The Spots Behind the Names

Most of our watersport sunglasses are named after spots. Some are famous, some are quieter, and all of them have wind worth traveling for. Here are eight, with the season that makes each one work and the frame that carries its name.

Cumbuco, Brazil

West of Fortaleza, in Ceará. Steady trade winds from roughly July to January, warm water, waves at the beach and flat-water lagoons a short drive inland. Consistency is the reason riders keep coming back. The frame: Cumbuco, a full frame with nose pads and a ZEISS lens option.

Jericoacoara, Brazil

Further west along the same coast, reached over sand tracks and dunes. Jeri shares Cumbuco's season, and the coast between the two is one of the classic downwinder trips in kitesurfing. The frame: Jeri, aerodynamic and floating, with a photochromic option.

Essaouira, Morocco

An old walled port on the Atlantic, often called the Wind City of Africa. The trade winds blow hardest from spring to late summer, the water is cool enough for a full wetsuit and the town is worth the trip on the days without wind. The frame: Essaouira, a floating Biobase frame with a photochromic option.

Le Morne, Mauritius

At the southwest tip of the island, under the mountain of the same name. A wide lagoon for freeriding and, out on the reef, One Eye, one of the best-known waves in kitesurfing. The southeast trades are strongest in the southern winter, roughly June to October. The frame: Le Morne, Biobase with interchangeable lenses.

La Ventana, Mexico

On the Sea of Cortez, in Baja California Sur. From about November to March a northerly wind, known locally as El Norte, funnels down the sea most days, and the town fills with riders escaping the northern winter. The frame: La Ventana, a floating watersport goggle.

Leucate, France

On the Mediterranean coast of Occitanie, between the sea and a large lagoon. The Tramontane blows down from the northwest, strong and gusty, and every spring the town hosts the Mondial du Vent, an annual kite and windsurf festival. The frame: Leucate, floating, for kite and wing.

Lake Garda, Italy

At the northern end of the lake, the mountains make their own wind: the Pelèr from the north in the morning, the Ora from the south in the afternoon, most reliably from spring to autumn. Kiting is restricted to designated areas, so check local rules before you rig. The frame: Lake Garda, a floating full frame for sailing, kite and wing.

Boracay, Philippines

On the east side of the island, Bulabog Beach sits behind a reef that flattens the water. The northeast monsoon, the Amihan, blows from roughly November to April. The frame: Boracay, light, floating and aerodynamic.

Before you book

Seasons shift from year to year. Check local forecasts, schools and spot rules before you travel. Other names in the range come from the same map: Fuerteventura, Cabarete, Paros, Maui, Aruba. See all floating sunglasses.