Stay in the Shades

We’re always on the look out for great fashion options on and off the water that are good looking and complement the sailing lifestyle. What’s the one item that gets worn every day of sailing? Shades… Sunglasses… Eye wear… Call them what you may, but they are essential.

With the rigors of sailing, there are so many requirements, it’s really tough to find the right pair. Fit, function, durability, lens quality, lens color, polarization, and most of all, stylish looks! Historically, brands like Ray Ban and Maui Jim have been making great glasses that are sturdy, athletic, and polarized for glare off the water and have been our go-to. From a comparison perspective, we found Ray Bans to be sturdier and Mauis to have amazing optical color-enhancing lenses. Both make options that are athletic looking and have been tried and true for sailing. That said, they do come at a price – both run in the $200 per pair range, which is arguably worth it, but certainly something to consider.

In a recent personal sway from the more athletic style and and move toward a fashion driven shape, we discovered Amevie’s “Solana” wayfarers made from bamboo. Unlike the rest of the wood aboard Moment, these don’t even require varnish or any maintenance for that matter! Designed by sailors, they are lightweight, waterproof, polarized, and extremely unique looking (style points!) The lenses give off a nice blue shade. After some digging, we also found a couple cool notables: These are sustainable (thanks to the bamboo) and they donate one pair to Seva Canada, whom ensure a child in need gets a pair of prescription eyeglasses. All this for less than $80 per pair, we’ll take two!

In summary, we aren’t going to throw away the name brand staples, but we definitely are going to work these unique Amvies into our wardrobe on and off the water.

To see all their styles, check out the Amevie’s website here.