Vuarnet Blue Polar Sunglasses Lens Review
The Vuarnet Blue Polar is a dark, high-quality blue polarized glass lens, and the best blue lens I have tried. It works in clear, sunny, colorful conditions, and it falls apart quickly once the clouds come in. I usually tell people to avoid blue lenses, and this is one of the very few exceptions I have found, even if it's a limited one.
Check it out here on Vuarnet's website.
If you want to know more about how blue lenses work, and why I usually say to avoid them, click here.
In This Review
Lens Specs | Vuarnet Blue Polar |
Technology | NPE Filter |
Lens Color | Blue |
Mirror Color | None |
VLT | 12% |
ABBE | 58 |
Coatings | Anti-reflective, Scratch-resistant, Oleophobic, Hydrophobic, UV, Infrared, and Blue-Light blocking |
Material | Glass |
Weight | Heavy |
Scratch Resistance | High |
Prescription Available | Yes |
3 |
The objective quality here is as good as it gets. It's the same Vuarnet mineral glass and coating package as the Grey Polar and Brown Polar. Water beads off, oil wipes away without smearing, and the anti-reflective layer does its job as well as any other.
There is no mirror on this lens, which means there is less vulnerability to scratches.
There is a version of this lens with a mirror: the Blue Polarlynx, which adds a silver bi-shaded mirror. I explain the differences between those types of lenses here.
Vuarnet also adds an infrared (IR) blocking coating, which most premium brands don't bother with. Glass already filters a good chunk of IR on its own, and unlike UV, infrared isn't known to damage the eye in normal sun exposure because the eye filters most of it. The main benefit is less heat felt around the eyes, which might matter in extreme environments like deserts or high altitude. For everyday use, the difference is small as far as we know.
13% VLT puts it in category 3, the standard range for bright sun. It's a dark lens, and it feels like one.
It is relatively heavy, like most glass lenses. I have had mine for years in the 1614, an acetate and metal aviator that Vuarnet doesn't make anymore.
Each Vuarnet lens is engraved with the "V on ski" hallmark, guaranteeing its authenticity. They used to have the V on the top middle of the lenses, newer versions are at the top corners.
Is it eligible for prescription?
Yes, even in glass. Vuarnet has more details on this page.
You can also get RX for Vuarnet from SportRx using SportRx lenses. Use code SCIENCE10 for $10 off.
Also check out: Best Sunglasses Cases, Storage, and Travel Cases
How does the lens look?
From the front, it's a plain blue with no mirror, and the tint is uniform across the whole lens, with no gradient.
The back has a blue shine from the anti-reflective coating, and behind that the tint is blue and decently dark.
What does the view look like?
This is a category 3 lens, and the character of it is "cool" (as in, colder).
Blues are the whole point. The sky and water come through with a beautiful hue, crisp and bright. Greens are subdued but still clear. Reds are muted. That trade is the reason I'm generally against blue lenses. A blue tint holds back the reds and greens we actually rely on to see well, and the view ends up washed out and less defined. It's the opposite of what a good brown lens does, and some of the best lenses in the world are brown, for very good reason. Blue lenses tend to look good but not "see good".
This lens is better than that, and it's the best blue I have tried. I have worn blue lenses from Serengeti, Etnia Barcelona, Persol, Oliver Peoples, Garrett Leight, Ray-Ban, and Randolph, and the Blue Polar beats all of them. Along with the Etnia HD Polar Blue, it's one of only two blue lenses I'd call an exception to my rule, but only in limited circumstances.
Contrast depends heavily on the scene. In high-contrast settings, like a bright clear day with lots of color around, the lens balances the view, and it feels crisp. This is especially true in the mornings when the sun is still relatively low, and the lighting is "hard". In low-contrast settings, it goes flat. There's less color contrast and less light-and-dark contrast, and you lose some depth. Overall, I'd put contrast at low to moderate, with the NPE filter helping a bit.
There's also a slightly surreal feel to it. The view feels awake and energetic because of all that blue, and at the same time the colors are cool and reserved. It's an odd combination, and it took me a minute to adapt to it each time I put them on.
The technology included is Vuarnet's NPE Filter, a set of minerals in the glass itself meant to enhance color. NPE stands for the minerals used. Vuarnet asked me not to publish them, so I won't. The filter is only used on Vuarnet's blue and grey lenses. I think it's a big part of why this lens beats the other blues I've tried. Without it, I don't think this lens would perform as well as it does. Etnia Barcelona's Blue lens also has color enhancement in it, and that could be why those two lenses stand out from other blues.
If you're wondering about high-energy blue light with a blue lens, don't worry about it. That's a separate topic, but Vuarnet lists the Blue Polar as blocking 86% of harmful blue light anyways.
Sunny Conditions
These photos are what Vuarnet and I have used to show the view. Keep in mind that photos will never look as good as the real view looking through the sunglasses with your own eyes.
Interested in experiencing the Blue Polar lens for yourself? Check it out from Vuarnet here.
These are from Vuarnet's website. As far as blue lenses go, this is accurate enough. You can see the nice blues, but you can't really see how much it tamps down on the greens and reds (in the rocks).
Here is my simulation of how the lens looks: no lens vs Vuarnet Blue Polar vs grey:
In full sun on a clear day, this lens is good, not great, but better than most other blue lenses. The view is crisp, the blues are so nice to look at, and the greens and reds are good enough. It's dark enough for hard sun and doesn't feel uncomfortable. Mornings are when I enjoy it most, when it has a really crisp and clear feel.
