Design
Quality of Materials
Value for Money 
Craftsmanship 
Customer Service I have a scar on my eyeball.
Beat that.
No, but seriously. I grew up in the desert in Southern California, where I’d engage in fun activities like standing in dust-storms and other things that punish the eyes. If you live in a desert, literally anything you do somehow damages your eyes.
So I started developing something in my eye that usually only affects people 70 and up.
And then it got taken care of and I have a cool scar. On my eyeball.
When the doctor finished up, his prescription was to wear a pair of sunglasses all day every day. And that began my quest to find the coolest sunglasses around.
So when MessyWeekend, a sunglasses and snow goggles brand from Copenhagen reached out to me asking if I’d like to try a few of their products, I was game.
I’ve got strong opinions on sunglasses, and to help me judge the goggles, I got the help of a friend, Emmy-winning photojournalist, and general snow-hound.
Now that we’ve had a few weeks to give MessyWeekend Copenhagen a chance, our verdict is in. Keep reading for our full review.
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What Is MessyWeekend?
MessyWeekend Copenhagen celebrated its 2nd birthday last month (Feb. 2020).
Their first mission was to create designer sunglasses that looked great but cost half the price.
After raising $40k+ through Kickstarter, they launched their brand. But they didn’t just want to create cool-looking glasses for the heck of it. The founders wanted their brand to mean something, so they partnered with 4THEPLANET, an NGO that clears plastic waste from the Colombian Pacific.
Originally, MessyWeekend was clearing 10kg of plastic per pair of glasses sold, but they eventually found that the Colombian infrastructure couldn’t store and recycle at the rate they were cleaning.
A year after launching their glasses, they hit the slopes. Now the brand offers two designs of snow goggles, made with the same principle of bringing high-quality gear at half the cost.
And the brand is still cleaning the planet. For every purchase of MessyWeekend glasses or goggles, the brand commits to cleaning 2kg of plastic from the Colombian Pacific.
They’re still donating just as much as they did back when they were cleaning up 10kg’s per pair, but now that extra money goes to building the infrastructure needed to make a lasting change in the communities affected by plastic pollution.
The name MessyWeekend seems ironic when you consider how much cleaning they do.
We at The Adult Man love a feel-good story—especially when it comes to Danish companies trying to save the world.
Call us vain, but for us, it comes down to this: are the products high-quality, and do they look good? (And in this case, will it help my delicate eyeballs?)
So, how’d MessyWeekend do? Let’s dive in.
MessyWeekend Sunglasses Review
Sunglasses can be tricky. Some frames look good on you and some don’t. Luckily, MessyWeekend sent along four different models for me to try.
Packaging
Each pair of sunglasses comes in one of two packaging styles: a matte black and red box, or a patterned green box.
The glasses are tucked securely in a microfiber cloth you can use for cleaning your lenses. And the recyclable box is made from heavy cardboard so there’s no worry about your sunglasses arriving broken.
There’s also a small note inside that mentions the brand’s maintenance instructions, warranty policy, and their sustainability pledge.
New Depp
My favorite pair of sunglasses is the New Depp. These, along with all other MessyWeekend glasses, offer full UV400 protection.
They’re a slightly larger build than the original Depp, and they fit me perfectly.
Brooklyn
I also picked up a pair of the matte black Brooklyn’s. This is the largest design the brand offers, and the lenses get progressively lighter.
These felt large on my face and were my least favorite. If you have a wider jaw, these will fit well, but for my slimmer jaw-line they were oversized.
Still, the construction is excellent, and they feel sturdy. One drawback is that the matte coating picks up oil from your hands, so I had to wipe these down often.
Shackleton
The Shackleton has been growing on me since I first tried them on.
These retro-inspired glasses bring the funk-factor. While I haven’t been wearing them as often as my New Depp’s, they work perfectly paired with a blazer or chelsea boots—anything that recalls a bit of vintage vibe.
The metallic frame is lead and nickel free, meaning they’re safe to wear for people with skin sensitivities. And the Shackleton also comes with a gradient lense like the Brooklyn, which further amps up the retro look.
Jack
I also picked up two pairs of Jack’s, one in their grey colorway and another in tortoise-shell. I’ll always have a soft spot for tortoise-shell. I don’t know what it is, but I just love the look.
