Sunski Headlands Review

Sunski Headlands Overview

There are certain sunglasses that simply fade into the background. They become part of the larger scene and, rather than stand out as bold eye covers, do their job well with a quiet demeanor, look great on every face, and offer precisely zero hassles.

If this is the type of sunglasses that you want, the Sunski Headlands are calling. The Headlands are the “wayfarer” style offered by Sunski (a nod to the ever-iconic Ray Ban Wayfarer). They come with one matte grey frame color, four lens colors, and offer medium coverage. The Headlands have very little styling, simple yet complete polarized protection against the sun, and are made of recycled plastic. Plus, they have Sunski’s lifetime warranty, which is impressive for the price tag.

The Sunski Headlands won’t break the bank — though they’re more expensive than your gas-station variety — are well built, and are chameleon-esque in their ability to blend into any environment seamlessly.

See the full Sunski Headlands review below.

Sunski Headlands Specifications

Gear Review of the Sunski Headlands

The Sunski Headlands epitomize the word “simple.” In a world full of outdoor gear that is ever-increasing in complexity, it was a breath of fresh air to open their simple recycled box, see their simple yellow case that doubles as a lens cleaner, and pull out the iconically simple Headlands.

Ironically, there’s not a ton to say about a super simple product. Just that the Headlands do their job — to shade your eyes from bright light — quite well. I tested the polarized grey and black lenses, which give the world a blue-grey tint.

Sunski Headlands on a socially distanced hike.

The Headlands fit well on my face, which typically handles medium-sized glasses with aplomb, and felt sturdy yet very light. They weigh .9 ounces, an impressive metric that relies on plastic frames, which means they won’t add to your overall pack weight.

The Sunski Headlands stow in a pocket, the included case, or a cupholder without issue, and clip to your shirt without falling off most of the time (huge movements notwithstanding). The sidearm hinges are smooth after months of use, and the nose pads are small yet keep the sunglasses on your face without becoming uncomfortable after long sessions in the sunshine.

The Sunki Headlands and their included microfiber cloth case.

I wore the Headlands on hikes, during camping trips, in the car, in the backyard, at the beach, and in the everyday flow of life in Southern California, where the sun is often bright and sunglasses often necessary. They remain my go-to simple pair, like an old favorite t-shirt, and will reliably work for any scenario.

Plus, they’re made of recycled plastic and have a lifetime warranty — two huge points in my book.

Lens – 3.5 Stars

I tested the Grey Black Headlands lens, of which there are four colors. This lens affects the world’s color the least, is not mirrored (unlike the other colors), and I found it to provide decent shade. It’s a polarized lens, which means it blocks 100% of UVA/UVB/UV400 wavelengths.

The Headlands’ polarized lens is basic, but effective. Dim the sun while keeping your eyes happy.

While it works well, it does feel rather basic compared to higher-end sunglasses with polarized lenses. The tint itself is rather light, and on super bright days at the beach it didn’t cut enough of the sun’s reflection off water.

The Headlands are an under $50 pair of sunglasses and the lenses feel and look like it. While they work well for most scenarios, including camping and most backpacking trips, I wouldn’t recommend them for any snow activities or water sports.

Frame – 4.5 Stars

The Sunski Headlands frames are impressive for the cost. They are extremely light, which I prefer over a heavy metallic or thick plastic frame. The frames are made of triacetate cellulose, which is a hard, lightweight plastic that doesn’t break easily.

The Headlands frame is durable, flexible, and made of recycled material.

They are surprisingly solid in build despite being super light, and have a soft finish that feels good in hand. They’re also made of recycled materials.

Comfort – 5 Stars

I was really impressed with the Sunski Headlands on the comfort side of things. While I can geek out over impressive features with the best of them, a product that works day after day without giving me a second thought is rare.

The Headlands rested on the bridge of my nose without issue, clipped to my shirt like it was second nature, and had no issue being stowed on the brim of a hat or on top of my head. They fit in all car sunglass pockets or cup holders, and look good on just about anybody. I didn’t have any marks from long-term wear on my nose, and never felt that they were too tight.

Overall a “set and forget,” which is probably my favorite kind of gear.

Coverage – 3.5 Stars

The Sunski Headlands offer middle-of-the-road coverage. For outdoor junkies who need full protection, they don’t cover your entire vision and you’ll notice it right away. Light leaks into both peripherals and underneath, so you can see the bottom and sides of the sunglasses when worn.

A medium-sized frame through and through.

The Headlands do provide solid straight on protection and for most use it’s not an issue, but again, for snow and water sports you’ll want something that covers more, and if you’re someone who prefers full protection against sun the Headlands may feel skimpy.

Durability – 4.5 Stars

I used the Sunski Headlands for months and they don’t have a scratch on ‘em. That’s pretty good for a pair of high-grade plastic sunglasses, which typically come out with at least some light scratching on the lenses (I drop sunglasses a lot). The frame’s plastic remains impressively bendy, so when pressing the closed sidearms into the frame there’s more bounce and give than expected, which means they don’t crunch as easily when taken into a bear hug or sat on.

The sidearm hinges and screws are still in perfect place too, despite being stretched out when worn on top of my head.

All in all this speaks very well for overall durability, and when you couple that with a Lifetime Warranty for typical use, it’s practically perfect. I subtracted half a star because the case offers no crunch-protection — it’s a simple soft case that will reduces scratches only.

Of course, these are not “unbreakable” sunglasses, so don’t drive over them.

Style – 4.5 Stars

Style will always be subjective, so take this with a grain of sunglass salt, but I think the Sunski Headlands will look great on 95% of the population. They are medium in every way, meaning they’ll work for the majority of face proportions, and they have a slightly refined wayfarer design, offering the smallest bit of high-end style with the classic box shape.

A classic.

They are by no means designer sunglasses, so if Tom Ford and Oakley are your idea of luxe, the Headlands will probably feel understated. But they will forever have that youthful wanderlust look, and I’m a fan of that.

Grievances

There isn’t much to fault with the Sunski Headlands, which are a moderate investment in a potential lifetime of sunglasses given the warranty and solid construction. They feel good, are simple and effective, and will work for most of your outdoor scenarios.

There are two things that could be improved: the lenses overall could be a bit larger for more coverage, and could offer a stronger tint. Something about the lens tint felt a little cheap. The way the light wasn’t fully dimmed on a bright beach day made me hesitate when choosing them for a hot, dry camping trip.

The Susnki Headlands in its soft case.

Then there’s the case. I love the bright yellow, and was stoked that the whole thing was a lens cleaner, but the case offers no real protection. These are durable sunglasses, but a case with a bit of padding would put me at ease, as I have a habit of misplacing sunglasses. They’re most often in the seat of my camping chairs and get sat on promptly.

Where to Buy Sunski Headlands

We tested the Grey Black version of the Headlands. They are offered in only one frame colorway (Grey), with three other lens colors, each of which has a mirrored lens.

Other than color, Sunski only makes on size of the Headland.

Compare Sunski Headland prices below.

Editor