Polarized Sunglasses

I am planning on purchasing a pair of these. Anybody have any recommendations? What should I look for? I just want a cheap pair, but they still have to be functional. Main use will be trout and smallmouth fishing.

How cheap? I have found you have to get into the 80-90 buck range for a decent pair.

I picked up a pair at Cabelas for twenty bucks. They are Cabelas brand. Can really see good in the trout streams. Plus, if you lose them, like I always do, it only cost you twenty bucks to replace them.

Bigfife,
I wear contact lenses, dilated pupils very sensitive to light, and have been wearing polarized sunglasses since I was a kid in the sixties. I do have a tendency to keep a pair too long, they get a bit scratchy, but I have found that $8 – $15 will get a good pair, that will let you see through the glare on most any water. My last pair came from Gander Mt. but I usually just find a good sunglasses rack and start trying on a few pairs until I find ones that feel good. If you are in a boat a lot, I would recommend a lanyard to keep them form becoming bottom feeders, although I personally don’t use one. Good Luck on your glasses they do help.

dave

Spend the bucks and get some Costa Del Mar’s. You will be glad you did. It’s surpising how well you take care of your shades when you spend some money on them.

I do not spend alot on glasses but also don’t go to cheap either. Check the glasses when they are folded. If the ear tab ends rest on the inside of the lens they won’t last 2 weeks before they are scratched.

Bigfife,

I am extremely sensitive to light! For seeing into the water, sight fishing gills or smallies, cutting glare, cheap is good. However, if you are talking eye fatigue, color trueness, cutting glare from infront and behind the lense, the only way to go is Maui – Jim, or Costa Delmar. the money is well spent if drive in snow/sun and fish blue bird skies a lot. Spend the money, and you will be more than happy.

I don’t think I have spent more than $20 on a pair in a long time…..the ones I currently have came from Galyans(now Dicks) and were $14.99. They cut the glare great and they are light weight and comfortable.

I love my Costa’s, but I still get some back glare where I can see reflections from my eyes from time to time.

Got a couple of pairs of Oakley’s that are better on the glare, but i don’t like the lens color as well as the Vermillion of the Costas.

I am planning on selling one of my pairs of Oakleys on the board for 95 bucks (they were 160 new) if anyone is interested. They are Half Jacket XLG’s with platnum frames and bronze polarized lenses.

Something to think about…bought the kid a pair of polarized sunglasses which he had on his cap which has on his head while we walk out on the dock. Bee goes buzzin by and he can’t help but take a swipe at it with his cap…yep, new glasses must have flown 20 feet before they hit the water . My point: (yes I have one) stuff happens, unless you can afford forkin over the big bucks go with the $20 pair. They seem to work just fine for me (yes I bought the kid another pair too).

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Spend the bucks and get some Costa Del Mar’s. You will be glad you did. It’s surpising how well you take care of your shades when you spend some money on them.

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I have a pair of Costa Del Mar’s in the eliminator style!
They are really nice……..I don’t know how to fish with out them, even wear them on cloudy day’s.

Save your money and buy a good pair! just my 2 cents!

I have float wraps on my Costa’s. They are comfortable and hold tight.

There’s nothing like a real glass anti-scratch lens.

I bought a pair of cheap-o’s from gander, I believe they were advertised as the worlds cheapest pair of polarized sunglasses… Personally, I can’t afford 100-200$ for a nice pair (in college, money = beer). Anyway, they last about 6-8 months. If I had the dough, i’d get a nice pair. I don’t, so I don’t.
Seems like a remember a comedy bit- You lose an expensive pair of sunglasses in a week, but you can’t give away cheap ones.

Cheap is the way to go for me. I use to buy the good ones too but after the third pair either steped on, just plain lost, or sunken, I said enough was enough. $12.00 at Gander is what I do. Buy a couple at a time and keep in boat in case you forget or wreck them. I seem to see just as well with them as the next guy.

Thanks for the input guys. I tried on a few pairs here at work to see how the glare was off of the glass showcase. All of the glasses from $8-$25 looked almost the same. The expensive ones might have to wait for next year or Christmas. I just wanted to make sure that there wasn’t a huge difference.

Does anyone have any experience with polarized lenses that will fit over my prescription glasses? I have looked into the Fitover line, but I didn’t want to spend the $90.

I thought i saw a pair of the fit overs at walmart. did you try there, I will keep my eyes open when I am out and about and see what I can find.

shane

Thanks Shane! I would appreciate any help!
Steve

Steve,
I have looked into the fitover kind when I wear my galsses, and haven’t found the ones I want yet. I wear the cheap clipon flipups on occasion, but the best fitovers I ever saw were given to my mom years ago by her eye docter after she had eye surgery. I tried them on, and they completely blocked all glare, and all UV, but were a bit large for riding bikes or fishing, etc. I have seen a few for sale online in the 25 – 30 dollar range that I thought I might try, but haven’t yet. On a recent visit to my eyedoctor, I forgot my clipons for my glasses, and afer I had my pupils dilated I needed something to go outdoors with, so she gave me a little pair of flat plastic sunglasses that have ears on them that rest on the frames of my glasses, while the flat plastic slips inside of the lenses. they look weird, but surprisingling are pretty good at blocking glare, and wind really doesn’t seem to affect them. Good luck in your search.

dave

I think I’ll go looking at Gander, and see what they have. I don’t want to spend the $20 on a co-pay for my eyedoc, when I could spend it on real sunglasses!!!!!

I got a pair of polarized clip ons at Shopkos eye dept a month or so ago. They easily clip onto the frame of your regular glasses without touching the lenses. They come in many lens shapes to match your prescription frames. Cost 20 bucks but you’ll spend that on the cheapo plastic clip ons anyways in time.

Steve,

I know maui jim will make some great prescription sunglasses and you will be amazed by the quality.

Even before I got sponsored by them I bought a pair. All my friends would agree that there is a difference in cheap sunglasses compared to good ones. You will be amazed at how easy it is to take care of expensive sunglasses before you are more concious of them. it is like have a good fishing rod. You know where it is at all times.

Dale

I’ve tried on most of the top of the line sunglasses but could never get a good fit. The 20.00 one’s always fit, but didn’t hold up well.

Earlier this year, I found a brand called Smith. They have 2 different styles which have interchangable lenses. Frames + four polarized lenses (you choose the colors) for 108.00. They fit better than the H2O and Maui I’ve tried on.

I’ve only had them for 2 months, so I can’t say if they’ll hold up as well as the more expensive brands.

Jo