Reviews You Can Rely On

Under Armour Assist Review

A straightforward pair of dark shades that are comfortable to wear from the trail to the town
gearlab tested logo
Under Armour Assist Review
Credit: Under Armour
Price:  $115 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   Under Armour
By Maggie Nichols ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  May 27, 2021
67
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Lens Quality - 30% 5.0
  • Comfort - 25% 8.0
  • Frame Quality - 20% 6.0
  • Style and Versatility - 15% 8.0
  • Coverage - 10% 8.0

Our Verdict

The Under Armour Assist are an uncomplicated set of sporty sunglasses that are comfortable to wear. They offer good protection and coverage to keep you playing outside on bright days. With autolocking hinges and rubber nose pads, they stay in place well and are easy to use. Their dark grey lenses are a bit too dark for mixed lighting though, and in certain situations allow plenty of distracting self-face reflection. They're not the most trendy sports style we tested, but their simplicity helps them be versatile and easy to like.
REASONS TO BUY
Simple style
Comfortable
Good coverage
Autolock hinges
REASONS TO AVOID
Dark lenses
Glare inside
A little boring

Our Analysis and Test Results

We tested the Under Armour Assist with the Grey Polarized with Storm lenses. They're a Medium-Large fit and come with a microfiber storage bag.

Performance Comparison


under armour assist - from trail runs to neighborhood walks, the assists are pretty comfy.
From trail runs to neighborhood walks, the Assists are pretty comfy.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg

Lens Quality


For fans of simplicity, these old-school, standard-performing grey lenses may be just the ticket. They're dark enough to provide relief on very bright days, with polarization that adds another layer of protection. They're clear and crisp and straightforward.

On the other hand, in comparison with the multitude of other lens colors and technologies out there, these are a bit underwhelming. Their rather intense shade of grey can make the world look a little bit dreary — almost like a rainy day. They also have below-average counter reflection, and in certain lights and angles, it's very easy to see your own face in the backs of these sunglasses.

under armour assist - the under armour assists are simple, glossy black with plain grey...
The Under Armour Assists are simple, glossy black with plain grey lenses.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg

Comfort


Weighing 29 grams, the Assist are on the slightly heavy end of average among models we tested. They feel fairly light and pleasant to wear. Their glossy frames and auto-lock hinges make them easy and smooth to put on and take off. Though they're on the larger end of the spectrum, even our narrow-faced testers still found them comfortable to wear. Certain face shapes may find they touch slightly on the cheeks, but the lenses aren't as tall as many others, limiting this effect. Rubber grip nose pads help hold them in place, leaving the shiny bows free from snags — which also keeps them rooted firmly on the nose no matter how big you smile or hard you laugh.

under armour assist - we like how easy these are to wear.
We like how easy these are to wear.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg

Frame Quality


The Assist are made of injected polyamide (a type of plastic) with rubber nose pads. They have auto-lock screwless cams at the hinges. We love how they feel to use, almost snapping open and close with ease and authority, but the complete lack of screws that can be tightened or replaced as needed is a bit disconcerting. They feel thick and fairly sturdy though, and pretty solid all around.

under armour assist - large rubber nose pads work well to hold these in place.
Large rubber nose pads work well to hold these in place.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg

Style and Versatility


These make a pretty good crossover pair, looking just as natural on a run through the neighborhood as a trip to the grocery store. The glossy black frames are simple and sleek. Their large-end-of-medium size was well-liked by all our testers. Our only minor complaint is that if anything, they're a touch plain and unimaginative. But having a simple staple isn't necessarily a bad thing.

under armour assist - adventure and play in these versatile, simple shades.
Adventure and play in these versatile, simple shades.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg

Coverage


Though we couldn't find an official reporting on their base curve, the Assist seem on par with other pairs we have that are a 6 — a middle ground of face-hugging without being a full wrap. Combined with their larger lenses and overall width, these offer good coverage. Their rubber nose pads work wonders when it comes to keeping them from sliding or bouncing, even on long runs.

under armour assist - their larger lenses and face-hugging wrap offer pretty good coverage.
Their larger lenses and face-hugging wrap offer pretty good coverage.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg

Case Quality


These shades come with just a simple microfiber drawstring bag. It's thinner than most others and a touch disappointing, but still does what you'd expect from such a small sack.

under armour assist - the assists come with just a simple microfiber bag.
The Assists come with just a simple microfiber bag.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg

Value


Falling in the middle of the price range of models we tested, these aren't a bad buy. They didn't really wow us, as there are similarly priced glasses we like more, but if you're a fan of the fit and feel, we think their price is fair.

Conclusion


The Under Armour Assist are a simple pair of shades that are comfortable to wear and offer solid protection and coverage. They're a bit uninspired and lack some of the fancy lens technology of others, but we still enjoy their versatility in a wide range of uses.

under armour assist - these shades are dark enough to handle pretty bright days.
These shades are dark enough to handle pretty bright days.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg

Maggie Nichols
 

You Might Also Like