You鈥檝e got months of long, sunny adventures ahead, so don鈥檛 forget the shades. We asked runners, bikers, and climbers聽which sunglasses they鈥檒l be rocking through the dog days. Here are their recommendations.
Smith Optics Mt. Shasta ($220)

Alex Borsuk, Ultrarunner
Ultrarunner Alex Borsuk digs shades because they take her from 鈥渢rail to tavern.鈥 With a vintage shape and impact-resistant Carbonic TLT lenses for clear optics, the Mt. Shasta offers performance without sacrificing style. These aren鈥檛 the shades for super-long days鈥攖he nose bridge has minimal structure, so they tend to slip down a sweaty face on a long run鈥攂ut that鈥檚 not what they鈥檙e built for. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e comfortable and work well for short to medium-length runs or hikes,鈥 says Borsuk, who lives in Portland, Oregon. 鈥淎nd they still look great at the brewery when you grab a beer afterward.鈥
Julbo Aero ($190)

Andy Anderson, Mountaineer
Andy Anderson, a national park ranger and avalanche forecaster based in Lake Tahoe, has always had trouble with sunglasses鈥攖hey either bounce up and down, fit poorly, restrict his vision, or are too dark in the shade. The only pair to pass muster is the . The frame maximizes airflow and minimizes fog. The mono lens spans both eyes and provides more peripheral vision. The Reactive Zebra Light lens is photochromic, so it adjusts to ambient light conditions. These shades also have a built-in shock absorber on the temple to keep them secure and comfortable during high-impact movement. 鈥淭he only thing they don鈥檛 fix is me looking like a dork,鈥 Anderson says. 鈥淎nd if there鈥檚 one thing I have learned over the last 40-plus years, it鈥檚 that nothing will fix that.鈥
Julbo Aerolite ($130)

Stephanie Violett, Ultrarunner
The is the shade of choice for Stephanie Violett, the 2014 Western States women鈥檚 champion and Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc finisher. They have the same construction as the Aero but are designed to stay put on runners with smaller faces. Violett also prefers the Zebra lenses: 鈥淭hey鈥檙e ideal because they adjust when I go in and out of shade. That鈥檚 important on long runs or races when the sunlight is changing.鈥 Plus, she says, the low-profile glasses are so lightweight that she sometimes forgets she鈥檚 wearing them.
Costa Slack Tide Polarized 580P Sunglasses ($180 to $200)

Brandon Orloski, Multisport Athlete and Gear Expert
Brandon Orloski has worked in the outdoor industry for ten years, testing gear for Backcountry.com. When he needs a pair of sunglasses that can keep up with all of his summer activities, he picks the with polarized lenses made with polycarbonate, a clear plastic also used for shatterproof windows that鈥檚 ideal for lightweight sunglasses. 鈥淭he lens quality is amazing鈥攄efinitely one of the clearest lenses I have looked through,鈥 says Orloski. When it comes to fit, he says the frames are snug. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 feel like they will come off going down mountain bike trails or on trail runs.鈥 If you鈥檙e casting a line in a rushing water, Orloski recommends threading a bit of fishing line through the small holes on each side to make a DIY croakie.
Sunski Manresa ($68)

Lael Wilcox, Bikepacker
Lael Wilcox, who has spent the past nine years bikepacking around the globe, doesn鈥檛 spring for fancy sunglasses. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really have anything too nice, because they get greasy and gross, and I鈥檓 just going to throw them away,鈥 she says. For someone who holds the women鈥檚 record on the 2,745-mile Tour Divide, Wilcox has her priorities straight: Pack light, and don鈥檛 get attached to things. Recently, though, a friend gave Wilcox a pair of , which she鈥檚 wearing on a ride across Switzerland and France. 鈥淚 was like, 鈥楪reat! These look good,鈥 Wilcox says. They鈥檙e simple polarized sunglasses made with quality materials at a lower price point than most performance sunglasses. Several of Sunski鈥檚 models, including the Manresa, have recycled frames. Bonus: Sunski sells a lens replacement kit for $7.