Cheap Means Expendable, Which Also Means Less Stress

By Ariella Gintzler

I was five miles into an eight-mile run, cruising along a sandy, winding trail down a ridge high above Santa Fe, when I yard-saled. I don鈥檛 remember what I tripped over. But I do remember landing belly down in the dirt, with my hat and sunglasses ten feet away in opposite directions. I was fine; my sunglasses, however, were toast. Thankfully, they鈥檇 only cost me $25.

I have expensive taste when it comes to gear: My choice sports bra is over $70. My preferred winter puffy is $300. My favorite running shoes are nearly $200. But sunglasses are an exception. This has to do with the fact that I am both a klutz and can be a tad absentminded when enjoying my surroundings outdoors. Proper care and cleaning only get me so far, because inevitably I drop my sunglasses. Or I stuff them, caseless, into my pocket. I fall and launch them into the dirt. I forget they鈥檙e perched above my hat brim and then send them flying when I remove my cap. In an effort to be mindful, I carefully set them to the side during a trail break, only to sit on them or thwack them with the butt of my backpack while digging for trail mix.

Sure, when it comes to specialty eyewear for specific sports (like goggles for skiing or an endurance shield for road biking), I still rock the pricey stuff. But for everyday use on runs, hikes, and travel days, I鈥檓 perfectly happy with the cheap stuff. Actually, I鈥檓 happier, because I can enjoy myself without constantly worrying about ruining the most delicate and accident-prone part of my kit. Does a $25 pair of shades provide the sharp optics of a $100 or $150 pair? No. But I鈥檓 more than willing to make that sacrifice for some peace of mind.

Expensive Sunnies Offer Exceptional Protection, Optics, and Style

By Will Taylor

As a surfer, cyclist, river rafter, trail runner, and all-around gear tester, I鈥檝e tried just about every variety of sunglasses out there, at the full run of price points. And while I鈥檝e lost some to the bottom of the Pacific, broken others in bike wrecks, and scratched still others beyond any serviceable utility, I remain in favor of spending the money on shades. With apologies to ZZ Top, life鈥檚 too short for cheap sunglasses. Quality eyewear is essential outdoor equipment, protecting one of the most important parts of your body, and it makes life under the sun more enjoyable.

UV-blocking and shatter-resistance ratings are usually impressive with higher-end offerings, so you鈥檙e treating your eyes better. And because superior hardware is used on expensive models, they last longer than the convenience-store options. And I don鈥檛 baby them: I tend to use a single pair for everything I do outside, nor am I concerned about wiping them down with a T-shirt or dropping them in the dirt or the drink. I also admit that I鈥檓 vain; I like good-looking shades, and when you spend more, a bump in steez is generally part of the deal. But what you鈥檙e really after is excellent optics. Gazing across the ocean or a whitewater rapid through an outstanding pair of polarized specs is alone worth the investment. What鈥檚 that old saying? Oh yeah: you get what you pay for. That鈥檚 certainly true of eyewear.

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At long last, sunglass designers are knocking down barriers between style and function, closing the gap between how well you see and how good you look. To wit, this season鈥檚 best include lightweight running glasses you can wear for a work lunch; a fun, multicolored take on glacier glasses; an elegant racing shield that鈥檚 lighter than a AA battery; and boat glasses that are seriously sleek. Cautionary note: Unprotected, the optical excellence for which you paid handsomely will degrade in a hurry. Baby your shades the way you would any other piece of expensive gear. Keep them in soft microfiber pouches and clean them carefully.

POC Elicit ($250)

Best for Going Fast

This drastically minimal performance shield is like wearable Zen. It weighs just 23 grams, with a single frameless, synthetic lens that stretches high and wide, so you鈥檒l lose track of where the Elicit ends and your face begins. The color- and depth-enhancing lens encourages high velocity, because you see so much so fast.

Nathan Sunrise ($50)

Best Value

Nathan designed its debut sunglasses for runners, but this street-sport crossover is a do-it-all option for any outdoors enthusiast. In quality and aesthetics, the Sunrise rivals shades twice the price. Polarized synthetic lenses yield a crisp view, while the light, springy thermoplastic frame fits snug but not too tight. (Grippy inserts at the ears help.) Plus, the medium-size frames offer ample protection and a classic Wayfarer look.

Smith Embark ($199)

Best for Trail to Town

Our love of the Embark boils down to color. Yes, with their bright blue detachable side shields, comically mismatched temple tips, and purple frames, these shades are eye-catching and fun. But it鈥檚 the brown-tinted, polarized lenses that make them stand out. The throbbing, vivid optics boost hues and contrast so well that one tester compared them to using hallucinogens.

Sponsor Content
SPY+ MONOLITH 50/50 (Polar $190, Non-Polar $150)

Built for the bold 鈥� MONOLITH 50/50 are the ultimate statement-making performance sunglasses. The oversized lens delivers an unbelievable field of vision while SPY+鈥檚 patented HAPPY庐 Lens tech is tuned to boost most and alertness. The durable and lightweight TR-90 frame features Scoop庐 venting for clearer vision as well as rubber nose pads for secure fit, making them the ultimate shades for any adventure.

Spy+ Genre ($120)

Best for Style

Super-wide, blocky temples mate to large, glossy black frames, creating a continuous band around the head. Surprisingly for such fashion-forward shades, the Genre perform decently on mellow outdoor missions. Thank the neutral, gray-green lenses that punch up depth but are easy on the eyes, so you can take them on and off without color shift as you move in and out of shade.

