Do you get what you pay for in polarized fishing glasses? Is a $50 pair really that much better than a $10 pair of glasses? If so, any favorites?

I just ordered a pair from Bass Pro for $18. They look like Oakleys. 99+% polarization. I can't believe they're much worse than the expensive ones.

Is a $20 dollar rod just as good as a $100 plus rod.
I don't think so , you get what you pay for these days.
God only gave us 2 eyes, don't you think you're worth the extra buck ?
You can always make more money , you can't buy a new set off eyes.
Your best bet is to go somewhere that has a nice selection and try a bunch on and see what you like the best . Make sure the glasses also have the correct uv blockers as well.



Mike K.

It's all fun and games till someone loses an eye.

Hiya,
More expensive glasses are DEFINITELY worth the money.

First of all, the optical quality is going to be vastly superior - you just plain see things (fish, structure, etc.) better. The optics will also be more durable. anti-glare coatings on a lot of cheap glasses are just dipped on rather than laminated in as part of the lens, and those dipped coating smudge and scratch, which distorts the image through the lens and really causes eye strain.

The other thing is UV protection. You'll see a lot of glasses that say 'blocks UV rays' but many of them don't block all ranges of UV. Most any pair of sunglasses will block UV-A rays, but many DON'T block UV-V or UV-C at all. UV-B and UV-C are the UVs that have been identified as causing long term eye damage due to prolonged exposure, plus they cause fatigue and headaches (eye strain) in the short term. Check to see if the glasses meet ANSI standards for UV protection.

I know the argument against getting expensive glasses is 'I'll just lose/drop/break them anyhow,' but when you drop $120 on a pair of shades, you'll become very good at keeping track of them, believe me. Besides, most expensive glasses do have good warranties.

Really, do your eyes a favor and get some good glasses. It's important.

RK

Ditto on most of the above info. If you wear dark lenses without good UV protection it will do more harm than good. Dark lenses allow your eyes to dialate and see more OR let in even more UV rays. If you want a really nice pair..go to your local eyeglass store and pick out a nice pair of frames designed for perscription glasses and have them make you an optically correct pair of lenses with or without a perscription and have them sent out for polarization.

I go through 1-2 pair a year because of scrathing or damage or losing them. I buy the 12.00 pair at Wallmart and I am very pleased. Walmart has a huge selection of plorized glasses, at lest in my part of WI.

Pete Maina in his book has some interesting thoughts on how to trigger following fish. One of the things he believes is that the longer a fish follows, the more difficult it is to get that fish to strike. Therefore, he thinks you need to be able to see a following fish as soon as possible. In the book, one of the first thing he talks about on triggering following fish is a good pair of sunglasses so you can see a following fish sooner. I wear prescription glasses, and have always used polarized clip-ons which cost about $30 or so, and I always thought those were pretty good. After trying on a pair of Maui Jims, I could definitely tell the difference between good sunglasses and my clip ons. This year, I will definitely be upgrading my shades.

Thanks for the info fellas. Looks like it's time for a new pair of glasses.
-Griff

I've never been able to find a good provider of prescription (trifocal) polarized glasses. I don't know if it's possible to do through the mail. If anyone has managed a successful purchase please let me know. I may have to break down and get some contacts and nonprescription shades.

MoMusky -- I'm with you. I have spent the better part of the winter trying to find a place to order good prescription sunglasses. My biggest problem is I wanted the kind that wrap around on the side to block out glare and light from the side. Nobody makes those with prescription lenses. The best place I have found that makes high end prescription sunglasses is Maui Jims. However, there are a few other high-end brands that make them. My local eye doctor sells Maui Jims, and they can usually get them within a week, but they sure aren't cheap. Because I like to hunt as well, I'm thinking about getting contacts and then buy a couple pair of good, non-prescription sunglasses, instead of blowing it all on one pair just for fishin.

Alot of the cost in sunglasses is branding. Cheap glasses will always be cheap glasses. The bass pro shops version are probably inferior glasses with plastic cheap lenses. They'll be OK, but not the easiest on your eyes. Your best bet is to find an expensive pair of glasses on sale or at discount. I see genuine BOLLE polarized glasses on ebay all the time for under $50.

Also, nashbar has NATIVE LOW RIDER polarized glasses on sale for $35. These are awsome glasses that are usually over $100. Their meant for cycling but are used by surfers and make great fishing glasses.