Best sunglasses?

C

clipiteer

Joined
May 29, 2001
Messages
85
Well, my eyes seem to be getting tired of wearing the dollar general crap so I've decided to go ahead and get a good pair of high end sunglasses that are going to last me for a while.

I've been mainly looking at the Oakleys since I didn't know where to start, but for what they're asking (X metals go up to $350 !) I should at least get a lifetime warranty instead of a one year one. I don't know if I want to pay that much and not have the company stand behind their product.

Other than that, I really liked most of the X metals, although the only ones I had a chance to try on were the Juliets (way too small). The straight jackets were a good fit but anything plastic that costs that much just seems to feel cheap. I was considering the monster dogs as well, because at least by Oakley's standards, I seem to have a big head. And since I'm planning on having these for a while, I want to make sure they will fit in the future (I'm only 15, but 6'1" 215 so I guess I have a big head; and I don't want to out grow them)

Also I'm not sure what kind of lenses I want/need, the blue iridiums for the oakleys seem to provide what I'm looking for. But is there any other company out there that can deliver the same Oakley quality with a better warranty? (price doesn't really matter as long as they will last)


Oh, I guess I better include what they'll need to do :)
Mainly general purpose in medium to bright light, they'll need to fit comfortably and last a long time as well as look well and have that "precision feel" to them, be made in a decent country like the US or Germany or something and not assembled by small children/monkeys in Taiwan, come with a good warranty, block the most UV rays possible, and allow good visibility while still blocking enough light.

Thanks for any help.
 
I bought a pair of Oakley's earlier this year. I have been very happy with them so far, and would recommend them. The ones I bought were the Minute, in black iridium non polarized. They cost me about $100 from a local sunglass shop. Worth every penny to me, my cheap glasses would give me a headache when worn for a long period of time. I have no such problems with the Oakley's.

The only change I would make is getting the polarized version, but that adds another $100 to the price, and I just can't afford that. I would say decide how much you want to spend, then go check out the models that appeal to you. I don't think a pair of Oakley's will dissapoint you.
 
Oakley's all the way. You can get plenty of good pairs (i.e. A and E wires) for about $150 or less.
 
Polarizing only allows light to get through the lens in one direction. It makes it easier to see down into water, that is the main advantage. It can also have some effect on the way colors appear, but I don't think this is an issue with sunglasses. Is it worth the extra money? I guess it depends on how you will use the glasses. I think the only way to tell for sure is if you try out both polarized and unpolarized to see. If I had the money I would get the polarized, but that's just my opinion. For most things the non-polarized should be just as good as far as I know.
 
If the Juliets were too small, try the X-Metal XX sunglasses (not to be confused with the plastic framed Twentys, which Oakley sometimes refers to as XX also...:confused: ). They are a larger version of the Juliets. The only downside to them versus the Juliets is that they are not available in nearly as many lens/frame combinations - a quick check of Oakley's website shows 11 Juliets and 4 XXs. You should be able to find them for around $200 on Ebay.

One word of caution from someone who's owned many Oakleys: if you get one of the cool colors (fire, ice, ruby, or any lens marked "iridium"), the coating is very delicate. Even a rough t-shirt may scratch the coating, so you have to be careful how you clean/handle the glasses.

Polarizing is the lens' ability to block stray light rays that enter the lens at a certain angle. It is used to block glare, and is good for fishing or driving or any other time glare may be a problem. Any decent sunglass/eyeglass store will have some kind of display that will demonstrate the value of polarizing. I personally don't like polarized lenses for general wear; reflective surfaces look odd at times and it's kind of bothersome. I only use them when I know for sure I'll need to minimize the effects of glare.

Hope this helps.
 
I did on my last sunglasses. I will never go without polarization. The only weird thing is they give some funny colors when looking through my motorcycle helmet visor.

Paul
 
As far as lens scratches go, anyone should learn early on never to use anything but microfiber clothes to clean any glass/plastic surfaces. Practice this and you will not worry about scratches from tshirts, kleenexes, etc.
 
I went with the Oakley X-Metal XX two summers ago and have been very happy with them ever since. You may want to do a search in eBay for them. I got two pairs for at least $100 less than retail. Granted, no warranty on non-dealer purchased Oakleys, but the X-Metal XXs are bombproof. They'll identify your remains by the shades you wore. :D
 
I will always swear by Gargoyles. I own a pair of what they now call the "classic" series. These are the full sized glasses that they became very well known for. If you ever watched Nascar, and have seen Dale Earnhardt, he always wore Gargoyles. They also have a "Classic 85" series, which is 85% the original size. For me the 85's are too small.
You may have to look around a bit as I've found Gargoyles are getting hard to find. They make a number of different series, so you can check out the others.
 
I wear Gargoyles G-Force Infernos. I got them for $43 from BJ's Wholesale. They list for $120. Best damn shades I ever had.
 
I've always wanted a pair of sexy specs, but couldn't justify the large expense of having prescription inserts fitted.

In police work, I have to be able to quickly take them off, so I didn't want to fool with two pairs all the time.

A fair compromise is the new magnetic clip-on jobs. These have polarized lenses, and two little magnets that match up solidly to matching magnets set in the frames of your regular glasses. Since they're made for the frames, they don't look any different than regular "aviator" style sunglasses.
 
Gargoyles classics. I've been wearing the same pair for close to 10 years. I liked them so much I bought a second pair for back up.

Paul
 
My favorite is Killer Loop, but I also have a pair of Oakley's (Green Iridium polarized) that are a close second.
 
I have two pairs of Oakleys that I wear for high impact adventuring. One is an old pair of Blades with yellow lenses for indoor shooting and the other is a modern pair of M frames for outdoor shooting and bicycling. Even without scratches, they don't compare to a good glass lens to me.

