Millions of People Swear by Quay Sunglasses So I Had to Try Them

    
    
    
    

For the last three years, I’ve worn the same pair of sunglasses. They’re nothing special—in fact, they’re a pair I found on a beach walk while I was on vacation. They aren’t any particular brand, they aren’t necessarily what I would choose, and I didn’t even actually buy them. But they did the job, and I didn’t really care to spend my money on a new pair until I had to.

This summer, I noticed the lenses were starting to get a little too scratched up, so I decided the time had finally come to shop for new sunnies. I’d had my eyes on a pair—pun intended—from Quay ever since I saw an Instagram post about them.

I was specifically interested in the aviator High Key frames, which are Quay’s most popular pair, with a 4.6-star average rating from over 16,000 reviews. Did the $65 sunglasses live up to all that hype? After a month of wear, I can confidently say yes.

What I like about Quay sunglasses

The High Key frames are classic wire-rimmed aviators, which I love the look of—and always have. While there are 13 different color combinations available, I got them in black frames with the fade lenses. To put it bluntly, they look badass. The lenses are dark enough that you can’t see my eyes—one of the main things I look for in a pair of sunnies—and the matte black metal frames are cool and edgy.

The lenses are also polarized, so they block out all sun glare and I never have to squint when I’m wearing them. The frames are comfortable on my nose and my ears and I can wear them for hours on end without any pinching or aching.

One last thing I like about Quay: Its site offers a virtual try-on experience, where you can upload a photo of yourself and see what the different glasses will look like on your face. Even though I was 99% sure I wanted the High Key frames, I liked that I was able to see what they’d look like before ordering them.

What I don’t like about Quay sunglasses

I’ve been wearing the sunglasses every day for a month, including on two recent beach trips, in the Jeep, and at the archery range. They’ve gone through a lot of putting on and taking off, sure, but I’m very gentle with my sunnies and I’ve only owned them for a month. However, the ear hinges are already so loose that, when I take the sunglasses off my face, the temples collapse inward without me having to push them closed. (I could probably tighten the screws, but should you have to do that after only a month of use?)

I also think this particular style is a little too big for my face. Not by much, but if I could have it my way, I’d bring them in about 1/4 of an inch so there’s less space between my temples and the frames.

Are Quay sunglasses worth buying?

Are they comfortable? Yes. Do they look cool? Absolutely. But are they worth $65? I’m not sure, given my experience with the frames, which needed tightening and adjusting after just one month of wear. However, they are very stylish and I would be willing to give Quay another chance in the event that mine were just a fluke. Next time, however, I’d go with the High Key Minis, which reviewers say are a better fit for smaller faces.