Native Eyewear Ward sunglasses, named after the famous cycling climb up LeftHand canyon to Ward, were designed with style and comfort in mind for the rider who wants good coverage on the trail, and a stylish set of lenses to wear both on and off the bike.
The Deets:
Details of the sunglasses can be found here.
- N3™ Lens Technology
- SportFlex™ Lens Kit Included
- Co-Injected Rhyno-Tuff® Air Frames
- Cushinol™
- Cam-Action Hinges
- Mastoid Temple Grip™
- Optic Gear Kit
- Interchangeable Lens System
Aside from comfort, the first thing I noticed when I put on the Wards were how crisp the polarized lenses were. The lenses were crystal clear with high contrast, and stayed that way until they got dirty. Native says that they block up to four times the infrared light compared to other polarized lenses, reduce blue light by filtering UV, and provide UV protection up to 400nm.
I also had little to no issues with fogging unless I was using them near or below freezing. When they did fog, they cleared out quickly after just a few seconds of pedaling. They were very easy to clean with the included lens bag. 
One interesting thing I have never seen on other shades are the cam-action lenses, which require you to pop them past a certain point, keeping the arms in place and locked for rowdy biking descents. This also prevents the arms from flopping fully open when you pull them out of the case, and damaging the hinges if you are clumsy like me. 
I tested the Wards while mountain biking, road cycling, running, hiking, driving, and during flat-out loitering. The Air Frames felt light and stayed put, and I never felt the need to push them up or readjust them. The small nose bombs, integrated into the frame, are a bonus because they are low profile, svelte, and have no pieces to lose.
I was impressed that these stayed put even on some pretty gnarly lines when I rounded out my testing in Moab, UT. Even with the sun beating down on my face, and sweat on my nose, the Wards did not move. I was also fortunate enough to test them in the higher altitudes of Colorado too, in the winter, with snow on the ground–they beat back snow glare exceptionally well. 
The Ward also comes with interchangeable lenses that are lighter for low light conditions and have a reflective coating to them. Changing the lenses is easy and the lenses conveniently store into slots built into the case top. 
To round out the package, the Wards were packaged in a high quality hard case and had a silky lens bag that doubles as the cleaner.
Most of all, I really like the way that these look. Many other cycling frames are too “cycling-specific” to wear off the bike. The photos clearly illustrate that these sunglasses are designed to wear no matter what you are doing, and are even more versatile with the interchangeable lenses. They come in seven different colorways to compliment almost anyone’s style and preference. 
The Ward, as with all Native Eyewear, are backed by a lifetime warranty.
Native Eyewear has become my favorite eyewear company, born and bred in Colorado and designed for people like us. The Wards are a perfect representation of a company that obviously cares about manufacturing a quality product that keeps up with the high performance of those who wear them. With a reasonable MSRP of $129, it is the only shades you will need no matter what you do.
Thanks to Native Eyewear for providing the Wards for review.
