Many people consider sunglasses as an accessory, but they are a crucial piece of equipment for baseball players. Baseball players need to have sunglasses with baseball-specific features to have an optimal performance during the game.
An ideal pair of baseball sunglasses needs to have the correct frame, shape, fit, and lens.
Choosing the best baseball sunglasses from the wide variety of options available in the market can be a personal choice. In this guide, we will provide you with all the things you need to know as well as reviews of our top selections.
The Different Lens Types in Baseball Sunglasses
Contrast Enhancement Lenses
A lot of sunglasses brands may provide you with contrast-enhancing lens technology. This technology is helpful for baseball players as it helps to pick up on the differences in textures on the field and makes tracking fly balls easier.
The boost, in contrast, is likely going to enable you to perceive the incoming pitch better and judge the speed of ground balls, which is likely to amp up your performance, as, in a game of baseball, there is heavy reliance on split second reactions.
Mirror Lenses
Another option that can make the best baseball sunglasses darker is a mirror coating on the front side of your sunglasses. Without a doubt, these baseball sunglasses tend to look cool but also reflect away the ambient glare.
Transition/ Photochromic Lenses
Specialty sunglasses can be very pricey, and if you cannot afford two separate pair of sunglasses, this is the solution. Athletes of all levels tend to wear sunglasses having transition lenses commonly.
If you are looking for a lens that can do it all, these tint-changing lenses are your best bet. Photochromic lenses have an inbound technology that automatically adjusts from light to dark depending on the UV rays present in the environment.
These lenses also anti-reflective technology in them, which are bound to protect from UV rays.
This is why they are also referred to as transition lenses; for baseball players, our recommendation is to have a lens with AR coating or brown tint.
You can get baseball sunglasses having a frame with interchangeable lenses, so you can easily swap between the lenses depending on the conditions.
Interchangeable Lenses
These interchangeable baseball sunglasses will be an ideal option for you if you are looking for one frame but a specific lens for any scenario. Oakley's particular sunglasses have options where the baseball player can have a set of clear lenses when they are pitching or late night games. And a set of PRIZM field lenses when they are practicing.
Are Polarized Lenses Good For Baseball Sunglasses?
Even though polarized sunglasses offer high UV protection, they are certainly not ideal for baseball. The high UV protection in such sunglasses tends to affect depth perception.
Hand-eye coordination is vital in a good baseball game, and these UV protection polarized sunglasses can certainly hamper that.
What is the Best Lens Color for Baseball Sunglasses?
Before we move ahead, remember that contrast is king when it comes to sunglasses for baseball.
Rose Lenses
For daytime play, rose copper, as well as rose lenses, are a great option. These lens colors tend to provide the highest contrast and are best in separating and boosting colors.
Spotting the ball in a blue sky or green grass would not be difficult with these lenses.
If you are not sure which is the best lens color when it comes to baseball sunglasses, undoubtedly, it is rose.
But the only downside of this color has to be that these lenses might not be dark enough to protect from bright UV rays. For this, we recommend the rose copper color, but still, it might not be enough.
Oakley Prizm Field lens has a rose base, and it is tactfully designed for the players.
Brown Lenses
Brown lenses are likely to be denser than rose color. Hence these are best for brighter conditions along with having a contrast enhancement.
Your best bet against bright light and high contrast have to be the brown lens.
Grey Lenses
This lens is a tough one as it doesn't have any particular benefit for baseball players. But, it is not a wrong choice either. Grey is true to color tint, and they are less likely to enhance your baseball performance in any way.
It is certainly not the best choice as it can block excessively bright light, but there is no upside to wearing it.
Clear And Amber Lenses
If you tend to play baseball at night or early foggy mornings, this lens is the best choice.
Amber lens does have contrast enhancement, and these lenses can be used in dim daylight or under bright stadium lights.
Whichever color lens you decide to buy, remember to add an anti-reflective coating. The AR coating on the lenses tends to reduce reflections and helps you see better.
How Should Baseball Sunglasses Fit?
Finding the proper fit for your baseball sunglasses is essential. Ideal-fitting sunglasses are likely to provide you with maximum protection. Your frame should feel snug, but it shouldn't be too tight or too loose.
The placement of your nose bridge plays a major factor in the comfort of your sunglasses.
Your eyeballs need to be in the center of the lens, with your eyebrows just above the frames. Your eyelashes should not be touching the frame of your sunglasses.
You need to ensure which fitting is best for you, as the sunglasses should not slide or bounce while you play.
Another thing that you need to consider for the best fit for your sunglasses is hat compatibility. There are some frames that tend to stick out way too much, which often interferes with the hat. In an ideal scenario, the frame will have temple arms that can be tucked underneath the hat.
What to Look for in Baseball Sunglasses Frame Technology
Grip
Your baseball sunglasses need to remain in place while you hustle on the field. Two spots where the grip is essential are the notepads and temples since they are the primary contact point with your head. A lot of baseball sunglasses come with hydrophobic grip technology, which ensures that whenever you sweat, the grip gets tackier to keep your sunglasses in place.
Coverage
The best baseball sunglasses tend to be curved to better fit the shape of the face. This wraparound design is considered best for baseball it provides extra protection and prevents the sun from peeking in from the side.
This also does not compromise on the peripheral view as the lenses are curved around the edges of the frame.
The wrap might as well help secure the baseball sunglasses to your head.
Choice Of Frame
Until now, you have been mainly focused on the lens of the sunglasses but not the frame. Now is the time to think about the frame because if the frame shatters, you will have no sunglasses left.
The best baseball sunglasses tend to meet the ASTM F803 frame standards. These frames are considered best as they have been tested rigorously and are shatter resistant.
Frame Toughness
The frame material determines the strength of the frame. The highest recommended frame material has to be polycarbonate.
