Men's Sunglasses
Men's sunglasses at FlipBuy UK — polarised sports, classic square and high-definition styles, including multi-packs. From £9.99 to £14.99.
UV protection and polarisation are not the same thing
This is the most important thing to understand before buying sunglasses, and the two get confused constantly.
UV protection is what protects your eyes. Look for UV400 or 100% UV protection, which blocks UVA and UVB up to 400 nanometres. In the UK and EU, sunglasses should carry a CE or UKCA mark confirming they meet the safety standard.
Polarisation is a comfort and clarity feature. It filters horizontally reflected light, cutting glare from wet roads, water, snow and car bonnets. It has nothing to do with UV protection.
Dark lenses without UV protection are worse than no sunglasses at all. The darkness makes your pupils open wider, letting more UV into the eye. This is why unbranded, unmarked sunglasses are a genuine risk rather than just poor value — always check for the UV rating.
When polarisation is worth having
- Driving: cuts glare from wet roads and other cars' bonnets. Note that polarised lenses can make some dashboard LCD screens hard to read at certain angles.
- Fishing: the classic use — polarisation lets you see through surface reflection into the water.
- Cycling and running: reduces glare from wet tarmac.
- Beach and snow: both reflect strongly, and glare is genuinely tiring over a day.
Polarised lenses are less useful for pilots and anyone reading LCD instruments, and can make ice harder to spot when driving, since it's the reflection that reveals it.
How to choose a frame that fits
- The frame should be as wide as your face, or very slightly wider. Frames narrower than your face pinch at the temples and slide down.
- Your eyes should sit near the centre of each lens, not close to the top or the inner edge.
- The frame shouldn't touch your cheeks when you smile — that's what causes smudging and marks.
- Check the arms. They should follow the side of your head and sit lightly behind the ear without gripping.
- For sport, look for rubberised nose pads and temple tips, which grip when you sweat.
Lens tints and what they do
- Grey keeps colours true and reduces overall brightness. The all-purpose choice, best for driving.
- Brown and amber increase contrast and depth perception. Good for variable light, golf and fishing.
- Green balances contrast and colour accuracy.
- Mirrored coatings reduce glare further and suit very bright conditions.
- Yellow increases contrast in low light but offers little sun reduction — better for overcast conditions than bright sun.
How to look after them
- Rinse before wiping. Dry-wiping grinds sand and grit into the coating and is the main cause of scratches
- Use a microfibre cloth, never a shirt, tissue or paper towel
- Avoid household glass cleaner, which strips lens coatings — plain water or a lens spray only
- Never leave them on a car dashboard. Heat warps frames and can delaminate polarised layers
- Store in a case, lenses up if loose in a bag
- Rinse after the sea — salt corrodes hinges and screws
Common questions
How do I know if sunglasses have UV protection?
Look for UV400 or 100% UV protection in the specification, and a CE or UKCA mark. Lens darkness tells you nothing about UV protection.
Are polarised lenses better?
Better for glare and comfort, yes — but polarisation is separate from eye protection. You need UV400 for that.
Why can't I read my phone with polarised sunglasses?
Some LCD screens are themselves polarised, so at certain angles the two cancel out and the screen looks black. Tilting your head usually fixes it.
What lens colour should I choose?
Grey for general use and driving, brown or amber for contrast in variable light.
Related collections
For watches, see men's watches. For the full range, men's fashion.
