Method Seven Silverton Trail26 Sunglasses Review

The Method Seven Silverton Trail26 sunglasses. All photos: iRunFar

Let’s face it: not everyone loves the trend of large-lens, loud sunglasses. For those of us who refuse to return to the era of Oakley M-Frames but still want exceptional optics, there’s the Method Seven Silverton Trail26 ($175). Many, dare I say most, higher-end sunglasses on the market today have gravitated to the single-lens style. And some — including iRunFar gear tester Craig Randall, who is open about his penchant for large lenses — have fully embraced the high level of protection provided by shield-style running sunglasses that are reasonably out of place in any non-sports setting. More casual-style sunglasses seem to focus less on optics and more on, well, style. Given the current climate of running sunglasses, I was thrilled to see the Silverton Trail26 provide outstanding optics designed for the specific rigors of trail running, with a frame and lens design that I was just as comfortable wearing on the trail as I was to the coffee shop afterward.

Method Seven started in 2010 by making protective glasses for workers in indoor growing spaces where bright and harsh light was just part of the job. The brand’s next step was to customize its lens technology to suit the specific needs of pilots, followed by its foray into trail running. What has resulted is a partially polarized lens that brings out contrast, reduces glare enough for most trail running settings, and is light enough to use in lower-light settings, like in the forest.

One thing that stands out about these glasses is how light they are. Weighing just 23 grams, they never felt heavy on my face. I’ve tested these glasses for nearly 18 months, taking them on everything from high alpine romps in the Colorado mountains to the deep and dark bush of the New Zealand backcountry. They’re the one set of non-photochromatic sunglasses that I don’t find myself repeatedly moving from covering my eyes to the top of my head as lighting conditions change, as the lens is light enough for low light while still providing plenty of protection when things get bright, especially if I’m wearing a hat.

My main gripe with these sunglasses is that I wouldn’t mind if the frame were just a bit narrower and if the anti-slip material on the bridge of the nose and the temples was a bit grippier. While they didn’t slip around to the point of annoyance, they don’t have the fit and feel of some other sunglasses that feel glued to the face. When wearing them on top of my head when inside or in darker trail environments, I found they liked to slip around, potentially due to the fairly flexible frame material, and I’d have to readjust them to make sure they stayed in place. But, given the combination of the optics and style, the slightly looser fit is something I’m willing to tolerate.

These sunglasses are included in our Best Running Sunglasses guide if you’re curious to see how they compare to other favorites of iRunFar’s testing team.

Method Seven Silverton Trail26 Frame and Fit

A side view of the Method Seven Silverton Trail26 sunglasses.

The frame material of the Method Seven Silverton Trail26 is surprisingly light and flexible. They feature TR90, a thermoplastic material used by many different sunglasses and eyeglasses manufacturers. Developed in Switzerland, the material is impact-resistant, and its flexibility allows it to bend to fit various face widths and shapes. It’s also available in many different colors, and the Silverton Trail 26 comes in either a tortoise, matte black, or bright translucent orange option.

The frame fits medium to wide faces. As someone who has historically struggled to find sunglasses that don’t dwarf my face, I found these to be reasonable in terms of lens size and frame width. I wouldn’t mind if they were just a bit narrower, but that’s a gripe with nearly any sunglasses I put on my face.

There are anti-slip rubber bits on both the bridge of the nose and around the temples. It’s not the grippiest of materials, but it does the job adequately. I’ve talked to people who find these sunglasses slip easily, but I’ve always found that they stay in place quite well, whether running downhill on a trail at a reckless pace or bent over my knees on a steep climb. The only time I worry about them not staying in place is when I have them on my head, and I suspect this is because the frame material flexes around my head instead of gripping it tightly.

The lenses provide fairly substantial coverage without feeling overwhelming, and the frames around them are pretty thin and don’t impede the field of vision. I appreciate that the style of these sunglasses allows me to wear them in nearly any setting, from the trail to the grocery store to eating dinner on a patio, without them feeling out of place or too technical.

Method Seven Silverton Trail26 Lens

A side view of the Method Seven Silverton Trail26 sunglasses.

While the Method Seven Silverton Trail26 frames are light, flexible, durable, and ready to handle any setting with ease, it’s the lenses that make these sunglasses stand out from many others. They offer 26% visual light transmission (VLT) and are partially polarized to reduce glare without sacrificing contrast.

My experience is that these lenses allow clear vision in changing light conditions, performing well both in low light and the harsh light of the alpine. I’ve found that in many light conditions, they actually enhance what I can see in terms of contrast compared to what my naked eye can comprehend. I used them while setting an unsupported Nolan’s 14 FKT in Colorado’s Sawatch mountains, where the route frequently went from 14,000-foot peaks down to the valleys and tree cover between them, and I negotiated the changing light conditions of more than two full days and nights, only taking them off at night. I’ve also extensively tested them in the forests of New Zealand, which can be incredibly dense and relatively dark.

Initially, these lenses seem too light for really bright conditions. For conditions that have a lot of snow, they definitely aren’t quite enough, but for everything else, they provide enough protection that my eyes never felt overwhelmed or fatigued by too much light at the end of the day. Their VLT is higher than many others while still being protective in harsh-light environments, which increases their versatility. The lenses are only 40% polarized, significantly less than fully polarized lenses designed for fishing or snowy environments. High polarization tends to reduce contrast, and Method Seven designed these lenses for environments frequented by trail runners instead of people looking to cut out as much glare as possible.

The lenses use notch filtering, which the brand claims optimizes visibility two to ten feet in front of you, the distance that most trail runners look when negotiating a trail. Notch filters block light of certain wavelengths while allowing others to pass through. Using these types of optics, the lenses theoretically can block distracting light while allowing you to see the shadows and contours of the trail ahead. In addition to the notch filtering, the lenses have an anti-reflective coating.

The lenses also have a hydrophobic coating to prevent fogging. The only time I ever had the lenses fog while wearing them was after I went for a mid-run swim in a lake, put the glasses on my wet hair, and then put them on to cover my eyes. I’m willing to forgive the fogging in that situation.

Method Seven Silverton Trail26 Overall Impressions

iRunFar’s Eszter Horanyi wears the Method Seven Silverton Trail 25 sunglasses after setting a new unsupported FKT on the 100-mile Nolan’s 14 route in Colorado. Photo: iRunFar/Kevin Schmidt

I’ll happily place myself at the opposite end of the spectrum of people who like big and loud lenses and colorful sunglasses, and the Method Seven Silverton Trail26 provides both style and outstanding optics for people like me. I no longer have to compromise on having good optics that help me see the trail in both high- and low-light conditions or having a pair of sunglasses that I can wear in a more casual setting.

While still on the upper end of the price spectrum for sunglasses, they’re significantly less than the highest quality photochromatic options and still provide a high level of versatility in variable lighting conditions. The lenses seem ideal for many trail running conditions, from cloudy to sunny, dappled to consistent, and everything in between.

As someone who is traditionally hard on sunglasses, I can attest to the durability of both the frames and lenses. I’m known to put sunglasses into a pack without a protective cover when night falls, and I’ve tried to wipe smudges off of lenses with whatever shirt or shorts I wear at the time. These sunglasses have remained intact and scratch-free after more than 18 months of consistent use, which makes me believe they are worth the initial investment.

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