lense color for surf and pier

this is a question about what color lense for your sunglasses you are using. so, if you had to pick one color for standing on the pier or along the brine on the white sand all day in the highest and brightest day to block harmful rays but able to cut the water to see fish what would it be? do you use your fishing glasses also for driving? i have typically used gray for driving and the surf but dog gone, after 6-10 hours of high sun im pert near blind at the end of the day, possibly due to not having full eye coverage but maybe not. thanks in advance and looking forward to your replies

blessings

gooseboy out.....

I personally prefer mirror lenses. I have found that it to be beneficial when trying to sneak a peak at the beach scenery. Maybe that's just me? I wear my Costas for pretty much everything though.

Amber is the best I've found in 40 years now.
They cut the glare and increase contrast just a bit.
IMHO darker shades of blue, green, grey are too close to the typical color tint of our shallow water.
And yellow is too high contrast without enough glare reduction.

And the glasses are just part of the solution to see better into the water and protect your eyes (I make a living with mine).
Visors and caps allow too much light to shine on your face (and eyes) at times.
A wide brimmed hat, mostly dark colored underneath is not only cooler (less hot ;-) but much more often blocks more of the sun from your eyes (direct and indirect).

pic without sunglasses over lense:
http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...tid=6335&stc=1

same area WITH amber sunglasses over lense:
http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...tid=6336&stc=1

I second the amber colored lenses. I have two pairs of polarized sunglasses. The darker "blue"ish tinted ones I find better for driving, but the amber lenses allow me to see down deeper into water of all kinds.

Considering price and function, what do you consider the best VALUE in sunglasses?

Costas, Oakleys, Maui Jims, Ray Bans.....in no particular order. I'm very gentle with my sunglasses and I don't lose them, so I don't mind spending the extra money for a pair that costs a good deal more. Any of these brands have good polarized lenses. Go try them on, see which ones fit the best, and then you'll be the most satisfied with them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kevin E.

Considering price and function, what do you consider the best VALUE in sunglasses?

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That is hard to answer. The lenses from cheap to expensive are totally different.
Most cheap to mid-price point shades have a single layer plastic lenses with or without coatings (cheapos' are just a single thin piece of plastic with no coatings, mid-price point will have coated lenses that are stronger & more scratch resistant).
Higher quality shades like Costa's and Maui Jims (two best lenses on the market, IMO) have a layered lenses, with a layer of material between each lens and coatings on front & back.
The mirrored amber glass lens from Costa is probably about the best on the market, but they are heavier and will shatter if dropped on the lens. Their polycarb amber mirror lens is great too, lighter, impact resistant, wont shatter but will scratch.
So it depends on how much you want to spend.

My advice, go to a real sunglass store, like Shades in Orang Beach, try on as many pair as you can, compare the different lenses and frames. Get the best pair you can afford.

My pet peeve is scratched lenses. Probably my fault most of the time. But, if I can replace a scratched (fairly cheap pair) 10X for the price of a top of the line pair, is that a better route? Or, is a top of the line pair 25X more scratch resistant? I have no experience with top end sun glasses and am hesitant to make the leap. Just like everything else on the net, you can read reviews and opinions that are very polar. My wife now has a pair of very top end glasses that I bought her for Christmas. She says she likes them, but for the price, she would not buy another pair. It isn't a real big deal, but was curious what the folks that fish quite a bit wear. Amber lenses are pretty much my favorite also, so issue with that suggestion. I do appreciate the replies!

I wear trifocals already, so no way am I gonna fork over $$$ for Co$ta$, Oakley$, etc.
Or maybe I'm just a cheap bastid ;-) LOL

Anyway, I used to use Strike King clip ons until they got hard to find locally...
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Strike-Ki...asses/16225766

But I really like these from BPS even better...
Cocoons Flip-Ups Rectangular 54 Clip-On Sunglasses | Bass Pro Shops

Decent eye protection for a fraction of the price!

What kind of top-end glasses did she get?

"Real" sunglasses or designer ones?

Back when I worked at a sunglass shop, the expensive "designer" sunglasses, that are made solely to attract the ladies and their credit cards, has some of the crappiest lenses, most weren't even polarized.

She has Costas.

I am an Eye Doctor and fisherman. Not necessarily in that order. Sun is very damaging to the eye. It can cause cataracts pterygia and macular degeneration. There are definitely differences in quality. In my opinion Maui Jim Polaroid Plus is the best . Lightweight and blocks 99% of glare and 100% of UVA and UVB rays. Amber is great for low light but bright sun days require gray or I prefer dark green.

I wear Nemesis safety glasses in the darkest green they have with +2.5 readers ($12.50), but I may have to try some of those Maui Jims.

I'm pretty rough on glasses and don't like to spend a lot for something I'm going to destroy in short order, but I do need to take care of my eyes. Thanks for the info, Doc.

See, the broad spectrum of replies is why I asked the original question. I guess there is no correct answer. Is a guy that is pretty rough on glasses better off with 15 pairs of lower quality glasses that cost the same as 1 top-tier pair? Everyone can make up their own mind, but it would be interesting to know what more folks wear. I wear bifocals; sunglasses with reader inserts are my minimum preference. They don't have to be expensive, but the 'swimmy' ones don't work for me at all.

