I recently bought a new pair of IZIPIZI sunglasses at Gundersen & Løken. If you haven’t heard of it, let me tell you briefly about the brand.
IZIPIZI is a French company that was born in 2010 in Paris and has come a long way since its debut. With more than 7000 points of sale in 80 countries in 2023 the brand has been really successful. The secret? Good quality, cool designs and affordable prices. As of today, sunglasses account for 40% of the total sales.
I got mine for 529Kr, and let me tell you, this product at that price is a bargain. Of course, at this price range, don’t expect impressive details, premium materials, or a made in Europe label; Nowadays models are made in Taiwan.
But here you get value for your money: sunglasses that provide protection (The lenses are CE certified of course) and come with a nice design as a bonus. The brand offers a wide variety of lens colors and frames.
They are perfect for people like me who are looking for sunglasses that you are not afraid to lose at the pool on holidays. True story: I lost a pair of IZIPIZI on a waterslide in Egypt, and even though I was mad, It was ok as they didn’t break the bank.
If you want eyewear at this kind of price anywhere else, the alternative would be cheap sunglasses from fast fashion brands, which you should generally avoid because of their poor quality and poor design.
Anecdote: They have even developed sleep glasses that have orange-tinted lenses that shield your eyes from blue light a few hours before bed time, ensuring you fall asleep faster. Football star Erling Haaland admitted to using them to improve his sleep.
Model reviewed
What strikes you at first is the impressive array of choices that you have. From shapes (designated as # followed by a letter) to a plethora of colors, the combinations are endless.
In the past, I purchased a pair of yellow #G, the round shape. in the end I found them to be a bit too extravagant for my taste, and unfortunately (or fortunately?), I ended up loosing them. I would recommend not too flashy colors for those starting out and that don’t already own several more classic pairs.
I was thrilled to discover that brand here in Oslo, and I decided to go with the square #C model, Havana color.
Design
Here we have a square frame with a nice tortoise shell pattern. The square shape features smooth angles and adapts well to a majority of face shapes.
I like the faded green lenses which give a retro vibe to the pair, and I think it pairs well with the brown color of the frame.
What we have here is a timeless pair of sunglasses that you can wear in any circumstance, with any outfit.
Build Quality and Comfort
The frame is composed of a really lightweight material which also has a soft touch which feels nice on your skin. The material is injected plastic which is allegedly less durable than more expensive acetate but given the price range, again, nothing alarming here.
The spring hinges seem robust which ensures that the arms of the sunglasses won’t become loose over time, which is one of the worst things for me when you’ve had a pair for sometime. But what are spring hinges? Unlike the standard ones, they allow the arms to bend past ninety degrees and tend adapt better to the shape of your head.
As a result, the sunglasses don’t fall at all. Often, my other more expensive sunglasses slip down from my nose but not these, which is a big win. Additionally, the nose pads are really comfortable.
Despite their lightweight nature, you can tell the pair is capable to support daily wear with no problem.
Lens Quality and Protection TODO
The lenses are Category 3, CE certified and offer 100% UV protection, and that’s all you need really. However, at that price range, the lenses are not polarized. In order to have that extra comfort that reduces glare, you will need to pay a little more: 649Kr for a polarized pair on the brand’s website.
Conclusion
Pros
- Good, timeless design with a lot of combinations possible
- Comfortable fit
- Good build quality
- Effective UV protection
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- Lack of polarization
- Injected plastic material
I highly recommend that you give IZIPIZI sunglasses a try. I found them at Gundersen & Løken but let me know if you find more choices in other stores.
Overall the brand and more specifically the model I chose are a fantastic choice for anyone like me who likes affordable, good-quality, comfortable and reasonably priced eyewear.