The best sunglasses 2023: for hiking in the summer sun

The best sunglasses are such an important piece of equipment for anyone who ventures into the backcountry. This is even more true if you're heading up high, especially above the snow line. UV light reflected off pristine snow actually doubles the intensity of sunlight reaching your eyes. The higher you climb, the more intense the sun is too. 

Damage other parts of your body and they'll eventually heal, not so with your eyes, which is why the best sunglasses for hiking and mountaineering are so vital. UV-rays can damage your eyelid, cornea, lens and retina. So, these high performing shades are designed to protect your eyes first and foremost. However, they're also stable and comfortable for hours of wear on the trails, aid clarity and, of course, look good too.

This guide features a mixture of Category 3 and Category 4 lenses. Cat 3 sunglasses will protect your eyes on most adventures that you and your hiking boots could dream of, including most alpine-style missions. Cat 4 lenses are designed for extreme environments, such as those you might find on a desert trek or on a high-altitude mountaineering mission.

If you’re looking for eye protection for faster paced exploits, be sure to check out our guide to the best sunglasses for trail running. If you’re heading somewhere snowy for some cold play, and you’ll fine our article on ski goggles vs sunglasses very useful. Where hiking is concerned, we love the Scott Vector Sunglasses for their all-round quality.

The best sunglasses

Best non-polarized sunglasses

Scott Vectors are a comfortable, close-fitting pair of sunglasses, with a Fusion frame and no-slip soft nose pads. We found that the frame has some flex in it but feels very sturdy and has rubber-coated tips at the end of the arms to help keep the sunglasses in place. 

The lenses are large for this style of sunglasses, but they don’t have quite as much height as a lens in, say, a classic round frame. The Vectors are available with a range of lens options, all with the Scott Precision Optics quality label. The Red Chrome lenses are a Category 3 lens and have narrow slits at the top and side of each lens to help improve airflow and stop the glasses from steaming up. They have 100% UV protection but are not polarized.

SunGod’s Tempests are a high-performing pair built for people who like to spend a lot of time on the trail, but they won’t look out of place worn at a sunny sidewalk cafe or at the beach either.

For hiking on bright days, a lightweight comfortable fit means you won’t end up pushing these up on your head every 20 minutes, while a slightly grippy nose pad ensures there’s no danger of these slipping off and crashing to the ground when you’re scrambling or rooting through your hiking backpack. The 8KO lenses deliver full protection on brilliant days and gave us perfect clarity of vision, even if we were hiking near water or on snow. Plus, the frames offer good coverage from above the eyebrows to mid-cheekbone.

Priced reasonably compared to similar hiking sunglasses, these sunglasses boast resistance to scratching as well as oil and water, and they didn't seem to fog up no matter how sweaty we got. Soft, flexible frames with screwless hinges are made from recycled materials and won’t easily break if you accidentally squash them into your backpack or drop them on a rocky trail. They come with a soft, microfiber pouch to carry and clean them, although with a lifetime warranty you can expect to run with these for a long time. Customize the lens and frames to suit your vibe and you’ll love the comfort and visibility.

Read our full SunGod Tempests sunglasses review

Best polarized sunglasses

SunGod Sierras are designed for the modern adventurer. With a shape and style that can be used throughout daily life as well as up a mountain, these sunglasses make a good all-round performer. Like all SunGod sunglasses, you can entirely customize the frame color, lens type and polarization. We found that the Sierra frames are good for small to medium size faces, but others are available. Sierras with less-expensive 4KO non-polarized lenses start at £70, with the 8KO polarized lenses being the premium offering. The 8KO lenses have fantastic clarity and depth of color. The frames were very flexible and light on test, while Pop-Lock hinges mean there are no screws to come loose.

Read our full SunGod Sierras review

Oakley Clifden sunglasses are classic-style shades made with mountaineering in mind. These are the only frame style in Oakley’s range that have the removable side shields required for high altitude protection. That said, the Prizm Deep Water lenses are a Cat 3 – although other lower VLT lenses are available, including Cat 4. The frame and lenses are lightweight, with some flex in the frame itself. The side shields are easy to take on and off and the wide bridge effectively reduces light access to the eyes.

