The 23 best sports sunglasses of 2024, according to folks who are always outside

With a wide rimless fit, the oversized Sutro Lites offer a greater field of vision for runners who like to see the world. “I’ve worn them in three of my most recent marathons because the design offers the most protection while being extremely lightweight,” says Ashley Mateo, CNN Underscored contributor and certified running coach. Oakley added a ridged surface to the arms where they touch your temples, increasing their grip without squeezing your head. “I’ve never had any issues with pressure around my ears,” says Mateo.

These featherweights are super light and ultra flexible, making them my top choice for daily drivers. At 21 grams (that’s less than an ounce), they’re so light that you will literally forget they’re on your face. But they’re not wimpy, with 100% UV protection and shatter-proof lenses. (Trust me, I drop them a lot.) Plus, they come in a range of fun colors to add a pop of personality.

Full eye protection that doesn’t break the bank? Sign us up. The Vogel SL offer 100% UV protection with rubber ear and nose pieces that gets grippier the more you sweat. The wraparound design doesn’t have as much flexibility as the Supernovas, but it still offers plenty of protection while cruising on your local trails. Fit note: Folks with longer lashes may feel them brushing against the lens.

Trot faster than the foxes on race day with this pair of slim and trim shades. At 16 grams, they’re even lighter than the Koo Supernovas and the skinny arms easily fit behind your ears. “I like this when I wear a hat and headphones because there isn’t a bunch of stuff cluttering up my ear,” says Jennifer Enna, an experienced ultrarunner from Bend, Oregon. The Foxtrots also have polarization for folks who double dip with time on the water.

The Adidas SP0074 wrap frames always find their way into my mountain biking kit, and for good reason. The full-coverage lenses protect my eyes from errant rocks and the adjustable temples automatically fit to a variety of head shapes, so I’ve never once experienced the “sunglasses headache.” They’re not polarized, but nine holes along the top of the frame act as a ventilation system, ensuring my sweatiest rides don’t fog up my field of vision.

Big frames are on trend right now and Cassie Abel loves the Wildcats for their full-coverage aesthetic. “I love the easily-interchangeable lenses for varying light conditions,” says Abel, the founder of women’s mountain bike apparel brand Wild Rye. Smith uses 100% UV protection lens with ChromaPop, the brand’s technology that enhances color and contrast. And they come in a number of sassy colors.

Here’s the hook with the Torinos: Not only do they perfectly fit beneath a bike helmet, but they also fit everywhere else in your life. The Torinos have become my catch-all pair of frames thanks to their sporty aviator aesthetic and ballistic-tested lenses. (They survived our preschooler; enough said.) The soft rubber on the temples grips well during sweaty missions but doesn’t latch onto stray hairs, which is a total game changer.

A lifetime warranty comes with these wraparound frames, but you won’t need it. The shatter-resistant mirrored lenses and burly nylon plastic frames are tough to destroy. Like many glasses, the FixieStealth have a unisex frame designed to fit a variety of face shapes. But if you don’t like them, don’t sweat it: Optic Nerve offers a 30-day, hassle-free return policy.

Ombraz is changing the sunglasses game by removing sidearms entirely. Instead, the brand uses an adjustable, marine-grade cord to keep the shades on your face. Underscored editor Kai Burkhardt has been trying out a pair and they’ve quickly become his favorite sunglasses. “They never fall off my face and since they don’t have sidearms they’re virtually indestructible,” he says. “I can put them in my back pocket and sit on them, or even stomp them with hiking boots on and they don’t break. It’s actually kind of wild.”

If you’re one of the millions that wears prescriptive eyewear, take a gander at the Article One Active collection. Not only are the frames still handcrafted in Italy, but they’re made out of a lightweight plastic that’s super flexible and durable. Plus, you’ll only need one pair of lenses for prescriptive and adventure wear: “I can actually see the views I hiked so hard for, rather than mere blurry mountain-shaped specks,” says Emily Pennington, CNN contributor and author of "Feral".

It takes a few minutes to adjust to the sun shields (or blinders, as I call them) but once you do, you’ll be forever grateful for the protection. Not only do the Tera lenses keep sun from infiltrating through the sides of your eyes in the high alpine, but they also have a looser fit so you won’t suffer from tension headaches. With polarization in the lenses, you’ll have no problem catching a couple brook trout from camp, too.

These lightweight sunglasses make a great pick for hikes, runs and any other sort of adventure. Thanks to their nonslip sidearm pads and adjustable nose pads, they’ll stay on and keep your eyes protected no matter the activity. The classic style is timeless and its different lens coatings provide fantastic protection and visibility in bright sun.

With polarized lenses and a thicker temple to block more light, it’s no surprise that the Joya sunglasses are a favorite among fly fishing guides like Shyanne Orvis. The medium-large fit works for a variety of face shapes and the bio-based frame material is light enough that you won’t feel them during long days on the water. They’re also offered in several frame and lens combinations, so you’ll definitely find one that suits your style.

When one of our CNN editors referenced the Lido’s polarization as “insane,” I knew I had to take a look. The universal frame shape looks great on a variety of faces and top and side shields prevent stray light from hitting your eyes. Costa uses castor oil in the plant-based frames, making these shades a bit less harmful for the planet, too.

I’ll be honest: I’m pretty terrible at fishing, but the Hells Bay glasses give me a fighting chance. The secret: the Lateral Line low-light (L4) technology. It maximizes small bits of light so you can still spot fish at dusk and dawn when shadows fill the water. Small side shields add peripheral sun blocking and integrated vents encourage air flow so you won’t fog up during especially steamy days.

The Stiltsville sunglasses — named for the ruins of a couple of social clubs once built in Florida’s Biscayne Bay — have an extra-large frame that upgrades your eye protection. They come in six lens colors, but a highlight is the plant-based nylon frame that degrades a little easier than traditional petroleum-based options. The polarized lenses also have the brand’s proprietary blue-light-blocking technology that keeps more of those harmful blue rays from damaging our eyes.

These snazzy square-shaped frames add a touch of class when you’re wading in the shallows or stalking fish from the banks. But really, the highlight is the injection-molded resin used in the frames. Since it has a lower density than water, these babies float. Yup, you’ll never again have to worry about losing your sunnies to the river gods.

It’s tough to go wrong at this price point, but there’s more to love than the OG’s affordability. Mick and Keith’s Midnight Ramble have all the classic OG features: no slip, no bounce and total polarization. These particular shades are great for medium-sized faces, and they come with a solid backstory involving two rock ‘n' roll icons, a midnight jog and a neon-blue river. You’re welcome.

It’s the golden trifecta: they’re affordable, stylish and available with prescription lenses. Warby Parker’s Toni sunglasses include scratch-resistant lenses that block 100% of UV rays. “They are great for city looks when I’m out traveling and have robust plastic frames that feel sturdy on my peepers,” says Pennington. But if you don’t need prescription lenses, don’t sweat it: These come without, too.

If you prefer the finer things in life, reach for the Rallye. Not only are these frames made from hand-crafted, cotton-based plastic from Italy, but the lenses are constructed in France via an arduous process that melts organic matter such as sand and ash into the glass. The whole thing takes 700 minutes per pair of sunglasses, and some frames are available with removable leather sun shields for added eye protection.

If you like the look of aviator sunglasses, then you’ll love the Hawkers. These teardrop-shaped lenses come with ceramic nose pads and recyclable stainless steel frames. Instead of petroleum-based materials, Zeal Optics used a plant-based substance as the bonding agent on the polarized lenses, so you’re guaranteed 95% of blue light filtration with less reliance on fossil fuels.