Cricket sunglasses are an essential piece of kit for any cricketer, so today we are looking at the best cricket sunglasses.
When out in the field for long innings, the right pair of sunglasses can make all the difference when it comes to keeping your eye on the ball.
A good pair of sunglasses is essential to help you maintain visibility of the ball as light conditions change throughout the day, and protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays when you have no choice but to look into the sun to make that catch.
When it comes to cricket, you need sunglasses with a solid fit, so that they stay in place no matter what happens in the field. A good pair can also offer a modest amount of impact protection.
That’s a lot for sunglasses to be potentially doing, so not just any pair will do.
Read on as we go through our pick for the 5 best sunglasses on the market for cricketers. We’ll also share our comprehensive buying guide detailing exactly what to look for when choosing the best pair of sunglasses for playing cricket.
Sunglasses: An Essential Piece of Cricket Kit
You can be forgiven for wondering why so much attention is given to sunglasses when talking about cricket equipment. Don’t all outdoor sports benefit from a good pair of sunglasses?
While that is probably true, there are few other sports where you might find yourself in the field for six hours at a time on a sunny day. So, while they might not wear them for the whole match, sunglasses aren’t an “optional” piece of kit for cricketers.
Sunglasses are essential for protecting the players’ eyes, both from harmful UV rays and from potential impact injuries from very fast-moving cricket balls.
Sunglasses reduce the amount of glare, which improves the visibility of the ball, and some players will choose to wear coloured lenses to further enhance the contrast of the red ball against the green grass.
Players that need glasses can also get prescription sunglasses that enhance their vision.
But won’t any pair of sunglasses do?
Absolutely not! A standard pair of fashion sunglasses are unlikely to stay in place as you run around the field or make a big dive for the ball. They can also shatter on impact, which makes them a hazard for your eyes rather than protection. So, don’t leave sunglasses as an afterthought when you are putting together your cricket kit.
5 Best Cricket Sunglasses
Oakley Radar EV Path Sunglasses
If you want to use the same sunglasses as many of your favourite cricketers, your will need to fork out quite a hefty sum for these Oakley professional sporting glasses.
These are top-quality Prizm lenses that offer UV400 protection and are polarized for maximum visibility.
The EV in the title stands for “extended vision” and refers to the full range of vision that you get with these wrap-around lenses. There is no broken vision when looking down, and the upper peripheral wings on the lenses also offer a wider view.
The frames are made from a tough and durable material that is also extremely lightweight and offers good protection both if you accidentally sit on your glasses, or take an unexpected blow to the face.
The glasses are guaranteed to stay in place thanks to grips on the nose and the arms. The grips are made with Oakley-patented “unobtanium” technology, which means that they actually get grippier when moisture levels increase. So, a healthy sweat won’t dislodge these lenses.
- Polarized Prizm lenses
- Extended vision design
- Durable but lightweight
- Non-slip technology
- Favoured by professional players
Acclaim Titan Sports Sunglasses
These affordable sunglasses offer 99.9% UVA and UVB protection to ensure that your eyes are safe from the elements at all times. The lenses are also rainbow-tinted, which looks cool and reduces glare for better keeping your eye on the ball.
They use polycarbonate half lenses that are 0.1mm thick. This style means that the downward view is never broken, for superior visibility. The lenses and frames are also impact and scratch resistant to offer additional protection in the case of impact.
These glasses come as one size for adults, 15.5cm across the front of the face with a 2cm opening for the nose. They have rubber grips around the nose and at the end of the legs to make sure that they stay on, but will only be suitable if you use a fairly “standard” size.
There are four colours to choose from, so you can choose the pair that best matches your team’s colours. They come in a hard case, making them easy to store and transport without risking damage.
- 99.9% UVA and UVB protection
- Unbroken downward view
- Non-slip rubber grips
- One size
- Four colours
DUCO Polarized Sports Sunglasses
If you want options with your glasses, then these polarized sports sunglasses from DUCO might fit the bill. They come with five sets of lenses that you can interchange depending on your needs.
