polarized sunglasses

[fly baller]

im lookin to make my first purchase of a good pair of polarized sun glasses... i wear regular glasses so i bought these walmaart polarized sunglasses that fit over my normal glasses, but im going over to contacts, and want a good pair.

ill be fishing freshwater mostly rivers and streams... so amber is the best color ive heard?

i was also lookin at a pair of costas, just lookin for some feedback... anything else out there that performs noticably betteR?

 

[Davo]

fly baller

I've never tried the Costas. I've had three pair of good polarized glasses over the last 20 yrs. Revos H2O, Action Optics, and now a new pair of Oakley Half Jackets with the fishing specific lenz. I liked all but the Revos. My new Oakleys have performed well on the flats of Key Largo and the rivers of Wyoming. My old Action Optics did well on the river but did not perform well on the flats. I should mention my Action Optics are 12 yrs old so the lenz treatments are probably out of date by todays standards. Overall you should get the glasses you think look good and have a good rep for performance.

 

[lefty76]

Costa Fathom 580...best glass for the money..check out ebay!!!

 

[Fly2Fish]

I would suggest, first & foremost, that you check the fit before you buy them. If mail-order, make sure you have return-for-full-credit-no-questions-asked privileges. Eyeglasses are as hard to fit as any clothing item I can think of, and it can be maddening to have a bad fit. After all, the last thing a sunglasses user wants is to be constantly distracted by fit problems when the first order of business is fly-fishing, driving, etc.

 

[BKE]

Costa Del Mar Fathoms here as well, comfortable and excellant warrenty.
When they say life time they mean it! I've had 2 pair for about 8 years now and have used the warrenty 3 times (replaced scratched lenses which was my fault for $15), and have replaced worn out temple limbs twice now. Yes, there is a 9.95 fee for all repairs but that beats forking out $$$ for another pair and in most cases you'll pay more than that as S&H when you order from anyone else. Good luck!

Just wanted to add that I wear the same pair to work EVERY day, all day long.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi fly baller,

All of the major brands are making some terrific glasses these days. I don't think you will go wrong with any of the main vendors. They are all getting their Lenses from the same sources.

I suggest that you look at Oakley's. They are a sponsor of the forum and it is always best to buy from a sponsor if possible.

The comment about fit is very important. I spent four hundred dollars on a pair, not Oakley's, and I don't like them. I don't like how they fit and I don't like the lens color. I have vision problems and glasses are critical to me.

Frank

 

[fly baller]

cool thanks all for the comments... are the 580 glass lenses worth the extra 50$ or so over the 400 lenses? is their a noticable difference?

 

[BKE]

Fly baller, Lefty will have to answer that one, my Fathoms have the CR 39 lenses. Maybe a bit lighter but I really can't attest to that either.

 

[marcelnl]

I use some titanium framed Serengeti's , yet haven't used them at FF so can not vouch for their practicality there....but IMHO they are great....


I am also looking at Oakleys for some wrap around polarized sunglasses for FF, but would like them to be drivewear ....bit I have not heard any feedback on the usefullness for those at FF, anyone?
Would Forumusers by any chance get a discount on the sometimesabhorrent prices for Oakley?:wink:

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi fly baller,

The best lens material is polycarbonate. It is lighter, it can be thinner and has the best impact resistance. Impact resistance is very import if you are throwing split shot or weighted flies. You will like it a lot better than CR-39 especially if you have a prescription.

Frank

 

[wtex50]

I have two pair of Fathoms one glass and one CR39...While the CR39 is lighter I think you have better clarity with the glass...so to me the $50 extra is worth it. Remember Costa has an awesome warranty...So if you don't loose them...they will alst a lifetime... I've had my glass ones 4 yrs and my plastic 3 yrs....I totally agree with Frank on fit being really important...My glass Fathoms fit perfect...The CR39 are a tad wider and don't fit as well.

 

[racine]

Hi fly baller,

The best lens material is polycarbonate. It is lighter, it can be thinner and has the best impact resistance. Impact resistance is very import if you are throwing split shot or weighted flies. You will like it a lot better than CR-39 especially if you have a prescription.

