Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Sunglass recommendations?

Friends:

Due to eye surgery, I no longer need prescription lenses. Now need to get sunglasses.

I have some USAF ones from 1972 (!) (per MIL contract number on the case) but want something more modern.

Applications are 2:

1) Fishing and driving - polarized lenses a must. And a wrap around construction for peripheral vision
2) LEO /Tactical. Durability being important.

Could combine the two into one pair.

Budget? Not sure - just don't know..

Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

(Not related to the question but an added benefit to the surgery (provided recovery is good) is that iron sights now a possibility)

I like Costa Fisch. Fit my noggin well.

Trivex lenses for fishing, shooting for me.

Maui Jim has the best lenses in my opinion. Pretty tough as well.

Smith Optics is where I would look. I have worn there fishing glasses for years and have been very please with them. They warranted a pair that I had had for 12 years when the frame broke. I wear their Guide series glasses with poly lenses that are an 8-wrap that provides glare protection from the side. They are not impact resistant though but I think Smith makes impact resistant glasses.

Costa for me also

Pass the Costa's please

Costa Oakley and Maui Jim all make models that I like a lot. I wear Maui Jim light house the most. The best thing to do is go try on as many pair as you can.

From my experience Costa Del Mar has the best warranty in the sunglass business.

I’ve got both Maui and costas.

Glass lens. Which wouldn’t work for tactical / shooting.

Both make models that’ll fit my melon head.


Anyone tried Blue Otter glasses?

Italian frames with Ziess lens?

Fishing and driving in bright sun or snow, then yes, polarized. The one watch out there if you are a LEO is that a computer screen might not be able to be read with polarized. I was pretty surprised when the heads up display driving the GMC goes blank with polarized, but not my regular Ray Ban green aviators. I wore polarized Nikon aviators for years fishing, but the sun got me where I didn’t sun screen or cover around my eyes and the dermatologist carved on my outer eyebrow last year for a spot. I use the copper Costas wrap around now for fishing, but I’ll second that recommendation not to buy something out of a catalog. I thought I wanted one frame, but after trying on a bunch at Bass Pro in Orlando, I needed a wider frame size.

I will say that the copper lens tint really accentuates the reds and greens. No small thing watching for stop lights. Fall colors are spectacular wearing those copper lenses.

I think Maui Jim lenses are the best optically and are my personal preference. That said, they don’t seem to have nearly as many ‘rugged’ frame choices as Oakley & Costa. Costa & Oakley aren’t quite equal to MJ, but are still excellent. The optical quality of glass lenses from any brand will be better, and resist scratches better, than polycarbonate.

I’ve had at least 6 pairs of MJ’s, both glass and polycarbonate lenses, including 2 pair I still have and wear. All the others eventually had frames fail and I ended up replacing…with more than fair financial assistance on the replacements from MJ customer service.

I have one pair of Costas that are 2 or 3 years old now. They have biggish, robust plastic frames and glass lenses. I’ve dropped them dozens of times with essentially no consequence. I’d argue they’re pretty rugged, at least for my use. My only pair of Oakleys were thinner metal frames with glass lens. No real complaints, but not rugged by any stretch.

Lastly, if ruggedness/durability is a concern at all, don’t get any design that uses screws thru a hole in the lens to attach the lens to the frame/surround. A crack is very likely to start at the screw hole and propagate from there. Ask me how I know…LOL

PS
If you like aviators, Randolph Engineering aviators make great driving glasses and can be found for a bargain price, relatively speaking.

Have Oakley gray suns and Prizm fields. Both optically good. But the frame of the Prizms sticks into my periphery. So try them on before you buy.

I'm also a big fan of Bolle' glasses. Optically on par with Oakley, but quite a bit less money.

I think Maui Jim is the way to go. I wore Oakleys for a long time; the Maui Jim lenses are much better optically in my opinion. Everything appears clearer and brighter when I put them on.

Costas when fishing. Wiley X driving and shooting.

Costa 580 G series

Anything decent polarized. Pass on the name brands unless they define you.

I have three pairs of Costa, two for fishing (one green, one blue) and a pair for driving (gray lens). I was offshore last week, I misplaced my glasses (Costa blackfin blue 580), started looking on the dash and console of the boat, then realized they were still on my face. I think that is a testament of their clarity. I wear Oakley Flak Jackets for work, they are super light and comfortable but the lenses seem to scratch pretty easy, I end up buying new lenses every couple of years.

Just kinda depends of preference in many ways.

Costa, MJ & Oakley all make good stuff along with some stuff a step or 2 down for everyday use, like Smith, Wiley X & Hobie.

For fishing my Costa Balckfin's with glass lenses are unsurpassed, but glass compared to poly-carbonate, is heavy. For river fishing in overcast days, I have a special lens color in a Hobie brand.

I like Oakley polarized Half Jackets for everyday use & motorcycle riding, same for Wiley X.

MM

I am a huge Oakley fan, I have a few for different conditions. I absolutely hate polarized for driving or motorcycle riding but polarized are awesome for boating,fishing and snow sports.

For non-rx, non-safety I like Costa's 580g. Their lenses have always seemed very clean and clear to me. I prefer the copper for general use/driving but the frame/lens should be based on your preference and use.

Usually when I'm needing safety/tough sunglass lenses I'm wearing the following SOB, battleship gray, in rx from TacticalRX. I know they make it in non-rx as well but I've not used any of them. These have taken a beating in my use. If I knew how much I would wear an RX/sun/safety glass I'd have ordered a pair years before I did.

https://www.tacticalrx.com/prescription/tacticalrx/tacticalrx/sob-rx-pid-2242