I like Revos but find them generally priced.

My favorite sunglasses are from Serengetti. Serengetti uses Corning precision ground glass and their glasses have fantastic optical quality. Once I started wearing their stuff for general walking around and driving, I can't suffer with anything else. Their lenses are Photoactive, which means that they darken and lighten subtly as the conditions merit. In real bright light, they darken up a bit, at dusk they lighten a bit. They have two basic lenses, the Driver lense which is copper colored, non mirrored and not to my liking as much. The Vermillion lense is my favorite. it is red in color which improves depth perception and contrast. The Vermillion lenses are also gradient lenses, which means that the tops and bottoms are darker than the center (at all times) to minimize the impact of the brightest light from the sun itself (top of lense)and reflections off of water or snow (bottom of lense). I've paid as much as $150.00 for Serengettis in the past, but have found that occasionally Big 5 Sporting goods will sometimes run them in a loss leader ad for $39.99. They might not be as cool looking as the Oakley X-metals, but they do have some pretty cool styles. I like wrap around designs myself.

PCnorton, be careful rising motorcycles with those Polarized lenses. They are great for fishing or other areas where you want to knock out the glare, but when riding motorcycles, they can mask the glare of an oil spot or some spilled coolant on the road that you would have seen with non polarized glasses. I read in one of the bike mags some years ago about a couple nast accidents caused by this odd side effect of Polarized lenses.

Just my two cents.

jmx
 
I have been happy with my Costa Del Mar sunglasses. Lifetime warranty when I bought them, have not looked lately. Had mine carefully tucked in a diaper bag pocket, with a lanyard. One of my children, this has been several years, managed to get a hold of the lanyard and pulled until she managed to get them out, seperating the earpiece from the rest of the remains. They were replaced under warranty. So a warranty does matter. They are polarized, which I definitedly prefer. Different purpose colors are available.

Oakley's I am bothered by the warranty, esp. since I heard of some failures with the non-wire models. (I saw the comment in this thread about one model that is tough.)

I saw a pair of titanium framed, polarized Nikons, at www.sierratradingpost.com and got them. Very comfortable! [
My only regret, I went on a nature walk, with the canopy (leaves) it was dark, and I had left the hard case in the car. I wasn't expecting the density, and was afraid to just let them dangle--see story above re lanyards ;-) . Now I make sure I have someplace to carry the hard case or I do not take them. I want them to last! I could only get them b/c of the deal. Not sure what the warranty is, another reason for the hard case.

You might check out something like RayBan Aviators. Had a pair for a long time until taken out of a rental car. The reason I mention them though is that they come in different sizes and are generally available to try them on. You may find one of the sizes more appropriate for your head/face. The aforementioned Nikons were listed in a couple of sizes and I had trouble figuring out what they were talking about. Many specifications I was trying to figure out gave one measurement, but not another, etc. Say earpiece length, versus lens size.

Now to get around to getting my Serrengeti drivers fixed....

Lastly, my question!!! ;-) I saw an advertisement in a magazine for reading glass lenses that stick to the back of your sunglasses. (like the vinyl, or whatever, labels that stick to smooth surfaces without damaging them when removed.) Does anyone know where to get these? How well they work, etc.? Reading glasses in the sun don't work too well and with sunglasses I cannot read. I have seen tinted reading glasses, but there was not one specification as to the sun protection, so I passed on them until I find out. Besides, the stick on lenses sound like a great gadget, and a very portable spare pair of reading glasses. Thanks.
 
Good Evening All-

My preferred sunglasses have been Revo, Vuarnet, Gargoyles, and Oakley. The first two are glass the second two are polycarbonate.

That said, the glass lenses offer superior performance and clarity...no comparison...when stacked-up against other materials. They're a little heavier, but that is not too much of a penalty. They range from fairly conservative pilot models to extremely funky iridescent versions. These work best for hiking, skiing, driving, motorcycling, and general use.

The plastic/polycarbonate models are more appropriate in high-impact environments such as whitewater rafting, mountainbiking, waterskiing, shooting, beach volleyball, and running. They tend to be somewhat more sporty and less applicable to business/professional use...but are great in situations where you could get smacked in the face. They are also better where weight and/or bouncing can have a deleterious effect.

Polarized lenses generally tend to help outward vision but should NEVER be used on glasses you'll use for skiing or motorcycling. In these sports, it is critical to recognize reflected glare (e.g. ice vs. snow on the mountain or oil splattered in a roadway) to make sudden decisions.

The high-tech coatings that create this performance can be somewhat fragile. ALWAYS rinse the lenses with warm water before touching them. Paper towels can contain contaminants, so use a microfiber cloth or chamois to dry your lenses.

Enjoy,

~ Blue Jays ~
 
I can't believe nobody mentioned Ray Ban yet!
Almost all I've ever worn.
Their G-15 glass lens is absolutely the best lens for virtually everything. Plus, there is very little color shift when wearing them.
The other good thing about Ray Ban's glass lenses is that they are ground very precisely. No distortion at the edges.
Plus, they can do without the easily scratched coatings and get the same results.
Oakley's are OK, especially their frames which I think are slightly stronger than most Ray Ban frames, but I think Ray Ban's lenses are the cream of the crop.
And after all, isn't that the most important part of a pair of sunglasses?
Finally, most Ray Ban styles are less expensive than Oakleys.
Lenny
 
Oakley's.

SWMBO got me a pair of Cobalt/Red Iridium Jackets two years since.

Comfortable, excellent visually, can forget you're wearing them.
Look very odd {lots of people stare when you are beside 'em in traffic}.

Be careful with the lenses and you'll have no trouble.
 
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