The Best Sunglasses for Winter.
Shorter days, colder temperatures and distant summer holidays mean that sunglasses are rarely on the brain at this time of year. But they should be; and here's why.
From being dazzled by a low sun while driving, to protecting your eyes in the snow, to tackling that winter bike commute safely, there are so many reasons why winter sunglasses are an essential part of any winter wardrobe. Read on to find out what makes winter sunglasses so important, and how to choose your pair.
Table of Contents:
1. Why Do I Need Sunglasses in Winter?
2. Best Sunglasses for Driving in Winter
4. Best Sunglasses for Cycling in Winter
5. Best Sunglasses for Running in Winter
6. How to Choose the Best Winter Sunglasses
Why do I need sunglasses in winter?
As the nights draw in and temperatures drop, keeping your sunglasses in reach can feel counter-intuitive. But wearing high-quality eyewear in winter is essential to keeping your eyes healthy and yourself safe throughout the long winter months:
Looking forward to your ski or snowboard holiday? Spending time in snowy environments without proper UV protection can cause eye damage, known as photokeratitis or "snow blindness". All SunGod sunglasses and ski goggles feature 100% UVA and UVB protection, keeping your eyes protected even in the harshest environments.
Or maybe you spend lots of time on the road? We've all experienced the discomfort and danger of being dazzled, driving on a wet road with a low winter sun. Polarized sunglasses are precision-engineered to cut our glare, keeping you safe and sane on the roads.
And for those braving the bike or run commute on dark mornings and evenings, a pair of sports sunglasses with low-light lenses are essential for maximizing your vision and giving you the clearest possible view of the path ahead.
Best sunglasses for driving in winter
Sun glare on winter roads is a huge cause of motor accidents in winter, and the AA recommends keeping a pair of good-quality polarized sunglasses in your vehicle at all times.
Polarization is an invisible microfilter added to a sunglasses lens, which cuts out glare from the sun. This reduces eye strain, makes colors appear bolder and brighter, and makes your eyes more relaxed. By removing the need to squint and cutting out glare, polarized sunglasses are key to keeping you safe on the roads in winter.
SunGod lifestyle sunglasses are available with polarization and prescription, making them ideal for driving. Our bestselling sunglasses for driving are:
Best sunglasses for snow
Spending time in snowy or high-altitude environments can cause long-lasting eye damage. Our charity partner, Shades of Love, collects sunglasses and distributes them to indigenous communities in the Andes and Himalayas, where high altitude and thin air mean that even on cloudy days, locals are exposed to harmful levels of UV. As a result, up to 80% of people in these communities experience eye disease or blindness in their lifetime.
This just goes to show how important proper eye protection is in snowy or high-altitude environments. Even short-term exposure can cause snow blindness, which is similar to sunburn on your eyes. Although it's usually temporary, snow blindness is a guaranteed way to ruin your ski trip at the very least.
Luckily, this can be easily avoided by wearing sunglasses with certified 100% UV protection. All SunGod sunglasses and ski goggles offer 100% protection against harmful UV rays, and will ensure your eyes stay protected in the snow every time.
Best winter cycling sunglasses
From clocking up the winter training miles, to dark morning commutes, the best cycling sunglasses for winter feature low-light lenses. These are designed to enhance your vision when conditions get tough, and are absolutely essential to staying safe on the bike through the winter months.
All SunGod cycling sunglasses offer low-light and photochromic lenses, for enhanced performance and safety in poor light conditions. Our low-light lenses are the 8KO®Clear and 8KO® HV Blue, while our photochromic lenses - which darken or lighten in response to UV - are 8KO® Iris Smoke and 8KO® Iris HV Blue.
"I always wear SunGod's photochromic sunglasses because they transition on the move, so they're good for light and dark."
Pauline wears:
Best winter running sunglasses
The most committed runners don't let winter weather get in their way, and the best running sunglasses enhance every run in tough winter conditions.
Our award-winning running sunglasses, the Ultras™, feature Grip-Lock™ nose pads and earsocks, which are crafted from an intelligent, hydrophilic rubber material that attracts moisture the wetter it gets. That means on your rainy winter runs, your running sunglasses will stay firmly stuck in place.
The Ultras™ also feature low-light and photochromic lens options, offering ultimate clarity on darker days. These are all built from our market-leading lens technology, 8KO®, which is lighter, tougher and clearer than industry-standard polycarbonate lenses, meaning your winter sunglasses provide optimal clarity every time.
How to choose the best winter sunglasses
The most important element when choosing your winter sunglasses is to decide what you're going to be using them for most.
Cycling and Running: Are you a keen cyclist or runner, who will be fitting in training in dark mornings and evenings? If so, low-light lenses or photochromic lenses are key.
Driving and Everyday: Do you spend a lot of time behind the wheel, and need a pair of sunglasses to cut out glare from the low winter sun? Polarization is the number one priority for you.
Skiing and Snowboarding: Or perhaps you're a skier or snowboarder, who spends their winter in snow-covered mountains? If that's the case, certified UV protection (which all SunGod sunglasses and goggles feature) should be top of your list.
However you spend your winter months, our range of sunglasses includes the right pair for you. All SunGod sunglasses feature 100% UV protection, triple-layer scratch-resistant lenses, market-leading lens technology, and an unrivaled Lifetime Guarantee.
Chosen by the world's best athletes - from 7x Tour de France winners INEOS Grenadiers and world number 1 ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter, to McLaren F1 Team and England Rugby - SunGod eyewear performs on the global stage every day.
See Better with SunGod
At SunGod, we're driven by our mission to See Better. That means that when you buy winter sunglasses - or any sunglasses - from SunGod, you can relax in the knowledge that we're creating sunglasses in the right way. We're a certified B Corp, all our products and operations are carbon neutral, and we donate at least 1% of our revenue each year to sustainability-led charities.
And that's just the start. Discover more about our commitment to sustainability by checking out our mission today.