Costa Caleta ($206)

Best for Boats and Beaches

Many serious water shades look bulky or dorky. Not the Caleta. Costa鈥檚 designers snuck in seaworthy features without compromising aesthetics. Sizable but stylish cat-eye lenses make for ample coverage and unobstructed vision. Discreet pads add grip inside the frames, and wide temples block peripheral light. The polarized, gray-tinted glass lenses offer superb optics. Just remember that glass lenses, still the apogee of optics, are not meant for impact sports.

Rudy Project Agent Q ($250 and up)

Best for Extremes

When the wind gusts or mud flies, the Agent Q shines. On its own, this sleek wrap is like any standard pair for cycling or running. But it comes with myriad add-on features like snap-in gaskets around the lenses that breathe but stop particulates; removable side shields; and a detachable elastic head strap. We tested the version with photochromic lenses, which automatically adjust from 26 to 91 percent blockage and are rated to military standards for impact resistance. (Not all versions have these lenses.)

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This year鈥檚 batch of shades marks a historic breakthrough for color-neutral cool gray tints. For the first time, the majority of the sunglasses that earned a spot in this year鈥檚 best-of mix feature gray tints that are truly sportworthy. This means you see more detail, faster.

Why? Well, gray ain鈥檛 what it used to be. So-so gray lenses tend to be flat. But now, the best of the best鈥攆or example, this year鈥檚 Gear of the Year winner鈥攂oast select light filtration. This does for light wavelengths what a mixing board does for audio. You get a view that seems natural but is actually engineered to pump up color, depth, and detail, without any obvious color shift.

Boll茅 Prime ($140)

Before recent advances in fine-tuned color filtration, gray lenses tended to produce flat optics鈥攁 no-go for high-speed outdoor action. Meanwhile, more vivid tints often made for an unnatural view skewed toward certain colors. But by using artificial intelligence, Boll茅 managed to provide the best of both worlds. At the brand鈥檚 optics lab in France, designers machine-simulated 20 million possible combinations of wavelength filters. They wound up with a lens tint that punches up colors across the spectrum while retaining a natural balance with enhanced contrast and depth. (颅Glare-reducing 颅polarization helps.) The resulting view is truly amazing.

Designers went big on the aesthetics, too: a silhouette reminiscent of seventies aviators, with flashy blue-颅purple 颅mirroring. But those large lenses serve more than just looks. They鈥檙e also extremely protective, and gently curve with the frame for more coverage at the sides. You might feel overdressed for the group ride or run, but that鈥檚 on you, because these shades hold their own against pure performance models you can鈥檛 wear on the street. We also love the featherweight nylon build, grippy rubber nose and ear pads, and springy temples that hug the head for security. All told, that鈥檚 significant value for less than $150.

District Vision Takeyoshi Altitude Master ($220)

Best for Racing

Like early sports wraps, these shades鈥� curving synthetic lenses nest close to the eyes for maximum protection and field of view without a huge frame. An antifog coating helps keep your breath from condensing. Bendable rubber nosepieces and wire cores inside slender temples conform to your face and hold shape for a perfect fit.

Costa Del Mar Fantail Pro ($269)

Best for Driving

A packed freeway on a bright day is an instant headache without the right shades. The Fantail Pro鈥檚 premium glass lenses are polarized to reduce glare, and boast a gray tint that punches up depth. They鈥檙e expensive, but glass will 颅perform for years since it鈥檚 less prone to scratching.

Electric Oak ($250)

Best for Style

Slick frames and small lenses make the Oak more of a lifestyle shade than a technical one, but it still wound up in our regular rotation. A stainless core runs through clear acetate temples, while rounded lenses and a keyhole bridge lend a classic look. We also love the synthetic polarized lenses, with a gray-green tint reminiscent of vintage sunnies.

Smith Flare ($179)

Best for Trail to Town

Smith鈥檚 Flare riffs on a 颅flamboyantly large Jackie O design that turns out to be 颅wonderful for runs, hikes, and rides. The sizable polarized gray-tinted 颅synthetic lenses offer ample protection and sharp vision. Smith uses its own 颅wavelength-filtration formula to boost color and contrast. Rubbery nosepieces add grip.

100 Percent Rideley ($120)

Best for Sport and Style

The Rideley鈥檚 chunky frames are 颅simultaneously a little retro and 颅on trend. Artful ombre coloring鈥攖he frames fade from black to a frosty clear鈥攅levate the look. Aesthetics aside, the mildly wrapped rectangular synthetic lenses offer 颅just-right protection for 颅everyday sports.

Dragon Alliance Meridien LL ($129 and up)

Best for Water

These superb polarized synthetic shades boast a neutral gray tint that鈥檚 easy on the eyes. Our favorite trick: the H20 Polar version ($205) has frames made from a low-density plastic that鈥檚 extremely lightweight and floats when you drop it. Why aren鈥檛 all watersports shades buoyant like this? It鈥檚 costly to engineer durable frames out of such light material.

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After over a year of the pandemic, it鈥檚 no surprise that many of us are in . But not only our minds have been affected鈥攖he many months we鈥檝e spent cooped up indoors have also had an undeniable impact on our bodies. (As anyone who has been working from their closet or kitchen table can attest.) We spoke to several doctors about the aches, pains, and irritations that our bodies have developed听during this period of isolation. If you鈥檙e hurting and hobbling as you re-emerge into society, you鈥檙e not alone. Here鈥檚 a survey of the damage, along with some potential remedies.

