Sunglasses...recommendations sought

[Dazedkipper]

Ok, don't laugh, I know 'you want sunglasses for this summer?!!'

Having just stood on my old pair and knackered them beyond repair I need some replacements. A quick web search throws up dozens of makes, lots I've never heard of. Another monthly magazine has just done a survey and I only knew one make they tried so I need some advice.

What does the forum recommend, without getting into trebble figures I add rather hastilly.

 

[Reverend Ludd]

Ok, don't laugh, I know 'you want sunglasses for this summer?!!'

Having just stood on my old pair and knackered them beyond repair I need some replacements. A quick web search throws up dozens of makes, lots I've never heard of. Another monthly magazine has just done a survey and I only knew one make they tried so I need some advice.

What does the forum recommend, without getting into trebble figures I add rather hastilly.

Personally I have a pair for driving etc but on the boat the absolute cheapest ones I can find and plenty of them.

 

[GrahamM376]

Personally I have a pair for driving etc but on the boat the absolute cheapest ones I can find and plenty of them.

+

I'm annoyed when I can't find any under a fiver, usually pay around £2.99. Expensive ones still get sat on, dropped, lost overboard etc. just like cheapos so, why waste money if no prescription needed.

 

[StephenW]

I've always found Bloc sunglasses(available from Blacks/Millets) to be pretty good and worth taking care of. Around £20-25, put some black nylon cord on as a lanyard to keep them out of harms way and they last for years

 

[photodog]

Oakley monster dogs.

They dont fall off yer face, even in a strng wind. And you look like a villian.

Plus the optics are excellent.

 

[MoodySabre]

I use Gill sunglasses. They float but mainly because they are very comfortable and wrap round enough to keep the glare out. About £30+.

 

[Corribee Boy]

I might be the victim of an urban myth or propaganda from expensive sunglass manufacturers, but the argument against cheap sunglasses is that the eyes dilate to allow extra light in to compensate for the darkening effect of the glasses, but without efffective UV screening the eye is actually exposed to a larger amount of damaging rays.

I use Blocs from Blacks, just because they were on sale.

 

[oldvarnish]

I like polarised. Once bought a pair called 'Fisherman's Sunglasses' which were good, strong and big. Haven't found them since. Google has plenty but they don't look as good as the ones I lost.

 

[RobbieW]

Fox 300 polarised fishing sunglasses - comfortable and effective, my preference is for the grey lens

 

[lenseman]

Polarised every time, no contest.

All you have to do is get a pair to suit your vanity?

 

[DanTribe]

I used to buy polarised sunglasses in Boots, but they don't seem to have them any more, only "designer label eye wear"
I bought some in Decathlon last year, good quality and design and very good value, less than a tenner I think.

 

[Marine Reflections]

+1 with Polarised, decent shades a must for me polishing gel coat all day.

Have found Oakleys to be very, very good, I ran over a pair once in the van, was amazed to see the lenses were still intact, not only that, but I was able to bend back the frames and pop the lenses back in!! perfect!


I would rather go without than use cheap glasses. £2.99 wow! these are the only pair of eyes you will get.
Cheap glasses forcing the eye to dilate, yet not providing decent UV and therefore causing premature damage, doesn't sound like a myth to me, sounds like common sense!

 

[PlankWalker]

I find my polarised sunglasses make LCD instruments look weird and difficult to read, for that reason I wouldn't recommend them.

Plank

 

[Robin]

Polarised, polarised or polarised! 100% UV block. Fishing glasses work well especially if they have sides too to keep glare out. I bought a bulk supply from Walmart a few years back at under $10/pair and still using them, cost now is $13 and design is more wraparound but they work. I have polarised prescription sunglasses for driving too but they are expensive and I don't risk them on the boat.

I just bought a neat pair of polarised fishing glasses for FISHING that have reader lenses inserted (come in different strengths too) so you can see to tie fiddly knots... Expensive though, $3.96!

 

[noelex]

Polarised lenses are the only type that will selectively greduce glare from water. The big difference is this alows you to see under the surface of the water better. If you are sailing anywhere where seeing the bottom is practical, polarisation is a big help.
LCD screens are polarised so some screens can be difficult to see, but the sensible manufacturers orient the polarisation of the screen at 45degress so polarised sunglasses still work fine. If not you may have to tip your head.
UV protection is very important, but it's very difficult to asses. Sunglasses that say 100% uv protection often have nothing like this.

Most polycarbonate lenses have inherently good UV protection so lenses made of this material are very likely to have good uv protection.

 

[nigelmercier]

You need two pairs: a non-polarised pair for general use and reading the instruments, and a polarised pair for looking under the water. I didn't believe the hype about getting good lenses until I bought a pair of Ray Bans, they are superb. I now have their lenses in my prescription sunglasses.

 

[GrahamM376]

Not convinced about the argument. Looking through any dark lens/window/whatever will casue the eye to open up more. It's the UV screen which matters most.

Sunglasses are an everyday event here, not seen rain for a couple of months. Talking to my optician, she was of the opinion that many so called designer glasses are cheaply made in China and then upmarket badged.

I used to use Zeiss Umbral in my flying days but, at the rate I can destroy glasses on the boat, I'll stick with cheapos. Have tried the neck strap and found those worse, dangling glasses hooked over winches etc.

 

[noelex]

Not convinced about the argument. Looking through any dark lens/window/whatever will casue the eye to open up more. It's the UV screen which matters most.

Sunglasses are an everyday event here, not seen rain for a couple of months. Talking to my optician, she was of the opinion that many so called designer glasses are cheaply made in China and then upmarket badged.

I used to use Zeiss Umbral in my flying days but, at the rate I can destroy glasses on the boat, I'll stick with cheapos. Have tried the neck strap and found those worse, dangling glasses hooked over winches etc.

UV protection is very important for eye health. The argument about the pupil dilating is that the eye could get more UV putting on the sunglasses than it would without wearing any lenses at all. In practice this is rare, but lenses can be designed with a 100% UV protection so why not take advantage of this. Mnany sunglasses do not have anything near this level of protection despite what the label proclaims.

The difficulty is sorting the good from the bad.

 

[GrahamM376]

The difficulty is sorting the good from the bad.

No argument there but unfortunately higher price or name doesn't necessarily mean better quality UV protection. All we have is the sales pitch on the packet.

 

[Modulation]

Polarised every time, no contest.

All you have to do is get a pair to suit your vanity?

+1. If they're not polarised you'll suffer a glare problem even on dullish days. And if you wear glassess for reading or distance it's worth getting prescription polaroids. Specsavers 2 for 1 deal make it reasonable. Means I can look at my instruments - esp chartplotter - and see what's happening.