When you're on the baseball diamond, vision is everything. Having the right lenses can make all the difference during the split-second reaction time you'll need to hit that home run or catch a line drive. In this baseball sunglasses lens guide, we’ll dive into the best lens colors, lens features, and exclusive lens technology, so you have the clearest and most enhanced vision on the field.
Baseball Sunglasses Lens Guide
1. What's the Best Lens Color for Baseball?
1.2 Rose Lenses
1.3 Brown Lenses
1.4 Gray Lenses
1.5 Clear and Amber Lenses
2. Other Baseball Lens Features
2.1 Photochromic (Transitions) Lens
2.2 Interchangeable Lenses
2.3 Mirror Lenses
2.4 Should I Polarize?
3. Best Exclusive Lens Technology for Baseball
3.1 SportRx Field Day Lenses
3.2 Nike Field Tint Lenses
3.3 Oakley PRIZM™ Field Lenses
3.4 100% HiPER Lenses
4. Our Top Baseball Sunglass Pick
5. Prescription Baseball Glasses and Sunglasses at SportRx
To complement this baseball sunglasses lens guide, Eyeglass Tyler goes over some of the most popular lens technologies, so you're on your game during America's greatest pastime.
What's the Best Lens Color for Baseball?
Rose Lenses
Rose and rose copper lenses (as we’re fond of at SportRx) are great tints for daytime play. These colors provide the highest contrast, and separate and boost colors. You’ll find it easier to spot the ball against the blue sky or the green grass. These are our favorites for baseball, so if you’re not sure, go with a rose. One potential downside is that these lenses may not be dark enough in very bright sunlight or if you have sensitive eyes.
Brown Lenses
Brown lenses are a little denser than rose or rose copper, so they're better for bright conditions while still providing great contrast enhancement. If you need a darker lens but still want that contrast, brown is your best bet.
Gray Lenses
Gray lenses aren't necessarily a bad choice for baseball, but they don't provide any particular benefit either. Since gray is a true-to-color tint, they won't enhance your performance in baseball. This is a great tint for blocking excessively bright light, but there's no particular upside on wearing them for baseball.
Clear & Amber Lenses
If you anticipate a lot of nighttime games or foggy mornings (or if you're a pitcher), you can enhance your vision with a low-light lens! Clear and amber lenses are good options for these conditions. Amber lenses provide some contrast enhancement, so you can use them either in dim daylight or under those bright stadium lights.
Whichever color you get, be sure to add an anti-reflective (AR) coating. An AR coating will reduce reflections from artificial lights and help you see better.
Other Baseball Lens Features
Transitions/Photochromic Lenses
These tint-changing lenses are great if you want one lens that does it all. Photochromic lenses adjust from light to dark based on the amount of UV light present and are typically referred to as transition lenses. For baseball, we suggest a brown tint and an AR coating.
Interchangeable Lenses
This is another great feature if you like having one frame, but a specific lens for any scenario. Sunglasses like the Oakley Flak 2.0 XL are a great example of frames that are compatible with interchangeable lenses. You can have a set of clear lenses when you're pitching or playing late games, a different set of PRIZM™ Field lenses for practice, and so on.
Mirror Lenses
A mirror coating on the front side of your lens is another option for making your sunglasses darker. Not only does it look cool, it reflects what Tyler calls "ambient glare" away from the lens. This is light you don't get much use out of anyway.
Should I Polarize?
The short answer: no. Although polarization helps eliminate glare, it can also throw off your depth perception and make it harder to track the ball, which in turn, will hinder performance. And in baseball, every second counts.
Best Exclusive Lens Technology for Baseball
SportRx Field Day Lenses
A SportRx exclusive, the Field Day is a transition-based lens technology that goes from a light to medium rose copper color on duller lighting conditions to a darker bronze rose copper color during brighter conditions. Both transition forms will help boost contrast and enhance colors, so you play ball with maximum clarity. These lenses are also paired with an anti-reflective coating with blue defense to help block against negative blue light from the sun during bright conditions. SportRx Field Day lenses are an option for a wide variety of frames and are available in prescription.
Nike Field Tint Lenses
The Nike Field Tint will enhance your ability to track pop flys and line drives during bright and shifting light conditions. These lenses also block against ambient glare, which means you aren't disrupted by light coming in at harsher angles. The Nike Field Tint is featured in a variety of Nike frames, including the beloved Nike Show X3. These lenses are not available in prescription.
Oakley PRIZM™ Field Lenses
The Oakley PRIZM™ Field lenses are a popular choice for boosting clarity and contrast while you're on the field. These lenses have a rose base and are specifically designed for clearer visuals of incoming baseball pitches and ground balls. The Oakley PRIZM™ Field lenses are also available in prescription. Check out our Oakley PRIZM™ Field review to learn more about its unique features.
100% HiPER Lenses
100%'s HiPER lens technology helps boost/separate colors and sharpen contrast — so you're playing baseball in high definition. You'll love the enhanced depth perception and clearer visuals you'll gain through these lenses. 100% HiPER lenses are featured in many 100% frames including the S2 and S3. These lenses are not available in prescription.
Top Baseball Sunglasses Pick
It's no surprise that the Oakley Flak 2.0 XL is our top pick for baseball sunglasses. They are lightweight, have great grip, and are comfortable for all-day wear. With Oakley Unobtainium rubber nose pads and ear socks, the Flak 2.0 XL stays in place even when you sweat. When paired with PRIZM™ Field lens technology, you are ready to hit the field with the best vision possible for daytime playing. Flak 2.0 XL is also available in prescription at SportRx.
Oakley Flak 2.0 XL in Polished Black with PRIZM™ Field
Shop Oakley Flak 2.0 XL
Oakley Flak 2.0 XL Key Features:
- Oakley Unobtainium nose pads and temples ensure a no-slip grip
- O-Matter™ frame is lightweight and durable
- PRIZM™ Field lenses bring out optimum clarity
- Prescription ready!
Prescription Baseball Glasses and Sunglasses at SportRx
Need prescription baseball sunglasses? Done. When you shop with us, you’ll find video guides and tooltips throughout the lens building process to help you customize the perfect pair. An answer to all your questions is at your fingertips, and if you want to chat with an expert, Contact Us! We’ll put you in touch with one of our friendly in-house opticians who can help you build your prescription baseball sunglasses.
Ditch risky online shopping with the See Better Guarantee. Try your sunglasses for 45 days. If you’re not satisfied, send them back. Get a full refund, exchange, or credit towards a better pair. And return shipping? Covered. Get your pair of prescription baseball sunglasses at SportRx today!
