I am buying a Christmas present and I am interested in your opinion as to the best brand of sunglasses. Thanks.
Sun Glasses
- Thread starter Rasselas36
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Happy holidays!
Guess this is the time to say: "The more expensive the glasses the sooner they'll go overboard. The less expensive the glasses, the longer you'll have them."
"Best" is different for different folks. My best? Polarized glasses from a drugstore. $15. I've had them for 6 years!
When I used to need prescription glasses (don't anymore, eyes do change), I bought a pair of lightweight polarized prescription glasses. They were very comfortable, especially compared to the heavier regular prescription ones.
Best? The lightest you can find, and polarized. Also consider the UV transmission.
Guess this is the time to say: "The more expensive the glasses the sooner they'll go overboard. The less expensive the glasses, the longer you'll have them."
"Best" is different for different folks. My best? Polarized glasses from a drugstore. $15. I've had them for 6 years!
When I used to need prescription glasses (don't anymore, eyes do change), I bought a pair of lightweight polarized prescription glasses. They were very comfortable, especially compared to the heavier regular prescription ones.Best? The lightest you can find, and polarized. Also consider the UV transmission.
My kids bought me Raybans a couple of years ago and I loved them, until a friend lost his hat overboard. We circled around and as we passed by I bent over to pick it up and there went the Raybans, all for a $20 hat. So I agree with Stu. Polarized and cheap.
While I have no experience with them personally I know I would love a non-prescriptoin set of shades with reading lenses in the lower part for closeup work. I know Duluth Trading has some, but I am not usre if they are polarized. Polarizing is a must for use on the water....
Phil, I picked up a pair of those at the 99c Store. I keep those on board and use them for fishing. Not only makes tying hooks easier but it makes my fish look bigger.
I've been using a pair from Barz (barzoptics.com). I believe they're an Australian company and I got them at the Annapolis boat show for around $50. Nice wrap around so you don't lose them, polarized, light and flexible material so they won't break easily. The also have some that float. Only disadvantage is that they don't all filter UV.
I need readers and my eyes are very sensitive to sunlight so I wear polarized sun glasses with readers built in all the time when outdoors.. After trying many brands, I've settled on Maui Jim. A bit pricey but they have been around my neck for over two years. I highly recommend attaching a neck strap to any good pair of glasses while on the water if you want to keep them.
Polarized is important, but so is UV protection. Since I wear glasses, my sunglasses have to do the always-fashionable fit over thing. My favorites of this type--the best looking I've found-- are made by Vistana. They have UV protection, are polarized and go for about $50.
fit over thing. My favorites of this type--the best looking I've found-- are made by Vistana. They have UV protection, are polarized and go for about $50.
Ocean Waves, if you want quality and performance. Slightly high dollar but worth it in the long run. Ourstanding protection for your eyes, and a wide range of styles. I have worn them for 15 years.
I prefer Maui Jim's or Costa del Mar. For the last year I have been glued to my Costa's. By far they let in the most light, have the lightest weight glass lens on the market, even the "heavier 580G lens is pretty darn light weight, and the polarization and CLARITY is amazing.
Between my wife and I we have about 8 pair of Maui's and only one of them a polycarbonate lens. They were scratched within 6 months. Some of our glass lens Maui's go back to the early 90's and they are still going strong.
I will ONLY buy sunglasses with glass lenses because polycarbonate lenses give mea splitting headache. With the cheap crap they pawn off as "sunglasses" these days (designer glasses) it is getting tougher and tougher to find real glass lenses that focus on the quality of the optics.
Do yourself a favor and go try on a pair of Costa del Mar's with the 580G ("G" means glass lens with Costa) or 400G lens. The "shockwave" 400G lens is truly astounding but the 580G even better though a tad heavier.... I would hope Maui comes out with an answer to the new Costa lens but the Maui's are still one of the best lenses on the market.
Maui, Costa, Ocean Waves & a couple of other small companies, compared to just about everyone else is like the difference between a very expensive Nikor camera lens and a cheap point & shoot.... Once you buy quality sunglasses you'll likely never go back..
Between my wife and I we have about 8 pair of Maui's and only one of them a polycarbonate lens. They were scratched within 6 months. Some of our glass lens Maui's go back to the early 90's and they are still going strong.
I will ONLY buy sunglasses with glass lenses because polycarbonate lenses give mea splitting headache. With the cheap crap they pawn off as "sunglasses" these days (designer glasses) it is getting tougher and tougher to find real glass lenses that focus on the quality of the optics.
Do yourself a favor and go try on a pair of Costa del Mar's with the 580G ("G" means glass lens with Costa) or 400G lens. The "shockwave" 400G lens is truly astounding but the 580G even better though a tad heavier.... I would hope Maui comes out with an answer to the new Costa lens but the Maui's are still one of the best lenses on the market.
Maui, Costa, Ocean Waves & a couple of other small companies, compared to just about everyone else is like the difference between a very expensive Nikor camera lens and a cheap point & shoot.... Once you buy quality sunglasses you'll likely never go back..
Maui Jims have the option to have built in readers (for those of you what cannot see the instruments). These are NOT prescription, but just readers in a set of sunglasses.
Hobie also makes some very nice quality lenses.
Hobie also makes some very nice quality lenses.
I've got a couple of pair of these. Great optics and glass lenses at a moderate price. Blue mirror lenses for those really bright days, gray ones for partly cloudy. Works for me.
https://greatshades.securesites.net/cgi-bin/browsecatalogs.pl?UNDEF::
https://greatshades.securesites.net/cgi-bin/browsecatalogs.pl?UNDEF::
I have Maui Jim readers which I wear when I do not want to loose my good prescription pair. Wish they also made readers with glass lenses as the ploy-c is not as good (as Maine Sail explains) and scratch too easily for use on a boat.. I also have a pair of Costa del Mar with the yellowish lenses that are excellent in poor light etc. and have super optics. be great if they could also come in a reader version. Keep the cheap ones for back up.
I wear prescription glasses. Instead buying a second pair of glasses I get the cheap clip on flip up sunglasses. About $5 at Walmart.
I like Rayban Wafarers - matte frames with polarized, varilux (bifocal), polycarbonate lenses in my distance prescription. I always use a floating retention strap just in case. Expensive, but very light and I can see everything from the horizon to the chartplotter.
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