As we’re heading into fall, the days are getting slightly shorter and the fall leaves are about to start changing colors. If you’ve gone on long drives in the country like me, you know the sun can arc over the trees and create a wondrous glow.
Recently, I tried three different sunglasses to see if they could help me see all of those brilliant lights and colors, but without the extra glare and annoyance. I’m a sun-lover and enjoy driving or biking whenever possible to see the speckled fall leaves in the sunshine. I also seem to get headaches easily if there’s too much glare. I tested three new sunglasses to see which one helped me see the sun-dazzled sights but without the strain.
1. GlassesUSA.com Fila x Revel Tune
Funny story about the Fila x Revel Tune sunglasses. Because I receive so many products here at Gearadical, I didn’t immediately notice that the glasses have built-in speakers. Once I connected to my phone over Bluetooth, I then completely forgot they had built-in speakers. At our garden one day, I received a phone call — through the sunglasses. Big surprise there, but I really liked how they worked. You don’t have to bother with earbuds, and you gain the benefits of wearing shades at the same time. I liked the lightweight feel, and the glasses dimmed the world just about perfectly for me. The glasses last about eight hours on a charge, and the sound is good (but can’t compare to, say, the Apple AirPods Pro).
2. Roka Barton 2.0
In terms of simple utility, I really liked the Roka Barton 2,0 sunglasses because they are so light and stayed put when I wore them. I don’t normally wear shades most of the day, except while driving or biking. The Barton 2.0 is packed with features — like the spring loaded hinges that I barely noticed at first and the fact that they are so grippy when you wear them. Most importantly, like the Fila x Revel Tune, the sunlight dimmed just about right for me, not too dark and not so minimal that it seems like you are not wearing shades.
3. Koo Demos
My last test involved shades that you wear over your normal glasses. I’m an avid cyclist (the pedaling kind) so these sunglasses were particularly interesting to me. I like to wear my own glasses as often as possible since they feel comfortable and I can then go from inside to outside without taking them off. Wearing the Koo Demos just felt right on several bike rides, never slipping or feeling like they would fall off. I was impressed because when I’ve worn other sun goggles like this, they tend to flop around during a tough biking trip. I enjoyed using them on the bike, although I probably wouldn’t wear them in the car. One big bonus: The sunglasses are vented to make sure there’s enough constant airflow.
In the end, it was a three-way tie for me. The Fila x Revel Tune glasses had the advantage of the Bluetooth speakers, the Barton 2.0 shades were light and stayed firmly on my head, but the Koo Demos had the extra perk of sliding over my all-day prescription glasses.
