Generally, we often regard sunglasses and caps to be items of luxury. However, in the world of tennis, they can prove to essential gear that can improve precision and preserve stamina. In many ways, both of these items serve to protect certain parts of your body including the eyes and skin. With the price of tennis sunglasses and caps rapidly on the rise, we begin to wonder, are they really worth it? Depending upon your own circumstances and comfortability, the answer can be both yes and no.
First thing’s first, what would be the average price of tennis sunglasses and caps? In the table below, we’ve listed the average cost of each item. The price range can vary depending upon the company and type of sunglasses or cap you choose to buy. Based on our research, the overall average cost of purchasing sunglasses (standard and polarized included) and cap approximately comes down to $140. That being said, you don’t need to spend that kind of money on items that may or may not be important to you.
| Accessory Type | Average Price ($) | Average Price Range ($) |
| Sunglasses | 186.5 | 150-300 |
| Sunglasses (Polarized) | 210 | 165-350 |
| Wearable Cap | 26 | 10-60 |
| Overall Average Cost ($) | 140.8 | – |
You may check out our other articles on What is the Price of a Tennis ball? How to Choose the Correct Type for Your Court and Skill Level? and What is the Average Price for Tennis Racquet Stringing, Types, and Their Differences?
Sunglasses and Caps: Fashion or Passion?
Sunglasses and caps are two accessories you’ll find people wearing regularly. What were once used to protect a person’s eyes and skin have been transformed into items that symbolize luxury. Today, they attribute to a person’s fashion statement instead of being used for their actual purpose. For example, even on a rainy day, you’d see a man or woman rocking out formal sunglasses or wearing caps with matching trousers and t-shirts on.
This begs the question, do sunglasses and caps actually accommodate tennis players? Yes, they do! It would be ignorant for us to deny the usefulness of sunglasses and caps for a tennis player. The reason is that each of these objects serves a special purpose that provides some form of benefit to players in certain conditions.
The Benefits of Wearing Tennis Sunglasses
Let’s first talk about sunglasses. We all know that most tennis matches take place during the day, under the sun. Unless there’s an adequate amount of cloud coverage, the bright rays shining down upon the players can actually distort their vision. Difficulty in viewing the ball is one thing, but having to squint your eyes can seriously strain your vision in the long run.
Tennis sunglasses are specifically designed to cater to a player’s movement during a match. They are quite different from regular sunglasses in the sense that they are custom-made according to a player’s face dimensions. Thus, the production of sunglasses doesn’t really depend upon age or gender. Rather, you can rest assured that there is a size for everyone; tennis sunglasses for small faces and large faces exist too!
In all its entirety, the main benefit of wearing tennis sunglasses is that they protect your eyes from sunlight. This can very well come in handy when you’re playing on the side of the court that is placed directly under the sun.
Ideally, the best tennis sunglasses provide clarity of vision and enhance your game accuracy when responding to an opponent’s move.
Polarized Sunglasses
Polarized tennis sunglasses consist of special frames that counteract the bright rays of sunlight through reflection. When the sunlight directly hits the polarized frames, a major chunk of the rays are bounced back into the direction they come from. To explain in simpler terms, polarized frames tend to protect your eyes by diverting harmful sun rays that may cause strain or discomfort.
Polarized tennis sunglasses come in different colors. You might have noticed how some sunglasses have a blue shade whereas, others may have an orangy touch under the light. These are some of the colors available that you can choose from.
There are varying opinions about the best lens color for tennis sunglasses available. There’s no direct evidence to support any one color. However, some experts presume that the clever choice would be to opt for blue polarized lenses because of how they create a contrast with the color of a tennis ball. The blue-green contrast can help players to distinguish the ball and play it more accurately.
Tennis Caps: Do They Effect Gameplay?
Tennis caps are quite popular amongst the tennis community. International players can often be seen wearing these caps during matches. Tennis caps are defined by their inherent ability to absorb moisture and protect a player from heat radiations.
If we take a closer look at the design, tennis caps are built in a way where the head is covered and remains protected from the scorching sun. This is because that very covering protects the player’s face from the heat caused by the sun’s radiation.
On a random sunny day, you’ll witness that if you stand below the sun for too long, you’ll begin to experience exhaustion and tiredness. This is caused by the elevated temperature that accumulates on your body, thereby draining you of energy.
A tennis cap’s main function is to prevent the heat and keep your body temperature relatively cool. This, in turn, preserves a player’s stamina and enables them to play for longer periods of time against opponents. And as we’re already aware, stamina preservation is a key factor when it comes to winning tennis matches.