Choose from Revo Colourful HD Lenses, Yellow Night Visions Lenses, Grey Polarized Lenses, Light Blue Lenses, and Transparent Fresh Lenses.
All the lenses are UV400, which blocks 99.9% of harmful UV rays. They are also impact-resistant, offering an extra level of protection.
While they come in one size, both the nose pad and the arms have grip features and are adjustable to accommodate your facial structure. They have a rimless design that ensures the clarity of the lower field of vision.
There are also three colour options when it comes to frames, all made from light but durable thermoplastic.
- UV400 protection
- 5 interchangeable polarized lenses
- Impact-resistant frames and lenses
- One-size adjustable frames
- Three colours
Adidas Evil Eye Pro Half Rim Sunglasses
While these Adidas lenses have a retro-cool look, they use all the latest technology for functionality and protection.
They start with a polycarbonate lens that offers 99.9% UV protection and designed to offer a wide field of vision so that you are never unprotected.
Adidas also uses light stabilizing in their lenses, which they say enhances the appearance of primary colours. The result is great clarity in both strong sunlight and shade.
Choose from three sizes to get exactly the right fit, but the frames are made from a trademarked material that is both lightweight and flexible, so also easy to mould to your face. Grips on the nose piece and arms also hold firm.
- Polycarbonate lenses for 9.99% UV protection
- Light-stabilizing technology
- Wide field of vision
- Multiple sizes
- Non-slip technology
Sunwise Windrush Sports Sunglasses
These sunglasses from Sunwise come with four interchangeable lenses appropriate for different light levels. The lenses range in category from 0 to 3, with 0 being designed for clear conditions and 3 for strong light.
Changing the lenses is a simple matter of clicking them into place, so it is simple to do on the fly.
All the lenses are made from de-centred polycarbonate, which is around 30 times stronger than the lenses you find in normal fashion sunglasses. The lenses wrap around the face, ensuring a full range of vision, and full protection.
These are some of the most comfortable glasses on the market in terms of their nose grip, and the legs also provide good sticking power no matter what you are up to. This is another affordable option if you don’t want to splurge on professional-level sunglasses.
- Four interchangeable lenses
- De-centred polycarbonate lenses
- 99.9% UVA and UVB protection
- One size
- Comfortable nose grip
Best Cricket Sunglasses Buying Guide
While we have shared our top picks, there are lots of other great options on the market. So, the key is to know how to decide whether the sunglasses you have your eye on are appropriate for cricket.
Here is our list of the main things to consider.
UV Protection
Cricket sunglasses aren’t about fashion, they are all about protection, so the most important thing to consider is the UV protection level of the lenses.
The highest level of UV protection currently available is UV400, which means that the lenses block wavelengths up to 400 nanometres. These will block out 99.9% of harmful UVA and UVB rays (though they are often just marketed as 100% effective).
Polarized Lenses
While we often talk about polarized lenses in the same breath as UV protection, the polarization actually serves a different purpose. Polarized lenses block glare, which is an intense light reflected off shiny surfaces.
Polarization improves visibility and decreases discomfort, and so is a feature of most sunglasses appropriate for cricket.
Lens Colours
Your standard fashion sunglasses probably have what are classified as grey lenses, which dulls colours and doesn’t add any contrast. But with sports sunglasses, you will notice that there is a considerable range of colours available. Each is designed to filter different light colours in order to provide greater contrast.
- Green lenses filter blue light and are ideal for brighter sunlight and for playing golf or tennis.
- Grey lenses reduce glare, especially on water and so are favoured by fishers. They are effective on both sunny and overcast days.
- Blue lenses provide significantly enhanced colour perception and can help clarify the contours around objects.
- Red lenses block blue light and improve depth of field vision and enhance the perception of details.
- Yellow lenses (or orange and gold) work well in moderate to low light levels and can make surroundings appear brighter.
- Brown lenses have a similar brightening effect and can improve perception of small objects at a distance.
