Native Eyewear Sanitas Review

We tested the Sanitas with Blue Reflex lenses, made for the bright light and intense sun found on the water. They are a medium fit (though run small) and come with a semi-rigid zip case and cleaning cloth/bag. Native does not offer them (or currently any of their many models) with prescription lenses.

Performance Comparison

Lens Quality

Native goes above and beyond the visible spectrum with their Blue Reflex lenses. Not only do they block 100% of UV and 99% of glare, they also cut out ranges of the visible spectrum that can cause eye fatigue and other issues. These lenses block over 90% of HEV/blue light and 40% of infrared waves. Their N3 polycarbonate lens is also impact-resistant and enhanced with several coatings to make them even better. A mirrored coating helps reduce glare even further while anti-abrasion technology protects them from many scratches. They also have hydro- and oleophobic coatings, making them nice and easy to clean.

The Sanitas provide good clarity and contrast for life-like detail without major color distortion. They work well in a variety of lighting conditions as well. However, during the course of our testing, they developed almost imperceptible spots, like gatherings of shading or color along the inside edges of each lens. Though these spots are difficult to see and make next to no difference to the wearing experience, the fact that just a few months of testing already had these lenses wearing out in any way doesn't inspire a ton of confidence for them lasting through years of daily wear.

Comfort

Weighing just 26 grams, the Sanitas are one of the lightest glasses we tested. They're also very well balanced and have helpful Cushinol nose pads to hold them in place. These nose pads to bubble out a bit from where they're embedded in the frames. This helps them to be more grippy that completely flush pads on other models, but may also be annoying if you don't like the feel of separate nose pads. The bows have a patch of slightly rubberized material near the backs as well, to help hold them on your face. These pads are less sticky than the nose pads though, which keeps them comfortable for sliding on top of your head through the sides of your ponytail. Spring hinges and a flexible frame are clutch for the Sanitas, as their more narrow size can be a bit small for even average-width faces. In general, folks with narrower faces tend to find these more comfortable for all-day wear.

Frame Quality

The Sanitas frames are what Native Eyewear calls co-injected Rhyno-Tuff Air Frames and are made of a bio-based castor-oil nylon. It also features trilaminate construction, laying down the three layers of color you see in these frames so they're welded together and function as a single cohesive unit. Though they seem to run small, their construction and choice of materials are solid, offering just the right amount of flex. Native also backs their products with a lifetime manufacturer's warranty.

Style and Versatility

Another moment where sizing comes into play. As these glasses are smaller than we expected, many testers who thought a size “medium” would fit their faces, found themselves not big fans of the look of these glasses. Though narrower faced folks tend to like these duds a bit more, they do have a rather unique look. A slightly arched top and asymmetrical bottoms make them slightly different than your classic Wayfarer look. Add in the fairly pronounced keyhole bridge and bold horizontal stripes, and now we have a rather distinct look, that some love and some don't much care for.

Coverage

With a base curve somewhere around 6, the Sanitas are mostly flat with just a bit of face-hugging contour. However, their pronounced nose pads that jut out make these specs just a bit farther from your face, allowing more light to enter around the sides. Depending on how close you wear them to your face will partially determine just how good their coverage is, but overall they're not really designed to provide a ton of coverage.

Case Quality

These glasses come with Native's standard semi-rigid zippered case and a microfiber cleaning cloth/storage bag. They're both perfectly adequate and functional at cleaning and protecting your sunglasses, and keep a fairly narrow profile, taking up less precious cargo space.

Value

The Sanitas are far from the most expensive option we tested, but also not the least expensive option. We think they perform very well for what they are, but have a specific fit and style that, despite seeing the pictures and measurements online, we weren't quite expecting when we got them. We're also not stoked about how quickly the lenses developed defects, and just can't be super confident that it won't happen again.

Conclusion

These sunglasses offer some solid, lightweight protection and aren't all that expensive. They work in a lot of different light conditions and rock some pretty excellent lenses. However, they seem to run a bit small and are a specific look that not everyone loves once it's on. But if you've read this far and like what you hear, they might be just right for you.