- Joan Hahn
- May 28, 2021
- Last Updated on
When playing under the intense heat of the sun, you are going to need a little more support than just a tennis cap. We’re talking about a reliable pair of sunglasses, so you can keep your eyes glued to the tennis ball sans the squinting.
We took turns trying out the best tennis sunglasses in the market today and rated these babies below.
- Lenses repel water
- Anti-fog lens coating
- Scratch-resistant lens
- Thermogrip pieces
- Affordable
- Flexible frame design
- Durable
- Stays in place
- Lightweight
- Interchangeable lenses
- Lightweight
- Impact-resistant lens
- Protects you from UV radiation
- Fits well
- Color coverage
Top 10 Sunglasses for Tennis Players
1. Bolle Bolt Sunglasses
Bolle Bolt Sunglasses stand out among other brands due to their aesthetics, quality, and affordability.
In athletic sunglasses, Bole is one of the leading manufacturers. These glasses incorporate a wide variety of groundbreaking technologies in each pair of tennis sunglasses.
You have lenses that have an outer layer that works to repel water on these glasses. The anti-fog coating of these glasses prevents fogging from lenses, and it is also scratch-resistant.
Another great feature of these glasses is that it comes with a variety of Thermogrip pieces. The pieces are found in the temple tips, nose pad, and adjustable nosepiece.
When these pieces are in contact with sweat, the thermogrip activates and provides additional grip to prevent slippage.
PROS
- Lenses repel water
- Anti-fog lens coating
- Scratch-resistant lens
- Thermogrip pieces
- Affordable
CONS
- Not suitable for off-court
- Hard to clean
2. Oakley Men's Half Jacket 2.0 XL Rectangular Sunglasses
Oakley is a famous brand for sunglasses for a tennis player because of its features and quality. The frames of these sunglasses are made from polycarbonate flexible. These are known as an O-Matter frame.
These glasses frames are stress-resistant as they are made from injection-molded thermoplastic. The frame delivers durability, flexibility, and longevity.
An O-Matter frame on these glasses is made to withstand physical endurance for years. These also have ear socks and nose pads that increase grip when making contact with your sweat on the court.
These pairs of quality sunglasses protect you from UVA, UVB, and UVC rays. The HDO design gives you superior clarity when you are looking at all angle lenses.
PROS
- Flexible frame design
- Durable
- Stays in place
- Lightweight
- Interchangeable lenses
CONS
- Sports only
- Expensive
3. Oakley Men's Jawbreaker Shield Sunglasses
These are more popular for cyclists than for tennis players. However, it’s steadily gaining popularity in the tennis market because of its functionality and design.
It protects your eyes from UV Rays when playing tennis. These glasses of High Definition optics deliver 100 UV protection. One of the reasons it’s gaining popularity in the tennis market is its tight fit on the athlete.
The frame material is stress-resistant, and the molded thermoplastic frame, which gives it flexibility and strength.
PROS
- Lightweight
- Impact-resistant lens
- Protects you from UV radiation
- Fits well
- Color coverage
CONS
- Plastic circles create blind spot
- Adhesive could be better
4. Bolle Python Sunglasses
The Bolle Python Sunglasses is a popular sport sunglasses for a casual tennis player because of two things: style and affordability. The pair of sunglasses are made from durable plastic and have a lot to offer for features.
The frame features an anti-slip nose piece and temples, so the tennis sunglasses stay in place despite sprinting around the tennis court.
It gives you polarized polycarbonate lenses that are both fog and scratch-resistant. You also have three colors to choose from on the lenses.
These glasses are made to transmit only 14% of the visible light, making these a good choice for hotter days for excellent vision.
What makes the Bolle Python Sunglasses different is their coverage. It fits for all occasions, on the court and off-court.
PROS
- Anti-slip nosepiece
- Stays in place
- Anti-fog
- Scratch-resistant
- High level of coverage
CONS
- Not for cloudy days
- Fragile
5. Oakley Women's Unstoppable Rectangular Sunglasses
Oakley Unstoppable Rectangular Sunglasses is the alternative Jawbreaker Shield Sunglasses for women. These pairs of tennis sunglasses are stylish, practical, and effective.
These come in a wide array of lens colors for more options. The reason why Oakley gave the sunglasses the name unstoppable is because of its application.
The sunglasses are for sports, leisure, and style for year-round wear.
You can buy the polarized or the unpolarized option. You have five different frames as well.
PROS
- Stylish
- Multiple colors available
- With carrying case
- Polarized and unpolarized lenses
- Year-round wear
CONS
- May be too flexible
- Expensive
6. Under Armour Men's Core 2.0 Sunglasses
While Under Armour isn’t a tennis brand, they do manufacture one of the best sunglasses for tennis. The sunglasses feature the ArmourFusion frame and ArmourSight lenses.
