The Randolph American Tan lens is a solid, dependable option that checks all the right boxes for a brown lens. With premium coatings and quality materials, it delivers the warm contrast and clarity you'd expect — nothing groundbreaking, but it gets the job done.
Check out the American Tan lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Randolph's website).
If you want to know more about how brown lenses work, click here.
In This Review
Comparison to the same brand lenses - Randolph Engineering
Lens Specs | Randolph Engineering American Tan |
Technology | SkyTech Glass |
Lens Color | Brown |
Mirror Color | N/A |
VLT | Polarized 11%, Non-Polarized 17% Category 3 |
ABBE | 58 |
Coatings | Anti-reflective, Scratch-resistant, Oleophobic, Hydrophobic, UV, Infrared and Blue-light blocking |
Material | Glass |
Weight | Moderate |
Scratch Resistance | High |
Prescription Available | Yes, but not in glass |
3 |
The clarity of the American Tan lens is impressive, showcasing Randolph’s expertise in crafting high-quality glass lenses.
The lens is equipped with every coating you’d want and then some: anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, oleophobic (oil-repellent), hydrophobic (water-repellent), UV protection, and blue-light blocking. Each of these coatings works together to provide a clean, clear, and durable visual experience.
An interesting feature of Randolph lenses is the infrared (IR) blocking coating - something not typically found in most premium brands. While most sunglass lenses naturally filter some IR radiation (especially glass lenses), the additional blocking here is worth noting. Unlike UV rays, IR radiation doesn’t cause sunburns or cataracts, as the eye’s natural lens and cornea already filter out much of it. The main potential benefit is reduced heat sensation on your face and around your eyes, which could provide extra comfort in extreme heat environments like deserts, snowfields, or high elevations. For most users, however, the difference is minimal or subtle. Still, it’s one of those "nice-to-have" features with no downside to its inclusion.
Unlike other brands like Serengeti, Maui Jim, and Costa, Randolph doesn’t advertise the use of thinner-than-average glass to reduce weight. While the lenses aren’t especially light, they’re not unusually heavy either. This middle-ground approach keeps the glasses feeling solid but not burdensome during extended wear.
The American Tan lens does not include color-enhancing technology like some modern lenses. However, for a classic brown tint, this isn't a big deal. Brown lenses naturally boost contrast and provide a warm view, and that’s exactly what these lenses deliver. We will discuss this further in the next sections.
Is it eligible for prescription?
Yes, Randolph recently began offering prescription lenses. They have options for polycarbonate, Trivex, and High Index, with their coatings included.
For non-prescription, Check out the American Tan lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Randolph's website).
How does the lens look?
The front has a standard brown tint, with no mirror.
The back has a blue shine from the anti-reflective coating. The tint is on the redder side of brown, though it also has yellow highlights.
What does the view look like?
Adding warmth to lenses enriches color vibrancy, making the world appear more vivid. Brown lenses excel at this by filtering out more blue light than green or red lenses, which reduces cooler tones and sharpens color clarity. This added warmth not only improves visibility but also enhances mood and alertness, offering both practical and psychological benefits.
The American Tan lens, in polarized, is a dark lens at just 11% VLT, and it feels that way. Normally a brown lens performs decently in full light, excellently in mixed light, and respectably in low light (where you would still be slightly squinting). But the Tan lens is more geared towards full sun. It will still work well enough in mixed light but is not good in low light.
The lens is on the redder side of brown and that makes this a very warm lens. Greens get a sort of neon brightness with red hues, so they aren't diminished but they don't particularly stand out. I find it takes a minute or two to adjust to this lens.
Sunny Conditions
These photos are what Randolph has used to show the view. Keep in mind that photos will never look as good as the real view looking through the sunglasses with your own eyes.
Interested in experiencing the American Tan lens for yourself? Check out the lens on Amazon (which is often cheaper than Randolph's website).
This photo is pretty much useless, I don't think anyone would be interested looking at a view like that.
I think Randolph does a better job here showing how red and dark the lens is. This picture sort of borders on rose though, and the Tan lens is not even close to rose. So it gives a sense but it isn't fully accurate.
This is more accurate to the tint, but in those conditions, the view would be darker.
Here is my simulation of how the lens looks:
You can see how the view gets a lot warmer, the greens are brighter but still slightly tinged red, the blues are the most distorted (as all brown lenses do, especially red-browns), and the reds (the cliffs here) are much brighter and defined. Compare this to the American Gray lens below, which is much more neutral and calm, missing that warmth, energy, and definition.
Cloudy Conditions
The American Tan lens works in cloudy conditions, but due to its low visible light transmission, it does feel a bit too dark. The redder lens helps warm up the view and adds contrast in diffuse lighting.
Normally, the brown lenses of a brand work better in overcast conditions than the Gray lenses. But in Randolph's case, the polarized Tan lens is 11% VLT, while the Gray lens is 15% VLT. This makes the gray lens not particularly dark but the Tan lens, which normally would be ideal for the contrast it provides, too dark. It is almost a tie between them which to use, though I would still take the Tan.
