Ombraz Releases The Refugio: Our Review of the Retro Wraparounds

Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Arms

If you know me, I’ve been preaching the gospel of Ombraz for the past several years, ever since my conversion to their unique armless style of eyewear design. As someone who loves to engage in a variety of activities, from running to hiking to city cycling to fishing, they are my go-to shades for literally everything. I typically roll with the Viale or Dolomite, but it may be time to switch.

Because Ombraz just elevated the entire lineup with The Refugio, an all-new wraparound style that provides superior coverage with the same comfort and dialed-in fit of its predecessors.

If you’re new to the Ombraz (‘ombra’ is Italian for ‘shade’– wild, I know) ecosystem, then you may be skeptical. A sunglasses design without arms? You just tighten the cord around your head? How is that comfortable? I don’t know how else to tell you this, but this design– it’s the most comfortable, and offers the most superior non-slip performance of any sunglasses I’ve ever owned.

Again, I thought it couldn’t get better, but they somehow took all the knowledge gained in their other models (all made in Italy, by the way) and put together their best design yet in The Refugio.

Shelter From The Storm

You’d never guess, but The Refugio takes its name from the Italian word for “shelter” or “refuge.” Crazy, I thought it stood for “Rufiooooo.” Proper preparation goes hand in hand with shelter, and for that, you need the best equipment. Luckily, The Refugio falls into that column.

The TR-90 aerospace-grade nylon frames are ultralight and virtually indestructible, so that’s a good start. Of course, this is a shield-style wraparound frame, so the whole lens coverage comes by way of Carl Zeiss optics with non-polarized tints.

Let’s talk about the non-polarized lenses for a second. On bright, sunny days with nothing but miles of road ahead of you, yes– you may want a polarized lens for reducing glare. Same thing if you’re out fishing on the water. 

However, if you’re a trail runner or navigating your way through city streets with changing light conditions, then it’s essential to reach for a non-polarized lens like the one in The Refugio. Which makes sense, since The Refugio is explicitly designed for “singletrack, alpine ridgelines, desert scrambles, or the exposed shoulder of a mountain highway.” It adapts to any condition, providing top-notch clarity wherever you go. And since we mentioned clarity, it should be noted that Ombraz is one of the best out there.

Even so, the real star of the show is the fit. Again, I’m a huge fan of the corded, no-arm style that Ombraz has championed. For starters, I lose things more than I find them, so with the wraparound cord, I can rest assured these are staying with me when they’re off my face. I can wear these for any activity and they don’t budge, from swimming to cycling to everyday use.

The nose pads on this version are brand new and fully integrated into the frame (in the past, nose pads were an add-on). They’re both comfortable and grippy at the same time, and keep the frames just far enough from the face to eliminate any potential fogging while aiding in ventilation. I took these on a few super sweaty and humid summer runs and they performed flawlessly in all those departments.

How To Buy

The entire setup provides ample protection from the sun while providing superb clarity to the entire field of vision. While I went with the standard sizing, XL sizing is also available for those with bigger faces. For extreme adventurers (i.e. alpine climbing, backcountry snowboarding, overlanding, etc.), Ombraz also provides the option of adding on removable Side Shields as well as a UV Nose Shield. 

If you’d like to pick up your own pair, you can purchase The Refugio for $195 at ombraz.com or by using the shop link below.