25 percent as light. Many Oakley glasses are made O-Matter. However, we especially like the on-trend stylings of the Oakley Forager pictured above. Another benefit is that you can also buy lens replacements should you break yours.

Buy Oakley Forager at Oakley.com

Ombraz

Ombraz

Ombraz has taken a unique approach to making their sunglasses durable. Instead of strengthening the hinge or reinforcing the frame, the brand simply decided to get rid of the temples. This means you’re left with a pair of glasses without any moving parts, theoretically making them much more durable. Instead, they come with an adjustable chord that keeps the glasses in place. Beyond this innovation, the frame is made from acetate, the lenses are hard-coated, and the glasses come with a lifetime warranty. Oh, and they look great and come in a variety of colors.

Buy Ombraz Sunglasses at ombraz.com

Randolph USA Yeager

Randolph

While we are generally wary about aviator-styles when it comes to durability due to how thin the frames are, Randolph takes several steps to make its glasses durable. They use what they call “top-grade” materials and all the frames are finished with a corrosion-resistant coating. Additionally, the screws have a locking compounds to prevent them from breaking. All Randaolf sunglasses are made by hand in the USA. We reckon all their glasses will be pretty similar from a durability point-of-view, but we quite like the style of the Yeager.

Buy Randolph Yeager on randalphusa.com

Ray-Ban Original Wayfarers

Ray-Ban

If you’ve never held a pair of Original Wayfarers before, the first thing you’ll notice is that they really are a giant slab of acetate. The shades are reassuringly heavy and have metal reinforcements throughout the temples. The hinge is the weak point of many glasses. Wayfarers sort out this problem by using one with seven interlocking links. Speaking from experience, we know these glasses can survive multiple falls.

Buy Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer on ray-ban.com

Native Eyewear El Jeffe

Native

Native Eyewear’s El Jeffe frames are a durable pair of glasses that are reassuringly chunky. The frames come with Mastoid temple grips and Cushinol nose pads that the brand says provides a more secure fit. This should make them less likely to fall (and therefore break) in the first place. The glasses also come with a limited lifetime warranty. Find out more info at the link below.

Buy Native Eyewear sunglasses at nativeyewear.com

Peppers USA Breakers

Peppers Breakers Durable
Peppers USA

The Peppers USA Breakers may not be the best durable sunglasses on this list. However, they come in at only $50 and have some features that we think could help them outlast other glasses. First, the frames are made from a light, flexible material that allows the glasses to maintain their shape. Second, many of the frames contain floatable elements so if you use them on water, you shouldn’t have to worry about them sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

Buy Peppers USA Breakers on peppersua.com


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Duncan Elder

Duncan is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Boardwalk. He's a menswear writer who has spent the last 15 years developing his own sense of style, which lies at the cross-section of mid-noughties indie and Uniqlo-inspired minimalism.

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