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Polarized sunglasses for fly fishing

13K views 82 replies 37 participants last post by  david barnes 
#1 ·
Hello

I intend buying some polarised sun glasses to use while fishing and wondered if anybody had any experience of a pair they would recommend please?

Any comments appreciated.

Thanks

John
 
#2 · (Edited)
I intend buying some polarised sun glasses to use while fishing and wondered if anybody had any experience of a pair they would recommend please?

Any comments appreciated.

Thanks

John
I recently knocked my glasses off my head into a muddy river whist retrieving a fly from a tree… so needed some replacements.

After the incident I decided spending a lot of money on really nice polarised glasses is a bit of a gamble. There Is no doubt Maui Jim's and costas get great reviews, but they have a price tag above what I would want to watch disappear into a river.

after some research I settled on Avid Jäger seethru sunglasses. I could pick them up from my local go outdoors. They were £22 so if I loose them it's not the end of the world. There light, come in a case and have a lanyard. And are designed for carp fishing so should work well.

And I am pleased to say they do work, really well actually, I don't own a pair of costas or Maui Jim's, so can't compare. But the Avids certainly let you see the fish, and better than my polarised ray bans do. They've been great for river fishing. And at £22 if I do loose them I won't be gutted.

I got mine through fishing republic which are in most go outdoors but you may be able to find them elsewhere.
 
#4 ·
I wear prescription, polarised sunglasses all the time. In my opinion, they are worth the expense. Losing them has been mentioned, and I admit I lost a pair of non-prescription sunnies decades ago when leant over the edge of a dock to reach a boat. That would not have happened IF I had been wearing the same sort of thing many people use to hang their reading glasses round their necks.
 
#23 ·
I feel ripped of now, I get clip-ons from the opticians for a tenner.

I have bifocal glasses for fishing as my distance is ok but I need a bit of help for hook threading and its so easy to lift the clip-ons.

I have the yellow lens type but they're varifocal and used very little.
 
#10 ·
I don't doubt there are some very good polarised sunglasses but all the budget ones I've tried have been pretty poor. If you hold many cheap pairs at 90 degrees to a known good pair you will see lots of areas of the lens that don't go completely dark, this shows the polarisation isn't complete.

On the other hand £200 is outside of my budget too so I go for Polaroid (the brand) glasses. You can usually pick them up for around £30 from Amazon of Ebay and you know you are getting glasses which give proper polarisation.


Andy
 
#14 ·
A lot of river keepers on the chalk streams will tell you that your glasses are as important as your rod and you should be prepared to spend likewise. However, the price of Costas in Stockbridge High Street is greater than any rod I've ever owned!
Good glasses, for protection as well as visibility, are vital so get the best ones you can.

Reg Wyatt
 
#20 ·
Reg makes the point that your sunglasses are protection. That is a point that cannot be overemphasised. They protect your eyes from errant flies during a bad cast. They protect your eyes lenses from UV that cause them to age prematurely. They also protect your retinas from UV that can cause melanoma .

Yes, you can get melanoma lesions on your retinas. You really don't want to think through the treatment options.
 
#16 ·
If I was replacing mine, I'd stick with glass lenses if I still could. I got my prescription polaroids twenty years ago. Despite my prescription gradually changing and ending up with varifocals since then, I'm still wearing the same polaroids, (my optician says they're still fine for distance), to drive and fish.

I have to peer over the top of them to tie knots etc. I've wondered about new varifocal ones and a couple of times after eye tests, I've tried new ones on that were part of a two pairs prescription deal, but they always seem inferior. My optician says it's because the lenses are plastic these days, so lack the clarity of my old pair. They live in the car, and when I get behind the wheel and put them on, I always appreciate the improvement.
 
#18 ·
Costas with sunrise / low light lenses. I've always bought them on ebay.com (the US site) at about half the UK price. I had change out of 100 quid on my current pair and they were £199 at GAC. Whatever you end up buying, get low light lenses, absolutely indispensable.

Skaj
I too use a low light lens, but OP be aware that if you have pale coloured eyes they may be too light for you in bright conditions. (Of course, you can buy an additional pair for the really bright weather of that's the case!)

As an all-round shade, for most people, across the broadest range of conditions, then a tan/light brown lens is about the best recommendation.

