Ombraz Viale Review

From straight on, the Ombraz Viale looks like a standard pair of sunglasses. However, if you look at an angle or from the sides, you realize something is different. These sunglasses don’t have arms! Instead, they are secured with a cord. Will this prevent broken sunglasses on rugged adventures, or is it a novelty? We’ve tested these sunglasses for weeks during a slew of different activities, so let’s dive in and find out.

The Rundown

The primary idea behind these sunglasses is to circumvent the fact that the arms, or the connection between the glasses and arms, are the often most easily damaged portion of the design. If you can remove that, you may be able to stop breaking sunglasses. Does it work? We’ll get into that later. For now, let’s chat about materials.

The frames are crafted from TR-90, which is a highly durable thermoplastic. Everyone online talks about how durable the TR-90 is; however, when messing about with the glasses, they don’t feel that much more durable than other sunglasses we’ve tested. It feels like it has more flex, which is solid for outdoor adventures because bend-don’t-break is better than a pair that breaks when it comes into contact with something. So far, we’ve had no issues with the TR-90 frames on the Ombraz Viale or Cammina sunglasses, both of which we’ve tested extensively.

Speaking of which, there are tons of frame styles available. The designs are somewhat limited because none have arms; however, they do a lot with those limitations. We prefer the Viale to the Cammina, as the latter feels a little too large on some faces; however, it’s all down to personal preference.

One thing that might determine what frame you go with is whether or not you want to get side shields. What are side shields? Well, we’re happy that you asked. Essentially, they’re like the visor you pop down in the car over the left or right window when the sun comes in through that side. At the time of writing, there are side shields for the Dolomite, Teton, and Viale frames. These are handy if you’re sensitive to the sun or are planning a long ride and know you’ll be getting a ton of peripheral sunshine. They’re tricky to get on, so it takes some practice to get used to them.

The cord that keeps the sunglasses on your head is crafted from 100% recycled marine-grade nylon. It’s durable but soft and comfortable, and if worn correctly, it won’t hurt your hair. If you’ve got a ponytail (or a man bun like our primary tester), we recommend placing the cord below that, as it’s more comfortable and stylish than having it on top. The cord is adjustable and holds its tightness very well, which is essential for rough rides.

In practice, the glasses are comfortable. If you tighten them up, which initially feels right, your face will sweat, and they might fog up slightly. We recommend tightening them completely and loosening the cord just a hair to give your face some breathing room. This way, you won’t be as suffocated by the frames and still have a secure fit.

So, how did we test these sunglasses? Because our testing phase was so long, we did a lot with them. Let’s dive in!

This wasn’t the first event chronologically, but it’s probably the most important piece of testing we did with the glasses. While cycling on a two-way bike lane, our primary tester was greeted by a car that didn’t stop at a stop sign and barrelled into an intersection they were already in. Our tester (and the car) couldn’t move quickly enough, so the bike rammed into the side of the vehicle.

Our tester went flying, the car sped off, and all hope was lost. Luckily, they were fine, the bike saw minimal damage, and our Omraz Viale Sunglasses stayed put, completely unphased by the wickedness that just occurred under its nose pads. Can you imagine getting hit by a car and breaking your sunglasses? Talk about a crappy Saturday!

That same tester took these sunglasses fishing to remote areas in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to target trout. The polarized lenses helped cut the glare off the water to see fish on sunny days and catch fish with a Tenkara rod.

While hiking to a waterfall in a gorge in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, our primary tester tumbled down the side of a cliff face, sliding and banging up their knee. The sunglasses survived unscathed.

In less remote testing, we took these sunglasses to a half dozen soccer games in Detroit. They protected our primary tester’s eyes from smoke bombs, enabling them to watch Detroit City FC score goals when the sun was setting during 7 PM kickoffs, which are notoriously hard to enjoy because of the sun’s placement in the stadium.

As you can tell, we traveled a ton with these sunglasses, and they held up every step of the way. Plus, you get to field a million questions from strangers while wearing them! Lucky for you, you can send them to this review instead of answering them.

Packability

Though they have a similar footprint to other sunglasses, Ombraz models are more portable because they aren’t as thick and don’t have arms. The case that comes with the glasses is much thinner than any other travel sunglasses case, and we haven’t had any issues with durability, either.

The glasses come in at .7 ounces or 19.8 grams, which is incredibly light for a pair of glasses that are this durable.

The case is crafted from neoprene, which is durable enough and adds padding to protect the glasses. It has a built-in cleaning cloth, which is handy if you get the glasses sweaty or dirty. If they’re very muddy, we recommend cleaning them with something else first to preserve the cleaning cloth.

Even when placed in the case, these glasses fit inside your pocket. They’ll fit into most slings, too, and you’ll have no issue stowing them inside your daypack or travel backpack.

Quick Comparison

Though they’re a very different style and utilize other materials, the ROAV Eyewear Franklin Sunglasses maintain a similar footprint when in use. These have arms, so they might be a better fit for you if that’s your vibe. When not in use, the ROAV sunglasses are much smaller.

They’re crafted from stainless steel, which certainly won’t break from regular use; however, they might bend if not looked after properly. These materials offer a less sporty, more stylish look. However, we’d give the Ombraz Viale the nod regarding durability due to their lack of arms and bend-don’t-break frames.

Both glasses cost a pretty penny; however, they’re very similar in price, keeping them level. The Ombraz glasses are more comfortable, especially if you’re wearing them for longer periods. Though they’re less stylish, they work for more activities, as we’d never do anything active with the Franklin glasses. Still, we understand that not everyone needs a pair of sunglasses for cycling, surfing, or running.

Both sunglasses are solid choices for different people and tasks. Still, we think everyone should try sunglasses without arms at least once!