Baendit sunglasses review (Sundance Kid model)

Let’s face it, almost all of us wear sunglasses in one form or another. Sunglasses have become as much as a fashion accessory as they are eye protection. So, how do you stand out in this competitive market? Baendit eyeware has their solution, modular bendable sunglasses.

Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.

I don’t know if modular is so new in the sunglass world, but bendable does seems to be. The modular system works by allowing you, the user, to select a base style of sunglasses (I am reviewing the Sundance Kid model). And then customizing them with a choice of colors for the bridge and temple pieces. What is great, in theory, is that you can always change the color of your bridge and temple pieces to match your mood. The bendable temple pieces should help with how the glasses fit and stay on your head.

My Baendit Sundance Kid sunglasses came in two boxes. One box contained the lenses, instructions and a cleaning cloth. The second box contained the bridge and temple (arms) pieces. This set up for shipping makes sense as the Baendit sunglasses are modular.

At this point in my reviews I normally would do a top, side, bottom description for the item I am reviewing, but do to the modular nature of these sunglasses I choose to review the components themselves. First, I will start with the lenses, the lenses are made from Thermoplastic Polycarbonate composite and filter out 100% UVA, UVB and UVC rays. The lenses are approximately 2″ tall at their tallest point and 2 1/4″ wide at the widest point so they will fit a wide range of face sizes and styles. The frames I have for the Sundance Kid model are black and the lenses have a red coating on them. On the upper left corner of the left lens is some writing that I cannot make out what it says. The inside of the Sundance Kid lenses have what feels like silicon nose pads that are adjustable for your comfort.

The second part of the modular system for the Baendit Sundance Kid sunglasses are the temple and bridge pieces. The bridge, although small, has the important job of connecting the lenses together. The sides of the bridge are cut down to allow the bridge piece to slide into the slots on the lenses. When connected there is some flex but the bridge stays firm. The rear of the bridge has the Baendit logo on it. The temple pieces look like most normal temple pieces on other sunglasses with the exception of the notched end used to slide them into the receiving end on the lenses. The outside of the temple pieces that came with my Sundance Kids have the Baendit name on them, not all temple piece colors do. Other than the Baendit name on the outside the temple pieces are smooth except at the very end where there are ridges. The inside of the temple pieces have a nice design on them, possible to help keep them on your head. A unique feature of the ear pieces for the Sundance Kid model and all of the Baendit models is the flexibility of the temple pieces. You can bend the temple pieces to help form them to your head.

The ability to bend and shape the temple pieces allows user to get a custom fit for any situation. I bend mine to hug my head so the don’t slip off or move around. While doing research on the Baendit sunglass line, I observed a lot of ways that the bendable temple pieces can be useful to clip your sunglasses out of the way when not in use.

So, what’s my bottom line here? If you are like me sunglasses are a personal choice, not only for style but for feature and fit. My main sunglasses are a set of Maui Jim Sandy Beach sunglasses. I chose them because of the fit and features, although they are different in style I can do some comparison between them and the Baendit Sundance Kids. First is the lenses, the Sundance Kid lenses are probably as good as my Maui Jim’s the main difference is that the Maui Jim’s are polarized. Although I would think this is more of a personable preference, it is worth noting. Quality is another area that should be considered and as far as I can see both sets of sunglasses have superior fit and finishes. Price would be my natural third comparison, at $149 the Sundance Kid are $40 cheaper than my Maui Jim’s. Although both sunglass companies have several styles available, Baendit has the added benefit of being modular allowing you to switch out all the pieces for practical or vanity reasons. To be honest, while the Sundance Kid sunglasses from Baendit may be too hip for me, I think the glasses and the concept are a cool idea. The Sundance Kid and other Baendit models can be found on their website.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Baendit Eyeware. Visit their site for more info.