I Did Not Expect to Like a $125 Pair of Sunglasses this Much

GVTY, a fairly new Canadian brand, sent me a pair of their sunglasses, their only product. I like when a brand is a specialist. Only a handful of products. These are my thoughts.

Let's set this straight. These are not the absolute best sunglasses. But the best value, most reliable, cycling/athletic sunglasses...?

In 2026, I would say so.

These have nothing on a pair of Oakley Encoders. If you're a reader of this magazine, you know those are my all time favorites.

Let's start on the looks. They try to set themselves apart with great design, and they achieve it. Classic athletic look, aerodynamic and their slogan laser-engraved. Commendable attention to detail. I liked them so much, I found myself grabbing them for other activities like running, hiking or just doing errands. I felt comfortable doing this because it's not a hardcore, weird-looking design.

On the face it sits high and wide. 100% of my field of view is covered. The tips have rubber that wrap around your ears. Adjustable nose tip. Superb comfort.

The rubberized, non-pressure contact points almost make up for the weight.

Are they heavy? Not at all. I bet you a thousand dollars you can't tell the 5 gram difference compared to the Encoders. They're just as light as a pair of POC Aspire, which is almost double the price of GVTY's. Insane, right?

They claim they will replace or repair your sunglasses if they break. How good is their customer service? I don't know firsthand, but their reviews look good. Even if I filed a claim, I'm a cycling writer, they would obviously replace mine if I asked them. So I can't objectively rate their customer support.

How do they achieve this insane value, you may ask. The answer is, fashion.

Your favorite cycling brands are starting to become fashion brands. GVTY doesn't want to please the non-cyclist by becoming a fashion brand. They became really good at crafting one single product.

They focus on features, customer service and listening to what people want. They don't do the marketing stunts big brands do, they only charge you for the gear, not the marketing. That approach, ironically, is great marketing.