J
JamesGregory
New member
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2016
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- 4
What sunglasses should i carry with me in summer?
jifigz
Well-known member
I'm sure that some will disagree with me here but I think brand is not all that important. Look for polarized lenses in a light amber or a yellow for fishing. Those colors cut through the water much better in my opinion.
Dave_W
Moderator
Staff member
Some good advice. ^
pcray1231
Well-known member
I'm a sunglasses snob. I admit it. I consider it perhaps the most important piece of equipment for a fly fisherman. Not just for seeing fish but reading water and structure. I'll spend $250 on glasses and use a $100 rod/reel combo in a heartbeat over the reverse.
Brand aside, there's a very large difference between stamped and injection molded. Stamped are the $10-$20 cheapies you see at gas stations, Walmart, and the like. The stamping process induces a lot of stress to the polarizer and effectively makes it far less efficient. Injection molded sunglasses start at around $40 and go up to over $200, and includes the lower end offerings of all the big sunglass names like Maui Jim, Smith, Costa, Oakley, etc. as well as the main line of your Sunclouds, Natives, and the like. There's a million brands in this category. If it's over $40, it's probably injection molded.
But I won't lie, you can get a perfectly serviceable pair of sunglasses at about $40-$50 that will be very nearly as as good as many costing 4x that much. Lot of marketing fluff.
To take the next step, it's about materials. The $40-$100 range (and Oakley, lol) is polycarb, the stuff safety glasses are made from. Tough, but not very clear. There's all kind of proprietary plastics out there with better clarity than standard polycarbonate. Your eye doctor probably calls them all Trivex, lol. It's the stuff regular eyeglasses are made from, and each brand has it's slight tweak to the composition. These too are injection molded and will make up the upper end of that $100-$200 range of injection molded plastics. The polarization isn't any better. Just a touch more sharpness on distance vision. Which can be important when trying to spot a tail in a stream. But certainly not a night and day difference over injection molded polycarbs that typically sell for much less.
The last step up is glass. It's a rare bird these days but the optical clarity is second to none. And there's a further advantage for fishermen. Even injection molding gives some stress to the polarizer. Not as much as stamping, but some. Glass gives none. It proves itself out with polarization tests, where glass lenses outperform all plastics. And the effect on the stream is noticeable. So in addition to having the best clarity glass lenses have the best polarization as well. They also have better scratch and heat resistance, so they hold up better over time (provided you don't drop them or sit on them). And they make a better substrate for coatings such as anti-reflective and mirror coatings, so they don't wear off as easy like some plastic coatings do.
But. To get a glass lens, you are talking $200 and up, and not everyone is prepared for that for what amounts to a modest upgrade in performance. There's only a couple of brands that offer it. Maui Jim (SuperThin Glass), Costa (400G and 580G, the g stands for glass), and Smith (Techlite Glass) for sure. Ray Ban and Serengeti used to but I'm not sure if they still do. And glass has a few drawbacks as well, which frankly don't bother me. It is heavier, so be fussier about fit. All glass options are full framed, none of that rimless stuff. And it can shatter, they should not be considered safety glasses by any means.
IMO, if you're going plastic, stay in the $40-$70 range. If you are going to go premium, for a fishermen I'd recommend skipping the fancier plastics in the $150+ range and go straight to glass in the $200-$250 range. That leaves 3 tiers.
1. Cheapo stamped polycarb - $10-$30
2. Injection molded polycarb - $40-$70
3. Glass - $200+
Each being a fairly significant upgrade over the level prior. I'm a Maui Jim fan but I won't knock Costa or Smith glass options. All are excellent products, it's about preference of color options and style at that point. Costa's tend to be too dark for forested PA, IMO, and they have a low light option but don't make it in glass. Awesome for saltwater guys, or out west, though. All 3 do some fancy color enhancement stuff that all work about equally. MJ does have better anti-reflective coatings on the inside, but that only matters if you have a poor fitting pair that lets light in behind, it doesn't matter if the fit is good.
Brand aside, there's a very large difference between stamped and injection molded. Stamped are the $10-$20 cheapies you see at gas stations, Walmart, and the like. The stamping process induces a lot of stress to the polarizer and effectively makes it far less efficient. Injection molded sunglasses start at around $40 and go up to over $200, and includes the lower end offerings of all the big sunglass names like Maui Jim, Smith, Costa, Oakley, etc. as well as the main line of your Sunclouds, Natives, and the like. There's a million brands in this category. If it's over $40, it's probably injection molded.
