Polarized Glasses?

[BorderView]

I know it says everywhere, "Get yourself a good pair of polarized glasses". My question is what constitutes a "good" pair? Is anyone haveing good luck with the $15-$25 "fishing" sunglasses available everywhere? Is there a great deal of difference between those and my Maui Jims?

RB

[Guest]

You'll be looking in the $100 and up range for good quality lenses from my experience. The major difference in quality on sunglasses is in the lenses. The quality glasses will either be glass or high density scratch resistent polymer, while the cheap glasses will be regular plastic lenses. You'll really notice the difference after you use them for awhile - the cheaper glasses WILL scratch. Since I started using high quality sun glasses I've noticed I have them on almost all of the time now. It is a pretty major difference once you make the switch. The quality lenses will pay for themselves in a few years, vs. buying cheap glasses every year. Two brands that I use and recommend are Ocean Waves and Costa Del Mar. Hope this helps some, good luck with your decision!

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- fishnAddict
[email protected]
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"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."
- Henry David Thoreau

[Walleye_GFA]

Im the opposite, I use the cheaper glasses ($5.99 to $29.99) and have never had a problem, I got a cheap pair for my boy recently though that when you look through them the polarization was incomplete and it had streaks...

But in all with as many times as I sit on them or they blow off my head into the water I go with cheap... Now if people say that there is a difference in the VISION then I may try a more expensive pair, but for now the cheapos are good for me...

Wally

[Guest]

Im with Wally, I buy the cheep pair.

The only reason I would buy a expensive pair is for the scratch resistance. Unless like Wally stated, If their was a difference in the vision then I might think about buying a nice pair. If I would buy something I would probably go with Oakley's anyways.

But for now id rather buy some more fishing lures that I dont need with the money.

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Fish ON!

[Steve Foss]

I'm in the cheap camp, too. A pair last me about two years, and since I've only got $10 into the glasses, I don't worry about keeping them pristine or about losing them, like I would if I had real money invested.

Yep, they scratch, but I use a band around the back to keep them on my head in the wind and put them in an old sock when I'm not using them.

By the way, I found a glass pair of polarized fishing sunglasses for $10 about five years ago. Still have them. No scratches.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[delmuts]

i have talked to a lot of guys that say the more costly glasses are wirth it.( but i am cheap!!) i buy the strike king at wal mart. i loose and break several each year. they may not be as good, but they do make a difference, and they help . del

[RuKiddingMe]

I used to buy the cheap ones too, but this year I decided to give an expensive pair a try, so I bought a pair of Native Eyewear. I can notice diffenece, to me they seem to be a lot more clear, and I have heard in the past that the cheap ones only use a film to polarize the lens where the expensive ones actually work the polarization in to the lens itself. I'll never go back to the cheap ones.

Matt

[fishermann222]

I bought a pair of Costa Del Mar's about 4 years ago. they have been sat on, left on fishing trips, stepped on and pretty much through every other kind of torture you can imagine. and they STILL are in great shape. the Costa Del Mar X frame is a softer plastic frame and it bends instead of breaking. I have even had the lens pop out, just take a few minutes and pop it back in. I would not trade them for another pair.

[Guest]

Always go with the higher priced sunglasses. i don't mean super expensive but don't under any circumstances go cheap. You can really wreck your eyes with cheap sunglasses!! The reasons are: when you wear sunglasses, you stop light from entering and your pupils dialate to compensate. When your pupils dialate with cheap lenses, you allow too much UV and light in and it will wreck your eyes. More expensive lenses are better coated and more reputable. Think about it. Can you really trust your eyes to a pair of 5.99 sunglases made god knows where? You guys can keep your bad lenses, I'm gonna spend more on quality lenses and make sure my eyes still work when I'm 65!

[Capt'nJosh]

I found that the Maui Jim's that I bought for everyday use were polorized. They are spendy $100-125 but they are comfortable enought to wear all day long without discomfort. The polorized shades definately helped to keep me off a rock pile on Rainy about a month ago and I only have 1 pair of sunglasses to try to keep from loosing now...

