Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.
I’m writing this edition of Five Plus One during a heatwave that would be causing some serious eyestrain if it wasn’t for polarized lenses. They’re a game changer, especially if you spend a lot of time driving or in the great outdoors.
Polarized filters only let light pass through in a single direction. For sunglasses, this means a lot less glare and bright spots while still being able to see almost everything as normal. This makes polarization an invaluable tool for anyone in environments where they can’t control the light. When the sun is blaring, polarization stops the glaring.
Despite being nearly century-old tech, polarized lenses are still a gold standard in the eyewear industry today. This installment. of Five Plus One is here to show you some great product from quality makers that pair these useful lenses with attractive frames.
1) Randolph Engineering – Aviator Polarized Cobalt/Matte Chrome
When it comes to quality eyewear, you can’t go wrong with Randolph Engineering. They’ve been producing eyewear for the US Military since 1977, with each pair made in Massachusetts to rigorous military specifications requiring over 200 steps over a 6-week period.
Randolph’s calling card is its Aviator, seen here in Polarized Cobalt/Matte Chrome. Known in the industry as ‘The Tank’, Randolph’s Aviator is as hardy as it is handsome, battle-tested over 45 years with a silhouette perfect for pilots and pedestrians alike. This chrome edition comes fitted with high-performance polarized lenses with a subtle blue iridescent mirror finish, and djustable cushioned silicon nose pads for a customized fit. All components are treated with protective coatings, further reinforcing the robust profile of these formidable sunnies.
Available for $329 from STAG Provisions.
2) Shinzo Tamura – Tennoji Copper
When it comes to polarized lenses, Shinzo Tamura is one of the first names on our minds. The Japanese brand is owned and operated by Shinzo Tamura, a third-generation president of TALEX, a Japanese manufacturer that exclusively makes polarized sunglass lenses. Talex revolutionized the eyewear industry in 1970 by producing the first fully balanced polarized lens, which didn’t sacrifice the natural colors, brightness, or contrast lost with previous polarized lenses
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Naturally, all Shinzo Tamura shades come with TALEX lenses, including these rather attractive Tennoji Copper Sunglasses. They’re made in Japan with a nylon frame in the classic amber brown tone that’s dominated the eyewear industry for decades, balancing a timeless aesthetic with the top-class performance of polarized TALEX lenses.
Available for $210 from Shinzo Tamura.
3) Oakley – Wire Tap 2.0 Pewter W/ Prizm Daily Polarized
For something on the techier side, look no further than Oakley‘s Wire Tap 2.0 in Pewter. The American company offers dynamic eyewear backed up by decades of athlete-guided research and technological developments.
With a charming 90s sports/aesthetic, the Wire Tap 2.0 is made with C-5™ metal, a super lightweight yet robust titanium alloy. The tonal lenses feature Oakley’s proprietary Prizm™ Lens Technology which enhances color and detail. The Unobtainium® (no, not the fictional material from Avatar) earsocks will keep these shades rooted to your dome, while the angular, wrap-around silhouette makes you look truly ready to tap someone’s phone.
Available for $275 from HAVEN.
4) RAEN – Remmy 49MM – Cirus/Vibrant Brown Polarized
Raen is part of a new wave of optics brands that have distilled the craft into simple yet effective processes, allowing super high-quality glasses to be had at reasonable prices.
Born in California, Raen’s sunglasses channel SoCal cool and the Remmy is a testament to that. Inspired by vintage round-framed sunglasses that dominated the West Coast in the mid-20th century, the Remmy is made with an acetate frame, seen here in a grey colorway with contrasting brown arms. Five-barrel hinges and wire-core arms ensure a robust frame, while polarized brown CR-39 lenses manufactured by Carl Zeiss mean you’ll be free from pesky glare while you’re chillin’ in the bay.
Available for $175 from STAG Provisions.
5) Garrett Leight – Kinney 49MM – Champagne Polarized
The Kinney is Garrett Leight‘s calling card, inspired by the iconic Ray Ban Wayfarer tweaked with a keyhole nose bridge and slimmer wire-core arms.
Handmade from cured cellulose acetate, the Kinney has a full steel core wire and five-barrel hinges for strength and durability. This unique, partially translucent ‘champagne’ frame is fitted with polarized Carl Zeiss blue smoke glass lenses that provide 100% UV protection.
Garrett Leight specs demand a heftier price tag than some of its competitors, but the brand is building a small empire with onsite labs in its flagship stores, which offer lens cutting and fitting within an hour. If you’re in California, Toronto, or New York, you can check this out for yourself.
Available for $445 from STAG Provisions.
Plus One – Shwood Eugene Wood Sunglasses
At first glance, these Shwood Eugene Wood Sunglasses look like your standard, Clubmaster-centric scenario, but they’re in fact made from hardwood! Laminated with carbon fiber, Shwood’s premium-grade hardwood frames offer the strength of synthetic materials but with the natural beauty of wood.
Suitable for a wide range of face shapes, the Shwood Eugene accentuates the browline with the hardwood but keeps things sleek with its wire rim lower. It’s made with spring hinges from German specialist, OBE, and comes with polarized CR-39 lenses with 100% UVA/UVB protection.
Each pair of Shwood Eugenes comes with a custom travel case made from eco-friendly chipboard, echoing the natural DNA of its frame materials.
Available for $199 from Shwood.
