Sunglasses haven’t changed much since they caught on in the late 1920s, when an entrepreneur started in New Jersey. Styles have evolved, frame materials and lenses have gotten better, but the nuts and bolts of their constructiontoday are essentially the same as those first onessold on the Jersey Shore. That’s what makes the shades from all the more intriguing. Instead of traditional sidearms, the companyuses a thin nylon strap to hold them on your face, like a permanent version of that you can tighten.
Ombrazhasa few models, all of which feature the same technology andare billed as nearly indestructible and primefor adventures like paddling, biking, and climbing. We were excited about the design when the brand launched two years ago, and for the past few months I’ve beentesting a new model, the ($140). I’ve runand biked a few hundred miles wearingthem, climbed withthem, and happy-houredwiththem, andI basically lived withthem glued to my facefor a week during a bikepacking trip through the desert when there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. After constant testing in the field and around town, I love the Leggero. I also hateit. Let me explain.
What I Like
I dig the big, squarish frames; theymake me look like a morally bankrupt film producer from the seventies, which I like.And there’s a lot to love about these sunglasses beyondaesthetics. Ditching the sidearms is more than just a shtick—it’s pretty damn smart. Most sunglasses rely on tight sidearms to keep them snug against your face, but they can cause annoying pressure points behind your ears, which can turn into headaches if you wear them for too long. The nylon strap with two sliding toggles on these keeps them secure without any noticeable pointsof contact, so the Leggeroremainssurprisingly comfortable, even after a long day of use. And I like hanging themfrom my neck, locked and loaded forwhen the sun breaks through.
The lack of sidearms also cutsweight (the Leggero is 20 grams, onpar with high-end running glasses), while eliminating those tiny screws that are a hassleto get back inwhen they inevitablyfall out. And, yes, eschewing sidearms for a strap makes them hard to crush. I threwthem on the ground and stepped on them while wearing hiking boots, and they alwaysemergedunscathed. I put them in my back pocket and sat on them repeatedly, and they came out good as new (which says something, as I weigh 190 pounds). Granted, the lenses—polarized glass from Germany—will collect scratches, but the frames themselves are pretty pliable.
Sounds like a love affair, right? Not so fast.
What I Dislike
Putting these glasses on and taking them off is a pain in the ass.
The process is not technically difficult—it’s just loosening or tightening the nylon strap, but those actions requiretwo hands, and alot of the things I do in sunglassesalso require two hands. That meansI have to take both hands off the handlebarsor off the rope when I’mbelaying (don’t do this). If I’m wearing a helmet, there’s an added layer of complexity,because the Leggero’sstrapgets caughtin the helmet’s strap. And if I’m drinking a beer and it gets sunny all of a sudden, I have to put down my brew. Unacceptable.
I have a fewminor gripes, too. I’d prefer grippier nose pads—the Leggerorequiresmore tension to preventslippagewhen I’m working up a sweat.And there’s a slightlearning curve to the tightening process: it took me a few days toeventually findthe sweet spot with the strap tension.
The Upshot
So, yeah, I hate these sunglasses a little bit, but does thatoutweigh my love for them? Hell no. The highest compliment I can give to a pair of shadesis that they disappear on my face. And that happens all the time with the Leggero. I put them on, I do the things I’m doing, and I totally forget I’m wearing them. Bravo. Soeven though I’m hyperaware of the Leggero during anytransitions (when they become cumbersome and require two opposable thumbs),I’m still planning on wearing them on bluebird days when I’m skiing this winter.I’m also looking forward to strapping them on at the beach this spring and summer. I will absolutely paddleboard, and maybe even surf, with these glasses. And I’m positive I won’t lose them, because they’re glued to my head.