Broken Toes and Aching Feet

For many of us, more time at home meant more time spent barefoot or wearing only socks. And the longer that our little piggies are exposed, the greater the odds of a painful crash into furniture. 鈥淏y far, the one thing that has really skyrocketed at foot and ankle clinics in terms of numbers is toe injuries,鈥� says Ettore Vulcano, an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon at Mount Sinai in New York. (He also saw many people with 鈥�,鈥� the painful, inflamed digits that occasionally accompanied COVID infections.)

Foot and ankle surgeons also reported an increase in plantar fasciitis鈥攊nflammation around the base of heel鈥攁nd achilles tendonitis. Both of these can be brought on by tromping barefoot on hard surfaces or by being sedentary for long periods of time. Even brief daily exercise can go a long way in avoiding these aches. 鈥淟eaving the home for a half hour walk is extremely important,鈥� Vulcano says.

And if you鈥檝e been padding around barefoot, it may be time to invest in some cushy house slippers. They could even prevent a trip to the emergency room: Vulcano says that foot tendon lacerations also increased during the pandemic鈥攖he result of dropping kitchen knives during our quarantine cooking adventures.

Breakouts and Hair Loss

Masks have helped significantly to slow the spread of the virus, but they鈥檙e not always friendly on our skin. Mount Sinai dermatologist Shoshana Marmon says there鈥檚 been a rise in lower face breakouts, or what鈥檚 been dubbed 鈥渕askne.鈥� Plus, constant hand washing and sanitizing have听led to an increase in eczema flare ups.

The pandemic also听brought a spike in hair shedding, because the body sometimes responds to stress by shunting resources away from our scalps, explains Marmon.

Communities hit hardest by the pandemic have seen bigger surges in hair loss. In a study of two hospitals in New York City serving low-income, racially diverse communities that experienced especially high mortality rates from the virus, patient . 鈥淪eeing loved ones get sick, losing jobs鈥� there are multiple ways you can develop this type of hair loss,鈥� says Marmon, who is also a senior author of the study.

Hair loss generally occurs two to four months after a stressful event. Fortunately, per Marmon, it almost always reverses in six months.

Neck, Back, and Shoulder Strain

When the pandemic hit, those of us who were able to work from home had to quickly cobble together work stations. The result was often less than ideal. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 remember how many times I talked to people who were working in a closet,鈥� says Mark Benden, an ergonomics expert with Texas A&M University. On top of that, , intensifying the strain, says Benden. 鈥淚t may not just be that your monitor is too high or your keyboard is improperly positioned or you鈥檙e using the wrong mouse, it might be that you鈥檙e having all this other stress manifesting听itself physically in our neck,听shoulders, and arms.鈥�

We also moved less, in part due to the short commute from bed to couch.听Accordingly, complaints of neck and shoulder pain have risen across the past year, says Benden. But this isn鈥檛 only due to our desktops. Many of us now spend four to six hours a day听staring down at our smartphones鈥攁 position that also leads to pain.

There isn鈥檛 an ideal body position for computer work, says Benden. Sure, adjustments like moving your monitor so it鈥檚 at eye level can help. But the key is avoiding holding still for too long. Benden suggests the 鈥�20, 8, and 2鈥� rule鈥�20 minutes of sitting, broken up with eight minutes of standing and two of walking. 鈥淏uilding in that variety and change is really important,鈥� says Benden.

Worn and Chipped Teeth

When Tricia Quartey-Sagaille鈥檚 dental practice opened back up after New York鈥檚 lockdown, she noticed an alarming trend: almost daily, she鈥檇 see patients with jaw pain or chipped teeth caused by clenching or grinding, up from only about one such patient a month before the pandemic.

Many people channel prolonged stress into teeth clenching and grinding at night. According to an American Dental Association survey published in March, dentists saw in clenching and grinding, cracked or chipped teeth, and jaw pain compared to pre-pandemic stats.

Quartey-Sagaille says those problems have yet to subside at her practice. 鈥淭he most common stress is childcare,鈥� she says of her patients. 鈥淏eing at home all day long with the kids … that still has not gone away for a lot of people.鈥�

And even if you aren鈥檛 waking up with your mouth locked or your jaw aching, you may be unknowingly grinding听away, says Quartey-Sagaille. The only way to be sure is with a dental exam, where your dentist may recommend a night guard.

Blurring Vision

In a survey by the American Optometric Association, 83 percent of eye doctors said they noticed during the pandemic. Our sanitizing regimens also hurt our eyes; in the same survey, doctors reported an increase in chemical burns from cleaning products. Dry eyes, headaches, and eye strain all increased during the last year. Some eye issues ease when we give our peepers a break, but other times the solution is simply a stronger prescription.

To prevent the need for ever-thicker lenses, optometrists promote the 20-20-20 rule. For every 20 minutes working at a computer, stare at a point 20 feet away for 20 seconds. And .

A Distorted View of Ourselves

Hours of staring at ourselves during Zoom meetings have only given us more time to scrutinize our faces for imperfections. Front-facing computer cameras can also distort facial features in unflattering ways, leading to what dermatologists have dubbed 鈥淶oom dysphoria,鈥�听a preoccupation with perceived defects in appearance, exacerbated by the surge in video calls.