The difference in light blockage is 4% (89% vs. 85%), but because VLT operates on a logarithmic-like perception (similar to decibels for sound), it will feel more noticeable than a simple 4% difference might suggest. Perceptually, an 11% VLT lens will feel about 25% darker than a 15% lens because our eyes are more sensitive to small changes in lower light conditions. I still prefer the color boost of the Tan to the lighter Gray lens.
Optimal and Suboptimal Viewing Conditions
We've spoken about how this lens is better for full sun vs overcast conditions, but it can feel too hot being a dark red-brown lens. In those conditions, a grey or green or even a more yellow or rose-hued brown lens is better.
Where it does excel is when the sky has "summer haze" when there are not really any clouds but the sky has some degree of thin coverage from haze but the light level is nearly the same as a clear day. This can happen more or less often depending on the location. I was in New York City for a few years and this was a fairly common phenomenon in the summer and early fall.
I want to love this lens. The lens looks so good on the gold aviator frame. But I only end up wearing it in slightly hazy bright sun conditions. I have so many better browns for everything else. I wish they would tweak the tint a bit.
I can't say this is among the best brown lenses if you have other options, but I did get a pair of Tan lenses for a friend who had no other brown lenses and he was happy with their overall performance.
To be clear, this is a good lens. It has great materials, coatings, and construction. It is just not a great lens in most conditions compared to many others. This is not unique to this lens, as it is very similar to several other premium lenses like the Persol Brown and Vuarnet Brown Polar.
Sports
This lens works well for sports in both sunny and overcast conditions. The color and contrast they provide, as well as an energetic tint, help with acuity, comfort, and perception.
Avoid glass lenses if the activity has any chance of significant impacts to the face. Avoid the polarized version of this lens entirely if polarized lenses would not work for your sport.
Keep in mind, for long exposure in bright conditions the Tan may be fatiguing, even though the view is good. I wouldn't do offshore boating or fishing with them, but it would work well for inshore fishing or beach activities.
Interested in experiencing the Randolph Tan lens for yourself? Click here to buy on Amazon.
Comparison to the same brand - Randolph Engineering
Randolph Engineering AGX/Cobalt
A dark, soothing green lens that works better than the Tan in full sun, but performs poorly in overcast conditions. The Cobalt is the AGX with a spectacular blue mirror on top. The mirror does not change the view.
See here for the full Randolph AGX review.
Randolph Engineering American Gray/Atlantic Blue
The American Gray and Atlantic Blue are both grey lenses, with higher VLTs than the Tan. They feel calmer in full sun but have lower color and contrast in overcast, though still manageable with the higher VLT.
See here for the full Randolph American Gray review.
Comparison to Brown Lenses of Different Brands
Serengeti Drivers
This is one of the lenses that can easily compare to the quality of the Randolph Tan lens, and the view is much nicer as well. The colors are even more vivid, the clarity is off the charts, and the view is stunning. This lens is mildly photochromic, so it gets much lighter than the Randolph but never gets quite as dark. The Drivers lens is better in mixed or overcast conditions, but the Tan is more comfortable in full sun, though not as beautiful. The Serengeti is more of a Rose/Brown than a red-brown.
See here for the full Serengeti Drivers review.
Maui Jim HCL Bronze
One of the best brown lenses in the world, the colors are vivid, the clarity is off the charts, and the view is stunning with the HCL Bronze. This is the lens that blows the Tan away, as it performs well in full sun, with more natural colors, and is much better in mixed and overcast conditions. The lens is more yellow-brown, which means reds are calmer and greens are more highlighted. However, some people do enjoy the redder lens more.
See here for the full Maui Jim HCL Bronze review.
Persol Brown
The Persol Brown (and also the Oliver People's Brown), are extremely similar to the Randolph Tan. All coatings and similar tints, these are essentially a match. If you like one lens you will like the other, and since these two brands have some of the most iconic frames, it's a good crossover to choose from.
Ray-Ban B15
The Ray-Ban B15 is similar in tint to the Tan, though a little less red. The only coating it has is anti-reflective, whereas Randolph includes all coatings. (Note: the other coatings actually help protect the anti-reflective coating which is a relatively fragile one).
Conclusion - Randolph American Tan Lens Review - Should you buy it?
The Randolph American Tan lens is a dependable choice for those seeking a classic brown lens with a warm, vibrant view. Its premium coatings, solid construction, and infrared blocking set it apart from many competitors. While it may not excel in low-light or overcast conditions, it shines in bright, sunny weather—especially in hazy summer skies where its redder tint adds definition and warmth to the view. If you want a high-quality, durable lens with a timeless look, the American Tan is a solid pick.
If you're interested in trying out the Randolph Tan lens, you can find it on Amazon, often at a lower price than Randolph's official website.
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