| Quick Verdict: The GUNNAR Tioga packs a punch with amazing mineral glass, a well-built and gorgeous frame, a Clear Pro option, and frame color options. But, all of that means there’s just too much heft to be comfortable on a face. |
| Brand: | GUNNAR |
| Product: | Tioga glasses |
| Review Score: | 8 |
| Cozy Score: | 5 |
| Pros: | Very sturdy, great use of flexible hinges, lenses made from the same kind of glass used in NASA telescopes, offered in multiple colors, Clear Pro lens option, great-looking style |
| Cons: | Incredibly heavy on the face, imbalance pushed down on the front badly, will leave you with indents on your face after prolonged use |
| Price: | $250 |
| Color Options: | Gray Crystal Walnut, Maroon Rosewood |
| Lens Options: | 65 Amber, 20 Clear Pro |
GUNNAR has always been known for unique styles and fantastic lenses. The GUNNAR Tioga is among their higher-end 2025 lineup, and while quality is top-notch, the glasses fall into a very specific category for me: expensive and high-class, but hard to wear for some.
What’s in the box?
If you’re picking up a pair of GUNNAR glasses, you’re always going to get certain additional items in the box with it. All of their offerings include a microfiber carry pouch and a microfiber cloth. As you edge up in price, you’re going to expect a nice hard-shell case of some sort as well, which is included with the GUNNAR Tioga.
The cloth and carry bag were their usual dime-a-dozen boring fare that self-branded frames come with, which is a tad disappointing from the $250 price point that the GUNNAR Tioga is at.
But, instead of giving the same usual case that you’d expect from their handful of options, they presented a new shape that is a bit more square and boxy. This case looks and feels a bit more classy than some of the cases you’d get as a throw-in on other frames.
Tech in the Specs (or, Holding a Lens Up to These Glasses)
Let’s dig into the technology involved. No matter how the frames are, the lenses are always going to be the key component of a GUNNAR-branded pair of glasses. The GUNNAR Tioga is no different.
Within every GUNNAR, you’re going to find some of the best lenses in gaming and blue light-blocking glasses out there. You can always expect special coatings that give it protection against glare, water resistance, smudge resistance, and eye strain.
But, you’re likely looking at this price tag of $250, wondering what makes it so special when compared to the $100 offerings. That’s the mineral glass used, instead of their usual lens glass found in less-pricey options.
The mineral glass, as they tout, is the same kind of glass used in NASA telescopes, offering a crystal-clear viewing experience.
Not only that, but the GUNNAR Tioga comes in a couple of options. Sure, you can get their usual 65 Amber that gives your entire world a yellow haze that’d make Quentin Tarantino proud. But, the Tioga also comes in my favorite lens type, the 20 Clear Pro.
This review sample was the Clear Pro, which is, as the name implies, a very clear option for professionals. It still includes all of the same usual coatings as any other lens offering, including some blue-light blocking, but the Clear Pro is more true-to-color and great for people who sit at their computer for long periods.
The frame itself is “Italian acetate and lightweight carbon fiber strengthened wood sourced from natural elements”, which is among their higher quality options and creates a good visual appeal to the look. It comes in two different color options: Gray Crystal Walnut and Maroon Rosewood. This review sample is the Gray version and looks amazing.
Wearing the GUNNAR Tioga glasses
Wearing the Tioga is where this high-praise review starts to fall apart a little. In theory, the GUNNAR Tioga should be a knock-out. The lenses are absolutely crystal clear, the frame design is gorgeous, and the technology involved is some of the best you can get for a reasonable price. But, that means nothing if they’re hard to wear.
The problem is the same persistent issue that the GUNNAR Tahoe had: it’s just a bit too heavy to be comfortable for long periods. A good pair of glasses should melt into your face and make you forget you’re even wearing them. But, the GUNNAR Tioga makes sure you know it’s there at all times.
In addition, the balance seems to feel off. Unless I have a headset to hold it in place, the front always feels way heavier than the arms of the frame and it always feels like it’s pushing hard down on the bridge of my nose. It’s likely that mineral glass is just much heavier than their usual lenses, as the GUNNAR Tahoe had a similar issue.
During the writing of any GUNNAR glasses review, I always wear the glasses in question during the writing process. At this point in the word count, I’ve already taken them off to have a breather.
Due to the heft of the frame and lens, when I wear them on my face for any prolonged period and remove them, it leaves an indent on my nose after use. When I say these glasses are heavy and imbalanced, I mean it.
In use, however, they’re absolutely amazing in terms of being accommodating for larger heads. They have the spring hinges that don’t squeeze my head, and the lenses are just the right size to help with the wind shear that I wear GUNNAR glasses for while working.
Final Verdict
I couldn’t help but notice that, even at this price point, there are no prescription options for the GUNNAR Tioga. These glasses are designed first and foremost for professionals who don’t actually need glasses, but choose to wear them.
At this price point, the glasses are just too heavy for me to wear daily at my desk. The thought process of how great they actually are is just overshadowed by the red marks on the bridge of my nose when I remove them after less than an hour of use.
The GUNNAR Tahoe, as mentioned earlier, fell into the same category, price point, and offerings, running into the same pitfalls as the Tioga, which you can read my review for here. You can pick up a pair of GUNNAR Tioga for $250 on GUNNAR’s website in both colors, Gray Crystal Walnut and Maroon Rosewood, as well as the 65 Amber and 20 Clear Pro options.