The ArmourFushion frame is a blend of titanium and Grilamid, making the pair lightweight, flexible, and durable.
The AmourSight lenses give the player 20% more peripheral vision, and it gives ten times more strength than most of the polycarbonate lenses.
You can adjust the sunglasses to fit your head shape for a custom-fit experience through its adjustable temples and nose pad.
The pair also features airflow technology, meaning it enables ventilation as you wear them. Another great feature is the cap gripper, which allows the sunglasses to stay in the head when the pair is worn upside down on a tennis cap.
PROS
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Flexible
- Custom-fit
- Good ventilation
CONS
- Not suitable for off-court
- Case is flimsy
7. Tifosi Jet Sunglasses
Tifosi Jet Sunglasses are an affordable pair, making it a good option for beginners looking for a starter pair.
They are polycarbonate sunglasses. The Jet sunglasses are shatterproof, and they are made with nylon making them lightweight and durable.
You are getting soft and waterproof nose pieces that activate when exposed to sweat to ensure it stays in place.
The package comes with a protective case that keeps them safe during travels. It comes with an instructional manual.
PROS
- Affordable
- Quality case
- Shatterproof
- Lightweight
- Design coverage
CONS
- Slightly flimsy
- Presses on your temples
8. Under Armour Igniter Sunglasses Oval
The Under Armour Igniter is a good option for both men and women. It sports an aesthetically pleasing design and gives you a wide variety of colors.
Under Armour is known for creating lightweight and durable frames, and the Igniter Sunglasses is no exception. The ultralight frame is a blend of grilamid, polycarbonate, and titanium, making it one of the best sunglasses on the market.
The nose pad and templates are made with rubber to keep them in place when playing tennis. The lenses feature ArmourSight technology, meaning it delivers clarity for your vision.
The Under Armour Igniter lenses have impact resistance, and it offers 100% UVA, UVB, and UVC protection, keeping your eyes and vision safe.
PROS
- Affordable
- For both men and women
- Lightweight
- Delivers UV protection
- Polarized lenses
CONS
- Limited to on-court design
- Paint peels off
9. Bollé Copperhead
The Bollé Copperhead sunglasses are made for athletic individuals. The sunglasses come with a padded case. You are getting a microfiber cleaning cloth to keep your lenses clear.
The sunglasses are available in five varieties of colors. It offers 100 UV protection, and it blocks harmful UV rays while preventing glare when you are playing tennis.
Bollé Copperhead fits on users with smaller faces and different shapes for a custom-fit experience. The frame of the sunglasses is nylon with small hydrophilic rubber pads.
The polarized lenses have a fog-resistant and anti-smudge coating. Another helpful feature is the rubber nose pads and temple, so it stays in place. The sunglasses feature an anti-reflective coating as well.
PROS
- Five color availability
- 100 UV protection
- Hydrophobic nose pads
- Stays in place
- Polarized lenses for your vision
CONS
- Not for vast facial structures
- Nose grips may be too sticky
10. HULISLEM S1 Sport Polarized Sunglasses
The HULISLEM S1 is one of the cheaper options on the list. The sunglasses come with FDA-approved polarized lenses.
You have eight styles and colors to choose from, which allows plenty of room for personalization. It features a polycarbonate frame, making it lightweight and durable—good sunglasses for long-term use.
The lenses deliver blue light protection, and these are 100% UVA, UVB, and UVC. You are getting a high-definition sunglasses lens. It features an iridium lens coating that removes the glare.
PROS
- Affordable
- Eight designs and colors
- Blue light protection lenses
- HD lenses
- 100 UV protection lenses
CONS
- Not suitable for off-court
- Not ideal for cloudy conditions
How to Choose the Best Ones
Frame Size
The frame size of your sunglasses is an important feature. Purchase sunglasses that fit the shape of your face.
Opt for smaller frames if you have a smaller face to ensure that it stays on your nose bridge. Or you may purchase polarized sunglasses with a wrap design to fit your face.
Make sure to measure your eye size horizontally when you are looking for a pair of sunglasses. You start from the lens outside of the edge, going to the interior edge. Commonly, the sizes range from 40 to 62 mm.
The temple size of the sunglasses is the length of the temple arms. It varies from 120mm to 150mm. The bridge size is between 14mm to 24mm.
Lens
Acrylic
Sunglasses with acrylic lenses are inexpensive, meaning it’s a good option for casual tennis players who want an aesthetically pleasing design. However, these lenses aren’t as durable in comparison to other types of lenses. It also delivers less optical clarity than some of the lenses on the list.
Optical Glass
Optical Glasses are well-polished lenses. These lenses feature a distortion-free vision, and unlike the Acrylic pair of sunglasses, these lenses are quite durable for long-term use. Optical glass lenses are crash-resistant for eye protection. These lenses carefully cut through the glare.
Optical glass sunglasses are for tennis players who take the sport more seriously.
