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Sunglasses are pretty much standard equipment for many baseball players, at every level. However, there are some nuances to the styles and shapes of the shades, based on what a baseball player always has atop his head. It’s not as easy as picking a pair just to look cool; there are performance and comfort matters to consider for baseball play.
That said, have you ever wondered, what are the best sunglasses to wear with a baseball cap?
We took a close look at many brands and models of sunglasses that have been recommended for baseball play, and compared them using a list of preferences. We then filtered the top models through our on-field experiences and baseball knowledge, to offer suggestions to choose sunglasses to improve play while protecting the eyes and face at the same time.
Quick Summary
- The HULISLEM S1 Sport polarized sunglasses pack a lot of great features into the lowest price around.
- The Oakley Men’s Flak 2.0 XL and Nike Show X3 Elite L take advantage of their brand and the associated research and development to deliver.
- Kids should love the Rawlings Youth Sport sunglasses, and teens may gravitate toward the simply named Men’s Sunglasses by Bea CooL.
- Those who want optimal lens performance should pay close attention to the JOJEN Polarized Sports Sunglasses.
- If the wrap around your head and face is important, take a peek at the Bolle Bolt for baseball play.
Who Should Get These Products?
Any baseball player, generally from age 10 or older, should benefit from these products. Regardless of the region and number of games expected to be played in daylight, baseball players should have at least one pair of sunglasses in their bag at all times for an emergency.
Baseball is a game dependent on eyesight, and after a lengthy time under cloudy skies, it can be difficult for eyes to adjust if a bright sun suddenly appears. The game will go on, whether or not you can see well.
It’s best to be prepared, and manufacturers offer quite the range of sunglass options, from very high-end and high-tech, to low-priced practice or “toss-away” pairs for your gear bag.
Aside from game play, there are health reasons to consider. Scientists now are keenly aware of the dangers of ultraviolet rays (UV rays), infrared rays (IR rays), and other energy from the sun, upon too much exposure. The eyes being organs filled with fluids are very susceptible to damage from too much sun. So is the skin around the eyes — which a lot of modern, sports-conscious brands address with bigger and better-designed frames. Take a look here!
What to Consider When Choosing Sunglasses for Baseball
Wrap
Many baseball players choose sunglasses for how they wrap closely or snuggly around the face. This means a tight fit, with hardly any openings between the frame or arms and your face skin. This is for comfort, to help make a tight fit and avoid slippage, and for game play to ensure no sunlight affects sight while looking at a ball. How the arms wrap at the very ends also can impact wearing a baseball cap, so it’s a particular area of interest.
Lens Shape
If you want maximum coverage, both for your eyes and the skin areas around them, think carefully about the shape of the lenses. Many are round or oval like the old days, but newer designs can be quite rectangular, bending, or even quite oddly shaped.
Slippage
How does the model fit near the ears, and on the bridge of the nose. Not all nose pads are built the same — if there is a nose pad at all. Some come with padding, or grips, to hold closely to the bridge to keep the glasses in place during strenuous play. This is especially important for players or regions prone to overheating, as sweat can make sunglasses slip way down the nose.
Material
Baseball players will prefer the lightest weight as possible, but they also need strength and durability as sunglasses can take a beating both in baseball play as well as in storage and transport. Look closely at the material used for the frames, and even lenses, and peek at user reviews for indications of durability.
Best Sunglasses to Wear with Baseball Caps: Our Choices
We reviewed a wide variety of sunglasses and compared them with their potential use in baseball games. Our ratings are based on factors that would help with play, and also not get in the way such as by slipping off the nose and face. We also considered price range, and user feedback as posted online. Under those guidelines, here are our top choices:
1. Best Sunglasses to Wear with a Baseball Cap Overall: HULISLEM S1 Sport
For the price, it’s hard to find another pair of sunglasses better for baseball play than the S1 Sport model by HULISLEM. That it’s the top men’s sports sunglasses seller on Amazon says volumes about the popularity of this line.
