Meet your new favourite sunnies – Leupold Bridger!                                                                                      

By Alex Minicozzi  

Having tried several types of sunglasses over the years, cheap ones, expensive ones, and sport-specific ones, the Leupold Bridger sunglasses genuinely surprised me. I wanted them mainly for hiking and fishing trips, but they’ve quickly become my go-to pair for just about everything. 

The Bridger glasses are not only practical and great for fishing, hiking and day-to-day wear, they are stylish enough to pass the ‘coolness’ test of fussy teenagers. 

The first thing I noticed was how light they feel. I’m usually wary about larger aviator-style frames, but the Bridgers are really comfortable, flexible and stylish. They’ve also taken a few accidental drops like a champ, no cracks or lens scratches at all; they are insanely durable. Thanks to whoever designed the DiamondCoat protective coating! 

The lenses are the real standout, as they are made from shatter-resistant polycarbonate. Leupold’s In-Fused Polarised tech is excellent. It permanently fuses the polarising film between two lens layers (so it won’t degrade or peel over time). 

The Bridger glasses make sitting on the water a breeze. With no glare, you can wait all day for a fish to bite.

Glare from the water or asphalt is practically gone, and the colour contrast feels sharp without looking fake. I went fishing at dawn recently, and the lenses made a big difference in spotting movement in the water, even in low light. Plus, they have a Guard-Ion coating that repels water and dirt, which I didn’t think I’d care about until I realised how little I have to clean them, even after days of driving through dusty dirt tracks. 

I also like that they don’t scream ‘tactical’ like some other performance brands. The matte black finish looks clean and understated, but still rugged. It’s a rare combo where I can wear them on a hike, camping, to a café, or just driving around and feel completely comfortable.  

If I had to nitpick, they are a little on the looser fitting side. I need to adjust them slightly every now and then to tighten them up because they slide down my face when I sweat. At around $250 a pair, they’re not cheap but for what you get, especially the lens quality, it feels worth it. 

All in all, the Bridgers feel like the last pair of sunglasses I’ll need for a long time. Solid build, excellent lenses, and style that works anywhere. Definitely a smart buy. 

Should be available at your local gun shop or see the NIOA website for more – https://sporting.nioa.com.au/products/leupold-sunglasses-bridger-matte-shadow-grey-flash