10 Best Running Sunglasses for 2022

Intro

We’ve got tons of shoes here at Believe in the Run, but you might have noticed that we like our accessories, too. After all, comfortable feet are only the first step to a great run. Whether it’s sunny, buggy, or you’re just a little hungover, you might want a good pair of running sunglasses. If nothing else, they’ll probably make you look a little cooler, and sometimes that’s what it’s all about. Of course, sunglasses are as unique as the person who wears ’em, so even if our first picks don’t work for you there’s bound to be something.

We’ll dive into a few of our favorites across a number of price points to give you someplace to start. After all, summer is on its way so you might wanna hurry up and order your pair. We can’t promise that all of these silhouettes will stay in shape for long. Ready to see what we’re diggin’ right now?

The sun is high and the weather is just right, so let’s get into the best running sunglasses around.

100 Percent Vision | Hypercraft

Price range: $165-195

Let’s kick this running sunglasses roundup off with a familiar face. We’re no strangers to 100 Percent Vision, but our tastes have changed a little bit since our introduction. While the brand has plenty of classic designs, we’re all-in on the funky new Hypercraft. It’s the type of frame you expect to see on someone who’s going fast, or maybe an astronaut. Even better, the Hypercraft offers interchangeable lenses so you can pop between a few different colors or even clear glass.

The frames themselves are made from 100 Percent Vision’s UltraCarbon, which is as about as light as it gets — 23 grams, to be specific. In fact, the goal is for you to forget that you even have sunglasses on given the carefully placed ventilation holes. The Hypercraft running sunglasses also feature an oleophobic and hydrophobic coating, which should help with sweat on the hot summer runs.

Get ready for more shield-shaped sunglasses, cause they’re in right now.

Goodr | PhG Collection

Price: $35

Whatever Carl the Flamingo and the folks at Goodr are on, we’re just asking that they send us some. The PhG is their seventh silhouette, and they’ve yet to miss on a design. It’s inspired by the coolest nerds you know, like Indiana Jones or Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park. Sure, the base looks a bit like that of the Circle G (our favorite Goodr design to date), but that’s just another pair that we love to slip on. Goodr’s names are still the best in the business, with options like Artifacts, Not Artifeelings, and Stay Fly, Ornithologists.

I mean, the best part of Goodr’s running sunglasses is probably still the price. You only have to shell out $35 for a pair of PhGs (some are even cheaper), so you don’t have to panic if something happens to them. Hey, if you damage a pair of Goodrs, it’s just an excuse to get a new one since they keep adding new colors and frames like clockwork.

Ombraz | Dolomite

Price: $140

If you ask Robbe for his favorite running sunglasses, there can be only one. He’s been rocking the Ombraz Dolomite daily for the last several months, and they’re unlike anything else on the list. For starters, there ain’t no arms, and it ain’t no problem. Instead, there’s a custom-woven, adjustable cord to keep your shades strapped to your face, so you shouldn’t have to worry about ’em falling off in the middle of a workout. You would think this design doesn’t work, but it does — and it’s amazing. The comfort level of Ombraz is almost surreal, but you can dial in the perfect fit by tightening the cord to your exact desire.

You can also customize your pair with a few different frame shapes, a few different colors, and three different polarized lenses (or go for an unpolarized pair, but where’s the fun in that?).

Don’t worry, the cord won’t cause any irritation on your head — it’s made from 100% recycled Japanese nylon– and you never have to worry about losing them. You also get built-in side visors to block glare, and the nose pads are unbelievably comfortable.

Adidas | Sport Sunglasses

Price: $170

Most of the brands on this list are pretty well dedicated to running sunglasses, but that’s no reason to count out the brand with the three stripes. Adidas does a little bit of everything these days, and that includes shades. We’re back to the shield frame style, and the Kolor Up lenses help to boost contrast while knocking out UV rays and blue light. Adidas even added nine anti-fog holes, so you shouldn’t have to worry about wiping your lenses while you run intervals.

Although the grip might not be as good as that of the Ombraz, the SP0044 running sunglasses have plenty of strategically placed pads. They should stay right on your ears, and the adjustable nose pad is easy to tighten the grip even further. Unfortunately, Adidas running sunglasses tend to fly off the shelves, so you might have to be fast if you want a pair.

Nathan | Summit

Price: $50

Nathan should be a familiar name to the trail folks out there, known for its hydration packs and general running backpacks. Heck, the brand is even expanding into clothing more and more in an effort to take over everything but your feet. Now, Nathan is on the running sunglasses train with its Summit frame. At just $50, you get some pretty good bang for your buck. Each pair comes polarized, and you can choose between a clear white frame or a clear gray one.

Nathan boasts that its TR90 frames are lightweight and impact-resistant, so they might be a good bet for the clumsy runner in your life. You can also get them with prescription lenses, just in case you needed even more reason to upgrade. The rubber nose and ear pads sit flush with the frame, so it won’t feel like they’re squeezing your head.