The material is not only light but also provides high-impact protection for baseball players.
There are sunglasses available in the market made from plastic, but these sunglasses do not meet the ASTM safety standards.
Frame Design
When choosing a pair of baseball sunglasses for yourself, try to pick one in which the glasses can be adjusted to your temples. It's good to know that the best design will also have stems with a grip. This ensures to keep the sunglasses in place when you do any movements during your baseball game.
You also need to consider if your design is customizable and if prescription lenses can be used in them.
The frame of your sunglasses can also be rimless, which ensures a clear vision of the field. Fortunately, rimless styles are readily available in the market, and you should find no difficulty in finding these pair of sunglasses.
Material Of Your Lenses
It would be best to choose a lens that stands up to all the action on the field. As recommended before, the best lens is made from high-end polycarbonate as they are incredibly durable.
To get ASTM approval, the lens needs to be at least 3mm polycarbonate.
Another popular lens is the Trivet lens. It is considered to be the highest lens which is also scratch-resistant.
What Is The Use Of Prescription Sunglasses?
Near-sighted players need to wear prescription lenses on the field. It is crucial to make sure that the fit of the sunglasses is correct so it does not fall when a player is pitching, running, or fielding.
Buying The Best Baseball Sunglasses Online
The list below includes the best baseball sunglasses which can be bought in the market today.
1. Radar Ev Shield Sunglasses by Oakley
No sunglasses brand is synonymous with baseball than Oakley. And Oakley has been producing sunglasses for baseball for a very long time. This is why Oakley radar EV is our first choice.
These Oakley radar EV are by far the best Oakley sunglasses for baseball available in the market today.
Ev stands for extended vision. These sunglasses were designed for a taller profile instead of the Oakley radar lock, which is a significant benefit on the field. Since the lens extends past the frame, you will not experience any blind spots or gaps.
Even though these Oakley sunglasses come with a higher price tat, but they are bound to last you a couple of seasons.
Oakley Radar EV sunglasses have a Plutonite Outfield lens which is designed scientifically for the eye to detect motion in the sky without the glare of the sun.
These sunglasses are nonpolarised having a plastic frame and a plastic lens. They also have UV protection. The lenses are also interchangeable as with other Oakley sunglasses.
The nose and earpieces on the radar EV are made from anti-slip unobtanium to increase the grip when you sweat during the game.
If you are playing in sunny conditions, then these Oakley radar EV sunglasses will be the best choice for you.
Pros
Cons
Must you be thinking another pair of sunglasses and again by Oakley? Well, because these are also one of the best baseball sunglasses for the field.
These Oakley radar lock sunglasses are more of a classic design. These sunglasses are best for baseball players looking for a smaller profile but plenty of vision coverage.
These sunglasses lack any blindspots and are semi-frameless for a clear vision of the field.
They come in a polished black or jade iridium color with UV protection. These Oakley sunglasses include Prizm golf lenses which have high contrast for better performance on the field.
The best part about Oakley radar lock sunglasses is that it lets you swap out the lenses within a matter of seconds.
These sunglasses are considered highly durable for added protection.
Pros
Cons
These Under Armour sunglasses have some great features hence a lot of players like to wear these.
To begin with, the lenses include high definition Under Armour's tuned tech, providing exceptional contrast enhancement when in the sun.
These sunglasses also have UA Auto grip temples which ensure a comfortable, flexible, and secure fit during the game.
The Under Armour fusion frames on these sunglasses are built to maximize the strength and durability of the frame.
Along with this, the lenses used in these under armor sunglasses are made for superior optical clarity and impact resistance.
It has a medium to large fit, so ideal for the majority of the players.
These sunglasses also provide 100% protection from harmful UV rays.
Pros
Cons
These sunglasses feature high definition one-piece mirrored lens for superior quality and coverage. These sunglasses are super lightweight, and the aerodynamic combined lens is bound to reduce wind resistance.
Nike has partnered with Zeiss, and this combination provides unique sunglasses for baseball.
They are not only ventilated but also have a self-adjusting nose bridge for an individualized fit.
The temple arms on these sunglasses are strengthened with rubber for higher stability and better grip.
Pros
Cons
When it comes to the best youth baseball sunglasses, this has to be the ideal choice. They are crafted with precision and provide exceptional support.
These sunglasses for baseball tend to provide 100% UV protection against harmful rays. The traditional Oakley frame has been scaled down to fit the young baseball players.
This pair of sunglasses have an O matter stress-resistant frame which is lightweight and highly durable. This O matter frame is built for longevity and withstanding shifting or deforming over time.
These are the best youth baseball sunglasses as they also have Unobtanium ear locks and nose pads for high comfort and performance.
They also feature interchangeable lenses in order to optimize the performance of young players.
Lastly, it also features the Prism lens technology, which enhances color contrast and clarity.
Pros
Cons
Frequently Asked Questions
What sunglasses do MLB players wear?
The choices tend to differ, but the most common coaching sunglasses brands that MLB players use include Oakley Radar and Nike Elite.
Can baseball pitchers wear sunglasses?
Indeed, they can. In baseball, pitchers are allowed to wear sunglasses unless the umpire tends to think they are distracting or shining in the batters or the umpire's eyes.
Hence, most pitchers tend to wear sunglasses while playing baseball. The rule of thumb is that the pitcher cannot wear dark lens color or mirrored sunglasses, preventing the umpire from seeing the pitcher's eyes.
Conclusion
When choosing the best baseball sunglasses, our recommendation has to be the Oakley Radar EV Shield Sunglasses. Despite coming with a higher price tag, the durability of these sunglasses is unmatchable. Ranging from the Plutonite Outfield lens to the anti-slip unobtanium grip, the features on this are endless. Rest assured, you are not going to regret making this your first choice at all.