What sticks out for baseball specifically: the very lightweight and durable polycarbonate frame; lenses designed to make your vision appear in high-def, along with preventing glare; lens shapes rounded to avoid getting in the way during strenuous play; and neat ends of the arms that bend perfectly to hold the pair firmly in place.
For marketing the company says “These sunglasses are as state-of-the-art as they come.” What’s amazing is they produce and offer it for such a low price. These sunglasses have everything a baseball player needs for eye protection under the sun, and is quite stylish to boot.
What We Like:
- Very affordable price for the features.
- 3-point fit for the lenses to hold for optimal use.
- Superb eyesight clarity.
- S1 lens coloring, and polarized for protection from all kinds of lights.
- Super lightweight.
Not So Much:
- Pads/tabs on the nose bridge sometimes require replacement.
2. Best Sunglasses to Wear with a Baseball Cap for Bells & Whistles: Oakley Men’s Flak 2.0 XL
At the other end of the spectrum, price-wise, is the Man’s Flak 2.0 by Oakley. This model, in what it calls its XL edition to explain big rectangular lenses, is very good for baseball play. The well-known eyeglass manufacturer builds expectations with its price tags, but the Flak 2.0 appears to deliver for the ballfield.
This frame is standard-sized but curved well to fit nicely around the face, a preferred feature for ballplayers as noted above. They are lightweight and comfortable, no surprise with glasses with the O logo. The enlarged lens’ size optimizes even peripheral views, and the look is plenty stylish for those players who want that.
What might be interesting is how Oakley insists on tagging its own made-up names for several features, like the “Lightweight O Matter” frame material, “patented XYZ Optics,” Plutonite lenses, or “Unobtainium earsocks and nose pads.” Unab-what? Just make sure it’s comfortable, and protects our eyes (which it does, and quite well).
What We Like:
- Application of what Oakley gains from research and development into design elements.
- Very lightweight and durable.
- Superb protection from the sun’s rays.
- Lens technology aimed at enhancing your vision, for clarity and color.
- Hugs the face well to protect from the sun, wind or rain.
Not So Much:
- You may be paying quite a bit extra for that logo.
3. Best Sunglasses to Wear with a Baseball Cap for Kids: Rawlings Youth Sport
Considering sunglasses for young baseball players, there’s two major things to look for: durability, and scratch-free lenses. For that, the Youth Sport Baseball Sunglasses by Rawlings (see more) delivers. That they put “youth sport” in the model’s name says much about their target audience.
Kids treat their sports equipment differently than adults. That is, they don’t. Their “stuff” gets crammed into bags, left on dugout benches, tossed around, etc. You have to go with durability for their baseball sunglasses. And this model has a nice plastic and foldable frame, along with scratch-resistant lenses.
All at a price bordering between low and moderate, with the trusted Rawlings name. User ratings are solid for this model, and it addresses most of the items on any player’s checklist, including UV ray protection, wide lenses, light weight, wrap-around frame design, and more.
What We Like:
- Secure, wrap-around fit, and thought put into no-slip bridge.
- Lightweight at less than 1 ounce.
- Full protection from the sun’s harmful rays.
- Low- to moderate pricing.
Not So Much:
- Semi-rimless design looks neat, but not always more durable than glasses with full rims.
4. Best Sunglasses to Wear with a Baseball Cap to Be Cool: Bea CooL Men’s Sunglasses
When a brand uses emojis in its marketing copywriting, we get a pretty good idea who their audience is. Teens probably will just love the Polarized Sports Sunglasses by Bea CooL. When you’re competing against the likes of the big O, Nike and others, why not go with those little graphics right from kids’ gadget keyboards?
But the company backs it up with nifty features for any ballplayer to mesh the sunglasses with the ball cap. The high-def polarized lenses (made of “shatterproof” material) ensure quality vision; the frame is noted as “unbreakable”; full protection from UV400 lens; and a no-slip rubber nose pad.
