Review: Ombraz Armless Sunglasses

Ombraz Armless Sunglasses

Before spending a bunch of time outdoors, I never really thought about sunglasses that much. I just need a pair that got me to the car and back. Now that I spend a ton of time in the outdoors and am more active, taking care of my eyes is a top priority. I have also lost quite a few pair of glasses being active so I was excited to try the Ombraz Armless Sunglasses. They use a cord instead of arms to keep them in the right spot every time. Since I don’t do a ton of action sports I even brought on my friends Brooke and Jackson to help review the Ombraz Armless Sunglasses in more active settings. Here are our thoughts.

As a disclaimer I would like to mention that I was given this product so that I could write this review. This site uses affiliate marketing links. If you make a purchase from this page using a link, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions on this page are my own and based on my own experiences with this product. I am not compensated for the opinions on this review. Your experience with the product may be different.

From Ombraz about their Armless Sunglasses

Before I get into my thoughts on these sunglasses, I wanted to see exactly what Ombraz is saying about their product. From their website they state, “Traditional sunglasses break, fall off, hurt the sides of your head, and are difficult to store. By replacing the arms with a built-in cord, Ombraz (pronounced ohm-bruhz) don’t break, won’t fall off, and, when worn correctly, are surprisingly more comfortable than ordinary sunglasses. ”

Here are some more of the stats and details about the Ombraz Armless Sunglasses directly from their website.

Specs

Price*

$160.00

Sizes*

Regular, Narrow, XL

Styles*

6 Frame Styles, 5 Frame Colors

Tech Specs* (Based on Classic Polarized)

• World-Class Polarized Zeiss Optics
• 100% UVA/UVB Protection
• Hard-Coated, Hydrophobic, Oleophobic
• Indestructible TR-90 Frames
• Base Curve 6
• 100% Recycled Marine-Grade Nylon Cord
• Patented Adjustment System Fits All Head Sizes
• Neoprene Case With Built-In Cleaning Cloth
• Compostable Packaging
• 20 Mangrove Trees Planted Per Pair

All information from Ombraz.com. Check their website for the most up to date information.

What Makes Ombraz Armless Sunglasses Different

Ombraz really does aim at solving a few problems that all outdoor enthusiasts suffer from. First, there are no hinges, screws, or arms on the glasses. So you don’t have to worry about bending or breaking off an arm while out or when storing the glasses in a pack. Second, these glasses are adjustable and comfortable. No tight spots or arms that aren’t wide enough. You can set the tension and fit to what is comfortable to you. Plus, they will always be secure and you won’t have to worry about them falling off. Finally, they are designed to be stored flat and take up less space in a pack. Ombraz covers most of the complaints about glasses for the outdoor enthusiast with marine quality cord and lightweight frames. It was a concept that I was very eager to try!

From Greg, The Fatman, Men’s Outdoor Perspective of Ombraz Armless Sunglasses

As a hiker in the Colorado mountains, it is important for me to protect my eyes from the intense, high-altitude, sun. I never hike without a pair of sunglasses. Well, except that one time when they fell off my face and tumbled down a mountain and were not recoverable. That is why I wanted to try the Ombraz Armless Sunglasses. I was very intrigued about the cord approach so that I would never lose the glasses. I took them on several hikes and have a good feeling for the Ombraz.

The Basics

The glasses themselves are really nice. I was impressed with the lenses and the sun protection. One of the problems I have is that I have a wider face and get light leaks around the sides but I didn’t see that as an issue with the Ombraz. I also liked that I could I adjust how tight the glasses were on my face. There were no issues with them sliding around as I got on tricky terrain, a problem I have with typical sunglasses. For the most part, I found the glasses comfortable on my face and the sun protection and polarization were really nice.

The Fit

The Ombraz are definitely a unique style of glasses that are great when you get comfortable with them. However, I found that it took awhile to find the optimum fit. It was pretty easy to tighten them too much or have them too lose on my face. They were still comfortable they aren’t like a regular pair of glasses that fit the same each time. So it takes a bit getting used to at the start to make to figure out exactly what is the most optimal fit. That said, it only took a few tries to really get the fit figured out to just the way I like it.

A bit on Function

The only thing that I was concerned about was that I like to take my glasses off from time to time and place them on top of my hat. I couldn’t really do that with the Ombraz and would have to take my hat off to put the glasses on or off. However, it is really convenient to take the glasses off and just let them dangle around my neck. It is just a matter of getting used to a different way to wear sunglasses to match the new style of glasses.

Overall

Overall I thought that the Ombraz Armless Sunglasses work well for hiking, though I think they would work even better for action sports like water or snow skiing, or mountain biking, where sunglasses are more likely to fall off. The lenses are really nice and I really liked the polarization. They were very high quality when it came to sun protection and just take a little getting used to.

