When you think about it, playing with a good pair of fastpitch softball sunglasses simply makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?
Softball is played in the daytime during the summer season, so of course the sun is going to present some problems with your vision.
You’ll need help in seeing softballs in the air and on the ground, or else you may not just lose a game.
You can end up hurting yourself with your imperfect vision.
If you’re in a hurry…
Under Armour 7000 Sunglasses
It’s not surprising that Under Armour makes some of the best performance sunglasses around.
After all, it built its reputation on innovative technologies, and that’s a tradition that’s still evident in the Ua 7000/S Special Shape Sunglasses.
The last thing you want is to miss a fly ball off your glove and allow a runner to score because of it.
- TR90 frame means its durable, flexible, ground impact, resistant, and hypoallergenic
- This frame is not able to be fitted with prescription lenses
- Adjustable and rubber non slip nose pads, injected front and rubber temple, and auto-lock stop hinge
- Baseball blue, tuned lenses for best performance on field
- Branded case included, click on logo to view brand shop to browse more styles
Pros of the UA 7000 Softball Sunglasses
It comes with a special type of strong ultra-lightweight frame made from titanium and a special thermoplastic called Grilamid. This makes it tough and yet flexible.
The technology used for the lens improves the peripheral vision by 20%.
The lens is 10 times stronger than regular carbonate.
It comes with “multiflection” coating that makes the lens resistant to scratches and even smudges.
It’s very comfy to wear, and not just because it’s light. Its design allows for a secure and flexible fit and yet you don’t feel it squeezing your head.
The nosepad is adjustable.
The lenses have UV protection that blocks UVA, UVB, and UVC rays 100%.
Cons of these UA Sunglasses
- The lens isn’t polarized, but then polarized lenses have their own set of pros and cons.
- It’s so lightweight and flexible that you may think it is flimsy.
Under Armour Igniter 2.0 Sunglasses Video Review
Rawlings Sport Sunglasses
Who says all excellent softball sunglasses have to be expensive?
Certainly not Rawlings as they offer this very affordable pair.
Pros of the Rawlings Sport Sunglasses
It looks very cool with its black frame and smoke-colored lenses.
It’s extremely affordable, so it doesn’t take much to outfit the whole team with one each.
The hard coating is scratch resistant.
The coating on the lens also repels water, oil, and dirt, and it makes the lens easy to clean.
The lenses also offer excellent distortion-free vision.
It comes with UV (UVA and UVB) 100% protection.
Cons
The polycarbonate for the lenses is only 2mm thick, which may not be enough for adequate impact protection.
Video: 5 Softball Sunglasses that are Totally Awesome
UA Propel Wrap Sunglasses
This Under Armour pair of game shades has all the great qualities of the Igniter 2.0 and then adds more key features, which accounts for the slightly higher price tag.
Many do consider the small price increase a worthy investment considering the improvements offered for object illumination and sharper contrast.
- UA Polarized lenses help to eliminate glare for clearer vision & reduced eye fatigue, without color distortion
- UA STORM lens coating provides an added layer of protection against the elements for easy cleaning
- ArmourSight lenses are engineered for superior optical clarity and impact resistance
- Ultralight ArmourFusion frames are built for maximum strength and durability
- Screwless cam-lock hinges allow temples to lock securely into place for a sturdy & extremely lightweight fit
Pros of the Propel Wrap
The lenses are 10 times stronger than regular polycarbonate.
Here you have a slew of lens hues to choose from to match your needs. For long hours of use and for maximum contrast, pick green.
Brown is for boosting the contrast and depth perception outdoors. The “Game Day” lens enhances colors, so that white and yellow objects such as balls look sharper against a blue (sky) or green (grass) background.
Gray is for everyday situations and helps with motion and speed in sunlight.
Copper is for different types of light conditions, while yellow boosts the contrast for low light conditions.
The lenses are polarized to cut glare and therefore keep the colors and your vision clear.
The “Storm technology” coating helps the lenses repel mud, grease, salt water and other types of dirt.
The Autogrip custom fit adjusts to your head securely without putting on the squeeze, and it’s designed to feel comfy when you’re also wearing a cap. The nose pad is adjustable too.
The peripheral vision is boosted by 20%.
You don’t suffer from any distortion and image displacement (when things aren’t where they seem).
It offers total 100% protection against all types of UV rays.
The frame is both strong and flexible due to the unique mix of titanium and special thermoplastics.
It’s lightweight at 1.3 ounces.
- Assembled in the USA.
- Oakley's Plutonite Lenses offer top UV Protection filtering 100% of all UVA, UVB, UVC and harmful blue light up to 400mm. Oakley’s lightweight Plutonite lens material offers superior comfort, clarity and protection against impact and ultraviolet radiation.
- PRIZM Lens Technology designed to enhance color, contrast and detail so athletes can make the most of any activity. Prizm Sapphire everyday lenses are designed for everyday, medium to bright light conditions to make the environment appear more vibrant , yet natural, with richer detail. Light transmission: 12%
- O Matter stress-resistant frame is lightweight & durable for all-day comfort & protection. Oakley’s injection molded thermoplastic O-Matter frame provides improved strength & flexibility over traditional acetate & is built to withstand shifting or deforming over time.
