Review: Sunski Sunglasses — New, Affordable Shades for Outdoorsy Folks

TPG readers are always on-the-go and from work and networking events to drinks with friends and weekend getaways, there's always something on our calendars. Given how busy our schedules are, it's important to have a pair of sunglasses on hand — because let's face it, there's nothing worse than being stuck outside on a sunny day without a great pair of shades.

Sunski's Plover sunglasses are polarized and extremely lightweight. The company encourages people to "live life outside" so these are great for adventurous travelers who like to spend a lot of time outdoors. Sunski launched as part of a Kickstarter campaign in 2012 by two friends, Tom Stewart and Michael Charley, who wanted to "combine their love for the outdoors with their love for design." The pair officially launched the contemporary sunglass brand this summer.

At $58, Sunski's Plover sunglasses hit a sweet spot in terms of price. They're not sky-high expensive, like trendy manufacturers Illesteva or Ray-Ban, nor are they a pair that you'd find on a New York City street corner that'll break a week later. Instead, they sit comfortably in the middle, rivaling popular brands like Quay Australia. Here's what else you'll get, according to the Sunski website:

• Polarized lenses, tuned for perfect optical clarity and thermally coated for maximum durability.
• A lightweight and comfortable frame with metal details that will stay in place no matter how much you move.
• Quality craft designed at Sunski's office in San Francisco
• Dimensions: Temple width of 137mm, nose bridge width of 13mm and a lens width of 60mm.
• Lens Specs: Slate/Gray Tint; solid polarization TAC with thermal hardcoat; 15% VLT Base 9 curvature.
• Inside the box: Sunski sunglasses, a crafted carrying case and a microfiber cleaning pouch.

I'm the first to admit I'm slightly obsessed with sunglasses, so when I came across these, I knew I had to try them out. I opted for the "Black Slate" design — and if you know me, you definitely won't be surprised by this color choice.

The Pros

The lightweight feel was one of my favorite things about these sunglasses — especially for travelers who, like me, always seem to carry a heavy bag, it's nice to know these won't weigh it down even more. Plus, the black design is sleek and stylish without being too trendy.

I also really appreciated the polarized lenses — I have really bad eyesight, so it was comforting to know that the sunglasses were helping to protect my eyes. This was also my first pair of polarized lenses, and I thought they did a really good job blocking out light, to the point where I even had to turn the brightness on my iPhone up when I was walking around outside. I think these would be great for jet lagged travelers or for anyone who may have had a little too much to drink the night before.

The Cons

While I like the fact that the sunglasses are really lightweight, I do wish the pouch they came in was a little sturdier. It felt a little flimsy and made me nervous that the glasses weren't well protected while they were in the bag. I also wish the glasses themselves were slightly bigger, then again, that's just a personal preference of mine.

Sizes and Colors

Sunski's Plover sunglasses are also available in a "Tortoise Aqua" design, with a tortoiseshell frame and blue lenses. As of right now, this style only comes in one size and aside from Plover, there are about a dozen other styles to choose from in the same general price range. Sunski stands behind its products so if you don't like the fit, feel or color, you can easily return or exchange them. The company also offers a lifetime warranty, so if you have any problems with the glasses — such as broken frames or a busted lens — you can breathe easy.

Overall Impression

I liked the Sunski Plover glasses and was very happy with the polarized lenses. While I do wish the case offered a little more protection and that the lenses were slightly larger, overall, these feel stylish yet practical and I'll definitely be adding them to my sunglasses rotation.

Have you tried out these sunglasses? Let us know in the comments below.

All images courtesy of Sunski.