Keiichi is the Japanese name of these ultra-lightweight and modern looking sports sunglasses. I take them everywhere. From meetings to track practice to bike rides. From the grocery store to a walk in the park. You see me wearing them with a high ponytail or casually with my hair down. They’ve been with me through thick and thin for the last two years; traveling with me to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, to the forests of Bekoji, to Ethiopia and on city tours in Amsterdam. Of course, they have some scratches, but it gives my specific pair character. They are my all-time favourite accessory for all things outside. Literally for Doing Things.

Did you know that UV rays can result in skin cancer on the eyelids and within the eyes? It’s a no-brainer that as soon as Spring hits, we reach for our sunscreens and hats to cover our heads and protect our face + skin from damage, but what about our precious eyes? The University of California published in May of this year that our eyes need sun protection, too. Doctors suggest wearing sunglasses not only when it’s sunny, but when it’s cloudy.

I never wore sunglasses before — it’s actually pretty hard finding good fitting glasses with a flatter nose (my fellow Asians know!) — but guess what? After having learned more and more about this I’ve been diligently taking my sunnies out everywhere. They are my dailies, like keys and phones, part of ‘what to pack’ in the mornings. Unlike other performance sunglasses, the best part about these is you look pretty rad in them during exercise. With their adjustable rubber nose pad, the District Vision Keiichis are water and oil repellent (yup, works perfectly fine with sweat + makeup 😉 ), providing us the maximum and stylish sun protection we all need.

An Ode To these sunglasses by Thi Minh Huyen Nguyen, our go-to running guru. A Vietnamese athlete born in Germany, she splits time between New York City and Berlin, and considers herself a student of life, writer, runner, yoga practitioner and friend. Here are a few articles on what she’s learned from running the New York Marathon and the Berlin Marathon.

Keiichi’s District Sports frames are available for purchase here.

They are my all-time favourite accessory for all things outside.