Ray-Bans might’ve been the first brand name frames you knew about. That was the case for me, at least.
But Ray-Bans can be pricey, and truth be told, I’ve been seeing better quality with lower price tags from other smaller brands.
So that’s why I’m laying out the best Ray-Ban alternatives: so you can get that same classic look, spend less, and get better quality.
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5 Best Ray-Ban Alternatives
Best Wayfarer Alternatives: Christopher Cloos, Cloos x Brady
When Tom Brady isn’t slinging pigskins, he’s slinging sunglasses. Christopher Cloos, the Danish vintage-inspired eyewear brand teamed up with the famous quarterback to bring us an excellent alternative to the Ray-Ban Wayfarer.
The Cloos x Brady isn’t less expensive than the Wayfarer—they’re roughly the same price—but the quality of materials is much better.
Made with Mazzucchelli Italian acetate and double spring loaded hinges, Christopher Cloos packs everything you’d expect from a luxury pair of sunglasses into a much more affordable package.
What I Like
Cloos x Brady has a similar shape as the Wayfarer, but the design is more refined.
The materials are much higher quality compared to Ray-Ban.
Double spring loaded hinges help the frames fit snug, but never tight.
What I Don’t Like
There aren’t a lot of trendy lens options—these have classic, timeless style—so if you want trendy, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
What Other Reviewers Say
With nearly 400 reviews on Trustpilot, Christopher Cloos has a near perfect 4.9 star average as of writing.
A lot of reviewers enjoy the style, but the one comment that stuck out was the brand’s customer service. While I didn’t have any issues that required me to get in contact, a quick look through reviews show that Christopher Cloos is quick to respond and prioritize getting you the frames you ordered.
So even with lost packages and premature wear and tear: CC doesn’t ask questions and gets you what you want.
The Verdict
The Christopher Cloos Cloos x Brady collection has a similar classic look as the Ray-Ban Wayfarer, and the cost is nearly the same, too.
What really separates these frames is the quality and the team behind them.
Cloos x Brady is at the top end of quality, with Mazzucchelli Italian acetate and double spring loaded hinges—that’s just not something you can get with Ray-Ban.
Beyond that, you get the confidence of shopping with a smaller brand that has a track record in excellent customer service. While issues don’t come up often with delivery, there’s no reason you should ever feel less than confident you’ll get what you ordered. Christopher Cloos does a bang-up job to ensure you have a good experience.
What does Tom Brady do when he's not slinging pigskins? He's slinging these Wayfarer inspired beauties.
Best Clubmaster Alternatives: Blenders Eyewear, The Cardiff
Blenders Eyewear makes sunglasses that are a few steps above the beater sunglasses you’d find on a beach boardwalk, and they’re a few steps below what you get with a luxury set of frames.
The Cardiff has a similar shape to the Ray-Ban Clubmaster, but Blenders never does anything without a little flair.
With a variety of mirrored lens colors and wild frame options, The Cardiff is a Clubmaster for party people.
What I Like
They feature polarized lenses—perfect for the beach.
They have a small-to-medium fit, so they’re a good choice for people with a thinner face.
The Cardiff comes with a microfiber pouch that’s perfect for travel.
What I Don’t Like
I’d love to see spring loaded hinges, which would increase the durability—especially for an active, everyday pair of glasses like these.
What Other Reviewers Say
With over 1,200 reviews on the Blenders Eyewear site, The Cardiff is one of the brand’s most popular options.
The one comment that sticks out over and over again is fit. And since these are unisex glasses, these reviews come from both the guys and the ladies. Since we’re only focusing on men, this seems a good place to let you know that you should hide these from your girlfriend.
The Verdict
What do Malcolm X, Vince Lombardi, and Lyndon B. Johnson have in common? They all rocked Ray-Ban Clubmasters.
But if you’re not interested in dropping $100+ on a pair of shades, you can get the same style and a similar quality with the Blenders Eyewear Cardiff.
Clubmasters are pretty straightforward, but The Cardiff has a few funky options that aren’t anything like what you’d expect to see in vintage style.
Blenders may be a beachy brand, but they've nailed the classic Clubmaster look like it was their own. Of course, they've put their own unique So-Cal twist on the 50s style, and we have to admit it looks pretty cool.
Best Aviator Alternatives: Tomahawk Shades, Landfills
When you look through this list, it’s no wonder Ray-Ban has held the crown for best selling sunglasses for so long. Aviator glasses—another Ray-Ban original—were first created for the US military. It’s the style that put Ray-Ban on the map.
While Ray-Ban dominated sunglass style for several decades with this model, a few more affordable options have hit the market. And by a few, we mean a truck-ton. The best of the bunch is the Tomahawk Shades Landfills sunglasses.
Made in a similar design with thin metal frames and the iconic reflective lenses, Tomahawk delivers exceptional style at a much lower price point.
What I Like
The all-silver look, from the frames through the lenses, is contemporary and sleek.