But I won't lie, you can get a perfectly serviceable pair of sunglasses at about $40-$50 that will be very nearly as as good as many costing 4x that much. Lot of marketing fluff.
To take the next step, it's about materials. The $40-$100 range (and Oakley, lol) is polycarb, the stuff safety glasses are made from. Tough, but not very clear. There's all kind of proprietary plastics out there with better clarity than standard polycarbonate. Your eye doctor probably calls them all Trivex, lol. It's the stuff regular eyeglasses are made from, and each brand has it's slight tweak to the composition. These too are injection molded and will make up the upper end of that $100-$200 range of injection molded plastics. The polarization isn't any better. Just a touch more sharpness on distance vision. Which can be important when trying to spot a tail in a stream. But certainly not a night and day difference over injection molded polycarbs that typically sell for much less.
The last step up is glass. It's a rare bird these days but the optical clarity is second to none. And there's a further advantage for fishermen. Even injection molding gives some stress to the polarizer. Not as much as stamping, but some. Glass gives none. It proves itself out with polarization tests, where glass lenses outperform all plastics. And the effect on the stream is noticeable. So in addition to having the best clarity glass lenses have the best polarization as well. They also have better scratch and heat resistance, so they hold up better over time (provided you don't drop them or sit on them). And they make a better substrate for coatings such as anti-reflective and mirror coatings, so they don't wear off as easy like some plastic coatings do.
But. To get a glass lens, you are talking $200 and up, and not everyone is prepared for that for what amounts to a modest upgrade in performance. There's only a couple of brands that offer it. Maui Jim (SuperThin Glass), Costa (400G and 580G, the g stands for glass), and Smith (Techlite Glass) for sure. Ray Ban and Serengeti used to but I'm not sure if they still do. And glass has a few drawbacks as well, which frankly don't bother me. It is heavier, so be fussier about fit. All glass options are full framed, none of that rimless stuff. And it can shatter, they should not be considered safety glasses by any means.
IMO, if you're going plastic, stay in the $40-$70 range. If you are going to go premium, for a fishermen I'd recommend skipping the fancier plastics in the $150+ range and go straight to glass in the $200-$250 range. That leaves 3 tiers.
1. Cheapo stamped polycarb - $10-$30
2. Injection molded polycarb - $40-$70
3. Glass - $200+
Each being a fairly significant upgrade over the level prior. I'm a Maui Jim fan but I won't knock Costa or Smith glass options. All are excellent products, it's about preference of color options and style at that point. Costa's tend to be too dark for forested PA, IMO, and they have a low light option but don't make it in glass. Awesome for saltwater guys, or out west, though. All 3 do some fancy color enhancement stuff that all work about equally. MJ does have better anti-reflective coatings on the inside, but that only matters if you have a poor fitting pair that lets light in behind, it doesn't matter if the fit is good.
pcray1231
Well-known member
As for color, I like contrast enhancers for fishing. That generally puts you in the amber/brown/copper range. Careful, though, as if the lenses are mirrored, the base color and mirror color are two different things. Costa's green mirror, for instance, looks green from the front, but it's a copper lens.
VLT (visual light transmission) is another important number, but hard to find accurate info on. They usually do have "bright sun", "variable light", or "low light" type descriptions, though.
4-8% - dark enough to be like welders goggles.
8-14% - dark lens, for bright sun. Not appropriate for PA trout fishing, IMO. Good for boating, beach, etc. "Bright sun" will be the description.
14-25% - medium lens. If you want 1 pair, be somewhere in here. Ok for bright sun. But ok for cloudy weather too, or under the canopy on that small brookie stream. And while not a low light lens, will take you far enough into evening to get the sun angle down to where polarization doesn't help much anymore anyway. "Variable light" will be the description.
25%-45% - low light lens. Not terrible in full sun, but not ideal either. Perfect for overcast weather, rainy days, morning and evening fishing.
>50% - NOT POLARIZED as polarization cuts out 50% of light by definition. They do make glasses for night driving, though.
VLT (visual light transmission) is another important number, but hard to find accurate info on. They usually do have "bright sun", "variable light", or "low light" type descriptions, though.
4-8% - dark enough to be like welders goggles.
8-14% - dark lens, for bright sun. Not appropriate for PA trout fishing, IMO. Good for boating, beach, etc. "Bright sun" will be the description.
