In Review: Nathan Sports Summit sunglasses

If you recall, a last month we introduced you to Nathan Sports and their lightweight polarized sunglasses. What I found curious about these is that they were being positioned as running, or active sports, sunglasses. With the classic Wayfarer profile, it’s a much different look than the swept-back glasses (ie, think Oakleys) we’re used to seeing on active shades. We got a pair in, and I’ve been testing them out.

First off – yes, you will feel like you’re back in the heydey of translucent consumer goods (candy-colored iMacs, anyone?) when you open up the box that contains the Nathan Sports Summit. While the lens themselves are polarized – which is the part that darkens things down for your eyes – they’ve also got a slight bit of a mirrored finish on them, which is a nice look.

Overall, the Nathan Sports Summit presents in a very nice monochromatic finish, with the only other color coming in from the branding on the arms, and of course the nosepads and the ends of the arms. And let’s talk about those nosepads. I’m not sure what they’ve treated that rubber with, but this is some of the grippiest material I’ve had on my nose for a pair of sunglasses.

Often, the nosepads are there to increase the comfort while you wear the glasses. With this stickiness, you actually have a good bit of grip there, holding the glasses in place. If you’re not active, this can get uncomfortable (just a little bit) when you take them off. However, if you’re active and sweating a bit, this rubber compound really shines.

While an inexpensive pair of sunglasses could end up sliding around once you start sweating, I did not have that problem whatsoever with the Nathan Sports Summit. They didn’t slide down my nose, nor did they bounce or move around while I was jogging on the trail. All while protecting my eyes from the sun (and some wind) which makes for a solid all-arounder for exercising with.

So, yes, the Nathan Sports Summit are a good option for sunglasses to exercise with. With their classic profile, they can also easily work just as regular sunglasses as well, letting you go from the trail to the barbecue without it looking like you’re bringing your workout gear along. You can pick up your own for $50 directly from nathansports.com