After smashing my usual sunglasses last outing, I'm in the market for some new sunglasses. Normally I purchase cheap ones, but I was beginning to wonder if pricer ones might make a difference.

I looked at the "gear" thread a while back and people seemed to pick Harken sunglasses above others.

Does anyone have any preferences? Anyone check out http://www.sailorschoice.com/ullman/index.htm ? Seems pretty cool as some models have interchangeable lens, but they are very costly.

I would be looking to get something that would work on the water and off if I spend some serious cash.

Thanks!

I used to work for an independant sunglass retailer. Check out www.fowlerspharmacy.com David Maney runs the place and he'll ship anywhere. The pilots of Air Force One wear sunglass from him. He loves to tell that story. After lasik surgery I wear revos or costa del mars but most quality sunglasses will do the job. I think you should look at polarized lenses to help with glare. Other than that it's up to what you like and how they fit. I have a new pair of Harken sunglasses that don't fit me very well, if you like them I'll make you a good deal.

PS A trick to test if lenses are polarized. Look through the lens at a digital watch. if you rotate the watch to 90 degrees the the face will go blank. You can also look through two polarized lenses at the same time holding them up to the light, if you rotate them 90 degrees to each other you can't see through them

I wear Black Salty Dogs with a built in strap. I have never had them try to com off, and water just rolls off. I can't find them on the web, but my local Hobie dealer has them. Just check around. Water just rolls off and they are polarized.

Doug Snell

Performance Bike has a lot of single and multi lens sunglasses and they're always having sales. Prices run from cheap to SAY WHAT.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/category_helmets.cfm

All my 'good' sunnies are laying in Davy Jones' Locker along with two of my expensive Cassio watches. What I'm left with are $20 industrial safety glasses and a sun dial to time my starts.
They seem to work quite ok, and though I don't mind too much if I deep six 'em, the sun dial is a tad heavy. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I bought 20 pairs of $2 Oaklys when in China.
As they go over the side I laugh.

I just paid (2 days ago) $208 for a pair of Oakley polarized sunglasses. This is my third pair, and so far the cheapest. They hold up well, and my theory is the more expensive the better you will take care of them. My first pair was well over $300, I've had them six years and still love em.

Personally I would never use pricey sunglasses for sailing. I'd might as well just walk down to the river and throw them in. Our local Nordstroms has a cheap sunglasses table with most pairs polarized for around $12. I go through about three pairs a year and always have extra pairs in the glove box or sail bag. My pricey pair stays ashore. Ed

I've lost more than my share of expensive glasses over the side (and even shattered a lens on a $200 pair of Revos by dropping them in the parking lot), but I have to give props to the Kaenon Kores I've been using since 2003.

My first major event with them (2003 H-17 North Americans, Lake Carlyle), I was able to read the wind on the water better than I ever had before. You can get different lens colors and filtering levels (I use gray, 12% light transmission - which is almost too dark).

The lenses are polycarbonate, so they won't break.

I have not lost any sunglasses in a while but I have broken many.

I like Native, Oakley, and Maui Jim. Native will replace any lens for $35 no questions asked and Oakley will repair their frames for a reasonable fee. I have not had a Native frame break. Maui Jim's are just plain tough.

Michael,

I bought mine at my eyeglasses store (prescription lenses). OK, so over the years they've collected thousands of dollars from me for a family of five that wears glasses but they made sure the ear pieces were the proper length and adjusted them and the nose pieces so they fit like a glove. When I mangle them up they adjust to fit again for free. They ought to, I paid enough (Ray-Ban's), and spending five minutes with you every couple of months is nothing, hey that's what they do for a living.

Most shops carry all the major brands and a few dollars above internet prices has been worth it in the long run.

I wear Smith exclusively. Love their slider series glasses. Not as pricey as Oakley but every bit as good quality. Sliders offer polarized as well

I have used Dirty Dog Wet Glass for the past few years. They are polarized, have hyrophobic coating to shed water and have removable strap. Nornally, these go for about $60, but I recently found an ad over on Sailing Anarchy for a promo they were running...sign up with Dirty Dog to join their team and they will give you 1/2 price on all sunglasses....FOR LIFE! So, I got a new pair of Wet Glass sunglasses...plus they throw in a t-shirt or ball cap.


Mike.

Mike:

Do you have there link? I have some black ones and love them, but internet search didn't help me find them. I lost the past link. Put here or PM me. Met you once at HYC Turkey Day I think?

Doug

PM Sent.

I think we must have met during a T-boat US Nats at HYC two years ago. There was an overlapping open event that weekend. What boat did you have?

Mike:

The yearly Turkey Day Regatta overlapped with Tornado event.I wasn't sailing. I took pictures of your boat Sunday when they canceled do to the lack of wind. I was suppose to go out on a Stiletto 30. Thanks on the PM link and the email.

Doug

Kaenons for sailing and Costa del Mars for fishing. Natives are good all around also but not like the other 2.

What alternatives are out there for those of us who have to wear glasses?

I have been looking at disposable contact lenses and while distance vision is excellent anything within 4 feet or so is blurred so I tend to stick to an old pair of glasses with a pair of wraparound 'fitover' sunnies on top.

I wear disposables for sailing. Get bifocals. They take a little getting used to but short and long vision is great.

warbird,

Those WERE NOT Oakleys, only counterfits worth about $1!! LOL.

I wear yellow shooters glasses. Wally world for 8-10 dollars. UV filtering, many brands to choose from, light, great visibility, unbreakable plastic lenses, etc. Loose these, no big deal.

I used to wear Vaurnets- (sp?). expensive, glass lenses, coating would eventually wear off, etc.