Sharing a review of five stylish pairs of sunglasses from Sunski, and my experience with the brand's lifetime warranty
Travel – at least, my style of travel – can be a bit rough and tumble. And if something is likely to get lost or broken in the thrill of discovering a new destination, it’s categorically bound to be sunglasses (RIP Ray-Bans, I hope you’re enjoying your time at the bottom of Rainbow River).
Given that most of the sunglasses market is owned by one centralized eyewear giant that artificially inflates prices, I decided to explore smaller brands to find my perfect pair of travel sunnies.
This post is not sponsored but contains affiliate links. I purchased three of the styles below and Sunski gifted two pairs (out of the blue, and while this post was already in the works - talk about timing!), but as always, all opinions are my own
How do I determine what makes a pair of sunglasses great for travel? For me, a quality pair of travel sunglasses must meet three requirements:
- You have to feel great in them (i.e. they should make you feel stylish and you should feel comfortable wearing them all day)
- They should be high quality, preferably with polarized lenses (they need to be able to withstand the wear and tear that comes with traveling)
- They shouldn’t be irreplaceable (if they get lost, stolen, or fall in a river, it shouldn’t break your heart or the bank)
Looking for more honest style reviews? Find them all sorted by brand over in my Style Reviews Index.
Well, my search didn’t last long. Somehow (in all honesty, I can’t remember how) I wound up with a pair of sunglasses from a brand called Sunski, which uses recycled plastics to create their frames and cases and has a commitment to operating with respect to people and the planet.
But I didn’t really care about that at the time – all I really cared about was that this was the first pair of sunglasses I’d worn in a long time that sat comfortably on my nose and didn’t dig into my cheeks when I smiled and that they were under $100.
Since then, I’ve added to my Sunski collection, enjoying the way a simple sunglasses swap can change an outfit’s vibe and not fretting about potential loss or damage. Plus, all of the brand’s sunglass lenses are polarized, making them an excellent choice for any sort of outdoor adventure travel. And finally, after years of wearing them around the globe, I figured I should share a mini-review of each of the styles I’ve tried:
DIPSEA
The Dipsea is an instant classic: an ultra-wearable round frame in a range of fun and timeless colors. I picked up this pair secondhand right before our trip to St. Croix a couple of years ago, figuring the reflective blue lenses would be a fun match to the island location and my wallet wouldn’t be too sad if they were lost or broken.
Fast-forward to today, and they’re still my go-to adventure sunglasses, accompanying me on action-packed SUP-boarding and snow-tubing trips yet not looking out of place afterward at a local brewery. They fit snugly on my face without feeling tight, and best of all, I can smile wide without my cheeks bumping into the bottom edge. After two years, the mirror lenses still shield my gaze, but have started to show some physical marks from their busy life. No matter – Sunski offers lens kits for easy replacement, and I’ll walk you through that process later on in the post.
BAIA
From the brand’s premium line, the Baia features a metal frame and an upgraded lens. This ultra-light pair is my go-to for both aesthetics and comfort, and it comes with a handy zippered pouch for protection. To quote my partner, the Baia is definitely “a vibe” but despite their summery feel, they’ve quickly become part of my year-round wardrobe.
The Baias are so light I forget I’m wearing them, yet the arms feel secure against my temples and behind my ears. Have you ever had a pair of sunglasses slide off your face if you bend over (or, hypothetically speaking, if someone knocks your kayak over “on accident”)? That hasn’t happened for me with these. And while Sunski offers the same lens replacement deal for this pair, I’ve found that they are the most scratch-resistant of the bunch so far. Despite daily wear, the lenses look nearly perfect. I love how neutral the Champagne Amber colorway is – but I’m also super tempted by the Copper Forest pair (don’t be surprised if you see me in them someday!).
YUBA
This is the style that started it all for me: my very first pair of Sunskis was a pair of Tortoise Amber Yuba sunglasses. Sadly that pair is no longer with me, but thanks to Sunski’s lifetime warranty, they were quickly replaced (more on that later!). The Yuba is like the Dipsea’s older sister, still rounded, but ever-so-slightly more angular. And since I had already purchased a tortoise pair of the Dipsea style, I decided to give a different colorway a go the second time around: Champagne Forest.
The light frames read almost clear on my skin, and they are perfect for warm summer days when I don’t want to weigh down my outfit with heavier-looking frames. They also feel lightweight on my face, not bumping my cheeks or settling too hard on the bridge of my nose – a sentiment echoed across styles. This frame is my favorite of Sunski’s Everyday Collection (so far, at least, based on the styles I’ve tried!), but if it were my only one, I might switch back to the tortoise colorway for better year-round wearability.