Capt'nJosh

[Scoot]

According to my physics teacher, polarization is polarization. Meaning... any polarized lense will function the same as any other polarized lense (all other things being equal). Polarized lenses work by blacking out exactly half of the available light and a cheap lense will do this as well as an expensive lense. You can see how this works if you take two polarized lenses and look through them both simultaneously. If they're turned a certain way you will have no light get through them- turn them 180 degrees from this position and you'll so no difference from using one
lense.
By spending more money you typically gain two things- 1) lighter, nicer, more comfortable frames, and 2) more scratch resistant lenses.
Cheaper glasses work the same as more expensive ones as long as you haven't scratched the lenses (which is easy to do). Cheaper glasses usually look... cheap. My first pair of polarized glasses looked down right ridiculous, but they worked just fine. I'd suggest- if you have the money, spend it and get a nice looking, longer lasting pair of fishing glasses. If you don't have the money now, get cheap ones and be anal about not allowing the lenses to come into contact with anything.
Scoot

[paperlipz]

Scoot,
The difference in price, has nothing to do with polarization or your ability to view any further down into the depths. It has to do with durability, warranty and most importantly UV protection. All the higher end glasses are polarized on both sides and will protect your eyes from the long term effects of long days of flogging in the sun. Treat your eyes right, you only get one set.

[mthunter]

I bought a pair of Maui Jim's and love them, they were expensive but the warranty is probably the best I have seen. Plus they are very comfortable. My wife has a cheap pair and there is a difference in optic quality, the glass lenses are much better, in my opinion.

[Steve Foss]

Tennessean:

Most of the cheap fishing glasses are not only polarized, but offer 90 to 100 percent UV protection. You don't have to spend much money for that, and my eye doctor tells me that all those features are just as effective on the cheapos as they are on the big bucks options (I asked).

And if you get the plastic polarized UV protection cheapos with side panels, whch commonly cost $10 to $15, you're as well protected as if you spent $150.

That being said, the doc also said that the best glasses are curved to mimic the curve of your eye's surface, which is easier for your eye muscles to focus through. If you've gotten eyestrain using cheapos, it might be because the lenses aren't curved properly. That has happened to me before.

I'd probably get the expensive ones with glass lenses and unbreakable frames, but can't really part with the cash when the cheapsters do the job.

Now, if I only felt that way about all fishing equipment I'd really get off cheap.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[Blackstarluver]

Last april I purchased a pair of inexpensive clip-ons for my glasses(the kind that have the four pegs). They fit my frames better than any other clip-ons I also purchased the El-Cheapo glasses case. Now a year and almost three months later I still have a scratch free pair of sunglasses that I really appreciate. Fourteen dollars and almost fifteen months later I am still going strong! Thank you thighmaster!
God lyk!
JC

[Muskydanno]

Honestly guys and gals , i've tryed quite a few types of polarized glasses and the best bang for the buck i have found are in the fishing section at Walmart. They are around fourteen bucks and are made by strike king. They fit tight to the face and have a lanyard attached to them. I have had a pair for a couple of years and love them. They have yet to scratch and are superlite with a rubber nose piece. Do yourself a favor and try a pair , you'll love them.

[cliffy]

I have owned three pairs of Maui Jim sunglass in the past three years..and I loved each pair...BUT my problem was that I kept losing them all the time. Lost my first pair in the Colorado mountians...and the second pair on the ice in Jamestown, ND. Just bought the third pair last week!

To be honest, I dont think the Maui Jims are worth every penny..and they probably are not much different from the standard walmart pair...BUT the Maui Jims fit my face so much better.and that means more comfort..and thus I were them all the time. The cheaper pairs of sunglass that I have owned have been too uncomfortable to wear all day.. I would end up only using them from time to time...and lose them more often. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Lost]

For those of you who are worried about losing your sunglasses, they make lanyards for glasses so if they fall off your face they'll dangle from your neck and not turn into some fishes toilet.