14-25% - medium lens. If you want 1 pair, be somewhere in here. Ok for bright sun. But ok for cloudy weather too, or under the canopy on that small brookie stream. And while not a low light lens, will take you far enough into evening to get the sun angle down to where polarization doesn't help much anymore anyway. "Variable light" will be the description.
25%-45% - low light lens. Not terrible in full sun, but not ideal either. Perfect for overcast weather, rainy days, morning and evening fishing.
>50% - NOT POLARIZED as polarization cuts out 50% of light by definition. They do make glasses for night driving, though.
PennKev
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2006
- Messages
- 3,300
Buy whatever color you feel gives the best visibility while still shading your eyes while offereing the benefits of a polarized lense.
Only spend as much as you are willing to occasionally lose in the river or leave on a restaurant table.
Only spend as much as you are willing to occasionally lose in the river or leave on a restaurant table.
pcray1231
Well-known member
From experience, it's amazing how when you spend more $$$, you take better care of it too. At least me.
afishinado
Moderator
Staff member
http://www.galeton.com/lanyard-loop-cord/9356-product/?gclid=Cj0KEQjw9b6-BRCq7YP34tvW_uUBEiQAkK3svfOtSCn9e4L2jmwTUPYXcYw0pguwXTJCJMsPgiuekL8aArLc8P8HAQ
fly_flinger
Member
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- Sep 10, 2006
- Messages
- 497
Me too. I treat my MJ's like a baby. Have had them for over 4 years now.
steveo27
Member
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- Jun 4, 2014
- Messages
- 919
I buy cheapy ones because I lose them so frequently, even with straps on them.
I found some knock off polarized Wayfayers that I like online for cheap. I paired them with a neon orange foam strap. Hopefully these pair last more than a few weeks
I found some knock off polarized Wayfayers that I like online for cheap. I paired them with a neon orange foam strap. Hopefully these pair last more than a few weeks
J
JeffK
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2006
- Messages
- 1,312
pcray, I agree pretty much with your price rankings.
I used to be a cheap sunglass guy and lost plenty. Now I am a high end guy and always get good fitting straps. Cheap straps do not always hold your glasses when you are hot and sweaty. Get the best straps you can afford. Better glasses with good straps works out less expensive for me than abusing cheap glasses.
For $50 sunglasses I am partial to Suncloud, since I am somewhat partial to Smith Optics. Have had good luck with Costa and Maui Jim as well. It usually comes down to what is on sale when I need new glasses.
One more thing - get frames that fit your head well. Better glasses come in different sizes, but are never marked by size, just by model. Glasses are made for small, medium, and large heads but are never clearly marked as such. This drives me nuts. The bottom line is that you have to try them on. Then when you get ones that fit you can look up the specs and get similar width ones in the future. However, width of glasses is something that is not always easy to find.
I used to be a cheap sunglass guy and lost plenty. Now I am a high end guy and always get good fitting straps. Cheap straps do not always hold your glasses when you are hot and sweaty. Get the best straps you can afford. Better glasses with good straps works out less expensive for me than abusing cheap glasses.
For $50 sunglasses I am partial to Suncloud, since I am somewhat partial to Smith Optics. Have had good luck with Costa and Maui Jim as well. It usually comes down to what is on sale when I need new glasses.
One more thing - get frames that fit your head well. Better glasses come in different sizes, but are never marked by size, just by model. Glasses are made for small, medium, and large heads but are never clearly marked as such. This drives me nuts. The bottom line is that you have to try them on. Then when you get ones that fit you can look up the specs and get similar width ones in the future. However, width of glasses is something that is not always easy to find.
J
JeffK
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2006
- Messages
- 1,312
pcray, I agree pretty much with your price rankings.
I used to be a cheap sunglass guy and lost plenty. Now I am a high end guy and always get good fitting straps. Cheap straps do not always hold your glasses when you are hot and sweaty. Get the best straps you can afford. Better glasses with good straps works out less expensive for me than abusing cheap glasses.
For $50 sunglasses I am partial to Suncloud, since I am somewhat partial to Smith Optics. Have had good luck with Costa and Maui Jim as well. It usually comes down to what is on sale when I need new glasses.
