Good sunscreen, durable boots, and a backpack are must-haves when preparing for a hike. But most of the time, we forget to include one of the essential items necessary for hiking.
If you’ve been on any hike before, whether through the woods, on a glacier, or walking with family, you appreciate the importance of sunglasses. You need a quality pair of prescription sunglasses, whether on a day’s vacation or longer.
As a result, you must choose from a variety of Oakley prescription sunglasses for hiking sunglasses. A good pair of hiking sunglasses will guarantee visual comfort and protect your eyes even during vigorous physical activity. So hiking sunglasses are almost as vital as your hiking boots.
It’s essential to block the sun’s harmful UV rays to keep your eyes healthy and safe for longer. The fact that we only have one set of eyes makes it even more crucial and delicate. Therefore, you need to ensure you select the best sunglasses for hiking. Here are a few great tips to help you choose an ideal pair of sunglasses.
- You Need to Consider the UV Protection of the Lens
Exposing your eyes to the sun’s harmful UV rays is dangerous. As a result, you must ensure that your hiking sunglasses can block UV rays in order to preserve your vision.
Continuous exposure to UV rays contributes to various eye-related diseases. For instance, it can lead to the development of cataracts, macular degeneration, and eye surface complications like pterygia. These are just a few long-term complications associated with UV radiation.
But UV rays also have short-term effects. For instance, excessive exposure to direct sunlight may make your eyes feel tired, overly sensitive, and itchy. So Oakley prescription sunglasses are a great choice because you can be confident that they will protect you from 99 to 100% of UV rays. They can also be defined as UV400 or UV absorption up to 400 nm. This indicates that the sunglasses will effectively block out UV rays.
Unfortunately, since you’re not an expert, the only information available is from the manufacturers. That’s why it’s essential to buy prescription sunglasses from reputable brands to be sure of UV protection. This is because it can be challenging to determine the level of UV protection based on the lens’s blackness or color.
- Consider the Lens’s Transmitting Power (VLT).
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It is not sufficient to have only UV protection sunglasses when going on a hike. Another aspect you should consider when choosing your hiking glasses is the amount of visible light the lens transmits.
There are five Visible Light Transmission (VLT) grades. The 0 to 1 category is the one that allows more than 50% of visible light to enter your eye. You should only use these sunglasses for outdoor activities, if not just for fashion aesthetics.
The second sunglasses category transmits visible light between 18% and 45%. These are perfect for anyone going on a regular hike.
Additionally, people who love mountaineering and trekking in open mountain ranges can go for the third category. This category transmits visible light between 8% and 18%.
If you enjoy hiking, you may be aware that hiking on glaciers or high-altitude mountaineering can be harmful to your eyes due to the brightness. Therefore, it’s highly encouraged to use the fourth category of sunglasses. These sunglasses transmit only about 8% of visible light. Besides, these hiking sunglasses are purely for hiking in bright places, and you should not wear them when operating a vehicle.
Moreover, you can also consider photochromic lenses on your hiking sunglasses if you’re going on a regular hike. Photochromic lenses automatically change color depending on the amount of incoming visible light. When buying your Oakley prescription sunglasses online for your next regular walk, you can request photochromic lenses.
This is because the lens will darken in bright sunlight while becoming lighter in cloudy or foggy conditions. This may be perfect, as you only need one pair of sunglasses during your regular hike.
- Choose Lightweight Sunglasses for Comfort
You want to be comfortable enough when going for a hike. It can be frustrating when you’re on a hike and there’s something heavy on your face when you’re hot and out of energy.
Therefore, to enjoy hiking, you need to ensure you reach for lightweight sunglasses. Oakley prescription sunglasses have a comfortable collection of hiking sunglasses. Most of their hiking sunglasses have rubberized temples and nose pads, making them comfortable for everyday wear.
The rubberized nose pads and temples are usually made from a hydrophilic material. This material provides cushioned comfort and a non-slip fit. The benefit of hydrophilic material is that it absorbs all sweat and moisture, allowing the sunglasses to adhere to your face more securely.
Moreover, the material ensures it sticks firmly even when you sweat more. With these sunglasses, you won’t struggle to adjust them when you’re on a hike. Therefore, a lightweight and perfect fit should be a priority when choosing your hiking sunglasses.
- Consider the Wraparound Frame
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You’re mainly shopping for the right pair of sunglasses because you want to protect your eyes. Therefore, the sunglasses you wear should protect your eyes and surrounding region from the sun from all angles.
In other words, a good pair of hiking sunglasses ensures the sun doesn’t shine directly in your eyes. They should be able to shield you from the sun’s rays coming from the front, side, or anywhere in between.
Here are the three aspects you should consider when picking the frames for your hiking sunglasses:
- How do the sunglasses fit your particular facial features?
- What’s the sunglasses’ base curve number?
- How’s the sidearm width at the temples?
The base curve number should indicate the degree of curvature of the sunglasses frame. Remember that when the curve number is high, you can be confident that the sunglasses will wrap around your face.
Sunglasses with a base curve of 10 have a military vibe, as they are shield-shaped. This is one of the pair’s most effective base curve numbers, as it wraps around your face.
You can easily identify the base curve by looking at it from above. Besides, you can also compare them to other known base-curve numbers.
Four- and six-base curve numbers are among the most popular and conventional sunglasses. These types of sunglasses fit flat on your face but allow more light to enter at the sides. Wide sidearm sunglasses can help reduce the amount of sunlight entering. However, some light will still enter from the sides.
Decide on your fashion style and choose one that suits your fashion needs. The only caveat is to ensure you’ve worn sunglasses when hiking.
Conclusion
Sunglasses are a must-have, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun. This is because they are essential for the long-term health of your eyes.
As a result, you should invest in a good pair of hiking sunglasses, such as the Oakley Prescription Sunglasses. It will help protect your eyes from long-term overexposure to the sun that may lead to eye-related conditions. This guide gives you a clear overview of what to look for when shopping for hiking sunglasses.