Roka | Assorted Styles

Price range: $215-370

Alright, so our current picks from Roka aren’t actually sunglasses, but hear us out. Thomas has bounced between a few pairs over the past month and he’s pretty much hooked. Whether he’s running with the Faster Bastards, the Believe Run Club, or just sitting at the office (it happens now and then), he’s always in a pair. We’ve got the photos to prove it. It doesn’t hurt that Roka has a ton of frames to choose from, either.

We’re highlighting the everyday options because you can still run in them, but there are tons of sunglasses to check out as well. You can get ’em polarized, not polarized, customized, off the shelf, the possibilities are basically endless. Also, Roka is a pretty big fan of running Strava challenges. If you’re eyeing a pair that’s on the expensive side, there’s a good chance you can put some miles in for a $20 discount before long.

Bollé | Lightshifter

Price range: $140 – 200

I hope you’re not sick of shield-style shades, because we’re back with another option. Bollé is a popular pick for both men and women with tons of frames to check out. The shields usually fall under the Shifter umbrella, which probably means they’re for cyclists, but we don’t discriminate. It’s kinda like shoes — wear what’s comfortable. After all, the bigger the lenses, the less likely for bugs to find their way into your eyes.

The choice is ultimately yours, but the pair you see above is the Lightshifter. You can choose between classic lenses, Phantom lenses, or go all out with Volt Plus. Both the Phantom and Volt lenses block 100% of UV rays, while only the Volt can claim 30% color enhancement. I can’t say for sure what that means, but it sounds like just enough of an Instagram filter to make visibility better. If you’re hoping to wear your shades all year long, Bollé has developed a special film for firm and fresh snow, too. Unfortunately, like Adidas, it can be tough to find some Bollé shades in stock.

Dynafit | Ultra Pro

Price: $219

Alright, we have one more pair of shield-style running sunglasses for your approval. Thomas has been putting in miles in these, too — he took ’em on a tour de Baltimore for a recent Saturday Classic. Sure, Dynafit might have designed them for mountain sports, but they work just as well in town. The Ultra Pro frames weigh just 31 grams, which is about the same as a Coros Pace 2 watch. It’s designed for speed and efficiency, but nobody is going to judge you for just looking stylish on a Sunday morning.

The big wraparound lens covers 180-degrees of your vision, but the ventilation holes should do their job to keep you from fogging up. You might not be able to get the sweet red and yellow lens that Thomas has, but Dynafit still has some solid options. The Ultra Pro also comes with a carrying case and a soft drawstring pouch just to stay extra safe.

Tifosi | Swank XL

Price: $30

Got a big head? Good, so do I. Luckily for us, Tifosi has us covered. The Swank XL is a slightly larger version of Tifosi’s classic wayfarer design, complete with the signature sport features you’re hoping for. You still get hydrophilic rubber nose pieces, which should keep the Swank lookin’ swaggy right there on your nose, and the polycarbonate lenses offer 100% UVA/UVB protection. More importantly, it won’t feel like the arms are squeezing your head.

If you have a normal noggin, lucky you. Tifosi also offers a standard Swank or a Swank SL, which is more streamlined (it offers a rimless lens). You can even customize your Tifosi shades if you’re not sold on the company’s standard offerings. However, there are plenty of colors for each style, so there’s bound to be something that works.

TYR | Vatcher HTS

Price: $99

TYR is typically associated with the tri world, but hey– running is 33% of that so we’re cool with putting them on this list. Made for sport, the Vatcher features no-slip grip on the nose bridge, shatterproof and polarized lens construction, and a TR90 advanced thermoplastic frame. Long story short, they’ll take a lot of abuse. Bonus points for being lightweight at 26.1 grams.

Camp Eyewear | Topo

Price: $79

We’ll wrap up this list of running sunglasses with something a little different — sunglasses that aren’t meant for running. That’s right, the Topo from Camp makes the list just because it’s so damn stylish. Each pair has real wood inlays, and the frames are made with sustainable bioplastics. You also get polarized lenses, spring-loaded hinges, and adjustable temple tips, all for less than $100.

Did we mention that they come in a mini sleeping bag case? For real. It’s pretty much ruined other sunglass cases for us. I don’t know if the sleeping bag actually does anything for them as far as keeping your pair warmer in the winter, but it looks pretty great. Right now, REI has four different lens and frame combinations, so you’ll have no trouble turning heads as you pass by someone. Show up to a Believe in the Run event, and you’ll have plenty of people asking where you got ’em.

We weren’t kidding about the sleeping bag

How we make our picks

We run in lots of shoes here at Believe in the Run, but we also test out tons of gear. We’ve run in just about all of these sunglasses on roads and trails, and our picks come from our own experiences. However, we also take community opinions into account and we seek to recommend sunglasses that you can actually purchase. Believe in the Run may make affiliate commissions on products in our reviews.