Kaliyadi Semi-Rimless Polarized Review
Cons: Lenses are foggy, easily bent out of shape, terrible reflections, easily scratched
Manufacturer: KALIYADI
Our Verdict
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Kaliyadi Semi-Rimless Polarized | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | |||
Price | $24 List $16.98 at Amazon | $55.26 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $54 List | $20.00 List $14.99 at Amazon | $18.00 List |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Cool Clubmaster style, inexpensive, multi-pair pack | Secure fit, great lenses, padded frame, excellent coverage | Solid protection, look good on most faces, comfortable, well-priced, great warranty/exchange policy | Truly oversized lenses, unique look, good for low light | Classic retro style, easy to wear, versatile fit, lightweight, inexpensive |
Cons | Lenses are foggy, easily bent out of shape, terrible reflections, easily scratched | May be tight, style doesn't work for everyone | Not a bold style, unimpressive case, minor longevity issues | Perhaps too large, not overly protective, scratchy metal bits on the frame | Not great in direct light, back reflection, extreme gradient |
Bottom Line | The low price of this multi-pair pack is tempting but brings equally low performance | A blend of sporty and stylish, these secure fit shades offer great protection and great value | Good quality, inexpensive shades with a classic style that works well for just about everyone | Big lenses on large frames give a specific style vibe though sun protection is limited | Some low cost classicly styled shades that are easy to wear but lack quality performance when facing into the sun |
Rating Categories | Kaliyadi Semi-Rimle... | Native Eyewear Acadia | Shady Rays Classic... | SojoS Round Vintage | Sungait Designer Gr... |
Lens Quality (30%) | |||||
Comfort (25%) | |||||
Style and Versatility (20%) | |||||
Frame Quality (15%) | |||||
Coverage (10%) | |||||
Specs | Kaliyadi Semi-Rimle... | Native Eyewear Acadia | Shady Rays Classic... | SojoS Round Vintage | Sungait Designer Gr... |
Lens Tested | Brown and Black |
Brown | Grey | Brown Gradient | Brown Gradient |
Polarized | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Fit | Medium | Medium | Medium | Large (tested 60mm width) |
Medium (tested 55mm width) |
Weight (grams) | 26g | 27g | 27g | 30g | 22g |
UV Protection | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100%% | 100% |
Visible Light Transmission (VLT) | Not specified | 13% | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
VLT Protection Index | Not specified | Cat 3 | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
HEV/Blue Light Protection (claim) | None | 94% HEV blockage | None | None | None |
Infrared Protection (claim) | None | "up to 4X more than regular polarized lenses" | None | None | None |
Neutral/Contrast | Increased contrast | Increased contrast | Neutral | Increased contrast | Increased contrast |
Lens Material | Plastic | Crystal carbonate | Plastic | Polycarbonate | Plastic (composite) |
Impact Resistance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Protective Coatings | None | None | None | None | None |
Can take prescription lens? | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Hinge type | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
Case Included | Inconsistent; some with microfiber bag and microfiber cleaning cloth, some with cloth only | Yes; semi-rigid zippered shell, microfiber bag | Yes; microfiber bag | Yes; microfiber bag and cleaning cloth | Yes; microfiber bag, microfiber cleaning cloth, double-sided screwdriver |
Our Analysis and Test Results
We tested the Kaliyadi Semi-Rimless Polarized as a three-pack with Brown and Black lenses. They are all Medium size and collectively come with no case and just a single microfiber cleaning cloth.
Performance Comparison
Lens Quality
The Kaliyadi lenses are far from our favorites, letting us down at nearly every turn. They claim they're polarized, but not one of our three pairs was actually polarized and their contrast and coloration are pretty average for brown and grey lenses.
- Not Polarized
- 100% UV Protection
- Unspecified Visible Light Transmission (Category 3)
- 0% HEV/Blue Light Blockage, 0% Infrared Blockage
- Color: Brown and Grey, Material: Plastic (Unspecified)
- Anti-Reflective, Impact Resistant
The backs of these lenses are intensely reflective, offering us a glimpse into pores we didn't even know we had. They're cloudy too, not even offering a clear view of the world. And after a few months of regular wear, all three of these sunglasses became covered in micro-scratches, further diminishing our vision.
Comfort
We expected to be able to find some level of comfort, with adjustable nose pads, but these sunnies are not nearly as adjustable as we had hoped. They feel like they're about ready to snap off when moving in them. Furthermore, these nose pads are held on by shockingly long, extremely sharp screws, all of which easily catch in hair when placed on the top of the head. One of our three pairs also came fairly bent out of shape, as the metal nose bridge is easy to bend. They weigh 26 grams, which is just average for this group.
Style and Versatility
Designed after the classic Clubmaster style, the Kaliyadi are okay. We liked the opaque versions more, while the translucent brown frame is distractingly see-through. Not only was it distracting while wearing them, but it's also easy to see the various components within and screws holding them together. The black ones are a bit better, offering just a slightly sloppier variation of this classic style.
Frame Quality
We're unimpressed with the quality of these frames. Every screw is on display, the nose pads are lying in wait to snag hair, and every metal section can be easily bent with just a moderate amount of pressure. They're not the pair we'd expect to survive a trip through the airport in a checked bag without a seriously beefy case to protect them.
Coverage
These medium-sized lenses wouldn't be horrible on a different style of frame. However, the Clubmaster-inspired frame they have holds them away from the face, making it very easy for light to get around and directly into the eyes. The frames are very glossy and seem to become almost slippery with sweat, which isn't a great recipe for keeping them in place on a hot summer day.
Case Quality
The Kaliyadi multi-pack we tested comes with three sunglasses and no case. They do have a thin medium-sized microfiber cleaning cloth.
Value
Even for this shockingly low cost, the performance and durability of these glasses is not something we can recommend with any confidence.
Conclusion
The Kaliyadi Semi-Rimless are an inexpensive multi-pair pack of sunglasses that let us down over and over again. From easily warped frames that don't look as cool on as they do in the ads to lenses that are cloudy, scratch easily, and act as mirrors to the eyeballs, they're just not a great set of sunglasses. We tested other inexpensive shades that we like far more than these.
— Maggie Nichols
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