- Patented High Definition Optics (HDO) provides superior optical clarity and razor-sharp vision at every angle.
Unlike many other “unisex” sports sunglasses that are actually geared towards men’s tastes, this Frogskins™ option many options for women.
The design is decidedly feminine and graceful.
It uses a “3-point fit” design along with a lightweight “Unobtanium” material for the nose pads and ear socks.
This material is hydrophobic for a no-slip fit. The frame also uses lightweight and flexible “O-Matter” for comfort and durability.
The lenses are hydrophobic too. It permanently repels sweat, water, and even skin oils so your lenses don’t get smudged up.
The lens filters totally (100%) keeps out all types of harmful UV rays. It blocks harmful blue light too.
- Quick release hinges
- Traction grip temples
- Vision advantage polycarbonate lenses
- Case Included
- Lenses are prescription ready (Rx-able)
The lenses have been decentralized, so your vision is free of any distortion in all types of weather and lighting conditions.
These come with several different lens options. You can buy more than 1, as the sunglasses have a quick-change system that allows for quick replacements for different playing environments.
You get 100% UV protection.
It uses the special SPX material that’s both break-proof and extremely light.
It offers a perfect fit, because of the special “flex zones” design and the double snap nose pads.
Taking off or putting on the sunglasses won’t lead to wear and tear due to the quick-release hinge.
You can take this off and put it on quickly, without risking damage to the frame.
Price. You’d be surprised at the wide range of prices you’ll encounter when you’re looking for sunglasses for softball.
Some cost less than $30, even though they carry a famous baseball and softball brand.
On the other hand, you can also find expensive pairs that almost cost $200.
Cool look. It does seem a bit odd that we would mention this right near the top of this list.
But it’s a reality of life that fashion and good looks matter, and that’s true for athletic young women too.
The fact is that there are a lot of choices when it comes to fastpitch softball sunglasses when it comes to performance. Not everyone tickles your fancy, however.
Fit. This should sit comfortable on your nose and around your head. It should stay in place even when you’re running around.
What you don’t want is a pair of sunglasses that you need to push up constantly.
So you need a frame that has a comfy grip on your head. Obviously size matters, so if you need youth softball sunglasses they should be smaller.
Rimless frame design. This prevents your range of vision from getting blocked. Don’t worry, though, as most frames have this particular design.
Frame strength. Your best bet is if the frame meets safety standards, you get light weight sunglasses that come with impact protection.
Lens strength. You really don’t want any sort of possibility that the lenses of your glasses will break.
So you need lenses that are made of tough material like polycarbonate and they should be thick enough.
You should also check for additional features such as scratch –resistance.
UV protection. This tends to be standard for these types of sunglasses.
Antiglare features. Normally this refers to softball sunglasses polarized to reduce reflected light that tends to interfere with your vision.
However, not all sunglasses for softball are polarized because this treatment may lead to vision distortion. You may not be able to see as far.
Color. Now you may pick the color you want based on your fashion taste, but for softball performance you need to think about how the lens colors affect your vision.
Some colors help by adding contrast, so go for green and brown colors. Orange can make objects seem brighter, which helps on cloudy days. Grey is good for sunny days.
Cons
It’s “one size fits all” but this is evidently large enough to fit men.
So the fit on smaller women and youth players may not be all that perfect unless you check.
Oakley Frogskins™ Sunglasses
There was a time when Oakley was the preeminent brand for sports eyewear, and even today they’re the gold standard against which all other brands are measured.
They maintain a tradition of excellence in providing for a player’s needs, and this pair of Oakley softball sunglasses is an exceptional example.
People who’ve bought these in the past say they fit very snug so that when they bend over for a ground ball in the infield they stay on without any issue.
Pros of these Oakley’s
Cons
There’s no option for a more “macho” look. For that, you’ll need a different type of Oakley design.
Oakley’s That The Pros Use – Kato
Adidas Womens Excalate Non-polarized Round Sunglasses
Even Adidas is getting into the act, and they’ve thrown their hat into the ring with the usual dedication and attention to detail.
Yes, these look cool, but they also offer innovative technologies that exemplify the Adidas obsession with quality.
Pros of the Adidas Softball Sunglasses
Cons
The lens isn’t polarized.
Factors to Consider
The question isn’t about whether you need softball sunglasses.
You probably do need them even when you play at night because of the bright stadium lights.
The real question is how to find a pair of sports sunglasses that suits your needs.
There’s no single answer to that question, and instead you have to consider several factors.
What About Design and Lenses?
Now that’s a long list of factors to consider, isn’t it?
I’ve already helped you narrow down your choices above with the top 5 softball sunglasses.
Conclusion on Finding The Best Fastpitch Softball Sunglasses
To maximize your practice and game day performance, you need the right pair of fastpitch softball sunglasses that can provide optimal vision.
They have to be durable and comfy wear, and they should look great on you too. All these requirements are met when you pick from our list of top sports sunglasses for softball.
They’re for other sports too, and if you just want to look cool—they’ll work just as well!
Last update on 2024-04-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API