All Eyes on FKT: Sunglasses Review

When it comes to the best running gear, sunglasses are often the unsung heroes. They shield our eyes from the sun’s harmful UV rays and, let’s be honest, make us feel cool while logging our miles. But not all running sunglasses are created equally, something I’ve learned firsthand training in the relentless sun of South Florida. That’s why I was excited to try an emerging brand in the running industry, FKT.

FKT sunglasses were created with trail runners in mind, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy them on the roads. I put two of their bestselling models, the Lickskillet Performance Sunglasses and High Lonesome Performance Sunglasses, to the test during summer marathon training. Here’s what I found:

The Lickskillet Sunglasses are some of the biggest I have ever worn, maximizing coverage as you run through dust and debris on the trail. Full transparency, I don’t run trails (hello, wonky ankle!), but I appreciate the trail-friendly technology nonetheless.

I mentioned these glasses were some of the biggest I have ever worn, which is why I was so pleasantly surprised at how lightweight they feel. FKT sunglasses use an eco-friendly, recycled nylon blend frame and polycarbonate lenses, which are just as light as they are durable. They even claim their lenses are “shatter-proof,” which I did not want to test out…so I’ll just take their word on that!

While the lenses aren’t polarized, they do offer 100% UVA/UVB protection. And, because of the large frames, the protection offers better coverage from rays that can reach your eyes from the side. Why are a pair of high-end sunglasses not polarized? you may ask. I asked the same thing. Because polarization filters certain light patterns, it can distort your depth perception. This might not be a problem if you’re running on a smoothly paved road, but it would cause issues while traversing the roots, rocks and rivets that are so common on the trail.

Unique to the Lickskillet is FKT’s TraiLIGHT photochromatic lenses, which adapt to the changing light conditions outdoors. This helps you see the trail, or in my case, the road, clearly at any time of day. I typically start my summer runs very early in the morning due to the heat, so this was much appreciated.

And, despite these sunglasses' large frames, they did not slip or bounce at all over the course of my test runs. My husband, who has a much larger head than I, had the same experience. How can that be? The Lickskillet Sunglasses have an adjustable nose piece, which you can flip back to make the nose piece larger or flip forward to make it smaller.

My favorite feature of the Lickskillet glasses was the frameless design on the bottom of the lenses. Because I’m absolutely gushing with sweat during every summer run, sometimes the sweat from my eye area pools in the bottom of my sunglasses. Not so with the Lickskillet. They stayed dry from mile one to the finish. My second favorite feature? The scratch-resistant coating on the lenses. I have gone through so many pairs of running sunglasses over the years, and my main complaint is how easily they scratch. I’ve never actually had a pair fall off or break, but they somehow always get scratched. I’ve only had these sunglasses for about a month, but so far they’ve remained scratch-free!

Aesthetically speaking, these sunglasses were my favorite. The smaller, circular frames are more my style than the oversized frames of the Lickskillet. They use the same recycled nylon blend frame and shatter-proof polycarbonate lenses, so they’re just as lightweight. While this pair doesn’t have an adjustable nose piece, they have flexible temple pieces to fit any head shape with ease.

The High Lonesome glasses have the same 100% UVA/UVB protection as the Lickskillet, but since the frames are smaller, they don’t offer as much coverage. Both pairs use a Blue Light Filtration coating, reducing the amount of High-Energy Visible (HEV) blue light that reaches your eyes from the sun — and your screen. Should I be using them to write this review?

My favorite feature of the High Lonesome sunglasses is how the lenses managed to stay clear throughout the entirety of my run. Usually around this time, in late August, the humidity in South Florida becomes so high that I can’t run in sunglasses without them becoming fogged up. I have to balance being able to see clearly with the need to protect my eyes. Now I don’t have to choose between comfort and protection in the High Lonesome.

My one gripe about these glasses, and the Lickskillet, is that the frames smudge very easily, sometimes even as I’m cleaning them. It’s a peculiarity I’ve noticed about these sunglasses specifically, but thankfully, every pair comes with a recycled microfiber cleaning cloth.