How to choose your watersports sunglasses

Product managers, engineers, and laboratory staff: We gather all our optics specialists to design your sunglasses.

Consider the following when buying sunglasses for watersports: lens category, design, buoyancy and fit.

When you're on the water, the sun can have a far greater effect than on land. So it's a good idea to make sure you can see without being blinded by the glare. For this, you'll need sunglasses with the right lens category based on the weather you're dealing with.

The lens category is the index of glare protection, ranging from 0 to 4. The more intense the sunshine, the higher the category. For watersports, we recommend category 3 or 4 lenses.

Additionally, you can choose polarised lenses, which work to counteract the glare created by reflections on the water. These kinds of lenses are ideal for sailing.

To stop sun rays and glare from affecting your eyes, opt for a pair of wraparound sunglasses – they will wrap around your face and head, leaving no room for rays to filter through.

So, how can you be sure your wraparound sunglasses have the necessary coverage?

- By ensuring that they have a curved shape that fits your facial anatomy. This way, rays cannot penetrate from the glasses' bottom or top due to the tight fit.

- The arms width at the sides of the eyes should be larger than standard sunglasses. The frame prevents the rays from penetrating from the sides.

Whether you are kitesurfing or kayaking, as with any water sport, it's very typical to fall into the water. You'll likely lose your sunglasses to the sea bed when that happens. Even if you don't think you'll fall or get into the water, your sunglasses might fall off your face or head while moving around. Enter floating sunglasses!

Thanks to their unique makeup, these sunglasses will bob up to the surface of the water if they fall in so that they're easier to spot and recover.

To avoid losing your watersports sunglasses and ensure your eyes are protected, your sunglasses must fit securely on your face.

Two areas of the face deserve special attention: your nose and the back of your head, as this is where the sunglasses rest.

Ideally, your sunglasses should sit on the top of your nose. As for the arm tips, they should fit snugly against your head. A quick test is to shake your head slightly and see if the sunglasses stay in place or shake dangerously.

Rubbery nose pads and arm tips will also help keep your sunglasses on, a great way to deal with sweat.

In addition, it is also common to use a strap and certain neoprene eyewear straps even provide buoyancy.

Rubber nose pads will help your sunglasses stay in place, perfectly unmovable on your nose. They may also be ridged for a better grip on the skin, meaning they’ll slip less, even if you’re a bit sweaty.

Rubber arms, sometimes ridged, offer a better grip on the skin.

Additionally, you can also use sunglasses retainers. There are two systems, either attached to the arm tips or positioned in place of the arms. These elastic straps will hold your sunglasses against your face.