It’s only April but we’ve already experienced a couple weeks of summertime here in Chicago. The warm weather usually reminds me that I need to start shopping for summer items like shorts, swimsuits, sand toys, and sunglasses.
I recently read a very informative article on skincancer.org that says that until kids are about 10, the lens of the eye is clear and they are at higher risk for damage from the sun. There’s another great article at drgreene.com that points out that sunglasses with darkened glasses but less than full UV protection can actually be more dangerous than wearing nothing at all! They cause the pupils to dilate allowing more of the dangerous UVA rays to damage the lens and retina. Scary stuff! This is a great reminder of how important it is to buy high quality sunglasses for kids to protect their eyes.
BanZ sunglasses have UV400 lenses and block out the entire spectrum of UVA, UVB, and UVC rays.
Adventure BanZ (the improved version of Baby BanZ, now with embedded silicone piece for nose and brow for comfort) have a neoprene elastic strap that matches the glasses and is adjustable with Velcro. They come in two sizes, Baby BanZ for ages 0-2 and Kidz BanZ for ages 2-5.
Junior BanZ, or JBanZ, are for children 4-10 years old and come with a removable neoprene strap and a coordinating neoprene carrying case with a zipper strap.
I’m lucky because my kids love wearing sunglasses; they received 12 pairs of cheap toy sunglasses in the Christmas stocking for wearing in the house for dress-up and I have been tossing them out as they break. When I pull out Baby BanZ for Dexter and J BanZ for Cooper they were thrilled and I was happy to know that their eyes would be protected in the sun and they wouldn’t be tempted to wear the toy glasses outside.
The BanZ for younger children are nice because they have a neoprene elastic band that fits over your child’s head to keep them secure and so you don’t have to worry about them falling off and getting lost. The only drawback is that my 2-year-old can take them off himself, but can not put them on himself. They adjust easily and seem to be comfortable on Dexter. He often asks to put them on, even when it’s not sunny.
The Junior BanZ are like normal sunglasses, but have a neoprene strap that can be easily slipped on to hang loosely and prevent the glasses from getting lost if they fall off. The carrying case squeezes open and is easy to use and has a small clip to attach it to a zipper or diaper bag.
Both pairs of glasses are very sturdy and the fact that they are made from durable, shatter-proof polycarbonite makes me confident they won’t be easily broken by my kids. I think BanZ sunglasses are a great investment and I actually already ordered two more pairs of the J BanZ so that I have a spare pair for each of the boys.
Visit the BanZ site to order sunglasses or to see the other items they carry including swim goggles, hats, UV swimwear, sunscreen, earmuffs (for hearing protection), and winterwear.
Want to win a pair of J Banz for your child? Enter below. If the entry form isn’t visible below, click on the title of this post to view it.
I received a complimentary pair of JBanz. All opinions expressed are my own.
Junior Banz for boys ages 4+ look great Never heard of these glasses before. Think I would pick Pacific Blue.
I’d pick Pacific Blue for my son
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My son loves green!
We love the blue!
I would choose the Midnight Black
I would pick the groovy pink for my daughter!
Flamingo Pink!
I’d pick the pacific blue!
My boys would probably pick the green ones!