We found that the rubber-like material of the shields and nose pads help to make a secure but comfortable fit around the face. But you can’t help but have a little giggle that they’ve called this patented material Unobtainium, like in Avatar. These sunglasses are available in a range of six color and lens combinations, with lenses designed to enhance color, contrast and detail. The hard case and woven metal cord (with closed attachment points at the end of each arm) are great touches. Plus the possibility of a prescription lens will be very welcome for many users.

Read our full Oakley Clifden sunglasses review

Another entry from SunGod, these Velan sunglasses are designed for a wider face shape than the SunGod Sierras. They have spherical 8KO plastic, flexible lenses that come under SunGod’s famous Lifetime Guarantee (though not for scratches, loss or theft). Any breakages can be replaced free of charge. There is a wide range of lens choices available, with a full range of visible light transmissions, which we were able to customize to suit our needs. 

We felt that the wraparound style provided great visibility, especially in the middle of the face. We tested these sunglasses with Category 3 polarized lenses, but other lenses are available in Category 2 or photochromic lenses in a variety of tints. Other colors are also available – in fact, this product can be customized to pretty much whichever color you like, making a pair of sunglasses that are very much your own. The price is very much dictated by the lens and style you choose, so different prices in the same model are possible.

Best cat 4 sunglasses

From the moment we opened the box, these Vuarnet ICE Round sunglasses felt premium. Like a classic watch, these sunglasses are clearly designed to last a long time and to be used year upon year as the only pair of sunglasses you’ll ever need in the snow or at altitude (though obviously you wouldn’t go for a Cat 4 lens for everyday use, since they’re far too dark). They come in a stylish white leather protective case with attachment loop, which includes a microfiber cleaning cloth. 

The frames are made of high-strength bio nylon with adjustable sleeves that can be bent into place to fit your head. We found that the sun protection was excellent: there are removable side shields that are easy to take in and out. The bridge has an insert piece that can be taken out too, allowing the Vuarnet ICE Round sunglasses to be converted into a more everyday look for off the mountains.

The lenses are a natural mineral lens that provide the sharpest vision possible in extreme light conditions. They feel like a very strong material compared to other sunglasses in this guide. There is a choice of 11 color and lens combinations including both Cat 3 and Cat 4 options. The sunglasses come with a two-year warranty. 

Read our full Vuarnet ICE Round sunglasses review

The Bollé Adventurer sunglasses are, unsurprisingly, designed for adventure. In the frame shape of classic glacier glasses, they come in either photochromic Phantom lenses or Solace4, Bollé’s new mineral glass lens designed specifically for the mountains (Category 4). 

There are three choices of frame color to go with the mineral lenses (black, white or dark green) but black only for photochromic lenses. On test, we found that these lenses had great optic clarity and anti-fog, as well as 100% UV protection. 

The sunglasses include built-in side shields and bridge piece. Unlike other available models on the market, these side shields do not fold down or come off. The Thermogrip nose pieces are adjustable to fit the shape of your face and are hydrophilic – although we’re not really sure how this property affects things in practice. Thermogrip is also used on the tips for a more comfortable fit.

Read our full Bollé Adventurer sunglasses review

Best budget sunglasses

With multiple lens and frame color options, Tifosi’s Swick sunglasses manage to be both super stylish and completely unpretentious looking, while serving a real purpose from a purely functional point of view when you’re out on the trails. We found that they were comfortable to wear, while the flexible and robust nylon Grilamid TR-90 Frame, which has a seemingly basic design kept these lightweight sunnies firmly in place no matter what we were doing. We have very much enjoyed testing them while hiking, biking and running. 

The nose pads are hydrophilic (so the grip they supply increases the more you sweat), and the glide coating on the arms is made to reduce bounce. The integrated hinge is also designed to avoid catching and pulling hair. Polycarbonate lenses are scratch-Resistant and shatterproof, and rated as category 3, they’re ideal for wearing while exploring terrain from sea level up to low alpine areas. Extremely durable, very versatile and super affordable, these sunnies are a great adventure companion for everyone except small-faced high-altitude mountaineers. 

Sometimes you don’t want to jump in at the deep end and buy an expensive or high-tech piece of kit. Maybe you’re just testing the water in an activity or can’t justify the high cost, even if the product might last you a lifetime. If that’s you, the very reasonably priced Quechua range of sunglasses may well be what you’re looking for. What’s better is that budget doesn’t necessarily mean cheap and nasty – we found that these sunglasses performed very well on test. 

