Adidas Dunamis sports sunglasses review: an almost literal sun shield for your eyes

Meet the reviewer

Adidas Dunamis: first impressions

These super-sized Adidas Dunamis sport sunglasses are out to make a statement, and some down-to-Earth trail-running types might feel somewhat self-conscious wearing them on casual runs and races. I definitely did.

• List price: $227 (US) / £180 (UK) / €210 (EU)
• Weight: 28g / 1oz
• Category: 3
• Arm colors: Antique Black / White
• Lens colors: Smoke / Brown / Green / Violet / Roviex
• Materials: Nylon-injected arms, super-light polycarbonate lenses
• Size (lens): 148mm x 51mm
• Gender options: Unisex
• VLT: 14%-15%
• Extras: Large semi-rigid, zipped case plus lens wipe
• Suitability: All running, all cycling

But once you realize how ridiculously lightweight these Dunamis are, and get a taste of the level of functionality they offer, it’s easier to put such reservations to one side.

Designed for use by all kinds of runners (on road, trail and track), as well as cyclists (again, across all forms of riding, from mountain biking to gravel and road riding) and other sporty types (golfers, tennis players) these brand new sunnies have been released in time to coincide with the start of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

Tying in with that things-that-originated-in-Greece theme, the name Dunamis comes from an Ancient Greek philosophical concept about releasing inner power, potential and ability (Adidas certainly aren’t shy when it comes to making grandiose statements with their products).

Adidas Dunamis: design and materials

With a range of lens and arm color options available, the Dunamis have been made in collaboration with Italian eyewear maestros Marcolin . The frameless design features a single-piece, wide, wraparound, visor-style lens that offers superb surround vision, completely unimpeded by obstructions.

These category 3 sunnies have a Visible Light Transvmission (VLT) rating of 14% to 15% (it varies very slightly according to the lens color you opt for). Although it’s not polarized, the thermoformed lens is engineered to enhance color perception and reduce glare. The lens has also been treated with a hydrophobic and oleophobic coating, which means water droplets run straight off and it is more resistant to scratch damage and accumulation of dust. The bottom of the lens features a unique spoiler, which flares out slightly to sit more securely on your face and (maybe…) to make you a touch more streamlined.

The arms have a large vent window by each temple, to help prevent the lens from steaming up when you’re puffing hard, and also feature a contoured, rubbery grip pattern, which runs from the vent to your ear. The bridge sits right on the wearer’s nose, but adjustable rubber buffers keep the glasses both secure and comfortable.

Adidas Dunamis: in the field

Adidas Dunamis are intended not just for running, but also bike riding and other sports such as golf. The latter pursuit is not for me, but I have been wearing these impressive (albeit eyebrow-raisingly expensive) shades while trail running, mountain biking and road cycling this summer, in the light and bright conditions of the solar-powered Southwest.

The first thing to note is that the Dunamis are incredibly lightweight – barely bothering the needle on the scales, just gently pushing it to a smidgen under 1oz (28g). Combined with this, the lens shading is subtle (but effective) and the absence of a frame means you do actually half-forget you’re wearing these sunnies, until you realize you’re not squinting and the flies are bouncing off a near-invisible forcefield in front of your eyes (especially whilst riding).

The arms feature a textured temple-gripping pattern that keeps the glasses very securely in place, even when you’re running (or riding) on rough terrain, and negotiating constant obstacles. On test, I don’t recall the Dunamis moving as much as a millimeter, despite me jumping and leaping around across rocks on my morning beach run (where the tide often forces me off the shingle and on to the boulders).

Further enhancing this secure hold, the bridge grip is snug without feeling pinchy or uncomfortable, even when worn for an extended periods of time. There are ventilation slots in the arms too, which I found pretty effective at preventing the lens from steaming up.

The inclusion of a flared spoiler at the bottom of the lens is a really interesting feature.

It seems a bit (OK, a lot) of a stretch to claim that this improves performance through enhanced aerodynamics (unless you’re eyeing a sub-10-second 100m sprint, or donning a teardrop helmet to do time-trial style cycling), but it does mean the glasses sit comfortably on your cheeks. However, I did notice a very small amount of distortion at the extreme lower edge of the lens when I was running, which I think is caused by this design (it wasn’t enough to cause a problem).

Overall, these are excellent all-sport sunglasses, and they come with a very good semi-rigid storage case and cleaning cloth… and also an eye-watering price tag.

• How Advnture tests products