Polarised sunglasses

Jonathan Williams · Mar 20, 2003

I need some new Polarised sunglasses and could do with some advice on which ones to get. The price seems to vary from ?10 to well over ?100. How much do you need to spend to get a good pair? Any recomendations and where to get them from would be very much appreciated.

Cheers

Jon

Geoff Cowen · Mar 20, 2003

My Shimano Nexave are very good and they only cost ?20.

Jonathan Williams · Mar 20, 2003

Geoff,

You can see into te water fine with them then? Its just that I read an article that said that the expensive ones really where alot better???

Cheers

Jon

Fred Bonney · Mar 20, 2003

Jon Check out Editorial- Reviews - Page 9
8th March 02

Richard Drayson · Mar 20, 2003

I've always used Optix Cormorants myself, they cost around ?40 I think.
I really would like to try out some from Optilabs though, they're supposed to be brilliant for fish spotting.

Alas, ?100 odd for a pair of shades, however good, is way beyond my pocket.

Jonathan Williams · Mar 20, 2003

Fred,

I just read the review, Thanks! have you any experience with OPtilabs glasses?

Richard,

Have you read the review Fred mentions? Is this where you have heard about them, or have you heard about them from somewher else?

Thanks guys for your help!!!

Cheers

Jon

Gerry Castles · Mar 20, 2003

Jonathan I'm on my second pair of Optilabs and doubtless I'll end up with more as time goes by. The orginal design was a little sloppy but the lenses were superb. The current wrap-around design are really slick, well thought out, extremely comfortable and after a year I've not broken them nor has anything fallen off, the inevitable fate of other glasses. If you wear prescription glasses then I can thoroughly recommend them. If you live within striking distance of Croydon then their showroom is worth a visit.

Jonathan Williams · Mar 20, 2003

Gerry,

I dont wear prescription glasses but do like the look of the lenses. I had a look at there website and it seems that you can supply your own frames which makes it ?30 cheaper. So the main question I have is are they worth the extra money, if so why?Any more info would be appreciated.

Cheers

jon

Tim Birch · Mar 20, 2003

I recently purchased a pair of unbranded polarised glasses from a tackle shop, and they seem fine. I tried out a few pairs always by looking out of a window and checking light reflections off passing cars and they all seem to be around the same filter level.
I know its not very scientific but I recon its the same sunlight thats reflecting off water so why not?
I searched the internet for quite a while trying to find information on varying degrees of polarisation in lenses but found nothing.
Fair enough, you can get polaroids that are full lenses polarisation and others which have a polarised film on the lenses. I can imagine the full glass versions possibly better, but I now don't believe there is any difference in a 10 pound (full) pair and a 90 pond ( full) pair.

Non of the manufacturers seem to be able to give a real reason why their glasses filter out horizontally reflected light any better than any other pair, no scientific pages refer to any varying degrees.
My conclusion from this is obviously if there was a difference it would be highlighted by suppliers.

Don't waste your money.

Tim Birch · Mar 20, 2003

Then again on a tackle tart note, I do like the olive green shimano specs with the little silver badge on the side.
Maybe if someone sends me some I'll shut up?

Gerry Castles · Mar 20, 2003

I have prescription lenses so it's an assumption that the lenses on the non prescription glasses are of an identical quality. If they are, then the quality is high, they don't suffer minor scratching so easily as others I have had. The wrap around design cuts all light coming from the side, important if like me you mostly use lure and fly and need to spot fish and need to shut out anything that disturbs concentration. I like the way the side pieces collapse along the arms and fold relatively flat,also the hard plastic/rubber frames have so far taken a fair amount of punishment. I believe these frames are also popular with skiers and sprint cyclists so I expect they are capable of taking a bit of a hammering.

Rodney Wrestt · Mar 20, 2003

Has anyone seen the picture which is placed on the racks of polerising glasses? it's a grey picture of a piece of water with a couple of black water plants drawn on, when you put on a pair of polerised glasses the picture shows a couple of fish beneeth the surface.....a good image I thought but is it very acurate?

Richard Drayson · Mar 20, 2003

Jonathan, I read the review on this website but have also seen the adverts in the angling press.

Fred Bonney · Mar 20, 2003

Jonathan,I'm on my second pair and like Gerry I swear by them.I treat mine rough and use them for driving as well.The only reason I really needed my second pair is because my eyesight changed,so I could have just got new lenses ,but they were getting a bit tatty round the ears,where I tend to chew my glasses when hook tying!
The frames and side peices are worth the expense,vitually unbrakeable.

Jonathan Williams · Mar 21, 2003

Thanks everyone for your help! I am still unsure whether I should get a more expensive pair or not.

Fred, Gerry - Would you say that they are better for actual fish spotting or just the build quality and scratch resistance is better? I would need non prescription so am unsure whether i would get the extra benefit they would offer.

Once again thanks for your help.

Cheers

Jon

Gerry Castles · Mar 21, 2003

I have no problems with their fish spotting capability except in very low light situations, but they all suffer that problem. Some lense coatings are more usable in very low light situations but suffer with the sun overhead. If I had pots of cash I'd buy a set of glasses for different light levels.

Simon Scott · Mar 26, 2003

Gerry, you echo a thought of mine. I have a pair of paranoid glasses, Shakespeare I think, with the flip-up lenses, and they're pretty useful. I'd like to know if it's possible to obtain clear or yellow-tinted lenses to improve fish-spotting in poorer light as regular dark tint lenses take away the glare, but also make everything too dark to be able to see anything worthwhile if it's overcast or if there is a lot of dark vegetation above the water. Does anybody know?

Jonathan Williams · Mar 26, 2003

Simon,

I have bought a pair now and they are good! They do them in yellow, I am planning on getting some. The URL is: -

http://www.tacklebargains.co.uk/cgi-bin/at.cgi?a=232715

I hope this helps.

Cheers

Jon

Gerry Castles · Mar 27, 2003

you can get yellow tinted glass Simon, not sure whether you can get them with prescription lenses.

GrahamM · Mar 27, 2003

Yes, you can get yellow tinted polarised glasses from Optilabs. Excellent for night driving as well.

Polarised sunglasses

New member

Geoff Cowen

Guest

New member

Fred Bonney

Guest

Richard Drayson

Guest

New member

Gerry Castles

Guest

New member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Gerry Castles

Guest

Rodney Wrestt

Guest

Richard Drayson

Guest

Fred Bonney

Guest

New member

Gerry Castles

Guest

Simon Scott

Guest

New member

Gerry Castles

Guest

Managing Editor