In a study published in the International Journal of Women鈥檚 Dermatology, more than half of the dermatologists surveyed saw during the pandemic. Of those, 86 percent said that patients reported seeing themselves in video conferencing as a reason for their visit. Especially when we sit close to a camera, it tends to stretch parts of our face and squish others based on their relative distance to the lens, so many people in video calls were staring at skewed renderings of their faces. 鈥淧eople were forced to not only look in the mirror, but actually what I refer to as a circus mirror,鈥� says Shadi Kourosh, a dermatologist with Harvard Medical School and senior author of the study. She thinks many of those who consulted cosmetic surgeons may not even realize that their computer camera causes such distortions, giving them a false idea of how they actually look. Increased time on social media worsened the situation, Kourosh says. After looking at our distorted face for hours, we鈥檇 then turn to our phones and compare ourselves to highly edited images on Instagram.

An improved camera and lighting can help. But even better: spend less time scrolling, manage stress, get some sunshine, and move your body. For many of the lingering physical effects of the pandemic, that鈥檚 the common prescription.

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Smith Castaway ($239 and up)

When it comes to optics, glass lenses have always beat out synthetic ones. Smith鈥檚 new Castaway levels the playing field. These shades are available in both synthetic and glass construction, but even the former produce a visual acuity so eye-popping that we actually thought we were looking through glass the first time we took them out. Luckily, while plastic lenses are easier to scratch, they鈥檙e far less prone to shattering, so you get a truly top-notch view even during rough sports like trail running, biking, and climbing. Just remember to swaddle your shades in microfiber pouches to protect those great optics. Smith鈥檚 proprietary polarized coating filters out two narrow bands of wavelengths between primary colors, further boosting definition. The lenses curve around to the sides, where wide temple pieces take over to protect from lateral wind and light. Smith markets this frame for fishing, where detail can be the difference between catching a fish or not, but it鈥檚 a winner for just about anything鈥攅ven casual running. Hefty glossy frames, spring hinges, and a detachable leash make them look like a classy redo of the sports-wrap shades your dad wore back in the nineties. They鈥檙e not cheap, but the high-quality build and cross-generational vibe will last.

Zeal Lolo ($149)

Best for Boosting Your Mood

The most infectiously cheerful sunnies in this bunch, the Lolo boasts see-through tangerine frames so bright you can practically taste citrus just by looking at it. But these sporty fashion shades offer more than just aesthetics. Zeal鈥檚 polarized brown-tinted synthetic lenses make details, depth, and contrast pop, so you鈥檒l get a clear view whether you鈥檙e checking out a surf break or a summit vista. Meanwhile, rubber grips at the nose and ears keep everything in place for rec-level play. With its sassy, overstated Wayfarer-style frames, the Lolo looks like what it鈥檚 made for, which is pure and simple fun.

Rudy Project Spinshield ($170)

Best for Triathlons

Aesthetically, this go-fast beauty hearkens back to road-bike shields from the eighties, which were basically just goggle lenses with temple arms attached on the sides like popsicle sticks鈥攕imple and functional, without sci-fi aesthetics. Thankfully, Rudy Project married that purity to a crisp, modern single-blade synthetic lens in color-neutral gray, which is great for road racing. Fiery red flash mirroring reduces glare. But the real headline here is those spectacular looks: maximal where it counts (in coverage) and gracefully minimal everywhere else. The price isn鈥檛 bad for such quality and class.

POC Avail ($180)

Best for Sport and Style

Many stylish street-sport crossover shades only come sized for those with small heads. We鈥檙e grateful that the Avail is big enough for the rest of us to get in on the fun, too. Made for weekends filled with multiple activities, the Avail boasts large round synthetic lenses that are stylish yet provide copious coverage and a host of features perfectly suited to all manner of sports and workouts. This includes feathery plastic frames, rubber-tipped arms, and adjustable nose pieces that grip when you sweat. Lightly tinted lenses with anti-glare mirroring take good care of your eyes in all but the brightest conditions.

Spy+ Dirty Mo Tech ($130)

Best for Trails

Until sports wraps with neon mirroring make a comeback as acceptable streetwear (if ever), these blue-eyed monsters are just the thing for hitting dirt and rock that might hit back. High-definition synthetic lenses boost depth perception and enhance contrast, so you can quickly read your line and react to obstacles even as you dart in and out of shade. That optical quality is matched by equally solid coverage, protection, and security, thanks to large lenses that curve slightly around the sides of your face. Wide temples block lateral sun and grippy rubber-clad frames hang on no matter what.

Oakley Deadbolt ($297)

Best for Drawing Attention

Oakley goes art-gallery hipster in this street-smart fashion piece. The lightweight titanium frame is built like a bench-made watch, with precisely constructed individual segments that screw together. A downward kink in the temples will catch the eyes of passersby even from a distance. The relatively small frames are scant on coverage, making these best for the city. But optics are still tip-top, with deep-gray, mirrored, polarized synthetic lenses that kill glare and reveal amazing detail in noonday sun. These frames flatter all genders but look best on small to average-size heads.

Ombraz Dolomite ($140)

Best for River Days

Instead of the usual hinged temple pieces, Ombraz鈥檚 shades have an adjustable cord that runs from one side of the frame to the other, around the back of your head. Cinch it down to keep the Dolomite in place on even the rowdiest rapids; in the shade, loosen the cord and let the sunglasses hang around your neck for quick deployment. The mechanism takes two hands to operate, so these won鈥檛 be your go-to for driving. But for river days or mellow hikes, they鈥檙e the ticket. We also love the detailed glare-free view through the polarized synthetic lenses. Style points for the frame鈥檚 sculpted side shielding.