NXT Polyurethane
NXT Polyurethane gives you the blend of optical glass and polycarbonates, making it a top-quality lens. When it comes to sunglasses, the NXT Polyurethane lenses cost the most. However, it’s lightweight, and it can endure the most rigorous activity. It also provides you with superior optical clarity with the right lens tint.
Frame Material
Most sunglasses you can find in the market are plastic frames as they are both lightweight and durable. However, there are plenty of other options to choose from.
You can purchase sunglasses with metal frames if you are looking for a corrosion-resistant pair. What’s more, these are incredibly easy to adjust.
Purchasing a pair of sunglasses made from nylon is temperature-resistant, so the temperature fluctuation does not affect it. These pairs of sunglasses are also flexible.
A pair of sunglasses made from Titanium is scratch-resistant and durable.
Shape
The shape of your pair of sunglasses extensively describes the overall aesthetics of the sunglasses.
There are multiple options to choose from, whether you are looking for an athletic fit or an overall stylish design for on and off-court wear in case you want to turn the sunglasses into prescription sunglasses in the future.
Price
An important factor is the price of the sunglasses. It is possible to purchase a cheaper pair of sunglasses under $100, but there are drawbacks.
Cheaper sunglasses for tennis translates to a weaker frame, and it may not satisfy you optically. However, some models are an exception to this. You have to spend time researching before making the purchase, choose the brand you trust.
Affordable sunglasses are suitable for beginner tennis players who do not want to invest large sums of money in their equipment. These are a good option for casual players and people who only play once or twice a week.
However, for avid tennis players and experienced athletes, purchasing an expensive pair of sunglasses allows you to save more money in the long term as it lasts longer, so that’s something to keep in mind.
Playing Conditions
Indoor or Outdoor?
Another thing to consider is your playing conditions. Are you playing in an outdoor tennis court with no overhead protection? If you are, you will be exposed to the UV rays when you are playing.
There are UV rays in both sunny weather and cloudy weather. Athletes who play on the court with direct sun exposure need sunglasses that deliver 100% protection from UVA and UVB to keep you safe from the sun and keep your eyes on the tennis ball.
Court Surface
Are you playing on a tennis court surface made from clay or acrylic? If you are, you are going to need polarized sports sunglasses to reduce glare.
Related Posts:
UV Protection
If you choose the best sunglasses for tennis, you have to consider the two types of UV light.
The UVA rays comprise 95% of UV radiation that goes through the surface of the planet. While these aren’t intense, they are 30-35x more common in comparison to the UVB rays.
UVA rays play a contribution to skin cancer development as well. (1)
Meanwhile, the UVB rays are the ones that are immensely harmful to your skin. These are the reasons for cancer, tans, and sunburns. These rays damage the eyes as well and differ in intensity.
In the summertime, the UVB rays are the strongest at 10 AM up to 4 PM.
You need quality sports sunglasses to keep your eyes safe from UVA and UVB. Ideally, the sunglasses are coated and polarized. However, it shouldn’t obstruct your field of view when you are in the game.
Special Features
Mirror Coating
If you want your sunglasses to block more of the visible light, look for sunglasses that feature a mirror coat. If you are playing in a full-sun environment, you are going to find this most helpful.
Tennis players who are playing in a variety of weather conditions need sunglasses with this feature as well.
Anti-reflective Coating
Some sunglasses feature an additional surface layer to lessen the glare of the sunlight from the inside of the lens.
While it is quite a useful feature, you can get a wrap-around style frame instead. It removes the backlights for the most part, and it fits nicely on the sides of the face.
Polarized Glasses
Polarized sunglasses feature the most common on the sunglasses list. It features a special filter that blocks light reflecting from the horizontal surfaces. As a result, the polarized lenses eliminate the glare and the hot spots.
Photochromic Feature
Depending on the light conditions, sunglasses with the photochromic feature will adjust to it. The sunglasses can either lighten or darken.
If you play tennis for long hours, starting from the morning up to the evening, you are going to find this feature for your sunglasses quite useful.
FAQs
The best color lens for tennis is green. The color green is believed to filter out harmful blue light, reducing glare and eye strain.
When it comes to polarized lens, blue is a good color as it enhances the yellow color of the tennis ball and improves contrast.
What’s Our Choice as the Top Tennis Sunglasses?
At the end of our research, the best sunglasses for tennis are the Bolle Bolt Sunglasses. It covers all the essential aspects of tennis sunglasses: the price, design, feature, and durability.
Belle infused the sunglasses with plenty of technologies for on-court use. The outer layer repels water, and the lenses have an anti-fog coating to keep you in tune with the game. The sunglasses are scratch-resistant.
OUR # 1 Recommendation
Bolle Bolt Sunglasses
- Multiple Thermogrip pieces
- Fog-resistant coating
- Water repellent
- Scratch-resistant