PUERTO
Sunski kindly sent me a pair of their Puerto sunglasses as a surprise, and admittedly, I don’t think it’s a pair I would have chosen for myself. The Puerto has a rectangular frame and is one of the brand’s larger frame styles, so it doesn’t really suit my face. But you know who does have a bigger face (and if I may say so, looks damn good in just about everything)? Michael, who happily snapped these up.
The Puerto is the only one of the styles in this guide to have the Performance Fit, which wraps around the temples slightly for better peripheral views – a benefit I noticed right off the bat. This pair might not be my go-to, but if you have an average or larger face shape, I bet you’d enjoy taking these out for a paddle or a skate.
BERNINA
If we’re following the sibling logic I employed above, then Bernina is the cooler, more grown-up sister to the Baia. Like the Baia, this pair features premium metal frames, a small profile, and an included zippered case – but where the styles diverge is in the silhouette. Billed as vintage aviation-inspired eyewear, the Bernina has an almost hexagonal shape and perforated sidewings. Even with the additional metal on the sides, the pair still feels extremely light on my face.
I’m pleased with the Bernina for daily wear, but even though they’re polarized, I wouldn’t recommend wearing them for driving or activities where you need to use peripheral vision. The sidewings are intended to reduce glare, but they also reduce my scope of sight and I just feel a little less comfortable navigating traffic. But for regular day-to-day life? I’ve been reaching for them just as often as the Baia, and will probably do so even more as the temperature cools. Note: If having a pair of sunglasses with side protection is important, the Alpine Collection models all have removable sidewings.
USING SUNSKI’S LIFETIME WARRANTY
To be honest, I didn’t even know about Sunski’s Lifetime Warranty until I pulled my Yubas out of their case and found the arm snapped at the hinge. But just twenty hours after filling out a short form, a promo code landed in my inbox covering the cost of a brand new pair of sunnies. Since then, I’ve also needed to replace the screws on my Baias, and after filling in the same form, Sunski shipped a set my way.
While I never hope to break a pair of sunglasses, I’ve had great experiences with the brand’s warranty and I appreciate having the peace of mind. The process is totally painless, but it doesn’t work on intentional damage, general wear and tear, or scratched lenses. For the last item on that list, Sunski offers a lens replacement program to help keep your sunnies in good shape.
REPLACING SUNSKI LENSES
Scratches happen, but thankfully Sunski offers Lens Kits for just $18 – even for the premium styles. Once my Dipsea sunglasses were scratched to the point of clouded vision, I decided to order a set of replacements. And as much as I loved the blue reflective lenses on a day at the beach, I found I wasn’t reaching for them as much at home; since the lens colors are interchangeable within the same model of frames, I decided to go for a complementary Amber lens.
Swapping out your lenses isn’t hard, it just takes a little sunshine and grip strength. To remove your old lenses, you’ll need to place the frames in a warm spot to soften slightly (Sunski instructs you to place them in direct indoor sunlight for fifteen minutes, but my home is so dark I had to place them outside for about the same amount of time). Then it’s all about the push-and-pull, tugging at the frames while nudging out the old lenses with your thumb.
Once the old lenses are out of the way, you’ll carefully line up the new ones within the notch on the frame and work them into place. It takes a little more pressure than you think it might (I confess I was worried I might break them at one point!), but they’re sturdy enough to handle it. Once they’re securely in place, it’s time to polish and head out for new adventures!
FINAL THOUGHTS ON SUNSKI SUNGLASSES
Sunski has been my go-to brand for sunglasses for several years now, because they meet my personal threshold of style and quality at a price that I consider to be a great value (as of publication, everything is under $100, and most items are around the $50 or $60 mark). They’re expensive enough for me to want to maintain and hold onto, but not so exorbitantly priced that I would be devastated if I left them behind. And I really like knowing that if they break while I’m away, they’ll be fully covered. I rarely am 100% satisfied, but after finding my favorite styles, I can’t really find fault with them. They’re lightweight, fit well, and look great – what more could I want?
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Questions for you
What is your current favorite pair of sunnies?
Have you ever lost or broken a pair of sunglasses? Were you heartbroken? (Was it in a river? It wasn’t your fault, was it – who knocked them in?!)
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All of these styles look fab on you!
Such a timely post too, because I accidentally broke my sunglasses on vacation this past weekend! Such a sad day. It’s awesome these have such an easy to use warranty.