Are Tennis Caps The Same As Tennis Visors?
Many people often end up confusing between tennis caps and visors. Although the two items are fundamentally built for the same purpose, we still can’t consider them to be the same object.
Tennis caps cover the entire head of a player up until the forehead. Whereas, tennis visors only cover a certain portion of the player’s head that lies below the forehead. What sets them apart from regular tennis caps is the fact that tennis visors have a lengthier covering that shields the forehead directly. This is because that very covering protects the player’s face from the heat caused by the sun’s radiation.
A tennis visor’s main function is to prevent your eyes from harmful sun rays. At the same time, the frontal covering has the ability to absorb any sweat that may drip down from your head. In short, you’ll be killing two birds with one stone!
Difference Between Men’s Tennis Caps & Women’s Tennis Caps:
At first glance, tennis caps seemingly appear to be universal in terms of size and color. Styling is off the question since most tennis caps are sponsored by companies who use players to promote their brands. Regardless, however, there are slight differences in size between caps worn by males and females.
For women, the upper portion of the cap is comparatively smaller compared to men. This is because, biologically, most women have smaller facial dimensions. Unlike sunglasses, tennis caps are not customarily designed for each player. Rather, anyone who chooses to equip the accessory has to choose from a variety of sizes and colors.
Having said that, all tennis caps come with adjustable hook-and-loop fasteners in the back which makes it easier for players to adjust the tightness of the hat and set it according to their comfortability.
The Price of Tennis Sunglasses and Caps
Now, we’ve already discussed earlier how the average price of tennis sunglasses and caps can be around $140, inclusive of polarized frames as well.
Let’s be honest though. As a beginner tennis player, would you really be willing to spend that kind of money on them? It’s understandable to buy a good racquet at this price. But to spend it on objects that could very well be replaced seems both odd and sumptuous.
The Cost of Sunglasses: Is It Worthit?
Looking at the price of tennis sunglasses, they’re expensive because they’re specifically made to fit each player individually. You can always opt for standard-sized tennis sunglasses that may cost around $40-50 but the problem is the uneven fitting that comes with it. As you play tennis on the field, the movement of your head may force the sunglasses to slip down from your face, causing a major setback to your ongoing momentum.
Typically, you’ll find that several companies produce sunglasses that are sold by different companies including Oakley, Rivbos, Tifosi, and Bolle Bolt. These companies have varying styles and designs for both men and women, depending upon your own personal choice. There are not many differences between the actual products that are offered apart from the company’s own branding value.
Why Don’t Most Tennis Players Wear Sunglasses?
Despite the benefits that tennis sunglasses offer, majority of the tennis players avoid wearing them during matches. This is because tennis sunglasses, despite being produced as per the player’s face dimensions, can become irritating to wear.
The intense movements, along with the applied force, sometimes make it difficult to concentrate. As a result, most tennis players choose to compensate their visual prowess for added concentration and focus.
Tennis Caps: Are They Mandatory?
Tennis caps are regarded to be far more useful in comparison. They’re mandatory because of their capacity to absorb moisture and allowing players to perform for longer periods of time.
The companies that dominate this type of apparel are giants like Nike, Adidas, Puma, and Asics. However, since this is a common accessory, it’s easy to find tennis caps that are cheap and produced from local manufacturers. So, as far as tennis caps are concerned, you don’t need to worry much about the cost since they can be bought for as low as $10.
The Price of Tennis Sunglasses and Caps: Reusable or Replacable?
For anyone who’s playing tennis on a budget, it would virtually be impossible to keep on paying the price of tennis sunglasses and caps repeatedly.
Luckily for us, both of these items are reusable on a long-term basis. Tennis sunglasses are made up of enduring material that can be cleaned by using a soft cloth dipped in the liquid cleaner. Similarly, tennis caps are washable and can even be rinsed with warm water or a household detergent.
Conclusion & Tips
In Tennis, Never Compromise On Safety and Comfortability!
As a one-time investment, it’s not exactly the worst idea to purchase these items. Granted that the price of tennis sunglasses and caps is not the cheapest, they can still certainly help to give you an edge whilst playing the game.
Tennis sunglasses are not mandatory so you can even end up avoiding that altogether if it doesn’t adjust to your level of comfortability. However, we would highly recommend you adopt the habit of wearing tennis caps or visors for the sake of maintaining your strength. At the end of the day, the game of tennis all comes down to the one who manages to outperform the other in skill and perseverance!
For more tips, make sure to visit our website where we discuss other important accessories such as wristbands, sweatbands, and grips.