The lenses are UV400 rated and polarized.
Tomahawk offers an excellent warranty, and will replace your shades twice if they break, get lost, or are stolen.
What I Don’t Like
While I like the all-silver look, it’s the only option Tomahawk offers at the moment.
What Other Reviewers Say
There aren’t many reviews for Tomahawk Shades at the moment. They’re a relatively new brand, but a few professional reviewers report solid experiences with the company. One of the common frustrations we see (and one I’ve experienced first-hand) is that the brand tends to sell out quickly, though that also speaks to their growth.
The Verdict
Looking for a pair of Aviators that won’t break the bank? Check out Tomahawk Shades Landfills. With polarized, UV400 rated protection, these sleek stunners are a nice guard against the sun.
Hopefully you like the silver frames and silver mirrored lenses because it’s the only option Tomahawk has. But with this classic style, it’s hard to go wrong.
They're not Ray-Ban Aviators, but the style is so similar, we wouldn't blame you if you mixed them up. But you won't mistake the price difference. Tomahawk's have a lot of the same quality markers, but with a much lighter price tag.
Best Budget Wayfarer Alternatives: Knockaround Shades, Classics
If you’re on a ramen, beans, and Natty Light budget (no judgement—I spent plenty of time there), but still want that iconic Wayfarer look, Knockaround Shades Classics are the way to go.
At under $20, the quality isn’t superb, but the style is on-point and they’re the best option if you can only drop a Jackson (or a Tubman if you’re reading this in 2030).
These sunglasses tend toward trendy and have a ton of variation in frame and lens color. To top it all off, they’re polarized so they’re the perfect shades if you’re going white-water rafting and need a bit of sun protection. If they fly off your face and sink to the bottom, you won’t be saying goodbye to your paycheck.
What I Like
They’re extremely affordable, but the quality is much better than anything at a comparable price.
Knockaround offers many different frame and lens combinations. You can even design your own.
They’re polarized and offer full UV400 protection.
What I Don’t Like
Folks with larger faces mentioned these were a bit too small.
What Other Reviewers Say
Over 400 reviewers rate the Knockaround Classics a 4.8-star average. The consensus is this: they’re great cheap sunglasses that look stylish. The quality isn’t the most amazing, but the price is such that there are no worries about losing them when you’re out on an adventure.
The Verdict
Sometimes a cheap-o pair of sunglasses is just what the occasion calls for. Still, you don’t want to pick something up that feels like you won it as a consolation prize at a Chuck E Cheese.
If you’re gunning for that classic Wayfarer look, but don’t want to spend a lot, check out the Knockaround Classics. They have a retro shape, contemporary mirrored lenses, and a price that’s hard to beat.
If you're on a natty light and ramen budget, these Wayfarer alternatives are the choice for you.
Best Budget Clubmaster Alternatives: Kaliyadi, Polarized Retro Classic
If all that talk about cheap sunglasses got your engine running, then you’ll love the Kaliyadi Polarized Retro Classic as a budget Ray-Ban Clubmaster alternative.
For under $20, you can get not one, but two pairs of Clubmaster-inspired frames. Or the way I see it: one pair to leave in the car, the other to keep with you when you’re out and about.
Again, like Knockaround, the quality here isn’t going to stun you. But for such a low price, the quality is decent enough to be worthwhile.
What I Like
What I Don’t Like
The Verdict
These are the frames for you if you want to be a bit careless with and toss a pair in your car. They're not the best quality, but they have the style to get you through.
Goodbye, Ray-Ban
With age comes wisdom. And with wisdom comes better sunglasses.
For me, the best Ray-Ban alternative comes from Christopher Cloos. The Cloos x Brady isn’t necessarily less expensive than a pair of Wayfarers. It’s just much higher quality at the same price.
What does Tom Brady do when he's not slinging pigskins? He's slinging these Wayfarer inspired beauties.
Of course, there are a few options out there that get on Ray-Ban’s quality level at a lower price, so for those options, check out Blenders Eyewear and Tomahawk Shades.
But if you’ve only got a $20 and you still want in on the Ray-Ban game, Knockaround and Kaliyadi are your best bet.
So which will it be?
FAQs
Are Ray-Bans worth it?
Ray-Ban makes solid sunglasses, though certain brands like Christopher Cloos use higher quality acetate and have features like spring loaded hinges that offer higher quality at a similar price.
Why are Ray-Bans so expensive?
Ray-Ban is owned by Luxottica, which basically owns every major sunglass brand and retailer you can think of off the top of your head. Because they’re the biggest player in town, they can keep Ray-Ban prices higher and adjust dozens of other brands prices to justify the higher Ray-Ban price. That’s why you’ll find brands with much better quality at Ray-Ban prices, and brands with similar Ray-Ban quality at much lower prices.
What sunglasses are in style in 2021?
In 2021, sunglasses are trending back toward vintage and classic styles. Expect smaller frames and fewer mirrored lenses.
