Polarized shades for low light situations

[Rockfish]

Lately, it’s occurred to me, I’ve found myself a bit frustrated in that my costas with amber lenses, while great for flats and strong sunlight, are a bit too dark for those fall late afternoons where the light becomes flat. Does anyone have any suggestions for a pair of polarized shades that they light for low light situations? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[scs]

I have a pair of yellow lens driving glasses. You can gain extra time at dusk with them and the are polarized.

Steve

 

[scs]

I have a pair of yellow lens driving glasses. You can gain extra time at dusk with them and the are polarized.

Steve

 

[Rockfish]

Thanks Steve. Do you know the manufacturer?

 

[scs]

No I don’t. One of my co workers gave them to me. Most likely any yellow shooting or driving glasses would work if they are polarized. I was amazed how much extra time I had to fish in the evening. They really brighten things up when the sun sets

 

[Rockfish]

Gotcha. I can see how yellow might be a good choice. I’ve read some positive reviews of some produced by Smith. They’re a bit pricy so I intend to see what other companies are offering but it might come down to them. I’ve had Smith shades before as well as ski googles and they make first rate stuff. I don’t mind paying a bit more for superior optics

 

[Dave_W]

I've long advocated for yellow lenses on this forum.

It's to the point now that yellow is pretty much all I wear for fishing regardless of brightness or weather conditions. They work as well for me under a high bright sun as under rain clouds in the evening.

The trouble is they're hard to find. Amber is much more common but I much prefer yellow. I wear fit-over fishing lenses over my regular glasses. Cacoons brand makes yellow glasses that can fit over prescription lenses and they are fairly cheap.

 

[DGC]

I have been pleased with Smith low light Ignitor. Glass lens and listed as 40% VLT yet with very good polarization. Sierra Trading Post had very good discounts before they were bought by T.J. Maxx. I bought a backup pair in case disaster strikes. But then I paid under $80 each at the time. I carry one case in a vest pocket and swap between the Smith and some glass lens Costas as the light conditions warrant.

 

[salvelinus]

Maui Jim HT lenses.

 

[3sip]

+1 on the Smiths low light ignitor. I used to fish only Costas but went to the Smiths for low light conditions and now I wear them almost exclusively, regardless of light conditions. Well worth the money.

 

[Rockfish]

You ever feel like you have uncanny ability to jinx yourself. Today I hit the Gunpowder for a few hours. Early it was bright enough to wear my expensive Costas but as it got dimmer I moved them up to perch on my cap visor. A bit later when I got into a spot where there was a lot of glare I reached up for them to find they were gone. Naturally. I believe they fell off when I was pulling a line tangle out of an overhead branch. I carry a length of parachute cord attached to a snicker which I used to try to clear those out after finding a kingfisher hanging dead after getting caught in snagged line. Smh. I guess now I gotta get a new pair anyway. I’m wavering between the Smith low light model and glass yellow costas with mirrored lenses.

 

[3sip]

If you can try them both out at a shop, that would be your best bet. I've had Costas for over 25 years and their warranty is unbeatable, however when I went to get low light lenses, Costa did not have a glass option at the time, so I went with the Smiths. As I said before I wear the Smiths over 90% of the time. They are perfect from bright sun to cloudy days and going in and out of the sun like when fishing in heavily wooded areas. For trout fishing PA you can't go wrong with the Smiths and the cone with a wire that installs into the bows so they are hard to lose.

 

[Rockfish]

Sometimes persistence pays off. After losing them in the stream Sunday, I searched until sundown. Came back out Monday and they’d bumped up the flows from 30 to a bit over 60 cfps so I decided I’d need to extend my range downstream a bit in case the increased flow pushed them downstream. This stretch is a long 2-3 glide with a mainly gravel bottom. Searched for a couple hours til it got too dim. Figured that was it so that night I ordered a new pair. Come Weds I was bored after work and figured whatever, both days I’d spotted fish midging in a few soft water spots. So, I wade upstream to the slot I planned to drift egg patterns to see who might be down there scarfing the odd egg from the upstream spawners and I get to about the spot I’d lost them, stop, and see them lying there on the bottom 2 ft down, as if didn’t wade past them 50 times already. So, sometimes you get lucky. Now, I guess I have a spare.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but does anyone know if the Smith Low Light lenses come in progressive prescription?

 

[mattwolf]

Smith Low Light Ignitors are awesome. They are probably my go-to sun glasses for trout fishing. I have a pair of Smith chromopops and also a pair of Costa green tints, but the low light ignitors seem to work best in the early AM, dusk, and on small shaded trout streams. I usually only wear my darker lenses when fishing larger streams and rivers when I'll be in full sun.

 

[pcray1231]

I have the MJ HT lenses, and they are good. Thats nothing against the Smith Low Light Ignitors.

As always, it seems to me glass lenses have superior polarization to plastic. As far as light transmission, polarization already cuts 50%, so anything over 50% vlt you are giving up some polarization. But the 30-50% vlt range are all good low light lenses. High teens/low 20's are good all around, think daytime in a forest canopy. Low teens are bright sunlight in the open lenses.

Costas are good but largely catered to the ocean/boating crowd and tend to be pretty dark.

 

[laszlo]

Do any of the low light lenses come as readers?

 

[Fly-Swatter]

The progressive, prescription versions of Smith and Costa sunglasses are crazy expensive. I'm seeing prices in the $500-$700 range. Does anyone have a source that's more reasonably priced?

 

[JerryC]

I use Cocoons to wear over my glasses. The price is right $60. No way I'm paying $600 for a pair of prescription polarized glasses. I normally wear the glasses with the yellow lenses on cloudy days or other low light situations. I replace them every few years, usually because I've changed the frames of my prescription glasses. I went to replace the yellow ones this year but found the catalog I use wasn't offering Yellow. I ordered a pair with Copper lenses. I've been wearing them when driving on cloudy days. They seem to provide a brighter "picture" than yellow. I'll have to wait a couple of months to see how the perform under fishing conditions.

 

[KELORGO]

Smith Guide Ignitors for the win! Seriously, just get them. They are the lightest tinted lens and let the most light transmission through of any sunglasses I've researched. I learned that you can't make an entirely clear polarized lens, or I'd have bought those. Prior to investing in the Smith's, I wore the lightest tinted Flying Fishermen glasses I could (with my contacts in) or Cocoons over my reading glasses. Since getting Lasix surgery this year, the Smith Ignitors are all I've worn. Just blew my son's mind the other day when he compared his polarized glasses with my Smith's. He said, "no fair". I said, "give me my glasses back!"