One more thing - get frames that fit your head well. Better glasses come in different sizes, but are never marked by size, just by model. Glasses are made for small, medium, and large heads but are never clearly marked as such. This drives me nuts. The bottom line is that you have to try them on. Then when you get ones that fit you can look up the specs and get similar width ones in the future. However, width of glasses is something that is not always easy to find.
I used to be a cheap sunglass guy and lost plenty. Now I am a high end guy and always get good fitting straps. Cheap straps do not always hold your glasses when you are hot and sweaty. Get the best straps you can afford. Better glasses with good straps works out less expensive for me than abusing cheap glasses.
For $50 sunglasses I am partial to Suncloud, since I am somewhat partial to Smith Optics. Have had good luck with Costa and Maui Jim as well. It usually comes down to what is on sale when I need new glasses.
One more thing - get frames that fit your head well. Better glasses come in different sizes, but are never marked by size, just by model. Glasses are made for small, medium, and large heads but are never clearly marked as such. This drives me nuts. The bottom line is that you have to try them on. Then when you get ones that fit you can look up the specs and get similar width ones in the future. However, width of glasses is something that is not always easy to find.
pcray1231
Well-known member
Jeff,
Agree on fit. Like shoes, it's something you wanna try before you buy. And what fits me may not fit you.
Just remember, fit is the frame. After you find a frame that fits, you don't gotta buy it in the store. Go home and order the same model with the lenses you want.
For instance, maybe in the store you're trying on Costa's. Even if you know you want 580G in green mirror, don't limit your trying on to just the models in stock with those lenses. Try em all on. Cause there may be a frame you find fits you perfect, but all that store has is that frame in 400P gray lenses. Just jot down the name of the frame. Go home. Order that model online with 580G green mirror lenses....
As another note, generally we want glasses to fit tight, no gaps. With glass lenses, though, you want a little gap in there, especially on the bottom. Without air flow they fog.
Agree on fit. Like shoes, it's something you wanna try before you buy. And what fits me may not fit you.
Just remember, fit is the frame. After you find a frame that fits, you don't gotta buy it in the store. Go home and order the same model with the lenses you want.
For instance, maybe in the store you're trying on Costa's. Even if you know you want 580G in green mirror, don't limit your trying on to just the models in stock with those lenses. Try em all on. Cause there may be a frame you find fits you perfect, but all that store has is that frame in 400P gray lenses. Just jot down the name of the frame. Go home. Order that model online with 580G green mirror lenses....
As another note, generally we want glasses to fit tight, no gaps. With glass lenses, though, you want a little gap in there, especially on the bottom. Without air flow they fog.
hooker-of-men
Well-known member
https://www.amazon.com/CHEATERS-Checkmate-Polarized-Sunglasses-Options/dp/B00Q5O6Y5K/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1473270355&sr=1-1-fkmr0&nodeID=7141123011&keywords=gamma+ray+cheaters
pcray1231
Well-known member
P.S. Regarding the birefringence effect, which all plastics seem to have and shows polarization issues. Here's a test.
Wear ANY pair of polarized glasses. Cheapies are fine. The pair you are wearing are not the test subjects.
Take the pair to be tested and hold them in front of a flat computer screen, AT ARMS LENGTH, and turn them 90 degrees till they go as dark as they get. The "at arms length" is important, you need some separation between the two pair of glasses to magnify any out of phase light that comes through. Held close together all polarized lenses will appear black.
A cheapie pair will be non-uniform and fully black nowhere. Poor polarizer to begin with, and it's non-uniform.
A plastic lens with a good polarizer will be black in areas, but still non-uniform.
I have never come across a plastic lens which is fully uniform in this test. What you are seeing is called birefringence. When the polarizer is stressed, it changes the angle of the polarization. Leading to less efficient polarization and thus not being able to see in water quite as well. You can stress the lens a bit and see the polarization angle change with the applied stress. Often you can see the stress points too, at mounting points of the frame. A good pair of plastic lenses, though, will be fully black in some areas, and the pattern created will be smooth (no abrupt changes, so when looking through only one part of the lens it's close to being the same polarization angle, even if not uniform throughout).
ALL pair of glass lenses I've ever seen are 100% uniformly black all over. I have tested Smith, Costa, and Maui Jim.
Wear ANY pair of polarized glasses. Cheapies are fine. The pair you are wearing are not the test subjects.
Take the pair to be tested and hold them in front of a flat computer screen, AT ARMS LENGTH, and turn them 90 degrees till they go as dark as they get. The "at arms length" is important, you need some separation between the two pair of glasses to magnify any out of phase light that comes through. Held close together all polarized lenses will appear black.
