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| The author feels strongly that avid fishermen should own and use high quality sunglasses. Good glasses will last a lifetime with care and most manufacturers of high quality fishing glasses also offer service programs designed to keep their customers looking good on and off the water. |
Do you remember the song “Cheap Sunglasses” by ZZ Top? You bet
and back in the day looking cool only cost a few bucks at the discount store. A
lot has changed in the world of sunglasses, especially those designed for fishing.
You can still buy cheap sunglasses from the dollar store, but functional and
good looking fishing shades are going to set you back a bit more.
Sunglasses
designed for fishing have seen some amazing advancements over the years.
Remember those boxy shades that looked like safety goggles your grandpa wore
over top of his eye glasses. Are you old enough to remember flips and clip on
glasses and what a pain in the back side those turned out to be?
Modern fishing
sunglasses are not only good looking, they are more functional than the
predecessors our fathers and grand fathers wore. Picking functional fishing
glasses isn’t just about finding a pair with polarized lenses. The color of the
lenses and the material the lenses are made of both play a major role in how
sunglasses function.
POLYCARBONATE LENSES
Polycarbonate is
often confused with plastic, but these lenses are actually a much more impact
resistant material. Polycarbonate lenses are lightweight, they meet all impact
standards for safety glasses, they can be polarized, built to prescription Rx
standards and they come in a host of colors.
The biggest
knock against polycarbonate sunglasses is the lenses can be scratched if the
glasses are not taken care of. Setting the glasses down on the lens is a
“no-no” if you own polycarbonate shades. Also, when cleaning polycarbonate
glasses it’s important to use alcohol wipes designed for the purpose.
GLASS LENSES
Glass lenses are
heavier than polycarbonate but they are also more durable for the angler who wears
sunglasses day in and day out. Glass lenses are very difficult to scratch and
an excellent choice for anglers who need a Rx prescription glass. Glass lenses
are also polarized and come in a host of colors suitable for all fishing
situations.
A WORD ON SUNGLASS COLOR
The color of the
lenses in sunglasses is something not a lot of anglers completely understand.
In bright sun the best lens colors include blue mirror, green mirror and silver
mirror, which do a great job of eliminating glare and eye strain. On cloudy and
overcast days gray, copper, amber and
sunrise do a good job of controlling surface glare while providing more
contrast.
Avid anglers
usually opt for two pairs of sunglasses, one for bright light and one for
overcast conditions, to insure the best possible performance on the water.
SIZING SHADES
Believe it or
not most sunglass manufacturers not only produce a host of frame designs, the
majority produce three different frame sizes including a small, medium and
large option. This helps to insure that everyone can find a frame style they
like in a sunglass that fits their face properly.
Because
sunglasses come in so many different lens colors, frame colors, frame designs
and sizes, the only practical way to purchase sunglasses is by visiting an
authorized dealer and trying on a few pairs to be sure you’re investing in the
perfect sunglass.
SUNGLASSES WITH CHEATERS
Most
manufacturers of fishing glasses also produce models with “reader magnifiers”
at the bottom of the lenses. This allows the fisherman to enjoy his sunglasses
for normal wear and also to look down and use them for detailed work like tying
knots. It takes a little getting used to when wearing “cheater” style
sunglasses, but those of us who are getting older are used to adaptation.
SUNGLASS DO’S AND DON’TS
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| Wearing your sunglasses on the top of your cap is a problem waiting to happen. This stretches out the frames and over time causes them to lose the ability to hold firmly on your face. Most high quality glasses can be returned to the manufacturer to have the frames tightened. |
If you’re going
to fork out $150 to $300 for a pair of sunglasses it’s important to know how
best to take care of high quality shades. When not wearing the glasses keep
them in the hard case they came in. Use alcohol wipes designed for camera
lenses for cleaning high quality sunglasses. Most of the major brands of
sunglasses also sell cleaning kits designed to keep their glasses 100%
functional.
A neck strap may
look a little dorky, but hanging your glasses around your neck when not in use
is the best way to keep the glasses both handy and safe.
Putting your
glasses above the bill of your fishing cap is a bad idea for many reasons.
First off this stretches the frames and over time the frames will not fit your
face properly. That means the glasses will slide down your nose constantly and
will need to be returned to the manufacturer to have the frames tightened.
Also carrying
your shades on the top of your ball cap is asking to have those glasses slip
off and fall overboard. The next most likely way quality sunglasses get lost or
broken is by placing them in a front shirt pocket.
TRUSTED SUNGLASS BRANDS
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| Sunglasses are just as important to ice fishing as they are for open water fishing applications. |
A few years ago
only a handful of companies produced high quality sunglasses aimed at the
fishing market. Today that list includes a host of brands, but the dominate
forces are Costa DelMar, Oakley, Smith, Ray Ban, Native and Maui Jim. All of
these brands make serious sunglasses for the serious fisherman.