From Brooke, Women’s Outdoor and Lifestyle Perspective of Ombraz Armless Sunglasses

I’m someone who continually either loses a pair of sunglasses, sits on them, or they fall off of my head-WITHOUT FAIL! The concept of armless sunglasses really intrigued the clumsy element of me and I was very excited to try them out. I primarily used these glasses for cycling, as that is my favorite activity of choice. Plus, I keep up a pretty good speed and am continually faced with windy, sunny elements. I felt that would be a good way to test out the quality of these sunglasses versus my other favorite activity of hiking.

Cycling

The first time I used them, I went on a 31 mile bike ride along the water. The winds were rough and the sun was beating down on my body. It was pretty brutal. What I loved about these glasses is not only did they have great polarization that helped protect my eyes from the sun, but also the ability to adjust the cords to fit my head properly so that the winds didn’t take them away. I didn’t mention, but I do have a big head and having the ability to make sunglasses fit my head versus the other way around was very nice. I’ve used these glasses several times biking and the one thing I keep thinking to myself is that I love that you feel like you don’t have glasses on and the cord doesn’t irritate your ears. I’ve had that with some other glasses I’ve tried out, which can be a bit frustrating!

My biggest struggle with sunglasses is finding ones that protect and cover the side of my eyes. I have very sensitive, dry eyes and have been on the search for a good pair of sunglasses to fix that problem for a while. While the sunglasses did relatively well in that aspect, I wouldn’t say they completely did the job. I still had slightly irritated eyes every single time after using them. Despite that, I think they are a quality pair of sunglasses.

You can read more from Brooke and her adventures on her website at www.Brookeitlist.com.

From Jackson, Action Sports Perspective

These are now my go-to mountain biking glasses because of their comfort and sturdiness on the trail. The Ombraz’s innovative armless design makes them more comfortable than traditional sunglasses, especially when wearing them under a bike helmet. I tried them with several different helmets, and they felt equally comfortable each time. The Teton version, in particular, feels lightweight, largely thanks to its armless feature, which also keeps the glasses securely positioned in front of your eyes. You don’t have to worry about the glasses shifting as you launch off massive dirt ramps. Dare I say, even on the rockiest, most jagged trails in Colorado, the Ombraz strap will keep the lenses squarely in place.

One thing to note is that the nylon cord behind your head can get a bit sweaty when you’re working hard on your bike. However, I find this isn’t a big deal. I often clean the cord using dish soap and a quick rinse in the sink. It dries off relatively fast.

Rafting, SUPing, or Kayaking:

Because these glasses essentially come with built-in Croakies, they are ideal for water sports. I was lucky enough to test them on a multi-day rafting trip on the Colorado River, which included class 4 rapids. Not once did I worry about losing my glasses to the river, as I had with so many traditional sunglasses in the past. These glasses are so well-suited for rafting that I often forgot I was even wearing them. The nylon cord has two easy-to-use fasteners that adjust at the back of your head, allowing you to wear the glasses as tight or loose as you prefer. On this trip, we constantly swam to cool off from the August heat, and I loved not having to worry about stashing my sunglasses in a dry bag before jumping in. Instead, I swam with my Ombraz securely strapped to my head, almost like wearing swim goggles.

Since sunglare, can be so severe while rafting and kayaking, I needed these glasses to perform the important task of keeping my eyes healthy over the course of the trip. To my liking, the polarized lenses performed exceptionally well, protecting my eyes throughout the 3-day trip. I never experienced any eye fatigue, redness, or dryness, something I’ve encountered with cheaper sunglasses during extended wear—further proof of Ombraz’s lens quality.

Jackson’s Closing Thoughts

If you enjoy action sports, these glasses are ideal. While I’ve only tested them while biking and rafting, I’m sure they’d be great for a range of other high-intensity outdoor activities. As we head into winter, I’m excited to test them with a third type of helmet on the snow!

Read more about Jackson’s adventures on his website at www.coloradbro.com

Shop Now for Ombraz Armless Sunglasses

Final Thoughts from the Fatman of the Ombraz Armless Sunglasses

Well it looks like a perfect 3 for 3 on people liking the Ombraz Armless Sunglasses. For high altitude hiking and mountain recreation, the glasses do a great job at protection from the sun and staying in place. On the bikes, both Brooke and Jackson enjoyed the comfort and the fact that the glasses stayed where they were supposed to be the whole trip. And Jackson really enjoyed using the Ombraz while on the water and not having to worry about the sunglare off the water or having to worry about the glasses falling off.

I echo the fact that these are really great when it comes to making sure that your glasses stay exactly where they are supposed to be. That is the main feature that really separates these from other sunglasses out there. There is no sliding or slipping on the face and they are always where they need to be. But that isn’t the only perk, the Ombraz are also lightweight and have really nice lenses to complete the whole package.

More from the Fatman

For a list of other products that I have reviewed you can check my Product Review page here. If you have any products you would like me to review or any comments you can email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!