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Ever wondered what the best sunglasses for tennis and pickleball are? If not, you owe it to yourself to find out!
Now, sure, not all of us are professional athletes. But if you’re a Blend Head dedicated to Living Forward, chances are that nothing quite gets you going like dominating the competition on the court. Your friends, your father-in-law, your precocious eight-year-old niece — you’re ruthless no matter who the opponent is, and you’re always searching for a new way to get an edge on your competition.
So why haven’t you yet invested in a quality pair of sports sunglasses? Trust us, whether on the tennis or pickleball court, the right pair of sunglasses can make all the difference.
Benefits of Wearing Sunglasses on the Court
Before we discuss the best sunglasses for tennis and pickleball, let’s take a moment to get a handle on all the benefits a pair (any pair!) of good shades will make. The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends wearing sunglasses when outdoors, whether you’re playing sports, exercising, driving, or just walking around. The reasons are straightforward:
1. Sunglasses may prevent squinting and headaches that would otherwise result from sun exposure.
2. Sunglasses provide protection from wind, sand, and other airborne foreign objects that may compromise the safety of your eyes (or distract you from the ball).
3. Wearing sunglasses helps prevent photokeratitis. That’s a heck of a fancy way to say “sunburn of the eye,” which can occur when you’re exposed to excessive UV radiation. Symptoms include red eyes, sensitivity to light, and tearing. This condition can flare up after a short period of sun exposure, typically temporary.
4. Wearing sunglasses helps prevent eye cancer, cataracts, macular degeneration, and pterygium (surfer’s eye). These more serious conditions result from solar radiation experienced over long periods, although the effects include vision loss and can be devastating.
Important Features to Look for in Active Eyewear
The best sunglasses for tennis and pickleball all have a set of common features that you’ll benefit from as you look to conquer your competition on the court.
1. A close fit. This is the first rule of proper active eyewear. If you don’t have a close fit, you’re wasting your time — you don’t want the distraction of your sunglasses sitting loosely or uncomfortably on your face in the middle of a heated match.
2. Full coverage. When shopping, we recommend searching for a wraparound style that provides maximum protection from sun glare. Bonus: Wraparound shades look incredible and are an increasingly popular style.
3. No-slip design features. The best sunglasses for tennis and pickleball will feature rubberized nose pads that offer a grippy feel. This will help keep your shades in place as on-court action intensifies. (The last thing you want is your sunglasses flying off as you whip up a mean top spin return!)
4. Lightweight. How can you show off your cat-like speed and reflexes if your shades are slowing you down? Ensure you have a lightweight pair that lets you do your thing yet still offers proper coverage.
5. Superb optical clarity. Don’t rely on a cheap pair of knockoff sunglasses. Buying from a brand you trust helps ensure your lenses are distortion-free for the best optical clarity.
6. 100% UV protection. It’s as simple as this: Never settle for less than 100% UV protection. Shades with this flavor of lens protection are the best sunglasses for tennis because they ward off photokeratitis, macular degeneration, and other vision loss problems linked with excessive solar radiation.
7. Fit underneath your visor. This quality may be of lesser importance to you, but if you’re a fan of visors, you’ll want to keep the size and fit of your new sunglasses in mind.
8. Affordable. You shouldn’t have to break the bank to look good. Never forget that!
How to Find the Perfect Pair for Your Face
We all have our personal needs and style tendencies to address, so the “perfect pair” is difficult to nail down. There’s no one collection that can be everything to everyone — however, if you want your pick of absolutely stellar options, you deserve to shop the Blenders active series of sunglasses.
Blenders active & sport sunglasses are tailor-made for taking it to the competition in tennis and pickleball. They sport all the important features we addressed above — full coverage, fantastic fit, superior optical clarity, and more — and dress it all up with absolutely hyphy designs primed for Living Forward. They’re some of the best sunglasses for tennis and pickleball you can find anywhere.
Now, get shopping and get out there! Victory awaits, Blend Heads!