Frank

Frank, I may have to disagree with you on this. I too have worn specks almost all my life and depend on vision when I work in surgery. When I ask opthamologists(not opticians) or optometrists which material gives the best vision it is unanimously high index. I can personally vouch for this when I very briefly used polycarbonate and hated the results. Polycarbonate gives you the worst vision, the most distortion than all, with the advantages being impact resistance and UV filtration which you can get from the other non glass lenses. Most good non glass lenses are impact resistant at the least. Since your not dealing with bullets and velocities of 300-1000 FPS it is really not a big issue. I have beBen wearing high index or better for the last 15 years, pay the premium but love the clarity and definition. Unlike some of my colleagues I will not chance the modest risk of LASIK. I've used polarized Vuarnets, Bolles, Revos all with contacts and most recently Rudy Projects Exceptions with the Polarized racing reds. I've found most of all the quality glass a bit too dark unless it is extremely bright like the Colorado high country. Fishing this week with the Rudys from my kayak boosted my catch rate to 90% as they allowed a lot more light in but I could clearly see my flyline by the leader. By not waiting for the main flyline to straighten or rod to tug but by seeing my leader/flyline straighten, I increased my hookups dramatically. This is what those with 20/20 can see with polarized. I see 20/20 by correction but I miss the nuances that add up to success. So I can say I'm very pleased by the quality of the
Rudys. Quality costs so don't expect to pay less than $100. I would also suggest that if using specks under polarized lenses that you splurge on non glare prescriptions. BTW, I would be ungrateful if I didn't thank you for your valuable and insightful advice.

Racine

 

[Fly2Fish]

This has turned into a pretty interesting topic, so here's my 2c. For my type of fly-fishing (Rockies, ranging from small streams to lake edges, often low-light situations), the amber range of color seems to work best all around. I find my Smith Kenai "Photo Brown" polarized-crystal glass lenses to have the clearest vision, although not overwhelmingly so over my Hobie Wind & Sea Polar interchangeable copper/gray polycarbonate lenses. Unfortunately, however, neither of these sunglasses will fit me comfortably unless I shave off my eyebrows (no thanks!), and as Frank mentioned, the most important characteristic of all is fit. So for that reason the best of all to me are Orvis PolarSelective Polarized Adjustable Wrap sunglasses, which come in either a light amber or gray. If like me you have to order online and can't actually try fishing sunglasses on for fit before buying them, these sunglasses are the only ones I've found that are truly all-way adjustable for fit (see images below). Although not described as having interchangeable lenses, I find that for saving vest space the lenses from one pair can be as easily removed and interchanged with another as can my Hobies advertised as "interchangeable". And at their Orvis online price of $20-30, you can easily afford a pair in each lense color for less than what many sunglasses whose lenses are no better would cost.

 

[Frank Whiton]

Hi to All,

Racine makes some good points but I will stick with my choice. Buying sunglasses is like buying a fly rod. Everybody has their own favorite.

Hi Index does offer a slightly thinner lens than a polycarbonate lens but not by much. The benefits of Hi Index comes at a price about twice of what Poly is. I will stick with Poly for its impact resistance, its thin lens and lower cost.

Frank

 

[fly baller]

the costa 580 lenses come in normal colors and they also come in "mirror blue" or "mirror green". the mirror lenses are like 20 bucks more... do yall know whats up with these mirror lenses as opposed to the normal 580 lenses?

 

[fly baller]

i jut figured out the green mirror lenses are amber base. i know amber is a great color lenses for rivers and streems, but doesn anyone understand the green mirror part. lol

 

[Davo]

i jut figured out the green mirror lenses are amber base. i know amber is a great color lenses for rivers and streems, but doesn anyone understand the green mirror part. lol

Not sure how they apply there mirror finish. Just know that with mirror finishes you need to use good sunscreen on your nose. Reflection of the lens will cook your nose if you don't.

 

[tbrillinger223]

cool thanks all for the comments... are the 580 glass lenses worth the extra 50$ or so over the 400 lenses? is their a noticable difference?

ABSOLUTELY!! I own several pairs of Costas, Blue Mirror grey lense for offshore, Green Mirror grey lense for inshore (custom ordered) and amber for sight fishing. all are 580 and well worth the $$ spent on them. the contrast and color is crisper and cleaner than the 400.

I would also look into Maui Jims (we are a dealer for them, the wife and bossman swear by them) and i believe that it was Frank that mentioned Oakley. they offer a good pair of glasses for the money.

 

[tbrillinger223]

I have two pair of Fathoms one glass and one CR39...While the CR39 is lighter I think you have better clarity with the glass...so to me the $50 extra is worth it. Remember Costa has an awesome warranty...So if you don't loose them...they will alst a lifetime... I've had my glass ones 4 yrs and my plastic 3 yrs....I totally agree with Frank on fit being really important...My glass Fathoms fit perfect...The CR39 are a tad wider and don't fit as well.

$68.00 to replace 400 lenses and $89.00 to replace the 580. scratches are not covered, and most of the time replace your frames if they find them to be stretched or distorted (for a smal fee). I have sent my glasses back to them over the years for warranty and repair never had any problems. when you send them in you can ask customer service to upgrade you.