Vuarnet Legend 02 Review

We tested the Vuarnet Legend 02 with Pure Brown Gold Flash lenses. They're a Medium fit and can take certain levels of prescription lenses. They come with a neoprene drawstring bag and a microfiber cleaning cloth

Performance Comparison

Lens Quality

The Pure Brown Gold Flash lenses we tested were some of our favorites. They're intensely protective, even without being polarized. The 11% Visible Light Transmission and mirrored coating help them block out bright light, though they are perhaps a little bit dark in lower light situations. They have an anti-reflective coating on the back that works very well at stopping you from seeing your own face.

Colors through these brown lenses are a touch yellowed with increased contrast, but they still feel quite true to life. Though we did not test precise wavelength-blocking technology, Vuarnet claims these lenses block 97% of harmful blue light and 95% of infrared light. If that's true, then these lenses are some of the most protective we tested.

Comfort

The comfort of these glasses was very hit and miss. The Legend 02 bows are thin and flexible but bend inward at an odd point that gripped some of our testers in front of their ears. Strongly downcurved bows stop them from sliding completely off the nose, but for those who experience this odd fit, the overall feeling wasn't pleasant. On the other hand, many other women who tested these did not experience this odd fit and loved how these shades felt on their heads. Even though, at 34 grams, they're some of the heaviest we tested, they manage to stay put on the face very well — if they're a good fit.

Style and Versatility

This is another area in which the Legend 02 are polarizing. Our testers with smaller faces found these lenses to be too large, with the intense mirror coating creating a “bug-like” look. Many others, however, really liked these super stylish frames and loved wearing them whenever and wherever possible — whether that's out to brunch or paddling across the lake.

Frame Quality

Made of nylon, the Legend 02 frames are solid and sturdy. The front stands out for being remarkably inflexible, while the narrow bows are quite flexible. Standard barrel hinges are solid, formed as outcroppings of the shape of the frame components. They're held together with a pin, rather than a screw, meant to never loosen, and therefore never need tightening. The matte texture is subtle and pleasant to wear. Unfortunately, it's also quite easy to chip off, as just a few times of dropping these glasses or setting them on rough surfaces has left us with numerous white patches showing through the black exterior.

Coverage

If these glasses are the right shape to fit your face, they offer outstanding coverage. The large lenses and face-hugging curve provide plenty of surface area to shade the eyes. They're meant to sit very close to the face as well, adding even greater coverage. They have more curved bow backends than just about any other pair we tested, adding extra staying power by grabbing your ears, instead of any rubber padding.

Case Quality

These sunglasses come with a thickly padded neoprene drawstring case that takes scratch protection up a notch. They also come with a large microfiber cleaning cloth.

Value

These are some of the most expensive sunglasses we tested. That said, we love their lenses though and for those whose faces they fit, they are a big hit. If you can try these on before committing to their price, we'd highly recommend it, on the not-insignificant chance that they aren't a compatible shape for your noggin. If you do decide this is the look you want to spring for, take extra care you don't chip the coating off your frames like we did.

Conclusion

The Vuarnet Legend 02 offer a unique look with very protective lenses and stellar coverage. They have an oddly specific fit that doesn't work for every head shape and frames that chip off their color a bit too easily. But for those who love the look and feel of these shades, they are a great choice.