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I was working in 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 basement in the summer of 2012 when a coworker popped his head down and informed me that one of the senior editors was cleaning his office. 鈥淗e鈥檚 getting rid of some really good shit,鈥� he said.

The box of refuse Grayson Schaffer left outside his door had been picked over by fellow junior editors and interns by the time I got to it, but there were still some gems to be had: I scored a severely burned Jetboil pot听and a pair of glacier glasses that Schaffer wore while reporting on the climbing season at听Mount Everest that year. Nine years later, the Explorer is听still an essential part of my spring ski-mountaineering kit.

Harvesting sweet springtime corn snow during long days in the mountains is one of my greatest outdoor joys. The warm sun makes for听great conditions and often a more stable snowpack, but that sun also delivers the challenge of protecting your skin and eyes. I cannot overstate how much it sucks to scorch your peepers looking at bright snow. On really long days, harsh light reflecting off the ice creeps in the corners of normal sunnies and can leave you with a sharp headache or even temporarily impaired vision. That鈥檚 where glacier glasses come in.

Julbo, which is based in Chamonix, France, invented the category in the 1880s. 鈥淏ack then, people who were crossing glaciers to look for minerals were basically wrapping towels around their face and looking through slits to get across the glaciers,鈥� says Julbo North America CEO David Crothers. Mountaineers asked local eyewear maker听Jules Baud听for a solution, and what he came up with was the first pair of glacier glasses.

That legacy has been passed down through the Baud family, says Crothers. While the company has expanded to a wider range of performance eyewear in the past 130 years, its heritage in superior mountain sunglasses听shows in products like the Explorer. This style was the first modernized pair of glacier glasses to hit听the American market, and it is still frequently seen on slopes and peaks听around the world (although the originals were discontinued for ($150) that鈥檚 more breathable and features a better fit).

I love my OG version. The removable soft plastic sides offer complete coverage听yet breathe听exceptionally well, the result of gill-like venting at the bases of the side pieces鈥攖hey don鈥檛 let light in听but do allow air to circulate. They also fit comfortably, thanks to a wide nose bridge and moldable arms, the latter of which keep听the sunglasses听secure during dynamic movements.

The only downside to the Explorer听is its听looks鈥擨 wouldn鈥檛 wear these on date night (there are other options more appropriate for that). They鈥檙e not stylish, but in the mountains, who cares? All that matters is that my eyes are rested and relaxed after I take them off, and in that regard, the Explorer always delivers.

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According to the , more bicycle fatalities occur between 6 P.M. and 9 P.M. than at any other time鈥攏early 40 percent. You can probably guess why.听

While no amount of safety gear can protect you from a distracted or drunk driver, being visible on the road at night can听help you avoid being struck by attentive drivers. One of the most effective听ways to ensure听this?听Bike lights. They鈥檙e not just for night riding, either: though not legally required, daytime running lights can also help to catch a motorist鈥檚 eye听in broad daylight听(more on that later).听

Bicycle lights are broken听into two categories: lights to see and lights to be seen. 鈥淏e-seen lights are just bright enough so nearby motorists or pedestrians can see you,鈥� says Andrew Ibanez, a sales representative at the bike-lights company . 鈥淭o-see lights are much brighter, illuminating the road or trail ahead.鈥� There鈥檚 obviously some crossover between the two.

Solid Versus Flashing Lights

Most lights have several听settings, ranging from solid to flashing to pulsing,听often at various speeds. A solid white light is hands down a cyclist鈥檚 best option for seeing the road ahead at night. It鈥檚 also excellent for making you visible to other road users, while not distracting others听and delivering constant information about your location. 鈥淐ontinuous lighting sources are less jarring than blinking lights,鈥� says Ryan Young, youth-programs coordinator at the .听

On the other hand, research shows that solid light isn鈥檛 as good at capturing our attention, making it a less optimal setting for a taillight or a be-seen headlight. According to Heather Nenov, an ophthalmologist from , light entering the eye at a consistent brightness activates photoreceptors at the back of the eye. However, when light enters the eye in flashes, it activates those photoreceptors repeatedly and can activate more of them. 鈥淭hink car-brake lights,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the contrast that catches our attention more than if they were just on continuously.鈥澨�

A conducted by Pennsylvania鈥檚听听also concluded that faster flash rates draw more attention than slower flash rates. But there is a limit: 听at the Color Usage Research Lab on how the brain processes flashing light听showed that our eyes respond best to lights that flash between four and eight hertz (cycles per second).

The Optimal Setup

At Night

You should always run a minimum of two lights on your bike while riding at night鈥攁听front-facing听light听to illuminate the road ahead听and a听rear-facing taillight so drivers听behind can see you. Your front light should be white, bright enough for you to see any upcoming obstacles, and set to the solid-beam option. Most good nighttime听front lights range from 250听to 2,000 lumens (in听comparison, ). 鈥淔or a light that is designed to see, many riders are comfortable mountain-biking at about 700 lumens, but 1,000 lumens is what I really start recommending as the minimum,鈥� says Alex Applegate, the marketing manager at Bontrager, a maker of cycling apparel and accessories like lights.听鈥淚f you are commuting on the open road and using the light to see, I would use the same recommendation. In a city setting with more ambient light, you can get by with less.鈥�

Your rear light should be red and听ideally pulsing, and it only needs to be bright enough for other cars to see you. Your rear light only needs to be 鈥攎uch less powerful than your front light. Remember: it doesn鈥檛 need to help you see, just be seen.