ETA
OP, as a mid-range brand then I like Bolles. The smart way to buy them is as a polarized safety glass - lots of different styles and cheaper than Bolles for fishing, hiking etc.
 
#19 ·
I have Smiths Optics pairs which are superb, Also some opti labs prescription ones for when I am not wearing contact lenses. All the above brands and comments are valid but whatever you get , expensive Costs and Smiths etc even cheap ones of ebay the most important thing is a proper fit.....If you have light coming in the sides of them they arent anything like as effective no matter you makes em...

O M W
 
#21 ·
+1 for Smith.

I have used a pair of Smith chromo-pop polarised for the last few years, they are getting a bit scratched now, so I will start looking for and trying out a new pair of Smith’s over the coming couple of weeks. There are some new lenses and models available since I got my last ones, which have been excellent.

?
 
#22 ·
Not sure if we've missed a major brand between us, comrades, as is usually the way in these sunglasses threads!

In summary OP, at whatever your budget is, there's a pair for you, but it really is a very personal choice.

The point O M W makes is an important one - fit is king IMHO too. A cheaper pair that fit you well will always trump a pair of MauiCostagetismiths at a billionty-six quid that let light in behind the lens.
 
#24 ·
A hook in the eye can blind a guy, as can too much sun

As fishing people we get a lot of sun and we get double sun due to the reflection from the water, I've had a new lens fitted to my eye due to sun damage and I also have sun damage to my face, so don't forget the sun cream, unless you really feel lucky.
 
#27 ·
I had genuine Optix HLT cormorants for many years util the scratches got too great. Got some so called new Optix from fleabay but doubt they were to real thing and didn't do it for me vision wise or comfort. So, I now use an old pair of Maui Jims. I am very happy with them and everyone who has had a look through them at the water has been highly impressed. Also, used Serengetis and they also do the job well. With both brands there is a wide choice of lenses for various applications which can be a bit daunting. Either way, they are very relaxing on the eyes and not just for fishing. I wouldn't be without them for driving, even in not so sunny conditions.
 
#28 ·
just out of interest a month or two ago I bit the bullet and purchased some online prescription polarised varifocals from opti labs . Anyway the lenses arrived from the states and had a fault in the coating at the edges. Opti labs cut them down put them in a frame and sent them to me free. to avoid any further delays I wore them all day yesterday. They are a bit narrower than I would have liked but still very very good. After a week they rang to ask how I was getting on with them and suggested if I liked them I should keep them and they would supply me a pair in a different lense colour combo which I am now waiting for. Have to say although slow the service has been impressive will give full review later.....when the second pair arrive , Two pairs for the price of one what is not to like

O M W
 
#56 ·
just out of interest a month or two ago I bit the bullet and purchased some online prescription polarised varifocals from opti labs . Anyway the lenses arrived from the states and had a fault in the coating at the edges. Opti labs cut them down put them in a frame and sent them to me free. to avoid any further delays I wore them all day yesterday. They are a bit narrower than I would have liked but still very very good. After a week they rang to ask how I was getting on with them and suggested if I liked them I should keep them and they would supply me a pair in a different lense colour combo which I am now waiting for. Have to say although slow the service has been impressive will give full review later.....when the second pair arrive , Two pairs for the price of one what is not to like

O M W
, The second pair took a while to arrive and they werent actually quite what I ordered . The ( lense manufacturer got it slightly wrong ) glasses perform ok but they werent an ultrathin lense as I ordered . Masses of apologies followed after I complained , They have since refunded me in total but also supplied me with exactly what I ordered and am very well pleased . No charge but have simply said if you want to make a payment part or Whole then it entirely up to me.

Astonishing level of service and despite the problems have been very impressed. I will be making a payment .
 
#29 ·
Really does depend on personal requirements.The best don't come cheap.Adequate does not cut it if you seriously want to see into the water and your success depends on it.The choice is ours to make.It seems a very long time ago when a Mexican Charter boat Captain gave me a looksee through his Costa Del Mar glasses.As Mr Trout said an amazing difference.Result is I have quite a collection of high end glasses now fit for purpose.Each unto their own but there is no budget solution.By the same token if you are happy with lesser quality which work well then that is fine too but trying to compare is just an illusion.
 
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