Sunglasses

What sunglasses are people wearing when out on their skis? 

My current Bolle polarized safety glasses have taken a few too many scratches so am looking to see what others use paddling. 

I like the Liberty Sport Hydro glasses I go to at my eye doctor, partly because they could put a prescription lenses in them.  They have a nice strap which helps them float but a simple band would also work.  I do need to replace the nosepiece and the metal parts in the strap rust, so I should look at a different strap.  

I also use a pair of Rec Specs, which I got for soccer which I got with a lighter tint,

--- Andrew

My favorite in this high-altitude environment is Oakley black Iridium lenses—polarized if I am on the water and nonpolarized if on land. Most of the time, I end up using standard gray nonpolarized sunglasses because black Iridium nonpolarized seems to not be available anymore, and I don’t like how broken glass was not noticeable when wering polarized sunglasses (OK for paddling and hiking, not OK for cycling, as I found out the hard way).

Regardless of what lens, I always wear a visor, too.

I prefer non polarized for paddling as well, especially when surfing bumps.  You can see the water texture much better with the non polarized.   As with not being able to see broken glass, you can't see the nuances on the surface of water while wearing polarized shades.

www.mauijim.com/US/en_US/shop/sunglasses...2-35UTD#lens-details

That link may be for the gray lens, but everyone here uses the HCL bronze, with rubber frames.  

All the top paddlers here wear these, so I got some too.  Lifetime guarantee on frames.  Last time I had a lens replaced due to a small scratch, they gave me a new new pair and charged me $60.  I get a new lens about once a year due to being clumsy and scratching a lens.  The optics are second to none.  Glass is the way to go IMHO.  Replacement lenses are $60, takes about 30 min. 
 
Eye protection downwinding is mandatory  IMO.  I've been hit with so many fish I've lost count.  One hit me on the temple so hard it made my ear ring for about an hour.  I had a crocodile fish go thu my outrigger, snapping his bill off.  He left his snout behind as a reminder that it's a jungle out there.  A fisherman on Oahu got one in the eye and it killed him.  A windsurfer here on Mauii got one in the leg and he almost lost the leg.  

Yes, they are expensive.  But my eyes are kinda valuable too.  Good lenses are spendy for a reason.  These coatings are unparalleled for UV protection and glare reduction.  Glare is really bad here on the north shore late in the afternoon.   

I paddle top dollar skis but my glasses come from the gas station for $9.99. When it is really bright out it is a lot nicer paddling with than without them. I agree polarized is the opposite of what you want. Downwind you want to see the shape of the surface of the water, not the schools of fish under the water. I once did buy a pair of spendy glasses. They were nice. But they fell in the water  and sank on their first paddle and I have had no desire at all to buy another pair. Better optics are nice, but on a downwind it seems  that the amount of water droplets and salt on the lenses are the limiting factor. 

I like polarized on flat water as it's easier to see submerged stumps and underwater obstructions.  Not good for looking at LCD screens though.

Of course a $10 strap is a good investment. I've had the same pair for the last 15 years.

Does an LCD screen look weird in the same way that new snow looks through polarized lenses? Makes me dizzy enough I don’t wear them when there’s snow and bright sun.

I used polarized black Iridium sunglasses on a 9-day kayak camping trip in supersunny UT and WY and liked that my eyes didn’t get tired. And they ARE great for seeing fish and other objects underwater. But normally I use the cheaper regular gray nonpolarized sunglasses on and off the water—Tifosi, because they fit small faces well.

Tifosi also costs less than Oakley, a plus given that I, too, seem to get scratches on the glasses way too often. But they don’t make the lenses for screening out a higher percentage of UV rays, which the black Iridium allegedly does.

 BTW, I read that the color of lens does not indicate how well it filters out rays. Coating on the lenses does this job.

zachhandler wrote: I paddle top dollar skis but my glasses come from the gas station for $9.99. When it is really bright out it is a lot nicer paddling with than without them. I agree polarized is the opposite of what you want. Downwind you want to see the shape of the surface of the water, not the schools of fish under the water. I once did buy a pair of spendy glasses. They were nice. But they fell in the water  and sank on their first paddle and I have had no desire at all to buy another pair. Better optics are nice, but on a downwind it seems  that the amount of water droplets and salt on the lenses are the limiting factor. 

I had never really thought about Polarized affecting reading the waves, I have used Polarized glasses for years on and off the water and they are great for cutting down the glare, but they do reduce how much of the water surface you can read! 

A good point on the cheaper pairs, though I think it is still important that they meet a national standard (Which servo glasses generally do). My Father spent a day at the cricket when he was younger with very cheap dark glasses and ended up with the dry scratchy eyes you normally attribute to arc eye! 

I'm with Zach on this one.  I have had a few cheap pairs that were $25.  One was called Rivbo I got off amazon.  The main problem I had was the blue iridium coating didn't like being wet and sweaty and would eventually wear off.  Guess I could just try and regular grey pair.  I like how the iridium coating brightens things up.

Next pair will be gas station.

Since I lose about 4-5 pairs a season, I stock up on cheapies from a dollar store. Some of them are pretty ok depending on the shade and fit. When I see something like that I buy a bunch.

These are my go to and have been for several years -
www.amazon.com/3M-Outdoor-Safety-Eyewear...1_t2_B0114D8GL6?th=1

Cant beat 4 pack for $10, they're comfortable (even when wearing headphones or a hat), they're durable, and fit tightly to my head (so no sun comes between my forehead and glasses, a pet peeve of mine). and at $2.50 each when they fall in the water its not painful (other than a little plastic pollution. sorry ocean, I pick up lots of trash to make up for the occasional lost glasses)

In fact I need a new pack right now, thanks for the reminder!

These guys make great sunglasses including pairs which float. Excellent service, fast delivery and well priced. V similar to Oakleys. See:  barzoptics.com/  Depending on yr geolocation - prices may be in AUD$. Great value at present if byuying from US etc (where they are made). Also an excellent array of accessories - retainers etc. Great prescription lenses also if needed. Polarized or non.