PARAPHERNAUTICA

Fashionable, technical, and inexpensive: Jonathan Cooper tests the buoyancy of Rheos’ floatable line of sunglasses.

Rheos’ family of floating sunglasses have the quality and practicality—just not the cost—of high-end shades. My life’s mission is to find new and interesting ways to lose sunglasses. I’m so good at it, in fact, that I’m under domestic prohibition from buying anything but the cheapest pair I can find at Walgreens. Over the course of any given photoshoot on the water, I’ll invariably forget that my sunglasses are on top of my head and send my shades flying to a watery grave.

So, when a box of sample sunglasses arrived from Rheos, a brand that specializes in eye protection for water sports, I couldn’t help but appreciate the tagline printed on the outside: “For the love of water.”

Rheos’ entire lineup of (mostly) stylish shades includes 26 unisex models, all of which are light, inexpensive, and polarized. They provide 100% UV protection and include a lifetime warranty. (And though the warranty doesn’t cover loss, the company will replace your lost frames for a flat fee of $20.) In other words, Rheos glasses offer literally everything you would want in a pair of shades, plus one major—and we can’t emphasize this point strongly enough—major, advantage: They float.

Rheos advertises all of their sunglasses as unisex, though of course that doesn’t guarantee every style will match your aesthetic preference. Of the three sample pairs I received, one model was one I just couldn’t pull off. The Wyecreeks are cool, don’t get me wrong, but the ‘60s-era cateye look is not my thing. That said, the line features a number of handsome styles with finishes that range from tortoiseshell amber to gunmetal gray, all with different color lenses. My personal favorite are the Palmettos with gunmetal frames and deep-sea blue mirrored lenses. Very Secret Service.

Regardless of whether I dug the style, I found all three pairs fit comfortably and did not weigh down my face like glass-lensed shades. And, in case you were wondering, I tank-tested them in the kitchen sink before venturing outdoors. They do float. Online: rheosgear.com