A cheapie pair will be non-uniform and fully black nowhere. Poor polarizer to begin with, and it's non-uniform.
A plastic lens with a good polarizer will be black in areas, but still non-uniform.
I have never come across a plastic lens which is fully uniform in this test. What you are seeing is called birefringence. When the polarizer is stressed, it changes the angle of the polarization. Leading to less efficient polarization and thus not being able to see in water quite as well. You can stress the lens a bit and see the polarization angle change with the applied stress. Often you can see the stress points too, at mounting points of the frame. A good pair of plastic lenses, though, will be fully black in some areas, and the pattern created will be smooth (no abrupt changes, so when looking through only one part of the lens it's close to being the same polarization angle, even if not uniform throughout).
ALL pair of glass lenses I've ever seen are 100% uniformly black all over. I have tested Smith, Costa, and Maui Jim.
Nate540
Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2014
- Messages
- 135
Bought a pair of glass lens Costas and never looked back best pair of glasses I've owned.. Clarity is amazing
Bruno
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- Sep 10, 2006
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- 2,379
I don't know how people function without sunglasses in any season. I am a believer in you get what you pay for cheap is cheap and quality costs. However IMO it is a game changer on the water. I'll take an eagle claw rod and my Ray Bans over a 700.00 rod with out them.
Ray Ban and Oakley have been my preferred brands. Getting the bifocals put in my next pair.
Expensive ? Divide the cost of wearing them every day and 400 bucks is not that big of a deal.
I think the biggest benefit comes when driving. I don't know how people can drive without them. Particularly in bad weather like rain and snow.
Ray Ban and Oakley have been my preferred brands. Getting the bifocals put in my next pair.
Expensive ? Divide the cost of wearing them every day and 400 bucks is not that big of a deal.
I think the biggest benefit comes when driving. I don't know how people can drive without them. Particularly in bad weather like rain and snow.
724flyfishing
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- Aug 28, 2015
- Messages
- 263
Whatever you decide, don't pay full price. Sites like Steepandcheap and Sierra trading post always have killer deals on the big name brands. I got a pair of Costa Double Haul glass lenses off Steepandcheap for $80. They were around $200 at Gander Mountain if I remember right. Amazing sunglasses, however they're sitting in some mountain laurel somewhere on Chestnut Ridge from this past rattlesnake season. After that I was a little disgusted at myself and needed a pair ASAP so I ordered Native Solo's or something like that. Amber polycarbonate lense. Definitely not glass but for $40 shipped they'll work fine until I have some extra cash for another pair of glass lense Costas.
DGC
Active member
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- Jan 21, 2008
- Messages
- 870
I carry two pair: Costa 580G in silver mirror and Smith Low Light Ignitor. Both are glass and fixed VLT, 12% and 40%, respectively.
I wear the Costa as much as humanly possible when fishing, breaking out the Smith for its namesake light conditions. The Smith LLI is also great to wear while driving in rain (during daytime).
Those are the lenses. The frames are an individual comfort item you will have to verify by trial.
I paid under $100 for each of these, though the MSRPs were much higher. It's been a good while ago that I got them so those deals may not be around now.
I wear the Costa as much as humanly possible when fishing, breaking out the Smith for its namesake light conditions. The Smith LLI is also great to wear while driving in rain (during daytime).
Those are the lenses. The frames are an individual comfort item you will have to verify by trial.
I paid under $100 for each of these, though the MSRPs were much higher. It's been a good while ago that I got them so those deals may not be around now.
pcray1231
Well-known member
Generally the big brands do not allow their authorized dealers to discount current models, nor allow them to unload inventory on those that do. They will buy back excess inventory instead.
Unless the model was discontinued, then they buy back inventory from dealers and sell them off to discounters themselves, but will not warranty them.
So if you are getting discounts, they are either discontinued models, fakes, or used. (Hard to police customers from selling them to discounters). Not warrantied. Unless you have some program working for you like a military discount or corporate deal.
Unless the model was discontinued, then they buy back inventory from dealers and sell them off to discounters themselves, but will not warranty them.
So if you are getting discounts, they are either discontinued models, fakes, or used. (Hard to police customers from selling them to discounters). Not warrantied. Unless you have some program working for you like a military discount or corporate deal.
