If you want folding sunglasses that are actually worth carrying, the shortlist in 2026 is small: the Persol 714 is still the benchmark and the most beautiful folder ever made, the Ray-Ban Folding Wayfarer is the most accessible classic, and ROAV builds the thinnest folding frames on the market. If you want a folder that is not on every third face, PULERA's SPYDER, a folding square from an independent Canadian brand, comes in under $100.
Folding eyewear is a strange niche. Most brands ignore it because hinges are expensive to engineer and easy to get wrong. That is exactly why the category is worth a guide: the handful of companies that do it seriously each solve the problem differently, and the differences matter more here than in any other type of sunglasses.
Why folding sunglasses make sense
A standard pair of sunglasses occupies a case the size of a burrito. A folding pair collapses at the bridge and, on the best designs, at the temples too, so the whole frame packs down to roughly the footprint of a single lens. That means a shirt pocket, a jacket pocket, or the corner of a bag instead of a bulky case you leave at home and then regret.
The tradeoff is mechanical complexity. Every fold is a hinge, and every hinge is a potential point of failure or looseness. A good folding frame disappears when worn; a bad one rattles, sits crooked, and dies within a season. So the buying question is less about looks than about who has actually engineered their hinges properly.
Persol 714: the original and still the best
The Persol 714 has been the reference point for folding sunglasses since the 1960s, and Steve McQueen wearing them in The Thomas Crown Affair made them permanent. The design folds at the bridge and at both temples, the acetate work is superb, and Persol's Meflecto flexible temple system remains one of the most comfortable in eyewear.
Expect to pay in the region of $340 to $470 depending on the lens, with polarized versions at the top of that range and the 714SM Steve McQueen editions, with their mineral glass lenses, priced higher still. It is a lot of money, but nobody who owns a 714 seems to regret it. If your budget covers it and you want the icon, this is the answer and the rest of this article is optional reading.
Ray-Ban Folding Wayfarer: the accessible classic
The Folding Wayfarer (RB4105) takes the most recognizable sunglass shape in history and puts a folding bridge in it. It is the easy recommendation for a first folder: the shape works on most faces, replacement parts and service are easy to find, and it usually lands between roughly $180 and $250, less when the frequent sales hit.
Two honest caveats. First, the folded package is chunkier than a Persol or a ROAV because the acetate is thick. Second, the Wayfarer is everywhere, which is either reassuring or boring depending on who you are.
ROAV: the thinnest folders in the world
ROAV attacks the problem from the opposite direction. Instead of folding acetate, it builds screwless stainless steel frames that collapse to around 8 or 9 millimetres thick, thin enough to live in a phone case style pouch or a wallet pocket. The brand markets them as the world's thinnest folding sunglasses and, as far as we can tell, nobody has beaten the claim.
They are the travel pick of this list. The look is minimal and lightweight rather than bold, so if you want a frame with presence on the face, ROAV's slim metal profile may feel too quiet. Most models sit in the range of roughly $150 to $230.
PULERA SPYDER: the independent pick under $100
Full transparency: PULERA is our house brand, so judge this entry with that in mind. The SPYDER P1 is our folding square, built for people who like the idea of a folder but do not want the metal minimalism of ROAV or the price of a Persol.
The frame is lightweight TR rather than acetate, chosen deliberately: TR shrugs off the repeated flexing that folding frames live with, and it keeps the weight down. The SPYDER hinges at the bridge and at both temples, so it collapses to about the width of a single lens, the same three fold architecture as the 714 at a fraction of the cost. At $97 USD with free tracked shipping in Canada and the US, a lifetime warranty on manufacturing defects, and 90 day returns, it is the cheapest serious folder on this list, and the only one from an independent brand rather than a conglomerate. PULERA is designed in Mississauga, Ontario, and the rest of our lineup runs in numbered small batches, which tells you the posture: small runs, not mass production.
What to check before you buy any folding frame
Hinge feel first. A quality folder snaps open with a positive click and holds its shape with zero play at the bridge. If the frame flexes where it should be rigid, walk away. Second, count the folds: bridge only designs (like the Folding Wayfarer) pack down less than designs that also fold at the temples (Persol 714, ROAV, SPYDER). Third, check the case. A folder without a compact case misses its own point. Finally, look at the warranty, because hinges are the part that fails, and a brand that stands behind its hinges is telling you something about how they were built.
Questions people ask about folding sunglasses
Are folding sunglasses durable?
Good ones are. The hinge count doubles or triples versus a normal frame, so build quality matters more, not less. Persol has proven the concept for six decades, ROAV's screwless steel is engineered specifically for repeated folding, and TR based frames like the PULERA SPYDER handle constant flexing better than brittle plastics. Cheap no name folders from marketplace sites are where the horror stories come from.
Which folding sunglasses are the best overall?
The Persol 714 if budget is no object. The Ray-Ban Folding Wayfarer if you want a safe classic under $250. ROAV if packing size is everything. The PULERA SPYDER if you want a three fold square from an independent brand under $100.
Are folding sunglasses worth it?
If you have ever scratched a pair because you tossed them caseless into a bag, yes. The entire value is that you actually carry them. A folder that lives in your pocket beats a beautiful frame that lives at home.