Kaliyadi Semi-Rimless Polarized Review

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

Testing the Kaliyadi on a bright day.

Photo: Maggie Brandenburg

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.

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.

We're not big fans of the cloudiness, reflectiveness, and overall poor protection of these shades.

Photo: Maggie Brandenburg

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.

The nose pads aren't as adjustable as we wish they were.

Photo: Maggie Brandenburg

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.

The brown Kaliyadi aren't our favorite of the three.

Photo: Maggie Brandenburg

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.

They're a bit clumsy in their construction, with metal components that bend easily.

Photo: Maggie Brandenburg

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.

Not the best coverage.

Photo: Maggie Brandenburg

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.

Three pairs and zero cases.

Photo: Maggie Brandenburg

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.

They're cheap, but that's about it.

Photo: Maggie Brandenburg