Best for sun and UV protection
Let’s start out with the most obvious category: sun and UV protection. As much as we love our sunglasses to be a fashion statement, they are first and foremost there to protect our eyes from sun damage.
Side shield sunglasses are the clear winner here, offering both front-on sun protection, as well additional peripheral protection from leather (or sometimes synthetic) side shields. These ‘shields’ block out additional sun rays, and are useful if there’s excessive dust or wind.
Lifestyle sunglasses by comparison come in a variety of shapes that offer a wide variety of protection. When researching new sunglasses you should always make sure the lenses have 100% UVA/B protection (preferably UV400). This will keep your eyes protected from harmful UV rays, even after hours of exposure.
Best for Style Selection
The inevitable winner here is everyday lifestyle sunglasses. Side shield sunglasses tend to have a very particular alpine aesthetic (some perfectly round, others more rectangular/aviator-shaped) but nonetheless, the range of styles is far more limited. If you want to pick a pair based purely on shape and style, go for regular shades.
Best for Sensitive Eyes
For various reasons, our eyes can become sensitive to the sunlight, artificial light sources, wind, or humidity. You need only step out on a cold and windy winter’s day to know the sensation of having your eyes water.
The same way side shield sunglasses offer excellent protection in high-alpine environments, they can also be used to cover your eyes day-to-day to boost eye comfort and protection. Therefore, side shield sunglasses are our category winner here over your lifestyle sunglasses options.
Best for Everyday Use
Let’s be honest. No matter how cool it can be to look and feel like an old-school polar explorer, there are also moments where side shield sunglasses are overkill.
For daily use, we would grab our favorite everyday pair of sunglasses for maximum versatility and style!
Best for Alpine Activities and Water Sports
When it comes to choosing sports eyewear, we have two top priorities - great lenses and lightweight comfort. Moving at speed, the last thing you need is bad vision, so having proper sun protection and top tier clarity are a must. (There’s also few things worse than sunglasses that feel heavy on your face, or that are at risk of falling off).
For sports in environments with lots of sun exposure (skiing, mountaineering and sailing spring to mind), it’s hard to beat a lightweight pair of side shield sunglasses. The malleable temple ends keep your sunglasses secure, and the side shields ensure you have maximum sun protection all-round.
Best for Running and Team Sports
That said, if team activities, or sports like running are more your jam, then a performance pair of ‘sports lifestyle’ sunglasses should be your go-to. Having your peripheral vision blocked for group sports is far from ideal, and there are some super performance sunglasses out there that have flexible frames, rubber temple ends for extra security behind your ears, and incredibly lightweight designs.
So which style comes out on top?
There are clear pros and cons to both styles, making it a close call. Take a look at the table below to help you decide which is right for you.
