21 Best Sports Sunglasses for Men | UK 2024

Oct 14, 2024

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Leave your rivals in the shade

As you know, exposure to the sun brings myriad benefits to your health – but it can also be a pain in the cornea when it gets in your eyes. No one wants to be blindsided by glare as they negotiate a roundabout on their two-wheeled exploits, or squint their way through a marathon. If you regularly train in nature’s gym, then chances are your everyday Aviators will be glaringly inadequate. And that’s where sports sunglasses come in.

In a hurry? Here are the best running sunglasses at a glance. Keep scrolling for the full list.

The best running or sports sunglasses can be identified using two primary purchasing points: comfort and lenses. Although you’ll be bobbing up and down, running sunglasses shouldn’t be restrictive — the nose piece, the arms and the bridge should fit snug without feeling tight. That’s where that all-important grip comes in.

Lens-wise, you'll need lenses that block out UV light (both UVA and UVB) in all conditions. Sports sunglasses come in an array of tints and coatings that are designed to eliminate horizontal light waves, only letting vertical light through. This reduces glare – keeping eye strain at bay – and enhances colour, so everything appears clearer.

Consider the following points before making a purchase.

The Men's Health editors and writers have tested countless sports sunglasses both on the trails and roads, while running, cycling, skiing, on the water and on the green. All the while we've taken into account comfort, visibility, durability, how lightweight the glasses are and whether they bounce, and, of course, style.

The below list include new models we've tested recently plus some old favourites our editors refuse to part with.

Whether you’re heading out on an epic trail run, a quick 5K or simply dipping into a few rounds of beach volleyball, our pick of the best sports and running sunglasses will have you well and truly covered.

Among the best running sunglasses on the block, the Radar frame scores highly for shape and fit. This version, the Path, uses patented material on the earsocks and nosepads that increases grip as you sweat, keeping the glasses in place through intense training and rainy conditions.

Plus the lenses are tested under extreme high mass and high velocity circumstances, Oakley says — so they won’t let you down — and many are available in polarised options too.

Decathlon's running brand KALENJI is known for creating quality, budget-friendly running gear, and these sunnies are no exception. At just 24g they're competitively light, grip well on the bridge of the nose and the large, slight wraparound style offers extra protection from dust and wind.

Thanks to category three lenses you're well protected from UV rays and while the visibility isn't as great as some more expensive options, for the price you can't really go wrong — particularly when they look as good as this.

If these look familiar, it’s because Alex Yee wore them when he won gold in the Men’s Triathlon at this year’s Paris Olympics. So it's fair to say these are elite-athlete approved.

The multi-sport design plays out through a wide field of view that adapts to various light conditions, impact protection, clever temple arms that fit beneath helmets and hats, and Oakley's signature no-slip grip.

They're incredibly comfortable too, and we've yet to experience a single bounce with them, despite taking them on some pretty technical trails.

You’d be forgiven for not realising these are sports sunglasses, what with their classic shape and ridiculously named colourways (Swedish Meatball Hangover, we’re looking at you).

But there are a number of reasons why they deserve a spot on this list: they’re affordable, polarised and don’t bounce, plus the lightweight frame has a grip coating to minimise slippage when you’re sweating.

And you don’t have to worry about them rattling around in your gym bag, as they’re scratch-resistant too.

Check out all the different designs here.

These versatile sports sunglasses are superb: the lenses adapt to varying light conditions and give crystal clarity, while the flexible, lightweight frames are fitted with sports hinges to move with you.

Vented lenses increase airflow and prevent fogging, so you can focus on what matters – whether it’s hill repeats or a swift pint.

There's no two ways about it: decent sunglasses are an investment. And if you play as hard as you work and cross-train like a boss you can rack up a hefty bill if you're after a separate shades to pair with your every pursuit.

That's where these beauties from Rapha come in. They're as suited to sunny weekends as lengthy bike rides and pounding pavements. Plus they look good on absolutely everybody.

The nose pads and lenses are interchangeable for both comfort and varying condition's sake and the water-resistant lenses are truly impressive, with sharp contrast and great field of vision.

The Sphaeras have an incredibly wide field of view — it went beyond the peripheries for all our testers — and the pinky hue they douse your surroundings in, as well as being delightful, pulls out definition and contrast like nobody's business.

These are also possibly the most comfortable sports sunglasses we've tried — they're super light and stay put with a light grip you can barely feel, even in high-sweat situations.

Vents at the top prevent fogging and they're designed to be worn for any and all sports, the frame being compatible with bike helmets and hats.

Wraparound frames with brilliant visibility and retro styling? Yes please. These running (or cycling) sunglasses from Oakley offer great field of vision thanks to the bottomless frames, while the Prizm lenses enhance details and contrast, even in very bright light.

The wrap style give great coverage without feeling heavy on the face, plus there's a grippy rubber nose pad and multiple fit options.

Sports meets fashion in these brilliant value running sunglasses. The large, square lenses offer great coverage and the frames are cleverly crafted for a close fit to the face — so the glasses don't look like they're sitting away from your head, and offer greater eye protection.

The rubber nose piece is comfortable and paired with grippy arms ensures minimal bounce — although at 26g it's no issue if the frame does jump around a little. There's an option to add polarised lenses for anti-glare vision, but these are only available in limited colourways.

