[Review] The Crusader Sunglasses by Smith

The Crusader Sunglasses by Smith are hands down my favorite stylish women’s sunglasses of the summer. Not only do they look amazing on, they are made with high-quality materials, lenses that don’t suck, and Chromapop technology. The Matte Honey Tortoise is my favorite frame color to date and gives a little extra pop to the traditional tortoise design.

I would call these a bit of an oversized frame, though not too terribly oversized that they stand in the way of your outdoor activities. That’s one thing I love about Smith – no matter how stylish their frames are, you can still be active in them. The root of the design comes down to fitting your face extremely well. Literally, ladies these days can go from coffee shop comfort to outdoor extremes without changing sunglasses. While I probably wouldn’t choose to wear these sunglasses mountain biking (I fall a lot) you definitely could.

I have to take a minute to talk about Chromapop as I’m definitely a convert- from thinking it was a total marketing scam to being completely obsessed with it. I think I sell a pair of Smiths w/ Chromapop Lenses every time I make my girlfriends wear them. The technology is that amazing and while it works to enhance colors, contrast, and clarity to make the visual experience more enticing, you are also getting complete and full protection for your eyes. I do have some sunglasses that, while I feel like they are protecting my eyes, at the end of a long day outside I can definitely feel some eye fatigue. That is absolutely not the case with the Crusaders.

I’m not sure if it’s because maybe my eyes are a bit more sensitive, however I’ve found that I can pretty much wear these on grey days, full on sunny days, and everything in between. If it’s a bit darker, like a rainy/stormy day, for instance, these are a bit dark but otherwise, I’m wearing them in 90% of the conditions I’m out in.

One of my greatest pet peeves with sunglasses is when they fall off of my face after simple movements like bending down to grab something off of the ground. It’s really frustrating and with my work and active lifestyle, it makes no sense to me. The Crusaders are definitely some of the best fitting sunglasses I have to date. They’re not too tight so as to cause discomfort but form well to my head keeping them in place no matter what. There are small non-slip nose pads that help keep these shades in place without being overly obvious. 12 out of 10 to Smith for ensuring that their sunnies don’t come off when they shouldn’t.

Aside from the fact that these are stylish women’s sunglasses that will give your eyes the protection and excitement (thanks to Chromapop) that they need, they’re made to last and you can simply feel it when you go to throw them on. They’re not cheap and chintzy and the hinges work better than most I’ve ever tried. One thing about Smith – I’ve never been disappointed with any of their sunglasses and know that that’ll withstand some of the abuse I can throw at them.

The one complaint, although very minor, about these is that for the price (which I am willing to pay for the quality guarantee and overall style) they don’t come with a hard case. If I’m spending this much on sunglasses you can absolutely see to the fact that I’ll be protecting them as much as is physically possible. It would be a nice little bonus if Smith threw in a hard case.

If you’re looking for some high quality and stylish women’s sunglasses, I would highly recommend the Crusaders by Smith. If the Crusaders are a bit out of your comfort level for size or style, definitely be sure to check out similar shades like the Comstock.

If you’re thinking about buying some Smith sunglasses, we’d love to have you use our provided link as we get a small kickback from your purchase.