Fishing Glasses Question

[eastern fly 0]

Fishing glasses, I need to get a real pair instead of my old cheap WM pair. They will be used primarily for river wading. Any recommendations?

 

Kevin

[flytire 0]

i have costa fantail glasses

[rstaight 0]

I wear prescription. Just make sure they are polarized.

[mikechell 0]

Why? Glasses get scratched, knocked to the floor and lost overboard/in the current. Expensive or cheap, they're just as easy to damage or lose.

 

I've used the Strike Kings from WM for decades. I can replace them 5 times a year, if necessary, and still not spend as much as one pair of expensive glasses.

 

And it's a WHOLE LOT less painful when they do take a swim in deep/murky/swift or otherwise "lost-forever" water.

[heavynets 0]

Zenni Optical has light weight, no line, prescription, polarized sunglasses for less than $200.

[Bimini15 0]

Costco also has polarized sunglasses, prescription or not. They are reasonable compared to the big brands, but they are not fishing specific models.

[Kentuckysteve 0]

Why? Glasses get scratched, knocked to the floor and lost overboard/in the current. Expensive or cheap, they're just as easy to damage or lose.

 

I've used the Strike Kings from WM for decades. I can replace them 5 times a year, if necessary, and still not spend as much as one pair of expensive glasses.

 

And it's a WHOLE LOT less painful when they do take a swim in deep/murky/swift or otherwise "lost-forever" water.

 

Same glasses i buy for under $20.They work fine.They also have them with built in magnifiers in the bottom of the lens for people like me that have trouble tying the little flies on.

[Poopdeck 0]

Why? Glasses get scratched, knocked to the floor and lost overboard/in the current. Expensive or cheap, they're just as easy to damage or lose.

 

I've used the Strike Kings from WM for decades. I can replace them 5 times a year, if necessary, and still not spend as much as one pair of expensive glasses.

 

And it's a WHOLE LOT less painful when they do take a swim in deep/murky/swift or otherwise "lost-forever" water.

I have been wearing prescription glasses for 30 years. Had to step up to bifocals, I mean progressives, lately. They are glare proof impact resistant and scratch proof with over sized frames. They cost be around 400 bucks. My point is, I have never lost them, broke them, scratched them or otherwise damaged them while fishing. So if you get an expensive pair of regular sunglasses that have all the coatings they should last for years and years. Or maybe us guys that relie on glasses are more in tune to not messing them up

 

Whatever you get, cheapos or big money glasses, make sure they are full wrap arounds to cover all of your eyes from all directions otherwise it's pointless to have them at all.

[vicente 0]

Not fishing specific but, I wear sunclouds they are made by Smith and msrp is 50 you can find them for 35 or so online. It's the best deal on nice sunglasses I've found.

[Bryon Anderson 0]

I've recently started wearing prescription glasses, and so far my best "solution" has been Cocoons, which are polarized sunglasses that fit over my prescription glasses. They have sizes to fit comfortably over most eyeglass frames, and I've found the build quality to be quite good. They average around $50-60 per pair.

[mikechell 0]

 

Glasses get scratched, knocked to the floor and lost overboard/in the current. Expensive or cheap, they're just as easy to damage or lose.

 

Or maybe us guys that relie on glasses are more in tune to not messing them up

Only been wearing prescription glasses for about 10 years, bifocals for three. I guess I don't "rely" on mine, yet, because I can't keep the lenses "good" for more than a year or so. That's why the insurance allows for yearly lens replacements, maybe?

 

For those of us who don't have magical ways to keep glasses perfect, I still believe in "cheap and replace often" rather than "expensive and be very careful". But I am only talking about sunglasses, not prescription glasses.

 

If you have prescription sunglasses, then there's no such thing as cheap ... they're all on the "spendy" side of my budget.

[fishinguy 0]

Fishing glasses, I need to get a real pair instead of my old cheap WM pair. They will be used primarily for river wading. Any recommendations?

 

Kevin

maui Jims with the green tinted lenses are what were recommended to me by an employee of optometrists office. He said thats the best color for looking through water. I think he said maybe Oakley has a new color that is similar to compete? I've never paid more than 30 bucks for a pastor of glasses myself though. I'm too rough on them. I have flying fisherman brand that I like right now. Grey lens w blue mirror. Edit: I knew the guy personally who gave me the info on the lenses. And the place he works for does not sell either of the lenses he recommended.

[mikechell 0]

"... green tinted lenses are what were recommended to me by an employee of optometrists office. He said thats the best color for looking through water."

 

I'm thinking this guy doesn't actually spend much time on the water. While I'll admit, I've never worn green ... I have worn amber, gray, blue and yellow. This is just my opinion, but it's based on about 40 years [as an adult with some knowledge background].

 

1) Yellow was GREAT for low light conditions and okay for daylight, but you lose a little of the contrasting benefit of amber lenses. If I could get these in "Strike King" brand ... it's what I'd wear all day. Everything is brighter with yellow lenses, so they take some getting used to in full sun, but I still didn't feel any eye strain. The glare cutting made up for the bright images.

 

2) Gray sucked, in my opinion. I had grey lenses for less than a month, and had to get rid of them. They cut the glare, but I could hardly make out shapes under the water.

 

3) Blue lenses where much like the grey. The only thing I like more with the blue ... is that I like blue. The saying "looking at life through rose colored lenses" ... for me, blue lenses are calming. Nothing matters anymore ... it's heavenly ... like I'm floati !!! Sorry, drifted off there!

 

4) Of all the lens colors I've worn ... Amber takes the win! They enhance all colors, so spotting differences in the water is MUCH easier with amber lenses than any other color. They also seem to be the second best for low light (after the rarer yellow).

 

As stated, I've never seen green lenses ... but I'd think they'd fall into the grey/blue range and those were my least favorite colors.

[Saltybum 0]

There you have it.

I'll just add that I have several pairs and all have neck cords on them. They really help in preventing loss or damage to the lens due to dropping etc. Plastic lens are impact resistant and glass is scratch resistant and only slightly heavier.

[Fshflys 0]

 

I have been wearing prescription glasses for 30 years. Had to step up to bifocals, I mean progressives, lately. They are glare proof impact resistant and scratch proof with over sized frames. They cost be around 400 bucks. My point is, I have never lost them, broke them, scratched them or otherwise damaged them while fishing. So if you get an expensive pair of regular sunglasses that have all the coatings they should last for years and years. Or maybe us guys that relie on glasses are more in tune to not messing them up

 

Whatever you get, cheapos or big money glasses, make sure they are full wrap arounds to cover all of your eyes from all directions otherwise it's pointless to have them at all.

 

 

I too have been wearing protective lenses since the 70's when I spent every day at the beach & my eye got damaged from not wearing glasses. I bought a good pair of glasses and never seem to lose them. I have a Ray Ban frame that I've had for over 20 years, get the lenses swapped out every few years (prescription, polarized) use them every day. I got a pair of Costa with Amber lenses that I use for fishing only. I also use mono sunglass retainers.