The Best Budget Sunglasses You’ve Never Heard Of

There is a lot of cool gear in the golf equipment world that doesn’t always fit neatly into Most Wanted Tests or Buyer’s Guides. You still want to know how it performs. In our We Tried It series, we put gear to the test and let you know if it works as advertised. 

What We Tried:

The Tifosi Sanctum sunglasses. These budget-friendly sunglasses will run you just $35.

Who Tried It:

Connor. Director of Soft Goods Testing and resident sneakerhead. I’ve recently been learning more and more about sunglasses. My wife is concerned it’ll overtake my shoe addiction. I say, “Why not both?”

Tifosi? Who’s Tifosi?

There’s no doubt that the Tifosi Sanctum sunglasses are priced to sell. Are $35 sunglasses worth your cash? I’ve reviewed other budget sunglasses from competitors like goodr, but it was Tifosi that stood out in our Most Wanted sunglasses testing last year.

Ever heard of Tifosi? Unless you’re a runner or cyclist, the answer is probably no. I remember my parents rocking Tifosi sunglasses back in the day. That was my first introduction to the brand. They’re budget-friendly and don’t skimp on performance. Can the Sanctum live up to that high standard? I put them to the test.

Sanctum Tech Specs

• Lightweight Thrive Frame made from plant material
• Scratch-resistant and shatterproof polycarbonate lenses
• Full UVB/UVA protection
• Rubber nose grip
• Textured, anti-bounce ear stems

Fit and Coverage

The main thing I’m looking for in golf sunglasses is a tight fit and maximum coverage. The sunglasses must stay on your head throughout the swing. Not only should they stay in place but they should not slip or bounce.

The Sanctum provided a great, stable fit. No bounce, no slip, no problem. This is in large part due to the rubber nose guard and the textured ear stems. This unique texture coating grips and grab instead of bouncing and sliding.

But what about coverage? The “shield” style sunglasses like the Sanctum do pretty well in this regard. The frame and lens provide a small amount of wrap to cover the peripherals but I would have liked this to be extended further back towards the temples.

All of this is to say that some light can get in between your eyes and the sunglasses, depending on the angle. Having a more wrapped/curved lens would do better to hug the face and leave less room for light to penetrate.

Comfort

Let’s talk comfort. If sunglasses aren’t comfortable, they’re more a nuisance than a help. The Tifosi Sanctum is light. Weighing about one ounce, I could wear these all day without my ears or face feeling fatigued.

Another aspect of comfort is the overall size of the frames. The Sanctum is on the larger side. For someone like me, this is great. I have a large face. But, someone with a smaller face should avoid these. I’d opt for something like the Tifosi Swank, in this case.

Clarity and Contrast

The last thing you need out of good sunglasses is clarity and contrast from the lens. While Tifosi does make a golf-specific lens, the Sanctum I had came with a black lens. While rose- or red-colored lens generally do better to highlight the contours of a green, the Tifosi Sanctum in no way inhibited my vision or ability to read a putt. And they were plenty dark to block out the sun. While not polarized, Tifosi does add a glare guard.

I have no issues with the lens. They’re scratch resistant, too, so spending a lot of time in the sand is no issue at all.

Final Verdict

Should you pick up the Tifosi Sanctum? That depends. If you have a smaller face or prefer a more wrapped design, look elsewhere. If you want a functional pair of golf/sport sunglasses and you have a larger face, I think you’ll find the Sanctum to be a solid choice.

They’re not the perfect golf sunglasses. But you’ll definitely get $35 of value out of the Tifosi Sanctum.

Some will love the size and style. Other’s may not find it their speed. Even still, it’s good to know that $35 sunglasses can stand up to some of the stuff I’ve worn from the big boys.