The Jack is easy to recommend because the rectangular shape and happy-medium size fits most faces.
Full UV400 Protection
All MessyWeekend sunglasses (and goggles, too) offer 100% protection against UV-A and UV-B rays.
Because there are strict governmental controls when it comes to potential health effects, not every brand can stick the UV400 protection label on their products.
I only buy sunglasses that feature the UV400 level of protection (did I mention my eyeball scar?).
Luckily, there are a lot of brands around now that feature these special lenses, but it’s a bare-minimum requirement for me and I’m happy that MessyWeekend isn’t messing around with eye-protection.
MessyWeekend Snow Goggles Review
Now, I could have tried the snow goggles myself, but if I’m honest, I have little experience with them. I wouldn’t know how to judge whether they were good.
So I handed them off to my friend Travis Khachatoorian. He’s an Emmy-winning photojournalist who spent three years in Alaska and now lives in Colorado.
Beyond that, he grew up in the snowy mountains above my desert town—so he knows a thing or two about snowboarding.
Plus, he’s the only person I know who’s experienced the Iditarod, so I figured he deserves a look at these goggles.
He spent a day in the Loveland Pass area in Colorado, and here’s what he had to say:
Inuit
The Inuit was my favorite of the two styles I tried. Both goggles have a sleek look that fits my face well, and they both fit snugly within my helmet.
I like the Inuit because the lens seems to work better. There was more sharpness both in clear daylight and in cloudy conditions, which was great because I never had to change out the lens.
Photochromic XEP lens
Editor’s note: the Inuit goggles Travis tried came with the Photochromic XEP lens. This same technology is used with transition lens glasses, meaning that the brighter it is outside, the more protection the goggles offer. If it’s bright, the lens will darken. And if it’s cloudy, the lens will lighten.
At the moment, MessyWeekend doesn’t offer a Photochromic lens for their Float model, but they do pack a lens you can use for cloudy days.
Float
I also really liked the Float goggles, but they fell flat in one area: changing the lens. When my fingers got cold, it became difficult to switch out the lens. I like that they had different options available so I could choose which level of protection I need, but switching them out on the fly was difficult.
Still, if you’re hitting the slopes in somewhat stable conditions (either cloudy all day, or sunny all day) you won’t have to worry about changing the lenses anyway, so it won’t be too big of a deal.
I really liked both sets of goggles, but for me, the Inuit has a slight edge because of the better visibility. Still, I can totally see going for the Float if you’re drawn to the style. The visibility was still excellent, so you’re not making a big sacrifice.
Carrying Case
The carrying case that both goggles come in is excellent. It’s easily packable, sturdy, rugged, and fashionable.
Overall, these goggles are great for their price point. They have everything you need: good visibility, cool style, comfortable, durable, and no “luxury-brand” cost.
My Thoughts Overall On MessyWeekend
What I Like
There was a lot of versatility in their sunglass offerings—something stylish for every face-shape.
Every pair of sunglasses (and goggles) has 100% UV400 protection
Both sets of snow goggles allow clear and sharp vision.
The goggles tuck nicely into a helmet, so they look cool.
Each purchase removes 2kg of plastic from the Pacific Ocean, and helps communities develop plans to tackle plastic pollution for themselves.
What I Don’t Like
The lens on the Float goggle was hard to change, especially with cold fingers.
The lower-priced sunglasses don’t quality for free returns.
The Verdict
MessyWeekend has you covered all year-round. With warmer weather around the corner, their extensive collection of stylish sunglasses will keep your eyes protected while you’re turning heads.
And for winter, their fog-free goggles look and feel top-notch. You don’t need to make compromises on clarity, safety, and style.
As if those elements weren’t enough, MessyWeekend’s commitment to fighting plastic pollution means that every purchase makes an impact.
While we had a tough time changing out lenses on the Float, and we’d like to see them expand their free-return policy, the brand ticks all the boxes of excellence.
They’re still growing as a company, and I’m excited to see where they go.
As for me, wherever I go, I’ll have a pair of MessyWeekend sunglasses with me.
MessyWeekend offers top-of-the-line sunglasses and snow goggles at a fraction of what you’d find from designer brands. Their commitment to making the world a cleaner place is an example of the power small companies have to create change.
