Availability: 6 in stock
The Smith Optics Archive 216801 Cheetah Sunglasses bring back one of the brand’s most beloved designs from 1988—a rounded cat-eye frame that defined outdoor style in the late ’80s and has remained a cult favorite ever since. This re-release pairs the original silhouette with modern ChromaPop polarized lens technology, delivering vintage aesthetics with performance that meets today’s standards.
The Cheetah was first released in 1988 as part of Smith’s early lifestyle eyewear collection. Its thin temples and softly rounded cat-eye brow made it a signature women’s frame throughout the ’90s. When Smith launched the Archive Collection to celebrate the brand’s 50th anniversary, the Cheetah was an obvious choice—an exact replica of the original frame shape, offered in many of the same tortoise and crystal colorways, but upgraded with impact-resistant Carbonic lenses and ChromaPop technology.
The frame is constructed from durable cellulose acetate with barrel hinges and adjustable wire-core temples. That wire core runs through the entire temple arm, so you can gently bend them to lock around your ears for a secure, personalized fit. One reviewer on REI noted the wire-core feature solved her slipping problem: after learning she could adjust the temples, the frames stayed put during active wear.
ChromaPop is Smith’s proprietary lens technology that filters the wavelengths where blue-green and red-green light overlap—the crossover points that cause color confusion for the human eye. By eliminating that interference, ChromaPop lenses deliver sharper contrast, more natural color, and enhanced definition. Polarization cuts glare from water, snow, and pavement, while 100% UV protection shields your eyes from harmful rays.
Available lens options include ChromaPop Polarized Green Mirror, Blue Mirror, Gray Green, Brown, and Rose Gold, plus standard Polarized Gray for a more neutral look. The 6-base lens curvature provides a modest wraparound fit—enough coverage for outdoor activities without the aggressive look of sport sunglasses.
The Cheetah offers a medium fit with medium coverage (lens width 54mm, bridge 19mm, temple 140mm). The rounded cat-eye shape flatters most face shapes, particularly oval, round, and square faces. The thin temples make these sunglasses ideal for wearing under helmets—whether you’re motorcycling, mountain biking, or skiing.
“They’re extremely comfortable, made with high-quality materials, and will protect your eyes. The temple of the Cheetahs is narrow which makes them perfect if you’re looking for shades to wear while you’re climbing, mountain biking, or motorcycling.” — Adventure Rig
The Cheetah is also prescription-ready. Smith offers custom prescription lenses (single vision and progressive) made in their Utah lab, so you can enjoy ChromaPop clarity with your Rx.
If you want a frame that works equally well on the trail, on the water, or around town, the Cheetah delivers. It’s a go-to for people who appreciate retro style but need real optical performance. The adjustable temples and medium fit make it versatile across different head shapes, and the ChromaPop lenses genuinely improve color and contrast in bright conditions. Each pair comes with a Smith Archive Collection fleece storage bag.