The Oakley Corridor are the brand's first runner-dedicated sunglasses, and were developed for runners of all abilities. So, it should come as no surprise that they deliver, big time.

Designed to minimise bounce, boost comfort and stay put, they're a real game-changer for performance athletes. This is largely down to Oakley's Prizm Lens Technology, which enhances colour, depth perception and detail, helping runners focus on one thing and one thing only: the road ahead.

And if that wasn't enough, they've got a retro vibe about them that we are just digging.

Another big hitter from Oakley, these lifestyle-inspired sunnies are the second in the new collection of running sunglasses developed with real-life runners.

As such, they deliver on all the key fronts: they're super comfortable and light (you almost forget you're wearing them), yet they're sturdy and robust, they stay put whether you're bouncing around trails or pounding pavement and they feel premium to boot.

Nose pads keep the glasses in place and despite the classic (rather than sporty) shape, they offer great coverage, while the lenses keep everything in focus even in super strong glare.

While these sports sunglasses were originally intended for long distances on the trail or track, the featherlight design makes them ideal for self-propelled trips to the office. (They will also look the part for post-work “rehydration” in the sun, too, when the time comes.)

Though designed for demanding sports where light conditions change dramatically, they’ll also provide relief from rays when you’re sweating out a hangover by pounding the pavement. The stress-resistant frame will handle anything you throw at it, and grippy earsocks keep them locked in place.

These supremely light sports sunglasses are designed for your fastest rides on two wheels — our tester was seriously impressed with the weight, plus how well they stayed put.

The hydrophobic (water-resistant) lenses come with a military-grade protective treatment that makes them easy to clean, scratch-resistant and ensures that dirt and water won’t stick.

Crucially (and unsurprisingly from super-stylish Rapha), detachable lens colours mean that you can always customise your set to match the kit that you’re riding in. After all, looking the part is important, too.

It's only right to expect a pair of sunglasses that comes out of Copenhagen to look this stylised. But these bad boys have substance too.

They're super light and very comfortable, with a light grip round the temples thanks to the bendable frames. The definition is excellent, they do not budge and darken things down quite considerably, so are an excellent option for bright days.

Despite the orange/red outer they give surroundings a blueish tinge, and the flexible nosepiece, while causing a very slight obstruction (if you're looking for it), is very comfortable.

A word of warning though — these do look a little small on those with larger heads.

We’re also big fans of the brand’s acetate sunglasses.

In a retro sweep shape, these vented lenses keep you cool on the sweatiest of runs or rides. Earsocks moulded to the temples plus no-slip nosepads keep them in place, and the light yet durable frame is comfortable for all-day wear.

Along with the ‘Prizm’ lenses (which boost colour and contrast) and the wide field of vision you’ll have great visibility, and they’re impact-proof, just in case.

At 21g these are among the lightest sports sunglasses out there, plus the single, frameless lens offers superb field of vision with no distractions. Being as light as they are they're suitable for all-day wear, plus the category 2 lenses filter 100% UV rays and are anti-reflective.

The Novas are durable too, with shatter-proof properties and good flexibility in the temples. Rubber grips on the arm plus interchangeable nose pads mean anyone can find a secure, comfortable fit with minimal bounce. Sold.

Yes, these are made for sports, but they also happen to be bang on-trend right now, and look as good off the track as they perform on it.

The field of vision excellent, as there's no central part of the frame to obstruct your view, and and definition and anti-glare are also brilliant.

While overall lightweight comfortable, they were a little niggly for our tester around the nose, but the nosepieces are adjustable, so with some tweaking this may not be an issue.

Designed in conjunction with ultra-trail champion Sebastien Chaigneau, these running sunglasses hit that sweet spot between lightness and durability.

Both frame and lenses (which are anti-fog) are shatter-resistant, while the nose grip does its job excellently. And as for the price — well, you really can’t go wrong.

Maui Jim’s wrap-style sports sunglasses are both comfortable and decidedly durable. The robust frame can handle anything you throw at it short of a sledgehammer — even if you face-plant at high speed on water skis — while the rubberised contact points hold things together when you’re trying not to lose your cool.

These are peerless: in terms of optics, they’re the most technically advanced we tested. The polarised lenses are distortion-free to the edges and cut glare, so your eyes won’t feel fatigued even if you’re on the water all day.

Hattie Parish is the Health and Fitness Ecommerce Editor for Women’s Health, Men’s Health and Runner’s World, covering the best gym wear, latest fitness tech and wellness launches worth investing in, plus the best deals during Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. As well as clocking up the miles in myriad running socks, pummelling her muscles with massage guns, testing out fitness mirrors and donning dry robes every other weekend, Hattie consults leading experts in the health and fitness industry to help readers make informed decisions when shopping online. Brought up by two medics, Hattie worked in health clinics before completing a BA in English at King’s College London. She qualified as a journalist in 2015 and has since written for titles such as Healthy magazine, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar and Red, as well as worked commercially with health and wellness clients such as Holland & Barrett, Lloyds Pharmacy and Superdrug. Hattie is passionate about arming readers with honest, unbiased product reviews and has a particular interest in the role of technology in our wellbeing, as well as gender-based inequalities in healthcare. When she’s not putting gym wear through its paces on the Pilates reformer or kitting out her home gym (garage) with the latest equipment, she’s attempting to make progress on her teetering pile of bedside books, cycling round South East London or sampling wellness retreats for the Women’s Health travel pages.

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