If you are rough on them, go cheaper, Cacoons was a great suggestion, I have used those. I hate 2 pairs of glasses at the same time but they work. Finally broke down and bought some Costas, prescription, bifocals, whole 9 yards, I'll let you do the math, yikes!, but I DO love them. Got the green/amber lenses.I'm very careful with them, treat them like a new born child and use a strap while on the Hobie or even when i was at the pier.

i have a large head so most caps and hats don't fit me, as well as sunglasses. i have to pick what fits. that being said, i also have extremely light sensitive eyes and wear them in the evening at times. please, no sunglasses at night references...
anyways, i wear what fit me but also have learned that a quality/more expensive pair of glasses are exponentially better. also, i have found that when i spend a little more i take better care of them. i always check backcountry.com for sales on quality glasses.

I looked at Cacoons online today. We have similar at work for UV light source protection. Not a big fan either, but like you said, they work. Plan to look closer next time I'm in Academy. Glad to hear you like your new glasses. If it ever comes to that, I'm going to tell my wife 'HobieKen likes his'!!!!! And I'd kinda like to have a Hobie, too.

I wish I had more choices in sunglasses, but I wear prescription (can't stand contacts) and I can't afford Costas in trifocal. The ones I do get are pretty good, and I prefer the brown color for contrast---great to drive in the rain with---and I can see fish better, but there is no substitute for younger eyes. (I can't afford them, either>)

I prefer the blue mirror Costas. I only wear mine while I am fishing and take very good care of them because of the cost. I had bifocal prescription lenses put in mine a couple years ago, but the coating on the inside of the lenses started coming off this spring while we were on vacation at the pier. Couldn't use them because everything was too fuzzy looking. Went to Sun Rays in gulf shores and bought a pair of Costa Readers. Found out the hard way NOT to use Dawn to clean sunglasses. The lady at Sun Rays says to use ONLY water, anything else will destroy the coatings. By the way I highly recommend shopping for sunglasses at Sun Rays. Very nice folks that know everything there is to know about sunglasses. They also have the clip-ons in several different sizes if you wear glasses and they are a fraction of the cost of sunglasses.

2nd on Sun Rays, meant to post them up earlier. Nice folks, veteran owned, bought several pair of glasses from them.

Hookdoc2, if you are still looking at this thread I have a question.

Jackson Safety says the Nemesis glasses "Meets ANSI Z87+ 2010 standards and provides 99.9% UV Protection against harmful UVA, UVB, & UVC rays."

They are polycarbonate and considered one of the best over the counter safety glasses.

I can't find a spec on the Maui Jims. Can they really do better than this?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kevin E.

See, the broad spectrum of replies is why I asked the original question. I guess there is no correct answer. Is a guy that is pretty rough on glasses better off with 15 pairs of lower quality glasses that cost the same as 1 top-tier pair? Everyone can make up their own mind, but it would be interesting to know what more folks wear. I wear bifocals; sunglasses with reader inserts are my minimum preference. They don't have to be expensive, but the 'swimmy' ones don't work for me at all.

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I am very rough on cheap sunglasses. I take care of my Costas. One time investment with a lifetime warranty, if you mess them up really badly you get a new pair for $80....about half price. If the frame messes up but the lenses are good, then its about $15. I've put them head to head with the best Maui Jims, and for my eyes, the green mirror 580g (glass) is the absolute best. Yes, Costa makes prescription eyeglasses custom....i'm pretty sure they are offering a "reader" version, too. J&M has some of the best prices for a retail store that I've seen....and if you get them there, then you get to go to J&M as a bonus. BTW, I got Coasta's new amber silver mirror low light lens this year. It only comes in poly, but I got the 580's. Love them for cloudy days and early am and late pm.

I'll make a trip to J&M, no question there. The intent was to look at rods. Maybe sunglasses? I have lots of rods but no really good glasses.

I second Rich's suggestion on the Costa Green Mirror GLASS lenses. I have (had) a pair of Fathom's for almost 25 years. My son "forgot" to take them off the last time he visited. They are some where on a Navy deployment now. I have threatened him mightily - but we both know they are his now.

I love my amber sunglasses. Comparing them to blue Costa lenses, it is a crazy difference in how much I can see through water.

well. i went with Smith shades, clarity for me was identical to costas and the price point was 40% less, good on line reviews so time will tell. thanks for all the responses.

I agree with everything Rich1 said. I also would go to an Academy store and buy the 4.99 or 9.99 glasses for "special" circumstances. I loan them, canoe, go to the jetties with them,etc. Do not underestimate a good cheap pair for when u want to save your good ones. Just last Sunday I removed my 580's for a pair of the Academy's and promptly lost them moments later on the interube on the lake.

Sorry just got back to this from fishing all weekend. The advantage to maui is more in the glare protection from their polarization. Some polarized lenses only have 30% glare protection Maui is 99%. I see no problem at all with the nemesis. And by the way dropped one of my favorite Maui's in the bay this weekend. Moral of the story is if you can afford Maui's or Costa's go with it . If not you will be ok with any decent sunglass.