Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help All Polarized Sunglasses not same for seeing fish

I didn't realize how good I had it with the last pair of sunglasses I had. I could see fish underwater in the sun like crazy. I lost them a while back and my wife got me a supposed real nice pair, at least price wise. They are polarized and they don't come close the to prior pair.

What is a good economical pair to get that sees fish?

I got a couple pairs of bifocal ones from Sportsman's Guide and apparently they are not polarized. If anyone knows of some bf's that work seeing fish please say.

Look at this thread especially Dudley's comments.


http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=143082&fpart=1

Rick

I've tried different manufacturers but always come back to Costa Del Mar. They make bifocals I believe as well.

To justify the expense of the 580 glass, and these will run $150+, I always keep a floater strap on them while on the water and always keep them in the crush proof case while not in use. If you train yourself to take special care of them they should last a lifetime.

I cut expenses whenever possible, but like feeders, I feel you get what you pay for - and perfomance and eye protection were of paramount importance to me so that's why I'm a loyal Costa and Texas Hunter guy.

I agree the glass lenses in the costa del mars are unsurpassed in quality. The bad thing for me is that the lenses are scratch proof but if you drop them which I found out the hard way they break. I am having mine repaired but the repair cost is 99 dollars. I am definately going to get a strap when they come back.

I sport one of these float straps while fishing, it works well. There are probably a bunch of similar varieties on the market.

http://www.croakies.com/Products.aspx?cat=CF

I agree, costas are the best. I have spent many hours sight fishing on lake Alan henry here in Texas... i can see fish every time i go that I credit to the glasses.

yep agree that is way we sell em.

Any of you gents have experience with prescription sunglasses from Costa Del Mar? My father has expressed an interest in getting a nice pair of polarized sunglasses for fishing, he wear bifocals.

I get dealer cost and would not fork out that kinda $ for the prescription costa.

I just bought two pairs - Triple Tail with Green lens for bright days, and Fathom with the new Silver lens for overcast/variable light days. I went for the new 580 glass lenses. So far I've been wearing the Silver lense exclusively, and use them for everything from fishing to morel hunting and have been very satisfied. Wear straps and keep them in the case when you're not using them and they'll stick around a while

Teehjaeh be sure and put a strap on them they will break if you drop them but will not scratch

one of our brethren recently contacted me about sunglasses and I'm posting the essence of my response here.

Polycarbonate is the most impact-resistant lens material on the market but needs, and usually has, a scratch-resistant coating. To be considered "safety glasses", the frame must meet certain standards as well as the lenses.

In my opinion, everything beyond impact resistance, scratch resistance, UV absorbency, and absence of prism and surface distortion is window dressing. Polarization is wonderful with light reflected off water; the closer the angle of incidence of light is to 57 degrees and the smoother the water, the better.

Anti reflectance coatings actually give a slightly blurred image but most in the industry won't use the term "blurred" (which sounds unacceptable) preferring to call it a "soft image" (which sounds much more acceptable, perhaps even desirable).

Colorwise, gray tint offers the best color transmission. Yellow is great in low light conditions (dawn, dusk and very dark days) but you wouldn't want to use yellow in full daylight. Yellowish tints are also sometimes helpful to patients with advanced macular degeneration.

Polycarbonate is inherently UV absorbent so don't let someone sell you a UV coating on poly lenses.

You don't have to spend a small fortune to get a good pair of sunglasses. If they're UV absorbent, you're not around heavy stuff flying through the air, gray tinted, polarized if you're on water, and if you're clear and comfortable wearing them, then go for it. Even Foster Grants.

To add to the above, no manufacturer will be long in business if they're selling glasses that will damage you visually. This applies to both sunglasses and reading glasses. Many believe that the over the counter reading glasses are not "good" for your eyes. Not true. They might not give you the greatest comfort or the greatest visual effenciency and they might scratch and bend or break easily but they won't injure you. They are not ophthalmic perfection, but pricewise, they're disposable! And if you're a hyperope (farsighted) without a lot of astigmatism or a great difference in lens powers, you can get adequate emergency eyewear right off the rack.

You can also wear diamond studded gold eyewear while fishing and watch 'em take a drink. To some, it's only money. I've never been so fortunate.

I've edited this to add that scratch proof doesn't exist, and scratch resistant is nothing more than scratch resistant.

OMG !!!
I just forwarded Dud's litany to Donna-ski to help her during eyewear selection. I DIDN'T READ THIS LAST SENTENCE !!!

(recall...recall...come on, please recall)

Watch 'em flip and flop as they go out of sight in thirty feet of murky water.

the glasses or me?

you've already flip-flopped. Great read Dudley.

B'ski, when you find that perfect pair of cheap sun glasses, pass along the info.

Billy Gibbon

Dudley, I appreciate your opinion. We are on the water 4 out of 5 days on average in warm season. I tested quite a few pair of glasses. The cheapo bill dance wally world polarized show fish almost as well I agree. However they scratch very easily so the costa is about the only thing I splurge on, why? They just make things look better and my eyes do nto "hurt" after being in the sun all day. Expensive Maui Jim did not do as well. Neither did about 5 other pairs I have tried. So I have no idea if worth the $ or not but they do appear better, any idea why other than me buying into the hype.

Greg, I know little or nothing of various brands. I only know of the performance of the various components. If Costa (whatever that is) works best for you, then the cost is immaterial. My point is that performance is not necessarily related to price alone, and that relates to your statement that Maui Jim didn't perform as well as Costa; my assumption being that the Maui Jim brand is more expensive than the Costa brand. Some would be of the opinion that welders' goggles best suit their needs. If everyone were given the opportunity to use Costa sunglasses, there well might be no other sunglasses on the market, but seeing the vast variety of sunglasses available and knowing of no one claiming visual impairment related to their use, I feel confident in believing that many would disagree with both of us. Perhaps wally will find a way to make their lenses scratch resistant, then our opinions will be moot since the Bill Dance sunglasses are inexpensive, practically disposable and performed almost as well as Costa, and that relates favorably to my monologue.

Thanks Dudley. I agree. Great info and perspective.

And I thank you, Eric. Unlike the unvarnished truth, kind words are always welcome.

I have for years been trying to find a do all interchangeable sunglasses. Ones I can wear while fishing that have polarized lenses and then I can switch out the lenses to polycarbonate safety glasses for shooting sports. Anyone have an inside track on such glasses?

I have a set of classics from here with 3 sets of lenses. I looked on their website and they also have 3 different tints of polarized lenses along with 14 other flavors of shooting lenses. I recommend them, they work well, are easy to change lenses, and the carrying case also carries 2 extra sets of lenses.

Thanks Scott, that may be just what I am looking for... You know which model you have?

Shooting type, not sunglasses - Classic model.

OK, thanks