Brown and blue lenses are often best for cricketers as they are adaptable to changing light conditions, and increase the contrast of the red ball against the background of green grass and (hopefully) blue skies.
If you want more control and adaptability, you can also get sunglasses that come with multiple lens options that you can swap out depending on the conditions of the day.
Polycarbonate Lenses
An impact in your eye area can be a genuine risk when you are out in the field, especially if you play in a high-risk position like wicketkeeper, silly point, or silly mid-wicket (they are called silly for a reason).
If you do take a cricket ball in the face, the last thing you want is your lenses to smash, as this can cause a further injury risk.
For this reason, choose polycarbonate lenses. They are about 30 times stronger than the standard plastic lenses in most sunglasses.
Half-Rim Frames
You will see that most cricketers use sunglasses with half-rim frames. This is to ensure continuous vision when you are looking down, and that your vision is never blocked by the lower part of the frame.
Wide Vision Lenses
You will also notice that most professional cricketers wear wrap-around lenses. Again, this is practical rather than fashionable. The aim is to have the lenses extend around the side of your face in order to provide additional protection from peripheral light, and ensuring you have maximum peripheral vision without being encumbered by your frames.
Lightweight Frames
While sunglasses are rarely heavy, if you need to wear them for six hours at a time during an intensive match, you will want something lightweight that doesn’t feel cumbersome.
Grip
You need your sunglasses to stay in place, especially when you are diving for a catch and visibility is highly important. For this reason, a good pair of sunglasses for cricket will have pretty snug grips on the nose and on the legs that cling on behind the ears.
Some sunglasses even use technology that makes these grips work harder when they get wet, so there is no chance of them slipping as you start to sweat.
Yes, expect to have those little marks on the sides of your nose when you take off a pair of cricketing sunglasses.
Looking for more great cricket gear? Check out our guide to the perfect cricket bat, and our selection of the best cricket bags.
FAQs
What is the difference between UVA and UVB?
Both Ultraviolet A and B are harmful to humans, the first being longer wave sun rays associated with skin aging, and the second shorter wavelengths associated with burning. However, there are around 500 times more UVA rays in sunlight to UVB rays, which is why it is often not possible to see the damage that the sun is doing.
Do good sunglasses for cricket need to be expensive?
The sunglasses used by professional cricketers often come from expensive brands, such as Oakley or Adidas. But while these are very good sunglasses indeed, it is possible to get sunglasses that are almost as good for the sport at a fraction of the price.
When you pay for these big-name brands, you are paying for that brand recognition. Don’t forget that international cricketers were probably given the sunglasses that they are wearing as part of an endorsement deal.
Why don’t batsmen wear sunglasses?
You might occasionally see a batsman wearing sunglasses while at the crease, but most batsmen don’t, as they don’t want the shades to compromise their vision of the ball.
Also, they tend to be focused on the ball coming down the pitch, which is always positioned in a north-south direction on professional pitches to reduce the impact of the glaring sun. It is fielders who are searching the vast and bright distance for where the ball is flying.
The Verdict
Sunglasses are an essential piece of kit for cricketers out in the field staring into bright sunlight for hours on end in search of the ball.
The best sunglasses for cricketers give complete UV protection, and also work to enhance vision by reducing glare and ensuring the maximum range of visibility.
A cricketer’s sunglasses also need to stay put when the player is diving for a ball and need to keep an eye on the object that could decide the game. They also need security features that ensure that the lenses won’t break and become a hazard if impacted.
This is why cricketers don’t wear just any sunglasses, but rather something designed specifically for the challenges of the sport.
Review or buying guide above to know exactly what to prioritize when choosing sunglasses for cricket, and also check out our recommendations for the five best options that you can buy right now.
References
- Cricket Eyewear – Eyesight
- Cricket Sunglasses: How to Choose Sunglasses for Cricket – Igero
- What are the benefits of various lens colours in sunglasses – All About Vision
- Lens Colours and Categories: How to Choose – Sunglasses For Sport
Last update on 2024-04-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
