By: Rachel McCullough

I’m particular about my gear—some might say a little too particular. Even with great products, I’m always imagining how they could be better. So, it takes a lot to catch me off guard. But I never once thought, do sunglasses really need arms? Ombraz did—and wow!

I admit, it did seem a bit sketchy at first, but it’s really the complete opposite. They are the most secure glasses I’ve ever worn, never slide down my face, and are way more durable than normal sunglasses. I’ve always hesitated to buy expensive sunglasses, figuring I’ll break them somehow. But these I can actually get on board with since I haven’t figured out how to break them yet.

Since these really stay put, block the glare and wind (if you get the optional side shields), they are solid choice for long days on the water and big days in the mountains.

Let’s get into the pros and cons.

Pros

They Stay Put

Probably the most annoying thing about wearing sunglasses is getting sweaty, already being hot and uncomfortable and then having to push them back up my nose every other minute as I’m hiking along with poles or otherwise have my hands occupied. Even worse is when I look down and they fall off my face completely.

Problem solved. There is an easily adjustable nylon cord that takes the place of the normal sidearms, so you snug them up exactly how you want, and they will stay put.

Super Comfortable

Since there are no arms, there is nothing to dig into your skin above your ears. The cord is there but it doesn't rest on your ears at all. It’s more like wearing a comfy headband. That means no pressure points or headaches.

Durable and Packable

There’s kind of nothing to break with these. The non-existent arms aren’t going to snap off, and since they are basically flat, they are hard to crush.

They are not going to stretch out or get looser over time.

No More Loose or Lost Screws

You’re not going to lose those elusive tiny screws in the dirt somewhere because these don’t have them.

I can file away the lost hour of a backpacking trip trying to locate my sunglasses screw in the dirt and then trying every function on my multi-tool to try to get the thing back in (I recommend the tweezers).

Good Lenses

The polarized lenses come in different colors which let through different amounts of light. I went with the gray ones since they are the darkest.

Side Shields

They are similar to what you’ve find on glacier glasses, but way more stylish, just in case you don’t want to look like you just stepped off an Everest expedition when you’ve really just spent the day out on Lake Tahoe.

They also aren’t the typical leather which doesn’t allow for breathability. They are a bendable rubbery material with slats for ventilation, so you won’t fog them up. They also do a nice job of cutting down on the wind and keeping flying debris out of your eyes.

For the first few minutes seeing them in my peripheral vision threw me off but I forgot about that pretty much right away and they are great to keep on all the time.

They come separately and you can add these to any of their sunglasses.

Planting trees

For every pair of sunglasses sold, Ombraz plants 20 mangrove trees!

Cons

Have them on or off, not endlessly off-on-off-on.

I learned while wearing these that I take my glasses on and off like 100 times a day. Into the shade? Off. Back into the sun? On. Can’t see something on my phone. Off. Back on. Etc.

This works totally fine with a winter hat, or no hat since I can easily slide them up my face to rest on my head like I would with traditional sunglasses.

But if I am wearing a brimmed hat, there’s no quick solution. Getting them on top of my hat required two hands to loosen the cord, then move them, then tighten them.

Maybe it’s not a con for you, no one else was endlessly taking on and off their glasses that day. Also, I chose the darkest lens since my eyes are sensitive to the brightness. A lighter lens might not leave me feeling like I have to take them on and off.

The side shields are also not designed for quick operation. But I think they are perfectly fine to just keep on all the time.

Fogging

These didn’t fog at all when I was outside and moving along. But once I was back in the warm car, they fogged. With a regular sunglass I might lift them off my face for a second for the fog to clear. Just remember these take two hands to adjust so there is no quick lift up to ventilate.

Long hair

I’m not sure I totally figured out the best way to wear these with my long hair. I didn’t love the look of it denting the back of my hair when I have them over my hair, nor did I want my hair dented. They felt and looked good with it underneath my hair.  But that added some hassle to putting them on and taking them off.

Final Verdict

That’s up to you! What’s important?

If you want to prioritize stylish, comfortable, ultra-secure, built to last real sun protection for water and snow that are super easy to pack and aren’t going to break, absolutely yes. I don’t think I ever want to take sunglasses with screws on a backpacking trip ever again!

If you prioritize quick on-and-off convenience over everything else, keep those traditional sunglasses.

These are definitely keepers for me!

Author: Rachel McCullough

Rachel never turns down an adventure, whether it’s a dawn patrol or polar swim (without a wetsuit!). Rain or shine, she’s motivated to get outside. Besides playing in the mountains, you’ll find her at the helm of McCullough Web Services, the company she founded to help clients improve their online presence with impeccably-designed and easy-to-use websites.