Sunglasses - recommendations

[denmis]

I'm with you, Xfaxman, as I have several pairs. Usually get them at Amazon, but without them, I can't see much up close. I wear clear ones everyday for four reasons: (1) keep the UV rays out of my eyes, (2) allow me to see what I'm doing, (3) protect my eyes from any number of issues, and (4) keeps the dadgum Mississippi gnats out of my eyes. I use similar sunglasses, from Amazon, when driving so I can see who's calling my phone. Decent bifocal polarized sunglasses from Amazon are about $35, and they look similar to Maui Jim.

 

[rt014]

I liked my Oakleys, but I was very disappointed the frames deteriorated after one day left in the car in the sun.

Yes, that is exactly what happened to a pair of my Oakley's. Not willing to spend that kind of money anymore on glasses made of those types of materials anymore. I have a lot of different safety and shooting glasses made of those materials, but they are cheap and disposable. The hard plastics like Ray Ban Wayfarers are made of stand up well to the heat, but not sitting on them

Thanks for all the replies on this topic!

 

[Wagtail]

Hey Wag... I almost made down your way. Would have tracked you down too! Was working at the Avalon Airshow all week near Geelong. My sunnies did come in handy. Tried to talk the wife into venturing further south but we compromised and are headed to Noosa Beach in Queensland. Next time!

Fair dinkum! Oh well, perhaps after the next Avalon Airshow in 2 years time.

I understand your going to (bloody) Queensland, though... It's the end of your Winter and the opportunity to enjoy a bit of warmth & sunshine would be irresistible.

 

[JRobyn]

I have a couple of pairs of Ray-Ban that I really like. "Brown 3" is what I think they call my favorite lenses. Regular "G3" green-gray are good also. I was recently surprised (a LOT) by some polarized aviator-style sunglasses from Costco. About $30. I think I like them better than my Ray-Bans. They change the style slightly every year or two, but the lenses (polycarbonate) are the same.

 

[kevinwak]

I wear Oakley gas cans. With the black polarized lenses. They last for years and take tons of abuse. My eyes are the first part of my body to get a sunburn if they aren't hiding behind good lenses. The quality is just not the same on the $5 pair from the gas station.
The two pairs I have have been with me since 2010, I think $250 over seven years isn't very expensive. One of them even spent ten days at the bottom of the lake, before I finally found them again.

 

[brown40]

I never have had but prescription cheapo shades thanks to the vision, but picked up some Honeywell UVA/UVB/UVC safety glasses for work... long story short, for the first time it felt like my eyes could actually "relax", even in indirect light.
The ones I got were tinted yellow to stay as bright as possible.
Using them, I do think there's something to getting the full UV coverage for sun- and tinted safety glasses.
My old prescription shades take the brightness out, but something extra gets blocked by the more transparent Honeywells that is a step up in eye comfort (protection?). Usually A and B are the concerns, but something about the UV-C wavelength seems to irritate me. I wasn't even aware UVC existed...
Oh they were 10's of dollars, ugly and uncomfortable on the face over prescription glasses, but effective safety glasses and UV blockers. Not "sunglasses".

 

[TheMan419]

I have prescription ones. Must have polarized and UVA/b/c/d etc protection. The polarized makes things a lot clearer.

 

[forgeblast]

I love my natives. They are a great pair of glasses, you can find them on the clymb (dot com) discounted at times. Gander Mountain also carries them.

 

[sld]

Another Rayban fan here. I have had several over the years.

Some of the best ones I have had were Costa Del Mars. They are great but the glass lenses are heavy and they become uncomfortable after wearing for a few hours.

Always get polarized too since I love to fish.

 

[deezler]

Since no one has mentioned them yet I'll throw in "peppers" brand sunglasses. Can usually get a nice durable pair of polarized sunglasses for $30-40 on amazon or in REI, etc.

 

[dmccarty]

I now buy my sun glasses at Lowes from the safety glass section. :shocked: Seem pretty cheap, yet have UV and general eye protection in various colors and such. Styl'n I am! :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[topbuilder]

I like the reader type as well. Pretty hard on them, chips hitting them all the time while grinding. Lose them... I buy the clear and colored a dozen at a time.

Rugged Blue Reader Safety Glasses

 

[dragoneggs]

Absolutely love the Maui Jim's with glass lens and bronze color. Make nature's colors pop especially the reds.

 

[tjkubota93]

Oakley 5's squared. $80 + a lot more for prescription lenses. Had them almost 10 years now.

 

[scdeerslayer]

Whatever you get make sure they're polarized. I'm partial to Costa Del Mar, but I sold them for over 2 years. I have 3 pair, and it's tough for me to wear cheap sunglasses now. I think they used to be the only one of the more expensive brands that only made polarized lenses, but I don't know if that's the same thing now.

 

[PJSprog]

I usually just buy the cheapie aviator style sunglasses available at Walmart/Walgreen's/gas stations/wherever. When I used to travel a lot for work, I would almost always forget to take sunglasses with me ... just didn't think to grab them out of my car when arriving at the airport at 0dark:30. Get to my destination, and squint getting off the plane. First stop with the rental car was nearest gas station or drug store to pick up cheap sunglasses (try getting that ZZ Top song out of your head now!). I had quite a collection of them from California, Montana, Utah, Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey. :confused2: Most of them would end up collecting in my vehicle or motorcycle trunk as spares. Those aviator style are also the most comfortable under a motorcycle helmet, at least to me anyway. I still keep a pair in both my car and my bike.

Around the house, though, I've been using the Allen shooting glasses from MidwayUSA. Had the same set for the last five or six years, and use them for shooting and working around the property. The rubber is just now starting to tear on the frames over the ears, so I'll replace them with the same.