These Sunglasses Cost Under $20 But Make Me Feel Like a Million Bucks

In three-plus years of testing, we’ve consistently found Sungait Vintage Round Sunglasses to be durable and resilient. The frames are made of TR90, a pliant, lightweight plastic that resists damage and breakage. We have even stepped on these glasses on purpose and found they withstood the abuse.

As with all of the cheap sunglasses we recommend, this pair’s lenses provide UV protection. They’re also polarized, which can reduce glare and eyestrain while increasing clarity. To prove it, Sungait even sends you a little card with an illustration that you can see only through polarized lenses. (Not all of the Vintage Round variants feature polarized lenses, though, so double-check before you buy.)

As a bargain hunter who’s always searching for a good dupe, I love how the preppy-chic Vintage Round pairs look more expensive than they are, with upgraded features that you may not find even in much-higher-priced sunnies.

In our cheap sunglasses guide, we note that this pair resembles Ray-Ban Erika Classic sunglasses, which rely on cheaper nylon frames that can turn brittle over time. I’ve also found that my Sungaits look a lot like Michael Kors Adrianna sunglasses, except those don’t offer polarized lenses.

Every pair of Sungait sunglasses comes with a lens cloth, a glasses bag, and a mini screwdriver to adjust the hinges if you need to fine-tune the sizing or the arms start to loosen over time. I routinely make use of all three extras.

I tend to remove my sunglasses by pulling them off to one side, so one arm usually starts to wobble before the other. Once every month or two, I break out the mini screwdriver and spend a minute tightening the loose arm's hinge screw. (I'll be honest: I hate doing this and it is a frustrating minute, whether I'm working on a pair of Sungaits or any other glasses. It never feels like I'm making progress, but eventually the arm always ends up feeling more solidly in place.) I do love that the Sungait screwdriver is outfitted with a split ring to attach to a keychain for take-everywhere portability.

The Sungait glasses bag is made from the same microfiber fabric as the lens cloth. So I just use the bag to wipe my glasses as needed, and I have repurposed the cleaning cloths for dusting off my record collection and tech devices. Of course, a hard-sided case would offer more protection than the bag, especially when the sunnies are jostling around in my everyday tote. But considering the Sungaits' overall sturdiness and low price, I haven’t bothered to buy one (though plenty are available online for a few bucks).

The most impressive Sungait freebie, though, is the lifetime warranty. The company will issue you a full refund or a free pair whether the glasses arrive defective, turn faulty, accidentally break, or if you just don’t like them—all without requiring that you return the original pair. (While I’ve never experienced any defects with my Sungaits, some Amazon customers have logged complaints about the hinge screws falling apart after only a few weeks or months.)

I’ve yet to encounter a situation where my Sungait sunnies weren’t exactly what I needed. They’re tough enough to wear on a run, a bike ride, or a hike. They boast unisex appeal; I’ve lent them to my husband, and he looks great in them. And they’re on trend no matter the dress code. I would wear them down the shore; I would wear them to the store. I would wear them on a plane; I would wear them touring Spain.

Of course, the primary reason I look so cool in my Sungait glasses is that I’m no longer stressed about ruining a pricier pair or mortified about sporting a junky pair. I’ve finally found my forever, Goldilocks pair, the sunglasses that always look and feel just right.

This article was edited by Alexander Aciman and Annemarie Conte.