My, how you’ve grown!

Spring is the ideal time to ensure your children’s sun and sound safety gear still suits their age ‘n’ stage! Your kids will have grown over the cooler months and it’s important that their Banz Carewear sunglasses, earmuffs and sunhats are still a good fit.

Stay-put sunglasses for babies – and toddlers

Banz Carewear baby and kids’ sunglasses – both our Adventure Banz range and the wider-framed Retro Banz range – feature an adjustable soft neoprene headband, so you can get the perfect fit, every time. A good fit is more comfy for your child and means that sneaky sunlight won’t get round the edges of the close-fitting frames!

The first indication that your child has grown out of their Banz Carewear baby-size sunglasses is, of course, when the headband is too tight, even on the longest setting. Our Baby size fits babies under 2 years, or a head circumference of 43cm to 52cm; the Kidz size fits from 2-5 years, or a head circumference of 48cm to 55cm. Find the Adventure Banz range here and the Retro Banz range here.

If you’re measuring your child for sunglasses fit, make sure the tape goes around the eye area and head, where the sunglasses will be worn. Please don’t go by your latest Plunket head measurement! This is taken over the temples, higher on the head, so isn’t suitable to use when planning your child’s sunglasses size.

The Banz brand has been trusted by Kiwi parents for over 13 years… Banz offers 100% UV-proof lenses, high-quality ophthalmic-approved design, sturdy materials and after-sales service you won’t get elsewhere

Don’t be fooled by imitations when buying children’s sunglasses! Banz sunglasses were the first brand to feature the patented adjustable headband and we’re flattered others have copied our idea. However, no-one does it as well as the original! You may see knock-offs being sold more cheaply than Banz; however, the Banz brand has been trusted by Kiwi parents for over 13 years now for a reason – Banz offers 100% UV-proof lenses, high-quality ophthalmic-approved design, sturdy materials and after-sales service you won’t get elsewhere.

Older kids need JBanz sunglasses

Time to move past the adjustable headband? For older children, the JBanz range of four different styles means there’s something to suit every primary school-aged child.

All JBanz styles have classic sunglasses frames, but with a twist – literally! JBanz sunnies are specifically designed for use by youngsters and have bendable arms that won’t break! Along with rugged construction and polarised, 100% UV-proof lenses, stylish JBanz are a natural progression from Adventure Banz and Retro sunglasses for under fives.

Look here for JBanz sunglasses for approximately four-10 years!

Hearing protection for all ages

Banz Mini Muffs for little ones under two years are especially designed to exert only a minimal grip over a soft little head and this, plus the adjustable headband, makes for a comfortable and long-lasting fit. You’ll find Banz Mini Muffs here. It’s easy to slide the headband adjustment to the end of the band as your child’s head grows. But once you’re there, what’s next?

It’s time to move on up to Protective Earmuffs, which feature the same noise-reduction features as Mini Muffs (a grunty Class 4 noise-reduction rating; comfy design and a style which ‘grows’ with your child, as well as meeting a full suite of international standards).

Protective Earmuffs suit children from two years until 10+ years – in fact, they can be worn right through teenage years and into adulthood (we know, we use them ourselves!)

Protective Earmuffs suit children from two years until 10+ years – in fact, they can be worn right through teenage years and into adulthood (we know, we use them ourselves!). See the range here.

No sunhat, no play!

The importance of each child having a properly fitting sunhat in New Zealand is emphasised by the ‘no sunhat, no play’ rule at pre-schools nationwide. At Banz Carewear we have two ranges of everyday sunhats, adjustable to give a perfect fit, every time – and a range of legionnaire-style swimhats, designed for in and around the water at the pool and beach, so you can choose the size that suits.

Banz Reversible Sunhats come in two sizes – under two years and two to five years-plus (my average-sized boy wore his until he was nine!). These sunhats adjust around the wide brim with Velcro and feature a plain colour one side and a complimentary print on the other. You’ll be able to tell when your little one is getting ready for the bigger size when there’s not much Velcro to attach the hook part to! Check out the range here!

The Banz Bucket Sunhat range is new this year and comes in an extended size range – six months to two years (Small), two to four years (Medium) or four to six-plus years (Large). They’re so easy to adjust with a toggle and elastic fitting, so you can tell when the hat’s getting a bit snug and pop over here to grab the next size up! (Note, Pink/White Check and Vintage Rose colourways aren’t adjustable.)

Banz Flap Swimhats are a great idea for the beach or by the pool! The legionnaire-style hat with the super-long back flap and broad brim is made from swimsuit fabric – not only will they dry in double-quick time, but the ‘give’ in the fabric means we can offer a really broad size range!

When the Flap hat looks too stretched when worn, it’s time to go up a size (stretched fabric reduces the sun protection factor)

The Small size fits from three months up to 18 months; the Medium from 18 months to four years and the Large from four years to eight years. When the Flap hat looks too stretched when worn, it’s time to go up a size (stretched fabric reduces the sun protection factor). You’ll find the range here.

When should we upsize the kids’ Banz gear?

• When your children are around the age of moving to the next size – at two and five years for sunglasses, two years for earmuffs and around two years and four years for sunhats
  
• If you’ve reached the end of the adjustment mechanism on your Banz Carewear (the Velcro adjustment on the sunglasses and sunhats and the slider adjustment on the Mini Muffs), no matter what your child’s age
  
• You notice the gear looks too tight and your child is uncomfortable – pop over to our website and move on up!