Shady Rays

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Overview

Shady Rays produces polarized sunglasses for men and women, emphasizing durability for outdoor activities. The brand distinguishes itself with a lost and broken replacement program, covering over 1.5 million replacements since 2012. It operates as an independent company with direct-to-consumer sales and free shipping and returns.¹²³

History

Shady Rays was founded in 2012 by Chris Ratterman to address the issue of losing or breaking expensive sunglasses. The company launched with polarized sunglasses backed by a unique lost and broken replacement guarantee. It incorporated as a corporation on December 1, 2012, and has maintained operations from Kentucky.²³⁴

Product Lines

Product Line	Positioning	Price Range
Polarized Sunglasses	Durable everyday outdoor eyewear	$50 - $100
Prescription Sunglasses	Customizable vision correction shades	$100 - $200
Sport Sunglasses	Performance for active lifestyles	$60 - $120

Manufacturing

Products are manufactured in Kentucky, United States. The company operates its own manufacturing facilities as indicated by industry classification.¹⁶

Notable Products

Classic Polarized Sunglasses - Standard frames with polarization for glare reduction and lost/broken coverage.
Prescription Shades - Custom prescription lenses integrated into durable frames launched around 2017.
Adventure Sunglasses - Rugged designs built for hiking, running, and water activities.

Reputation

Shady Rays holds BBB accreditation since 2017 with positive recognition for customer service and the replacement program. Enthusiasts value the worry-free ownership due to the lifetime warranty against loss or breakage. Some note the focus on affordability compared to premium brands, though specific professional critiques are limited in available data.²

Sources (6)