My personal experience has shown that if I buy an expensive pair of sunglasses they are definitely more durable and will last a long time (unless you set them down somewhere and forget where they are until it's too late). The cheapo's I find to be uncomfortable and almost every pair I've had the lenses had a curve which made everything look a tad bit warped.

What you buy is up to you but definitely get sunglasses that block out 100% UVA and UVB rays. You'll be glad you did.

[Trany]

*Bump*

Eye protection and "fishing" vision is paramount. Do your selfs all a favor and buy a cheep pair, I own both a pair of ~$200 Maui Jims and a pair of $15 walmart specials. I ware the $15 walmart special ones 100% of the time. Mainley I would not like to take a $200 hit in the wallet for those nice Maui Jims to go to davy jones locker.

[Lost]

Just thought I'd throw this in which I just found. It might help in making a decision.
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ALL ANGLERS WILL BETTER PROTECT THEIR EYES AND BE ABLE TO SEE UNDERWATER FISH BETTER WITH GOOD QUALITY POLARIZED SUNGLASSES.

POLARIZATION CUTS SURFACE GLARE DUE TO THE ALIGNMENT OF PARTICLES IN OR ON THE LENS, WICH CAN ACTUALLY HELP AN ANGLER SEE UNDERWATER.

SINCE POLARIZATION MAKES SUNGLASSES SPECIAL,GLASSES THAT ARE POLARIZED USUALLY BEAR A SPECIAL LABEL(LIKE MY PRODUCT...TEST LABEL..VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOUR EYES!)

HOWEVER,NOT ALL POLARIZED SUNGLASSES ARE CREATED EQUAL.THE BETTER POLARIZED SUNGLASSES HAVE A GROUND-IN POLARIZATION THAT RESULTS IN A TOP-NOTCH,OPTICAL QUALITY LENS WITH NO DISTORTIONS.

CHEAPER POLARIZED SUNGLASSES ONLY HAVE A SPRAYED-ON-POLARIZED FINISH THAT RESULTS IN LENS DISTORTIONS THAT WILL CAUSE EYESTRAIN AND CAN EVEN DAMAGE THE EYES.

[TomWehler]

Lost

You may have the answer.
Have used many different kinds myself.
Found that the higher end glasses tend to NOT make my eyes work as hard?
Why, I don't really know.

Scoot makes some goods points also, but I don't feel set are equal.
Your answer LOST, might be the reason why?

I find I do not SQUINT in these higher End sets as I do in others.

Just happen to use a few pairs from Action Optiocs.
About $65 each.

Still in a pinch have the $15 sets around for clients who forgot theirs or never tried any.
Also for me if and when I don't have the ones I favor on the most with me, on on my head as I should?

All are good, but the higer end sets do work for your eyes and that is a BIG plus when your on the water day in day out in all kinds of weather.

Just one more tool of the trade, and you get what you pay for.

Keep on Rock'en!

Tom Wehler

www.muskytomsguideservice.com

[Bassmaster]

I use the $15 ones because I loose or break them all the time. I got a pair from Walmart that are made by strike king and they are gogles that keep out all the sun from the sides. They stay on your head by tightening the lanyard around your head. They won't blow off your head and in the water.

I was wondering do lense colors help for vision at all because I had a pair of polorized glasses that had blue lenses and when you looked in the water you could see just like your eyes without glasses.

I lost those because they blew off my head into a lake. Now my glasses have brown/orange lenses and they work good.

[Uncle Grump]

What is out there for polarized lens for the person who has to wear glasses? My eyes are to bad for contacts, so glasses are a must.

UG

[TomWehler]

I was changing out a tire this winter.
When I was done, I was talking to the guy who stopped to watch my back on the Highway and checking the hounds and sure euff, I left them on the Back Bumper of the Truck.
By the time i got back around they were dust on the road!
LOL

Some companys do have polar glass to fix all your eye needs.
Bio focals also.

T.

[LocalGuide]

Does it matter what color of polarized lenses you get??

I always liked a black lens for sun protection, but are them brown lenses the same? I have always wondered that, but I have really never known. I would assume they are both the same, but that was just a guess.

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And keep those hooks sharp!