Fishing Glasses

[ctranter]

Hey everyone, I've always fished with decent quality sunglasses (usually oakleys), but a friend of mine informed me that there are much more specific lenses for fishing, and glare reduction on water. I've been snoopin around tackle warehouse and BPS.com and found a huge selection, which makes it hard to choose.

 

Can anyone recommend a pair in the 80-150$ range?

[DRIFTER_016]

Got you covered!!!

 

Habervision make some great fishing shades and they are always having sales too.

 

Here's this weekends sale

 

Haber fishing shades page

[BillM]

I was going to say Maui Jims until I saw your price range. I really don't have a problem spending the $$$ when it comes to my eyesight.

[Syn]

on a side note: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704518904575365362932852610.html?KEYWORDS=sunglasses

[Raf]

doesn't hurt to try the different models at BPS to see which fit your face best but considering buying on ebay. i got my costa del mars (which are great btw) for a lot less than what you'd pay at BPS.

Edited July 23, 2010 by Raf

[timmeh]

Look into the costa del mars. I've got a pair of the 580 and they are great. The store price is about $250 but you can find them for much lower if you look around. Check out ebay for one and there are websites like steep and cheap that offer them once and a while (I got mine for $70 on that site). But you can't chose the frame styles they offer so you'll need to be a little flexible on that if you want a good deal.

 

I'd highly recommend what raf said about going into basspro and trying on a few styles so you know what fits. Especially if you're buying costa I would do this, as some of their styles fit very different sized faces. That's exactly what I did.

Edited July 23, 2010 by timmeh

[bdox]

I have had the same pair of flak jackets for over 3 years now. They're great because of the replaceable lenses. Also, oakley polarized lenses come with a "hydrophobic" coating which beads up the water and sweat, and it rolls right off. Also, I can keep an extra set of lenses handy for low light conditions without having another pair of glasses. Lenses switch out in less than 30 seconds.

 

My fav lenses have been vr28 iridium and tungsten iridium. Both polarized. At $145, the lenses are more expensive than most mid-range polarized glasses, but optical quality is top notch.

 

Make sure if you do get something like Maui Jims that you don't get glass lenses. Half the reason I wear sunglasses is for protection from flying lures when my buddy insists on jerking lures out of trees.

Edited July 23, 2010 by bdox

[scugpg]

Get a set of wraparounds whatever you do.

 

Personally I'm a Ray Ban fan....but lots of others that are great as well.

 

I've "heard" that brown lenses are better for fishing but I always use the Grey/black lenses.

[ctranter]

Great advice, thanks guys. There was an under armor pair that fit my face well and had a really comfortable nose piece. The employee claimed that every polarized lense will do basically the same thing, but I have doubts because my 200$ Oakleys do squat with water glare. I'll look into some of the above suggestions.

[misfish]

Check these out.

 

http://solarbat.com/

 

 

 

really don't have a problem spending the $$$ when it comes to my eyesight.

 

 

Good call Bill.

Edited July 23, 2010 by BrianB

[bdox]

my 200$ Oakleys do squat with water glare.

 

What lenses?

[MJL]

Polarized lenses make a huge difference when it comes to cutting glare and seeing cruising fish. Totally relieved eye strain and headaches at the end of the day for me too…You’ll never go back to regular lenses even for everyday use.

 

If you’re wondering if your Oakleys are polarized or not, there’s a simple test you can do.

 

Take 1 lens from a pair of sunglasses you know are polarized and stack it over 1 on your Oakleys…If you have them going in the same direction, you’ll see right through.

 

Rotate 1 lens (doesn’t matter which set of lens you do) so it goes upright…If both sets of lenses are polarized, you will not be able to see through where they overlap

 

I’m a huge fan of the wrap around pairs…Been using my Ray Bans since 2002…I think they were $150 at the time. They saved my eyes too from tree branches and lures.

[smally21]

guys im fishing with think im full of you know what when i say i can see something like a fish in the water. then it bites. im a huge fan of oakley half jackets in polarized.

[BillM]

 

 

Make sure if you do get something like Maui Jims that you don't get glass lenses. Half the reason I wear sunglasses is for protection from flying lures when my buddy insists on jerking lures out of trees.

 

There are pros and cons to either glass or polycarbon lenses. You cannot beat the clarity of a glass lens, along with the scratch resistance. However if you are constantly smacking yourself in the face with lures, you'll most likely want a poly lens, lol.. I like the heaviness of a glass lens, plus they double for when I'm driving (I do about 1000kms a week just for work)...

 

Easy choice for me.

Edited July 24, 2010 by BillM

[DRIFTER_016]

There are pros and cons to either glass or polycarbon lenses. You cannot beat the clarity of a glass lens, along with the scratch resistance. However if you are constantly smacking yourself in the face with lures, you'll most likely want a poly lens, lol.. I like the heaviness of a glass lens, plus they double for when I'm driving (I do about 1000kms a week just for work)...

 

Easy choice for me.

 

Another vote for glass lens here.

[west lake charlie]

I just have a normal pair of Spy sunglasses that are polarized. Oakleys are great too. Just spend a little more and get polarized lenses then you don't have to have a pair of goofy looking fishing goggles. One pair of glasses for everything.

I wear mine fishing mountain biking running and driving!

[yakpiker]

I wore a pair of Switch sunglasses for about 12 hours a day during my Attawapiskat fishing trip in early July. They look good (even on me) and fit comfortably.

 

Oh yea, they also come with inter-changeable lenses for different light conditions and activities like fishing, driving, golfing and skiing.

 

If you're looking for a new pair of GREAT sunglasses...check out the Switch Vision website: http://www.switchvision.com/

[Tybo]

Oakley's polarized for me.Over the many years I've been on the water.

I have use a few Higher end lens,but keep going back to Oakley's.

I find that the lens are very clear with no distorting.

[highdrifter]

Oakley's polarized for me.Over the many years I've been on the water.

I have use a few Higher end lens,but keep going back to Oakley's.

I find that the lens are very clear with no distorting.

 

Hey Paul don't we have the same gas can turtle frames with the amber lenses?!?!

 

These lenses are good, almost too good. So good in fact that I had to train myself not to set the hook when I see a take, but rather to wait until I felt the wheight... I flossed a BIG pike last month because I set the hook too early!!

 

I'd say stick with the polarized Oakley's.. Best bang for the buck IMO. The underwater world will literally open up right before your eyes, and your catch rate will increase big time, especially while sight fishing.

 

cheers

HD

Edited July 24, 2010 by Highdrifter

[ColdH20guy]

I'm kind of partial to my Pepper's...polarized and floating

http://www.peppersusa.com/

[ctranter]

I decided its cheaper to replace the lenses on my existing oakleys. I guess assuming that the lenses are polarized just because they are expensive is a bad thing. Either way the old lenses were badly scratched so they needed replacing anyway.

 

Next decision is to go with Black Iridium polarized or Grey Iridium polarized. Black is more for very bright days (to which I fish many), and Grey is for med-bright (which I also fish many of!!). If I get black, I won't be able to sight fish on low light conditions. With grey, the same problem for bright sunny days.

 

Any advice or experience with either?

[John Bacon]

I decided its cheaper to replace the lenses on my existing oakleys. I guess assuming that the lenses are polarized just because they are expensive is a bad thing.

 

Correct, I have owned $6 glasses that were polorized and Ray Banns that sold for over $200 that are not polorized. I don't think there is much of a correlation between price and whether glasses are polorized.

[EC1]

Is there such thing as a better quality in terms of polarization though?