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Prescription polarized sunglasses for fishing

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Wojtek

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Guys:

 

Can you share some experiences with your PRESCRIPTION sunglasses for fishing? Which brand has best optics, best polarization (getting rid of the reflections off the water), etc? I am only interested in brands that are available in prescription strength. And I am not too keen on polarized clip-ons etc.

 

Any suggestions are appreciated. I tried fishing with polarized Serengeti's (Drivers Lens with polarization), but I'll be damned if they remove reflections.

 

Thanks

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I have used Ray Ban and Spotters. MY Ray Ban's lasted for about three years. They worked well and served the purpose at an affordable cost. The Spotters were awsome! They cost me a pretty penny though. Spotters are actually made exclusively for fishing. They have a large variety of frame style and lenses for all kinds of weather and water conditions. Prescription shades are pretty expensive. I would really shop around before making a purchase. Just recently I got contacts. The best part about contacts is I can buy a pair a sunglasses right off the shelf. It's way cheaper if you get contacts, plus you don't have to worry about the salt drying up on the glasses and foggy lenses, etc.

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Costa del Mar has a prescription service, but you have to call the company. A fair amount of their frames will accommodate prescription lenses, but keep in mind that you DO NOT want frames that require a lens with much of a curve. The curve distorts the prescription.

 

I currently wear their FISCH frames with a progressive bifocal prescription that they had done by a lab they work with. The lenses then receive all the same treatments they do to the rest of the line. They are excellent glasses.

 

By the way, I just read that they are offering their new 508 series lenses in prescription. They are hot stuff.

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This is really an issue of how much you're willing to spend. The best lenses, the ones that reduce glare the most, are exorbitantly expensive. You can easily spend $400-$500, or more, for Rx shades from a brand using the best lens materials.

 

How much you're on the water will affect your budget - if you spend a lot of time on the water (or even a moderate amount of time on the water), it's really worth it to make sure you get a good pair of polarized sunglasses. They really save a lot of strain on your eyes, and this makes them a good investment. Anyone who's ever had a headache after spending a long day in bright sun while wearing lousy sunglasses knows that good shades are not just a fashion statement.

 

For the past few years, I've been using a pair of Ray Bans that cost, if memory serves, around $225 (it's a sad state of affairs when shades that are over $200 are budget models). They're pretty good, but they're not as good as the top-of-the-line models.

 

If you have the jack, I would suggest taking a look at Spotters Shades. At $375 or so, they're actually not all that expensive as some of the other brands like Costa Del Mar and Maui Jim. And they're at least as good - I don't have an Rx model, but the Spotters Shades that I tried once were the best sunglasses I've ever seen, especially in high-brightness conditions like fishing. If you can spare the money, these should work well for you for many years. I wanna get a pair when I've saved up enough loot.

Terri Mae does not approve this message, but screw him.

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One thing I'll add: I've become a relatively recent convert to the el-cheapo online glasses sellers. Places like Zenni Optical, Optical4less, and 39 Dollar Glasses will, if you have a pretty simple prescription, sell you pretty good eyeglasses for $20 or $30. I got about six pairs of these, for less than what I would have paid for one pair at a bricks-and-mortar store, and I can't tell the difference - the cheap glasses seem to me to be just as good as the ones I've spent $200 on in the past.

 

But while these el-cheapo places are great for regular glasses, the two pairs of Rx sunglasses I've ordered from them are both terrible. There might be a good place to get budget Rx sunglasses online, but if there is, I haven't seen it.

Terri Mae does not approve this message, but screw him.

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I have Ray Bans and have no problem detecting a fin barely breaking the surface. I would recommend them with the correct perscription. Years ago I had a pair of Bosch & Lombs that were actual dark green perscription glass ground to my corrected eyesight , but fear they don't do this any more. THEY WERE GREAT !

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View PostPrescription + polarization =$$$$$$.

 

I have an older pair from Action Optics that have lasted for years. No visible scratches, despite many days on the beach. Luckily for me, my prescription hasn't changed, so I haven't had to replace mine biggrin.gif.

 

Your right. Normally it's expensive for prescription polarized glasses. Examination, choice of frame, and yes polarized lenses for $140. That was at BJs. Worn the entire season and put through some tough stuff.

Nuff Said. Let's go Fishin' MSA 1764
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One way to go would be to put new rx lenses into a frame that you already have. I worked as an optician all my life and I can tell you all lenses are not created equal. Beware the lowest priced places, they don't use the best products. The best lens for our fishy purposes would be trivex (^$) or polycarbonate (less$) for impact resistance. Add a glare free coating and you essentially have what all the high end sunglasses offer minus the marketing hoopla. Avoid glass lenses. They break much more easily even though they are tempered. The top quality glare free coatings come with a 2 year mfg warranty and are very durable.

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