We particularly like that soft nose pad and flexibility of the frame, which allows shaping around the faces of baseball players. Not everyone has the same rounded face shape, and this model has much promise for good ballplaying use in the months and years ahead. One last nice touch: a protective gasket to avoid pain from impacts to the glasses while they’re on the face.
What We Like:
- No-risk purchase with lifetime warranty.
- Flexible and “unbreakable” frame.
- Moderately lightweight.
- Comes with a lot of goodies like Hard protective case, carrying zippered pouch, cleaning soft cloth, soft microfiber pouch, and even a sunglasses screwdriver for emergencies.
- Affordably priced.
Not So Much:
- Easy on the emojis.
5. Best Sunglasses to Wear with a Baseball Cap for the Lens: JOJEN Polarized Sports Sunglasses
The marketing copy for the Polarized Sports Sunglasses clearly indicates what manufacturer JOJEN knows are its big hitters: the lenses, and frame. The lenses coated with 9 layers might be worth the price of admission alone. They do everything from preventing scratches to absorbing sun rays — all told, quite an advantageous aspect of these sunglasses.
The stress-resistant TR90 frame is “unbreakable,” according to JOJEN. Yet, it remains lightweight which is a big attraction point for baseball players. They can spend a lot of time baking under the sun during long innings, and the last thing they need is discomfort around the ears or nose bride from sunglasses.
That the company puts a money-back guarantee on this model says much about the confidence of JOJEN that buyers will love this product. At this price, it’s hard to go wrong.
What We Like:
- 9 coats on lenses, light TR90 frame.
- Comes with goodies including hard case, soft microfiber pouch, soft glasses cloth, and even an instruction book!
- Money-back guarantee.
- Low price.
Not So Much:
- They just don’t look like baseball sunglasses; but what’s wrong with being different?
6. Best Sunglasses to Wear with a Baseball Cap for Wrap-Around: Bolle Bolt Sunglasses
Anyone who’s worn a pair of Bolle brand lightweight wrap-around sunglasses knows how well they work on a baseball field. This company has been producing wraps for years, and baseball players could really appreciate how they feel on your face in the sun, wind or rain. These are especially snug around the temples.
Another plus with the Bolt line in particular is how futuristic they look. For many baseball players, the look is important, whether to intimidate or just to look cooler than anyone else in uniform. This Bolle model could do just that.
Other than that, the Bolt has everything else you might desire from a pair of baseball sunglasses, including polycarbonate polarized lenses with mirror coating; an anti-fog coating on the interior side; and adjustable anti-slip nose pads.
What We Like:
- About the most-snug wrap-around design you can find.
- Light.
- Anti-fog coating on inside lens’ side.
- Neat ultra-modern appearance.
Not So Much:
- In a high price range.
- Points in lower corners of frames might not appeal to all baseball players.
7. Best Sunglasses to Wear with a Baseball Cap for the Swoosh: Nike Show X3 Elite L
It’s probably pretty rare for a Nike model to last until the end of a list of sports products for a review, but remember, there are many other baseball sunglasses models out there than those included here. This is just our list of the 7 best, per the parameters mentioned above. Under that, the Nike Show X3 Elite L sunglasses (see Amazon) makes the cut.
We really like the Elite one-piece lens which avoids disruption of vision even in the peripheral areas. The well-contoured lens and very advanced nose pad/bridge area mean exceptional comfort and no-slip performance on the ballfield.
This is a larger-sized frame, for those looking for super coverage of the cheeks and other skin near the eyes. The nylon frame and plastic lens comes with anti-reflective coating; and there are ventilation holes in the frame to help prevent fogging. And get this: Nike brags that
What We Like:
- Nike, so you know pro athletes provided insights into design.
- Single lens to not disrupt sight lines.
- Shatter-resistant polycarbonate lens.
- Adjustable temple arms and rubber sleeves are neat for grip and a snug fit.
Not So Much:
- High price range.
See Also:
Can Pitchers Wear Sunglasses?
4 Best Budget Baseball Sunglasses
What Happens to Baseball Uniforms After a Game?
MLB Pitcher: 15 Things You Should Know
