Zenottic Philip Review

The frames of the Zenottic Philip are some of the more impressive we've seen in this category, made out of a plant-based triacetate cellulose, having a unique textured frame for better grip and a striking look, as well as sprung hinges that keep the temples in place once closed. The lenses themselves have great coverage, a neutral tint, polarization, and an anti-scratch coating. We're surprised so many features are packed into such a low-cost option, which seamlessly moves from coffee shops to bike rides with little fuss.

Likes

The look and surprisingly the feel of the Zenottic Philip are some of our personal favorites. The knurled pattern on the topside of the frames, which extends onto the temples makes for a dramatic detail when the light hits it, while also giving the lenses some extra grip.

These shades look good on most faces, having rounded corners to smooth some of the more acute angles. We found them appropriate for most everything we got up to, be it a quick run on our lunch break or just hanging out with friends.

Quality of the frames was near the top of bunch in our lineup. The bio-based nylon of the Zenottic Philip is both tough and pliable. They tolerate quite a bit of bending without snapping and will quickly return to their original shape.

The sprung hinges securely collapse the temples onto the bridge with a resounding, “click”, then stay in place.

Like the frames, the lenses have a better quality than we may expect from such an inexpensive pair of frames. We confirmed Zenottic's claims of UV400 protection using a UV-sensitive card and a UV flashlight. The card detected no UV light passing through the lenses at all, which is what we expect from a good-quality pair of lenses.

The Philip comes with polarized lenses, which we tested in the lab by observing them in front of another polarized screen. At perpendicular angles, light is completely blocked. The quality of the polarization looked flawless to our eyes. Not only that, these are some of the only sunnies in this category to feature an anti-scratch coating.

We used a gridded pattern in the lab to try to detect imperfections in the lenses, which could cause a distorted image, which could be a factore in causing eye strain. Results were excellent through the center field of vision.

Lens coverage is superb and the Philips afford some of the widest coverage of sunglasses in our lineup, measuring around 2.4" or 60mm in width each. The frames place the lenses just above our field of vision, and the slightly drooping profile has us barely noticing the bottom of the frames.

The Zenottic Philips are best for larger, wider faces. They fit our lead male tester's own face well. From temple to temple, they measure approximately 5.5" or 140mm.

Dislikes

The Zenottic Philips scored well in almost every metric we tested in, which isn't a common occurrence! But, because the Philips are on the larger side, narrower faces may not be as well served, with the sunglasses looking and fitting out of proportion. But of course, it's always up to you: if that's the look you're going with, don't let us get in your way!

We tested the neutral gray tint and confirmed it has no real color bias. If you're looking for more contrast, you'll want to choose a different tint, like a deep rose or amber. Zenottic has this covered with a variety of different lens tints are available to choose from when ordering.

Similarly, if you're seeking out blue blocking-specific lenses, we did not detect any such latent abilities in our lab test that Zenottic failed to specific themselves. You'll want to choose a different pair of sunnies altogether.

Although the Philip is one of the best frames by no small amount in this category's lineup, there can always be improvement.

One small detail that isn't covered in the Philip is the bridge, which lacks a grippy surface to help keep the shades from slipping, or any adjustable nose pieces.

Should You Buy the Zenottic Philip?

The Zenottic Philip are some of the best cheap sunglasses we've tested. Just be aware that they're slightly on the larger side and will fit wider faces best. The unique textured surface on the frames, the sprung hinges, and the anti-scratch coating are three attributes taken together that really set these shades apart from the pack. Coupled with its competitive price, the Philips really delivers on value.

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