Sunglasses

[Majik]

I think I might get a pair of sunglasses for Christmas. I cant really think of anything else I need or want. Do you guys have any preferences, or recommendations for lenses, frames anything like that?

[altiain]

Revo makes some very nice sunglasses. I bought a new pair back in September and retired my old ones to mountian biking duty. Revo have recently released a bunch of new frameless styles where the nose and ear pieces bolt directly to the frame. This makes 'em really light and comfortable.

Oh, go for the polarized lenses. Makes driving when the sun is in your eyes a whole lot easier. :cool:

[blackzx3_13]

Cheapos from Target is all I wear. I break too may to pay any more than $10.

[Dave04]

I personally have the Maui Jim's... the Mauna Loa... really nice glass lenses....



Here's the LINK

[tailchaser]

I personally have the Maui Jim's... the Mauna Loa... really nice glass lenses....



Here's the LINK

Wanna try and save your "cheap bastard" status and explain how you got those?

[Billy Blaze]

Just some suggestions...
Revo's are nice and so are Maui Jim's....whatever you get I would recomend a glass polorized lens with a backside Anti Reflective coating.
Stay away from Polycarbonate, they have a lot of distortion in the lenses.

Marchon makes some sunglasses that are polycarb but the distortion is far less than a lot of others out there, I have a pair that are wrap around style and they work great in the convertible and offer protection against flying debris.

The AR coating is important to reduce reflections in the back of the lens, the polorization blocks glare from above and below.
Also whichever you choose make sure to clean them wet and dry them with a soft cotton cloth or microfiber cloth, paper towels and such will scratch.
Also make sure you know what the warranty is.

Hope this helps, happy hunting.

[icepenguin66]

There are some cool sunglasses my friend got for riding his bike. I'll have to give him a call cause I can't remember the name. They are pretty nice and have little foam padding around the eyes to keep dirt/wind from getting in and they also make clear lenses for night time. The clear ones are on my Christmas list! No more windburn at night eh!

[black roadster]

Wanna try and save your "cheap bastard" status and explain how you got those?

He lost that with the purchase of his StooK.

As for recommendations, I was in the sunglasses biz back in the early 90s. I'm sure it has changed some but this is how it was about 12 years ago.

When choosing sunglasses, it depends on what you will use the sunglasses for. Much like bicycles, there are different ones for different purposes and no one pair does everything the best.

For driving and non-sport use, Revo was THE best lens available. They are different than all others because most sunglasses just block light. Revos filter the bad light out that causes you to squint and lets the good light in that allows you to see. The result is a lense that will never have you squinting, regardless of how bright the sun is and still allow you to see indoors or low light conditions like overcast days.

Interesting fact. Revos technology is the same used on the Astronaughts gold visor in outerspace where there is no atmosphere to block the sun's harmful rays.

Second to them was Serengetti. This used a photochromatic lense that darkened or lightened depending on the light. I never felt they got dark enough for my preference though.

Now for sports, Oakley was the best. Lightweight and they stuck to your face like glue. The also have nearly unbreakable lenses but they are not nearly as scratch resistant as Revo's glass lens so be careful to use a case and clean them with a proper lens cloth and cleaner spray.

For snow skiing, you're best to get a mirrored lens with a rose or amber tint. Polarized is bad for snow skiing because it blocks the glare of ice. Not knowing where the ice is while skiing can be very, very bad!

For fishing or water activities, polarized is a must. It eliminates glare and for fishing allows you to see into the water but it can also cause you to see dark spots in car windows.

Avoid any lens that distorts colors, like Blue Blockers. They can cause headaches and distorting colors is not natural for the eye. You're high end brands will not distort color.

Fashion sunglasses usually have a less expensive and lighter weight plastic lens. They're good but you are definitely paying for the fashion and not the lens technology.

As for cheapies, you get what you pay for and what you get is a cheap, frame that doesn't hold it's shape and can cause discomfort and lenses that are not optically clear which can cause eye strain. However It seems some cheapies have gotten much better in quality lately.

Quality sunglasses will start aroun $50 and can go into the $300 range. Definitely not CB but you do get what you pay for.

[smartmx5]

Polarized....

[Dave04]

Wanna try and save your "cheap bastard" status and explain how you got those?

Yeah... my CB status is blown... but for the record, I won them for winning a horse show this past summer.

I would put the Maui Jim lenses up with the Revos... they are quite nice.

[Majik]

Thanks for the input so far. If anyone else has any lets have it. Ill let you guys know what I get, and Ill be sure to have some sechsy pix.

[ccage]

Avoid high-dollar sunglasses like the plague. You'll end up scratching/losing them so fast your head will spin. Then you're back to square one, but poorer.

Besides that, glasses that aren't UV protected will destroy your eyes by opening them further to the UV. But then again even the $10 glasses are UV these days.

C

[Jiggerachi]

Cheapos from Target is all I wear. I break too may to pay any more than $10.

Target cheapos for me as well. I always buy the same aviator style, ive gone through 4 of them this year, & will be heading back to Target this weekend.

Having dogs does not help this situation.

[jolberry]

Having dogs does not help this situation.

Your dogs wear sun glasses?

[Mathews2004]

Another vote for Maui Jims.

[rx7gslse]

I just got anotehr pair of Oakley polarized half-jackets... I loved my last ones until they got stolen.. (eh, they'd made it 3 years..)

Sprung for the polarized thsi time.. I love 'em. I also have a couple sets of different lenses for them for riding etc.

[IPRESS]

I just got anotehr pair of Oakley polarized half-jackets... I loved my last ones until they got stolen.. (eh, they'd made it 3 years..)

Sprung for the polarized thsi time.. I love 'em. I also have a couple sets of different lenses for them for riding etc.

We sell Oakleys over here at the golf shop, go big time with the Oakleys that have a Bluetooth with them.

[altiain]

For driving and non-sport use, Revo was THE best lens available. They are different than all others because most sunglasses just block light. Revos filter the bad light out that causes you to squint and lets the good light in that allows you to see. The result is a lense that will never have you squinting, regardless of how bright the sun is and still allow you to see indoors or low light conditions like overcast days.

Well put. My eyes are particularly light sensitive, so I tend to wear sunglasses outside during the day, whether it is sunny or not. I've been a big fan of Revos (worn them for the last decade), primarily because they work well on days when it isn't sunny as well. In fact, one of the places I find them to work really well is during daytime driving in rainy conditions - they just seem to sharpen the contrast to the point that it is much easier to distinguish objects on the road in all of the spray.

[altiain]

Avoid high-dollar sunglasses like the plague. You'll end up scratching/losing them so fast your head will spin. Then you're back to square one, but poorer.

I guess that depends on how well you take care of your stuff.

I typically replace sunglasses every four to five years, and then usually only because I want to update styles. For instance, the pair I just replaced are almost five years old, and they still work fine - I've retired them to mountain biking use.

Then again, sunglasses are more than just a fashion accessory to me - on a bright, sunny day I literally can't be outside for more than a few minutes without them without developing powerful headaches. Therefore, I tend to go the extra length to take good care of my sunglasses.

[Jiggerachi]

Your dogs wear sun glasses?

Knowing my wife...its only a matter of time