It鈥檚 also not just about lumens.听鈥淟umens are听a measure of total light output,鈥� says听Applegate.听鈥淭he higher the number, the more total light is emitted.听But it鈥檚听not as easy as more lumens equals more visibility鈥攐ptics and focus play a huge part in where听the light goes and how far you can see it听or be seen while using it.听Think about a regular lightbulb: it鈥檚 pretty bright up close, but from a distance, not very visible. To be visible from a meaningful distance, especially during the day, the focus and optics of a light are just as important as lumens.鈥�

Not all models offer a pulsing听option, so make sure you do your research before you buy. The , , and all lights include a pulsing听option.听If your light doesn鈥檛 have a pulsing option, a flashing or strobing light is better than a solid beam, especially at night,听according to , which sells daytime running lights.听

During the Day

Daytime running lights are not legally required, but 听found that the accident rate for cyclists with constant permanent running lights is 19 percent lower than for cyclists without lights. During sunny hours, getting a driver鈥檚 attention requires a more powerful light source or flashing pattern. Daytime running lights, like the Bontrager Flare RT, have a different, more concentrated beam pattern for higher visibility in bright light.听But if you don鈥檛 have a dedicated daytime light, switch听both your front-facing and rear-facing lights to the brightest setting available, and turn them to pulsing or flashing mode. According to听the same research compiled by Trek, 鈥渦sing a flashing tail light [during the day] can make you up to 2.4听times听more noticeable than a rider using no lights at all (and up to 1.4听times听more noticeable than a rider using a light in steady mode).鈥� Some lights, such as the or the听, automatically detect changes in ambient light and adjust intensity and flash rate accordingly.

Light Positioning

No matter what mode your light is in, it鈥檚 useless if it isn鈥檛 placed where drivers can听see it. While mounting lights on highly visible body parts鈥攍ike your head (via your helmet)鈥攊s all well and good, Cascade Bicycle Club鈥檚 Ryan says you should only do this for your headlight听if you already have a light also mounted on your handlebars.听鈥淚f your only front-facing light is on your helmet, you can always see where you are looking,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut if you turn your head, the traffic opposite听your direction of travel will no longer see your light [or potentially听you].鈥� If you attach your taillight to your seatpost or seatstays, be sure it鈥檚 not being obstructed by a saddlebag or your tire. As with any new piece of gear, get familiar with your lights before taking them out on the road.

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Turn on virtually any movie made in the past four decades with American military characters in it, and you鈥檙e going to see actors wearing timelessly stylish, metal-framed sunglasses with distinctive straight temple tips. Many of听those are made by , and the talent is wearing them for two reasons: they鈥檙e the real deal, and they鈥檙e听perfect. I鈥檝e been wearing mine since December.

Based just south of Boston, Randolph Engineering is a small, family-owned company that鈥檚 been making eyewear in the U.S.听since 1973. It was awarded its first military contract in 1978听and still produces glasses adherent to the military鈥檚 20-page-long technical requirements, for both Department of Defense and civilian customers.

That means these aviators are made using a six-week, 200-step process that鈥檚 completed 80 percent by hand. Only one step鈥攅lectroplating the frames to give them a durable finish鈥攖akes place outside of Randolph鈥檚 own facility.

You might expect such an exhaustive pursuit of quality to warrant听a very high price tag, and while these aren鈥檛 of the cheap gas-station variety,听, only a few bucks more than foreign-made competition from the various Luxottica brands. The value proposition is boosted by a lifetime warranty for frame joints, a two-year warranty for all other defects, and an in-house, mail-in repair service for anything else, starting听at $25.

Randolph spent the past decade attempting to pivot its business away from the boom-and-bust cycle of military contracts toward听the more predictable consumer market, but it does still make eyewear for all branches of the armed forces. Today听it offers听styles beyond its original aviator, in a wide variety of finishes that go well beyond the classic chrome.

I wear a 55-millimeter听aviator with a听bright chrome frame听and polarized, green-tinted glass lenses, options that take听the total price up to $279. The green tint cuts blue light, reduces glare, and aids contrast. Polarization is a chemical laminate applied to lenses in a vertical pattern, designed to help reduce reflections coming off horizontal surfaces, like water and snow. These听lenses only allow 10听percent of light through, making them more suitable in very bright conditions than the 15 percent that鈥檚 more typical from aviator-style glasses. They鈥檙e also shatterproof听and polished to the same clarity standards as a camera lens.

Randolph employs听a unique bayonet听temple that eliminates the traditional hooked earpiece. The glasses squeeze your head to remain on, rather than resting on your ears. I find this arrangement more comfortable. Designed to be compatible with helmets, the bayonet temples easily slide on and off through the viewport of听a motorcycle helmet. That lack of a hook also eliminates a pressure point that鈥檚 always bothered me while trying to wear other glasses under helmets.

Aside from the classic, understated look听that makes these shades go well with anything from a tux to a T-shirt, and their comfort, the thing that makes Randolph鈥檚 aviators so good is the vision they deliver. As anyone who鈥檚 ever looked through a really expensive set of binoculars knows, the difference between low- and high-quality glass is astonishing. The view through these things is just as good as it is through its听rivals I鈥檝e tried that cost three times as much, and it鈥檚 vastly better than anything I鈥檝e experienced from mainstream brands.