The Quechua have all the basic features covered. We thought the wraparound frame is a close fit and, although the lenses are quite small, our vision wasn't impeded. The polycarbonate lenses block 100% UV light and are polarized. Although they are very shock resistant, they are also quite prone to scratches. This model is rated Category 4, with very dark lenses designed for exceptionally strong sunlight (high mountains), absorbing between 92% and 97% of visible light. If you’re not adventuring at this level and want a less dark lens, Decathlon’s Quechua range also has sunnies with Category 3 dark lenses designed for strong sunlight (sea and mountains), which absorb between 82% and 92% of visible light.

The frame is made of a bio-sourced polymer and is quite stiff, which could become uncomfortable with all-day use at the end of the arms and on the nose pads. Having an elasticated leash is a great addition, which is easy to take on and off as you wish. The sunglasses also have a two-year guarantee. 

BLOC Pilot sunglasses are metal-framed and aviator-style, about the size of a pair of reading glasses. Another entry at the budget end of the range, we found they had a less sporty look than most, so we could wear them both on and off the hill. They are lightweight and minimal, although the frame materials do not have much give at all. The nose pads are adjustable, allowing some flexibility in fit, and are also hypoallergenic. Having a small point of contact helps to reduce sweat and we found there was plenty of air flow. 

This pair of BLOC Pilots are in Category 3, but other lenses available if you’d prefer Category 2. There is no case, but they do come with a cloth pouch that offers some protection from accidental scratching. The lenses are effective but quite small due to the style and there is no side coverage to block out excessive light.

Read our full BLOC Eyewear Pilot Sunglasses review

Sunglasses comparison table

How we test sunglasses

Our team of expert gear testers have taken each of the sunglasses in this guide and worn them for extended periods while out and about, walking trails and climbing the flanks of hills and mountains in various conditions and at different heights, to assess their overall performance and comfort levels. Note that although we’ve typically tested one particular lens with each pair of glasses, it’s usually possible to choose different category lenses and often different color frames too.

For more details, see how Advnture tests products.

How to choose the best sunglasses

There are myriad lens options out there, so here are some important questions to ask yourself that will help you choose the best sunglasses for your adventure. 

1. Category ratings 

The most important factor when it comes to outdoor sunglasses is the type of lens they use, and specifically, how much visible light they let through. 

The amount of visible light transmission (VLT) is split into four bands: the imaginatively named Category 1, Category 2, Category 3 and Category 4. These are sometimes abbreviated to just Cat to be less of a mouthful. 

• Cat 1 sunglasses let in 46%-79% VLT so aren’t really that effective. You could wear them when it’s already overcast or just to look good. 

• Cat 2 sunglasses let in 18%-45% VLT and are good for normal sunny days, without snow or altitude being added to the mix. 

• Cat 3 sunglasses have 8%-17% VLT, so are ideal for use in the mountains – these are typically described as being good for sunny days at altitude without snow, or on overcast days at altitude with snow (you may still find them too dark at sea level on a standard day). 

• Cat 4 have 3%-8% VLT, which is exactly what you need when adventuring at high altitude or when exploring in the mountains at altitude where it is both sunny and snow-covered. Note: Cat 4 sunglasses are so dark that in some countries – including the UK – it’s illegal to wear them while driving. 

2. Fit and sizing

People often ignore this question when buying “normal life” sunglasses, just shopping by price or look, but it’s actually a rather important factor when you’re engaged in outdoor activities. 

You need a pair of sunglasses that fit your face size so that you don’t get loads of extra light coming in around the edges. Or even just be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time or fall off easily. You’re probably going to be wearing these for eight hours a day, so make sure they’re a good fit. 

Most brands allow you to shop by face size, although some you have to guess a bit whether you’re small, medium or large. 

3. Extra features

There are a host of extra little features available in hiking and mountaineering sunglasses. Some will be really key for you, and others won’t matter to you at all. It’s very personal. 

For example, do the glasses come with a case to protect them, or a guarantee for when you sit on them? Do they have removable guards for extra light reduction at higher altitudes? Is the glass durable and scratch resistant? Can you attach a cord to keep them in place or maybe it even comes with a cord? 

Think about your ideal and regular uses for these sunglasses and try to find some special features that will make your life easier and turn these into your favorite sunglasses.