Few things in this world are as serene as feeling the ocean breeze on your face while laying in the sun’s splendor. Who can blame beach bums for wanting to be near the water 24/7? But while this lifestyle is the envy of many, those who do spend their lives on the shore need to be extra careful of the sun’s damaging UV rays which reflect distracting glare off the water’s surface. Surfers and volleyball players are especially exposed to this and other elements, which is why we gathered some pro water and beach sport athletes to tell us about how important sunglasses are to them and what they look for in a pair of shades.
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Tyra Turner
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SUNGLASSES: How important is wearing sunglasses to your sport?
PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYER TYRA TURNER: In the sport of beach volleyball, there are so many elements you can't control such as the wind, rain, sun, sand depth, heat, and humidity. I can, however, control the crispness and clarity of my vision with the right pair of sunglass lenses. Believe it or not, I've competed on black, brown, tan, red, and white sand beaches. The reflection off the sand is different on each, and with the right lenses and tint in my Kaenons, they allow me to stay focused on the ball. Giving myself clear vision throughout a match is an absolute advantage.
OLYMPIC BEACH VOLLEYBALL GOLD MEDALIST KERRI WALSH: Sunglasses are essential to both my profession and my life-style. I've had to play without shades from time to time for various reasons and I am 100% serious when I say competing in the appropriate sunglasses makes a huge difference. The right pair of sunglasses provides me with amazing fit, protection, functionality, and style. I need to deal with a lot of elements when I compete, and my sunglasses allow me to focus on my game and not on "dealing" with the sand, wind, sun, etc.
SG: Even though surfers don’t usually wear sunglasses in the water, how important are they to your everyday lifestyle and culture near the ocean?
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Fred Patacchia (a.k.a. "Freddy P")
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PRO SURFER FRED PATACCHIA (A.K.A. “FREDDY P”): The sunglasses I wear are very important to my day-to-day life. I'm constantly outdoors and exposed to the sun. Every morning, I grab my surfboard, surf shorts, sunglasses, and I'm out the door. When I'm not surfing, I like to fish off my kayak or jet ski; I never go fishing without my sunglasses.
CHAMPION SURFER AND PADDLEBOARDER TJ AND BRYCE SAEMAN: Sunglasses are very important in our daily lives and in all of our activities. Whether we are fishing, hunting, lifeguarding, or spending all day in the sun, we always have our shades to protect our eyes.
SG: Have there been instances when you were playing volleyball without wearing sunglasses? Did you notice a major difference?
TYRA TURNER: Yes, I had an unfortunate rookie experience and played a night match without a pair of sunglasses on. The glare from the overhead lighting was a constant battle, not to mention irritating and distracting. Mid-match, I dove for a ball and managed to scoop sand into both of my eyes. A routine play turned into a 15-minute medical timeout. Both of my eyes had to be flushed to remove the sand. The skin directly under my eyes was red and irritated. Needless to say, I was distracted by the constant watering of my eyes. This was an easily avoided situation. From that moment on, I told myself I'd never go into battle without my entire uniform on, bikini and sunglasses! It's imperative to wear sunglasses for protection.
KERRI WALSH: The few times I've competed without my sunglasses on were tough. It was tough on my eyes, my vision, and my focus. I have come to know how important my sunglasses are to my success on the beach. They have the ability to make a world of difference.
SG: What are some of the features you look for when picking out a pair of sunglasses?
FREDDY P: I first look at style, then fit and comfort. Personally I like dark colors with a lightweight frame and polarized lenses.
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TJ and Bryce Saemon
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SAEMON BROTHERS: Of course we look at style first, but they also have to be comfortable and have a good quality lens. There is nothing worse than having a cheap pair of sunglasses on your face and getting your eyes burnt.
TYRA TURNER: In terms of importance, fit, comfort, performance, and style are all a necessity for me. When choosing a pair of competition sunglasses, I'm looking for shades that can handle the harsh elements of sand, sun, saltwater, and even sunscreen on a daily basis. Not to mention the high-velocity impact of the ball in my face—that does occur—so no glass or lenses that shatter! My glasses need to be durable because they continuously take a beating. Another necessity for me is the availability of different lens tints and Light Transmission Levels. As I mentioned earlier, sand colors change and you have to be prepared to play at anytime during the day in any sun and cloud condition.
KERRI WALSH: Performance and fit are the two most important things I look for in my competition sunglasses. The lens needs to be very high quality and the fit needs to be such that I forget I'm wearing sunglasses. If my sunglasses fit, then they are comfortable which is another top priority. My final requirement is the style of the glasses. I like a fun combo sassy/sporty shade.
SG: How critical is the fashion aspect of sunwear? What is your favorite pair of sunglasses currently?
FREDDY P: Everyone has their own unique style and fashion sense. I think sunglasses should make you feel cool and confident. For myself, I need to have a few pairs of sunglasses: everyday beach glasses, fashion-forward “I'm a movie star” glasses, and loud, colorful, fun-for-a-pool-party glasses, etc. Arnette’s High Life is my favorite. It's everything I look for in a pair of sunglasses: the style of the frame, a bigger protective lens, and perfect comfort. It's a great sunglass for everyday use.
SAEMON BROTHERS: Looking good is always part of it. But what is really cool to us is to be able to switch our glasses to a different lens depending on the day. Hobie Polarized’s Bayside definitely is our favorite because of its comfort, durability, and the way it looks on your face.
TYRA TURNER: Fashion and sunglasses will forever be intertwined, especially for a woman. To me sunglasses are like the "little black dress" every girl has to have. You purchase one or two that look fabulous and can be worn anywhere. You spend a little more, because it’s a staple to your wardrobe and every year you update them so you're current. You know you can't go wrong when you wear a classic piece. In competition, I'm a classic Hard Kore (Kaenon Polarized) girl. The design around the nosebridge is so forgiving when you get smacked in the face with a volleyball. It does happen, and I've seen numerous people left bleeding and needing stitches. Not me…I just clean them off and I'm good to go.
KERRI WALSH: This is a tough question to answer because I've come to love a lot of Oakley sunglasses. However, I have to say that I love wearing Oakley's Forsake sunglasses. They're just really cute and make me feel good and sassy when I wear them. The lenses are great (no surprise) and they are really comfortable.
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