All this adds up to a pair of glasses that look听so听classy, I wore them at my wedding,听on the 5,000-mile drive down to Baja Sur, Mexico鈥攚here I married my wife鈥攁nd back, and virtually every day since. Their extreme clarity improves my ability to drive safely by helping me identify potential obstacles at a greater distance in bright light than naked eyes alone could. For sportswear, they鈥檙e not quite stable enough to wear on a mountain bike, and I add a leash to them when donning听them on the water, but they will stay in place through slower-paced activities, like hiking or resort skiing. While fishing, the polarization eliminates the most water-surface reflection of any glasses I鈥檝e tried.

Now that I鈥檓 so familiar with these aviators, watching听TV has gained听new entertainment as well: Randolph spotting. One night during the height of the COVID-19 shutdown, I counted these exact same sunglasses in three separate action movies. And now I know why they鈥檙e so ubiquitous on-screen.

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District Vision Junya ($250)

Ignore the woo-woo branding. In the hands of this Lower Manhattan鈥揵ased company, whose glasses are crafted in Japan, eyewear ascends to art, with gracefully curvy, minimalist designs. But the Junya earns our accolades for more than aesthetics. It offers the sharp optics, full protection, and supreme comfort you need for pounding out miles in town and in the mountains, in sun or shade, without resorting to the flashy astronaut looks of so many race frames. The Black Rose synthetic lenses have a purple tint that works in a startling range of bright颅ness, with incredible acuity and depth of vision in low to medium light. The frames seem small compared with showier shields but provide top-notch coverage and shelter even in gale-force winds. Frosty temples look like skinny icicles and have bendable titanium-wire cores for dialing in fit. Rubber-clad 颅nosepieces hold their position, and the frames鈥� feathery weight reduces bounce. Beauty is as beauty does鈥攊n this case, it does a lot.

Costa Del Mar Ferg ($279)

Best on the Water

Judging by optics alone, the Ferg is the pick of this summer鈥檚 crop. Costa鈥檚 580G polarized lenses are made of glass, which reigns supreme for sharpness, pop, and scratch resistance. The obvious issue鈥攖hat glass can shatter on impact鈥攄oesn鈥檛 rate when all you鈥檙e hit with is wind and spray, so con颅颅sider these watersport specialists. To that end, Costa rigged the Ferg for serious boat颅ing, with sly side shielding to keep out crosswinds and bright sun. Flexible rubber earpieces add firm but friendly grip.

Zeal Rampart ($149)

Best Behind the Wheel

Put these slick sport-street crossover frames through their paces on the trail, and do it again on the drive to happy hour. Your friends will 颅never guess you鈥檙e rocking trail shades. The refined rectangular shape and high-gloss frames play down these sunnies鈥� technical strengths, like polarized wraparound lenses that provide wonderful detail, depth, and glare relief even when you鈥檙e facing straight into the sun. Rubber patches at the ears and nose secure your investment.

Shwood Canby Stone ($295)

Steeziest

A fascia of light-toned slate over a laminate of walnut reinforced with aluminum makes the Canby Stone鈥檚 frames positively breathtaking. The technical chops鈥攃risp, clear, 颅gray-tinted polarized lenses, plus smooth-颅action stainless-steel hinges鈥攍ive up to the design vibe and build quality. Shwood鈥檚 frames are relatively lightweight for their class (we even took them on a three-mile jog, which they handled fine) but the niche is fashion. These are for outdoorsy connoisseurs who have style and don鈥檛 mind buying up.

Electric JJF 12 ($240)

Most Versatile

Glacier glasses are critical for safeguarding eyes from alpine glare, but wearing them around town is a recipe for dweebishness. The JJF 12鈥檚 snap-in, snap-out side shields solve that problem. The 颅color-neutral, polar颅ized synthetic lenses are as high contrast as gray gets, and they stand up to hellish brightness and UV exposure. With the shields ready to deploy, you can go straight from the hippest Seattle coffee shop to the summit of Mount Rainier without changing frames.

Oakley Trailing Point ($196)

Best for Training Days

Oakley鈥檚 new women鈥檚 frames fuse fashion with pro-level sport design. The rounded-off cat-eye lenses are bare along the bottom edge, which looks sleek and playful and makes technical sense for the same reason it does on race shades: lower weight and less obstruction to your field of view. The Trailing Point is a performance model in every way except looks. Coverage is wide, weight minimal, and security top-notch. The polarized synthetic lenses deliver spectacular optics.

Wiley-X Compass ($150)

Most Bombproof

To rate this macho number鈥檚 impact 颅capa颅bility, the American National Standards Institute dropped pointed weights onto it and fired projectiles at it. The lenses would not crack or pop out. Hidden behind the aggressive wraparound frames, a soft detachable gasket rests against your face to seal out wind and dust. This goggle-like protection is great for any sport that involves savage sun, howling wind, or things flying in your face. Crisp polarized lenses round out the package. Your eyes will be the best-armored (albeit the least fashionable) part of your body.

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The are pissed. Instead of filling their birdbath promptly this morning, my husband and I made pancakes. I sip tea and watch them rampage through the mulch, raking bits of bark into the air with their tiny golden dinosaur feet. If I don鈥檛 act soon, they will move to the flowerpots and dig up any seedlings they find, in protest of our sloth. A pair of big fat look on, hopping around the trunks of the pine trees, their white-framed eyes comically indignant above their puffed-out orange听breasts. I put on my garden clogs, grab the watering can, and head to the spigot. The air is full of music.听Before returning听inside, I spot a perched at the top of a juniper, a ball of pearl-gray floof in a pointed hat, trilling a couple rounds of mating call before launching into flight. It鈥檚 a darn peaceful feeling, being engaged with the comings and goings of my neighborhood鈥檚 feathered denizens. Not once do I pick up my phone to check the news.

