Sunglasses

[LMTC]

For those of you who spend hours and hours in the sun, ummm, on your tractors of course, tell me about your sunglasses choices. Son will be in Wyoming for 6 weeks around 7,000 ft for a geology project. We have just about everything together but decent sunglasses. I realize I could just drop $150 and grab a pair or Raybans, but I'd like to get something protective but less costly if there is such a critter.

 

[ToadHill]

I find a wide brim hat works just as well for most situations.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evenin Wayne,
I have two pair of RayBans, that I have had for years ! I bought them when I started shooting skeet many years ago ! Not only are they UV protective but they can take a direct hit from a clay pigeon ! Dont ask me to tell you how I know !

There are sunglasses and then there are RayBans ! JMO of course !

BTW, my two pairs are green and amber for low light conditions.

 

[cup149]

Get a paper catalog from Hidalgos. It has a great section on what lens to select for your activity. Also has a good selection of sunglasses. Hidalgos

 

[RonMar]

After many many hours on watch at sea, Raybans are my preference for eye comfort in bright, glare ridden conditions. You only get one pare of eyes!


Your son's upcomming trip sounds like high desert? thin air, lots of UV and glare from light colored ground reflections... A good hat is great, but it won't protect you walking around looking at the bright ground all day...

 

[ray66v]

Serengeti Drivers. Nothing better. They have graduated lenses, (so when you down look at the dash it is not as dark). Photo chromatic lenses, (Darken in sun). And can be had, if you shop around, for about $100.

 

[Egon]

I'd look for dark polarized type. That is what my prescription bifocal sunglasses are.

But everyone has there own preferences.

 

[Soundguy]

I wear prescription lenses, and always opt to get the transition lenses.. cost more.. but work good.

Some places will let you also buy prescription sunglasses when you get your regular glasses there. For instance.. walmart will let you get a set of prescription sunglasses for 88$.. that ain't bad..

wearing a wide brim hat helps too.

soundguy

For those of you who spend hours and hours in the sun, ummm, on your tractors of course, tell me about your sunglasses choices. Son will be in Wyoming for 6 weeks around 7,000 ft for a geology project. We have just about everything together but decent sunglasses. I realize I could just drop $150 and grab a pair or Raybans, but I'd like to get something protective but less costly if there is such a critter.

 

[waynokakid]

Serengeti Drivers. Excellent choice. I've had three pair.

 

[pennwalk]

I have old Raybans and new Raybans and except for the dings in the lenses and the missing ear piece the old ones are a lot cleared. I heard a big Italian outfit bought Rayban so maybe that explains it unless I got taken and the new ones are counterfeit.

Chris

 

[reb]

I wear prescription lenses, and always opt to get the transition lenses.. cost more.. but work good.

Soundguy, do those transition lenses work as well when shaded as when the sunlight is directly on them? I notice that all the TV ads for Transitions Lenses show people without hats. Years ago I had a pair (I don't know what brand) that didn't darken significantly unless they were directly in the sun. I could shade 1/2 the lens and only the other half would darken. They weren't as useful as normal sunglasses when I wore a hat (which was nearly all the time outdoors).

 

[Soundguy]

On the transition, if you are in uv.. they will start to go.. if half the lense is shaded.. it will darken less. Even with a hat.. they do darken up.. though if in a car with uv resistant glass.. they don't darken up as much. i believe UV is the key.

Now.. that said.. i also have a pair of those 88$ ( amber or smoke lenses ) sunglesses from walmart that are my prescription.. so i can actually see clearly. No transition there.. just straight color.. i like the amber.. they cut glare 75%..

soundguy

 

[Z-Michigan]

Gargoyles are my #1 choice, high quality and not as pricey as many brands. I have worn those for driving, motorcycling, and flying (as pilot). I also have a pair of American Optical "original pilot" sunglasses and some LL Bean sunglasses that have served quite well, both get used all the time for driving. I personally prefer polarized lenses and tan vs. gray for driving, though gray is better for color accuracy.

But honestly, for outdoor work I usually wear $7.99 gray tinted safety glasses from one of the big box hardware stores. They are mostly/all marked as having 100% UV protection, which is important but also pretty much standard these days. As an added bonus, the safety glasses are highly impact resistant (that's the point) and also very cheap. I find their optical clarity pretty good; not as good as my Gargoyles, but up there with others I have. You could buy 3 pairs and have spent much less than any one pair of a high end brand. I sweat a lot working in the sun and I have no qualms about washing those with soap and water when they get icky. I can get a couple years out of a pair, which for $8 is to me a great deal.

 

[bigshovel]

Shooting sporting clays the past 10 years I found a pair of Rudy Project brand glasses to be my choice. Interchangeable lenses from clear to very dark and yellow, porple red, polarized brown and gray. I use them for everthing. The pair I have are the Kerosene Golf model.

Brad

 

[Soundguy]

Many times the big safety glasses will fit over regular glasses too.

soundguy

Gargoyles are my #1 choice, high quality and not as pricey as many brands. I have worn those for driving, motorcycling, and flying (as pilot). I also have a pair of American Optical "original pilot" sunglasses and some LL Bean sunglasses that have served quite well, both get used all the time for driving. I personally prefer polarized lenses and tan vs. gray for driving, though gray is better for color accuracy.

But honestly, for outdoor work I usually wear $7.99 gray tinted safety glasses from one of the big box hardware stores. They are mostly/all marked as having 100% UV protection, which is important but also pretty much standard these days. As an added bonus, the safety glasses are highly impact resistant (that's the point) and also very cheap. I find their optical clarity pretty good; not as good as my Gargoyles, but up there with others I have. You could buy 3 pairs and have spent much less than any one pair of a high end brand. I sweat a lot working in the sun and I have no qualms about washing those with soap and water when they get icky. I can get a couple years out of a pair, which for $8 is to me a great deal.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Smith and Wesson sunglasses from TSC work for me for driving and even for road cycling. For about $10.

 

[8561]

I would recommend you check out Smith sunglasses, specifically the Passage model. They are polarized and about the most comfortable glasses for all day I have ever worn. The nose pads are very comfortable, and are designed to slide less even when you sweat more. If he's going to be out in the sun all day, I think a $150 pair of glasses is well worth the money.

 

[smfcpacfp]

I wear sunglasses year around, especially in the winter.

The only kind I would buy anymore are Maui Jim's. They are a little pricey but very durable. The ones that I purchase are glass and polarized. I have a very dark pair, and a rose colored pair for night driving to cut down glare.

I prefer the rap around style to keep all stray light out.

 

[MarkV]

Six weeks in high country is going to be a lot of UV and very bright. I would consider glasses used by climbers with side shields for the extra protection. REI offers a number of models in varying price ranges.

MarkV

 

[N80]

I've worn nothing but Raybans since high school. Wore the aviators for a while but then got a pair of Wayfarers and their all I've worn in 20+ years. They are unarguably the 'coolest' and most classic sunglasses ever made. Ever.

They are, in fact, iconic for cool. Case in point:

They make cool people look really cool. Unfortunately, when you're a geeky kind of guy like me they do not instantly make you cooler. In fact, just the opposite is true. I'm certain they enhance geekiness in a geek in the same way they enhance coolness in the suave and deboniar.

But, they are light, they fit me well and its what I'm used to. They also cost $90 so you don't want to lose them.