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10 Best Aviator Sunglasses for Men
Aviator sunglasses have been around since 1936 when military fighter pilots needed help in dealing with eye strain from the high altitudes. The U.S. Armed Forces paired up with Bausch and Lomb to produce eyewear that would counter light. They featured convex tear-drop glass lenses made from G-15 tempered glass – which transmitted 15% of incoming light – and thin metal frames.
Today, aviators are a classic frame style. They work with jeans and a casual shirt as well as with a dressier look. Honestly, they look great with everything. While lenses, details, and price-points vary widely, they all stem from the same military aesthetic of simplicity, functionality, and versatility. Here are some of our favorite options to choose from.
Best Buy
1. Ray-Ban Classic Aviator RB3025
With an array of lens color choices, lens widths, and frame metals, this is the clear winner as far as options. Prices vary but they’re all affordable enough to order multiple pairs if you’re having a tough time deciding.
They’re not polarized but do come with a 100% UV protection coating to protect your eyes from the harsh sunlight, as sunglasses are intended to do. And with Amazon Prime, you can have them delivered to you rather quickly.
2. Gucci's Aviator Sunglasses
Classic aviators with the Gucci twist we’ve all come to know and love. These sunglasses feature the interlocking G-logo and the heritage bee motif on the slim temple tips. They have a 57 mm lens width, 17 mm bridge width, and a 140 mm temple length.
They offer 100% UV protection and CR-39 lenses. They have metal frames and are imported. These are a splurge but oh so worth it.
3. Quay Australia High-Key Aviator Sunglasses
One of the more reasonably priced aviators on the list, this is the pair you want to wear when there is a possibility of losing them, such as a festival or Sunday brunch. Bottomless mimosas have caused many a pair of sunglasses to be lost to the great beyond.
This particular pair has a black metal frame and a purple gradient lens. The lens width is 60 mm and the lens height is 56 mm. They work on both men and women and are polarized. And fear not! They have the standard UV protection coating.
4. Persol Aviator P00649 Sunglasses
Personally, this is one of the sexier aviators on the list. Again, this has a variety of frames and lens options but what makes them stand out are the acetate frames. Tortoiseshell framed aviators with dark blue gradient glass lenses? Sign me up! Lens width is 56 mm, lens height is 49.4 mm, the bridge is 20 mm, and arm length is 145 mm. The lenses are non-polarized but coated with 100% UV protection.
5. Oakley Aviator Sunglasses
Of course Oakley made the list – was there any doubt? This mashup of standard sports glasses mixed with the classic aviator silhouette is the sleek stylish upgrade you’ve been looking for. With matte olive frames and smokey black lenses these sunglasses pair with literally everything. If you’re looking for the one pair that does it all, look no further. Well, you’re halfway through the list, don’t stop here – keep reading!
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6. Warby Parker Raider Sunglasses
Warby Parker is known for its array of styles and high-quality craftmanship, but The Raider is one of their most popular pairs of sunglasses to date. There are four color combinations to choose from, all made from hand-polished acetate, stainless steel, and akulon-coated screws for durability.
Non-Prescription lenses are made from CR-39 for clarity and true to Warby Parker quality, prescription lenses are made from polycarbonate for the best in impact-resistant material. They’re also anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, and block 100% of UV rays.
7. American Original Pilot Sunglasses
Not only is this AO’s most popular style but they’re also made very specifically to strict military specifications, making them a favorite among U.S. military pilots. One of the reasons being is that the sunglasses can be removed without having to take off a helmet.
American Original sunglasses are handcrafted in the U.S. and come with a lifetime warranty on all solder points. They use SkyMaster Glass Filter Category 3 lenses for clarity and scratch resistance.
They’re polarized and use a Calobar Green tint to provide true color perception for natural vision. They come in four colorways and are available on the company’s website or on Amazon.
8. Salt Classic Aviator Sunglasses
Looking for a pair of aviators that are built to last? These are made from non-corrosive titanium which is an extremely strong, lightweight metal that’s well-suited for eyeglass frames. These classic aviators are handcrafted with lightweight, ridged titanium frames, titanium nose pads, and polarized lenses for greater clarity and reduced glare.
They come with 100% UV protection, a lens width of 60 mm, a bridge width of 15 mm, and a temple length of 140 mm. If you’re prone to breaking your sunnies, then this is the pair for you.
9. Cutler And Gross Aviator Sunglasses
These Italian-made aviators have adjustable nose pads which means a custom fit for you every time. They come in two colorways but the gold/black/tortoiseshell is almost sold out so hurry!
Made from metal and acetate these aviators have a 56 mm lens width, a 16 mm bridge width, and 140 mm temple length. And as is the standard, the lenses have 100% UV protection.
10. Matsuda Aviator Titanium M3081 Sunglasses
This pair of classic aviators with a twist are on the higher end of the price point for good reason. Founded in Tokyo in 1967, Matsuda uses years of meticulous craftsmanship to create the perfect pair of lightweight gold-tone, black-rimmed titanium sunglasses. They have a slender frame, slender arms, blue-tinted CR-39 lenses, and are treated with seven layers of anti-reflective coating and 100% UVA/UVB coating.
Aviator Sunglasses FAQs
Originally created for U.S. military pilots, this style of sunglasses was designed for utility rather than fashion, the shape of which was developed to optimize sun protection and visibility. Bausch & Lomb’s research group discovered that large, teardrop lenses that follow the line of the cheekbone and offer total coverage for the eye socket blocked the most light. Lenses were dark and mirrored to minimize reflections from clouds.
After World War II, pilots brought their sunglasses home and continued to wear them for athletic and outdoor activities. In civilian life, aviators became associated with heroism, bravery, and patriotism. It wasn’t until the movie Top Gun that aviators gained traction and quickly became one of the most popular and top-selling sunglass styles of all time.
Yes and no. The aviator style is classic, however, there are multiple variations. Originally aviator frames were only made of metal but today it is not uncommon for them to be made from plastic or acetate.
Large, oversized frames recently became popular amongst women as well as lenses in fashion colors such as pink, red, purple, and aqua. Lenses also come in the more traditional colors of black, gray, dark green, dark blue, or mirrored. Some aviator lenses offer a polarized option for reducing glare but not always.
First and foremost, you want to make sure they fit your face. You want the lenses to be two to three times larger than your eye socket with large convex lenses that completely shield the eye and a contour shape that follows the contour of the cheekbone.
Features that are nice to have are thin, lighter frames, a double or triple bridge (to make them more sturdy on your face), and adjustable nose pads for a customized fit as well as for comfort.
But the most important thing you should look for in a pair of aviator sunglasses is how they look and how they made you feel. If you feel like Goose or Maverick when wearing them, then you’ve been successful.