Birding鈥攖he pastime of observing and listening to birds鈥攊s something I found gradually and casually. A high school environmental-science听teacher听made me memorize 20 or so Pacific Northwest species, laying the foundation for basic identifications like 听and how to tell a hawk from a vulture in flight. (Vultures have more splayed-out wing tips and look like a tippy V in the sky instead of a smooth-gliding kite.) When I moved to the East Coast, I delighted in spotting iconic cardinals, flashy orioles, and flirty mockingbirds. Eventually I married a former Eagle Scout with an impressive collection of field guides and a nice set of binoculars. We settled in Santa Fe,听bought a house, and set about getting to know our new backyard friends.

I鈥檝e been听more hooked than ever since I started听working from home听this spring. Lying in bed each morning listening to the shifting mating-season choruses definitely beats stumbling off to the gym听(not that it鈥檚 an option right now anyway). Watching the irate ballet of towhees and robins instead of compulsively scrolling on my phone makes me feel an actual sense of calm and connectedness to the moment amid the swirling chaos and unknown.

But perhaps the best thing about birding is that it鈥檚 an easy-access hobby, no crazy-expensive or cumbersome equipment required. Here are my six favorite tools for learning who鈥檚 who in your neighborhood.

‘Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America’听($20)

Larger than a pocket-size field guide but smaller than a coffee-table tome, is the book that鈥檚 earned a permanent place on my windowsill next to the binoculars. The color plates are sharp and detailed, with black arrows highlighting key species鈥� characteristics,听like wing bars and crown feathers. On-page range maps provide clarity if you鈥檙e not sure whether you鈥檝e got a Carolina听or Bewick鈥檚 wren. True beginners: check out the introduction, which walks you through the practical basics of how to identify birds and use the book.

Song Sleuth App (Free)

Much of the time, it鈥檚 easier to hear birds than it is to see them, which is frustrating. is a brilliant tool for figuring out who鈥檚 trilling their head off at 7 A.M.听outside your window. Set your state, select Record and ID,听point your phone鈥檚 microphone at the source, and hit Record as soon as you hear the first few notes of the song. (The app smartly bumps the start of the recording back a few seconds from when you hit the button, so you don鈥檛 need lightning-fast reflexes to capture a perfect song.) When you鈥檝e got your sample, the app鈥檚 algorithm compares the audio to a library of recordings of听more than 200 North American bird species. You鈥檒l then get to peruse the top-three closest matches, each with a set of song and call recordings, species information, and a beautiful illustration by renowned ornithologist .听Pro tip: don鈥檛 start listening to recordings within听earshot of the birds鈥攖hey鈥檒l think someone is crowding their turf and leave.

Nocs Provisions Standard Issue 8×25 Waterproof Binoculars ($115)

It鈥檚 easy to spend upward听of $500 on field binoculars, but for the beginner or intermittent enthusiast, makes a solid pair at an affordable price. The 8x听magnification (meaning you can see birds eight times closer than with the naked eye) lets you spot details鈥攍ike eye-ring feathers and beak shapes鈥攖hat can make or break a correct ID. The optics aren鈥檛 as crisp and tunable as my higher-end 鈥檚 ($350), but the Nocs weigh half as much (11.85 ounces), making听them the pair I reach for when I鈥檓 scoping out a new face at the birdbath.

Droll Yankees Onyx Clever Clean and Fill Mixed Seed Bird Feeder ($50)

It鈥檚 nice to give back to your new friendos听and create a spot where you can view them chowing down. Droll Yankees is renowned for the quality of its USA-made听feeders, which come with a lifetime warranty against squirrel damage. features a twist-off base that makes for easy cleaning鈥攊mportant, since you should do this . For food, ask your local bird shop or garden center for regional and seasonal recommendations, or try this crowd-pleasing blend from .

Merlin Bird ID App (Free)

Last week听I spent hours flipping through books,听trying to identify a fat gray bird with a very generic sparrow face and an orange undertail. After less than five minutes on Cornell Labs鈥� ,听I pegged it as a canyon towhee. Once you download the info for your geographic area, the app uses four basic questions鈥攄ate of sighting, bird size, bird color(s), and bird location鈥攖o give you a list of likely species, with clear, lush photos to make your ID, plus general info, geographical maps, and a library of songs and calls. Not quite sure what size the bird is? Or whether it鈥檚 orange or yellow? No big deal: simply change your answers and try again. If you鈥檙e in a browsing mood, the Explore Birds feature lets you scroll who鈥檚 likely to be in your area today based on migration patterns.

Aspects HummZinger Excel Hummingbird Built-In Ant Moat Feeder ($27)

Hummingbirds are hilarious and an important . This workhorse feeder treats them right, with a dish configuration that resists mold better than bottle designs, and the moat up top prevents ants from invading. (You will have to refill the moat every couple days in summer, but it鈥檚 worth it.) At the start of the season, the nine-inch red lid never fails to quickly attract hummingbirds to my yard within a day or two.听To make about 16 ounces of hummingbird food: bring two听cups of water to a simmer, and whisk in a half-cup of pure white cane sugar听(never raw, turbinado, or organic sugar, which听contain iron-rich molasses that鈥檚 .) Let this cool to about room temperature, fill the feeder, add some water to the ant moat, and get ready for the action. When it鈥檚 time to refill, run it through the dishwasher on the top rack.

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