Compared to the Vuarnet Grey Polar, the difference is big. Swapping from the Blue Polar to the Grey Polar is like painting back in all the colors that were missing, and the Grey Polar is already a cool, blue-leaning grey without much excitement, so another grey would be an even bigger difference. Next to the Blue Polar, the Grey Polar almost looks green. Go the other way and the Blue Polar gives you the better sky, but everything else gets cooler and less lively.
In the fall, it's a little different. When leaves are still on the trees, but the colors have all changed, there is a ton of green, red, yellow, and orange. Plenty of color and contrast. Wearing a great brown lens (the opposite of a blue lens) like the Serengeti Drivers is still really nice, but it doesn't do its magic on the blue sky, and I feel like it's nearly overkill on the colors. When I use one of these blue lenses, the balancing/equalizing effect of making the blue sky amazing while everything else stays very colorful is pleasant. Not "blow you away" level, but I find myself choosing these lenses more frequently in these conditions. So Fall is better than Summer for this.
Of course, this only applies on a day with clear skies. Anything less than that and there's no way I am wearing blue lenses.
Cloudy Conditions
On an overcast day, skip this lens. It's too dark, too cool, and too dull. A low-contrast, cool scene behind a dark blue lens just gets flatter and dimmer. This lens only works with clear skies.
I put what a brown looks like here. It's almost hard to believe the difference can be that big, but keep in mind brown lenses are the opposite of blue lenses (based on the color wheel). As bad as a blue lens will be is as good as a brown one will be.
Optimal and Suboptimal Viewing Conditions
The Blue Polar needs clear skies. Sunny and colorful is where it makes sense.
Fall is where it works best for me. With so much color in the trees, you get a great sky and the blue tint sort of balances out all the other colors. The rest of the year it's not great, especially winter and spring. Winter on a clear day is the exception. You get a nicer sky, and since there isn't much other color in the scene anyway, the dulling effect isn't as noticeable. In winter clouds, it's a no.
I haven't tried it somewhere like Arizona, where there is so much red in the landscape that you might want to calm it down. It might do better there. I think I'd still pick a grey or green lens for the desert though.
Low light and dusk are a no. It's too dark and too cool.
On the water, the polarization cuts the glare and the darkness is welcome, but it doesn't give you any contrast to see into the water. For fishing, a warmer lens will serve you better.
Who is this for? If you love the color blue enough to give up some green and red for it, if you like a cooler view, or if you live somewhere with a lot of red you want to calm down. For most people, a good grey or green lens will be the better choice.
Sports
No. The first reason is the glass. If there is any chance of a hit to the face in your sport, don't wear glass. Glass lenses can break and hurt your eyes.
The second is polarization. It can make LCD screens and instrument panels hard to read, it can mess with depth perception in fast-paced ball sports, and on snow it can hide icy patches by cutting the glare that would normally show them. More on that here.
This is a lifestyle lens.
Comparison to the same brand - Vuarnet
Vuarnet Brown Polar and Pure Brown
Both are yellow-browns at 12% VLT, basically the opposite of this tint. They cut blue and boost reds and greens, where the Blue Polar boosts blue and pulls reds and greens down. They aren't really competing for the same buyer. If you know you want warm, it's Brown Polar or Pure Brown. If you know you want cool, it's Blue Polar.
See here for the full Vuarnet Brown Polar and Pure Brown review.
Vuarnet Grey Polar
Grey Polar shares the same glass, coatings, and NPE filter at 12% VLT. It's a blue-leaning grey, but nowhere near as blue as this lens. Next to the Blue Polar it looks almost green, with better colors overall, though you don't get the same blue sky. Even for a grey, it's the more versatile lens. Pick the Blue Polar only if you specifically want that sky and are fine giving up the rest.
See here for the full Vuarnet Grey Polar review.
Vuarnet Skilynx
Skilynx is non-polarized, darker at 10%, and very yellow. It gives an otherworldly, extremely high-contrast yellow view, about as far from the Blue Polar as a lens can get. Pick Skilynx if you want the most yellow contrast you can get.
Comparison to Grey Lenses of Different Brands
Etnia Barcelona HD Polar Blue
This is the other blue lens I'd call an exception. It's very similar to the Vuarnet Blue Polar, just slightly "greener" leaning and slightly darker. There's no major difference in the view, so pick based on which frame you like better. Use code SUNSCIENCE25 for 25% off.
Persol Blue
Persol Blue is an icy blue, much bluer than the Blue Polar, with much less color definition. The only reason to pick it is fashion. The view is better through the Vuarnet or the Etnia.
Conclusion - Vuarnet Blue Polar Sunglasses Lens Review - Should you buy it?
The Vuarnet Blue Polar is a dark, cool, polarized blue glass lens at 13% VLT, category 3, with the full Vuarnet coating stack and the NPE filter. Blues look beautiful, greens hold up, and reds get muted. It's the best blue lens I have tried.
It shines on clear sunny days, in colorful surroundings, in the fall, and in the morning. It struggles under clouds, at dusk, in most of spring and winter, and for driving.
I put it at Tier 3. It's made as well as a lens can be made, but it isn't particularly color-enhancing or functional enough to reach Tier 2. If you like blue lenses, buy this one, it's the best of them. For most people though, a good grey or green will do more, and the Vuarnet Grey Polar or Brown Polar are better places to start.
