Explain high end sunglasses to me

Grease

Grease

Joined
May 10, 2012
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What's the difference between a $15 pair of sunglasses and a $150 pair?

I'm talking functionally, like how much longer will a nice pair of shades go without getting scratched or broken?
 
I dunno about scratch resistance or invincibility, but I do know that optics require very exacting tolerances.

I've heard people say that cheap glasses/optics will give them a head-ache.

There's also interesting things like polarized lenses.
 
Grease said:
What's the difference between a $15 pair of sunglasses and a $150 pair?

I'm talking functionally, like how much longer will a nice pair of shades go without getting scratched or broken?
Click to expand...

I used to work in a motorcycle shop that sold Oakley's.., and didn't believe the hype either until I got my first pair. I wore them for a couple weeks, and didn't think much of 'em until I tried on my old pair. Now Oakley is the only brand of eyeglasses/sunglasses I'll wear. The optics are better, they fit better, last longer, and just plain look better IMO. Give 'em a shot, like most other things, you get what you pay for.
 
Go into a Sunglass Hut and try on some Revos or some Maui Jims. Their optics will actually things seem clearer by cutting down on glare. Oakley now owns Revo, if I'm not mistaken, so there's a lot of cross pollination of technology between the two.

High end sunglasses generally also have lenses with better scratch resistance, lighter frames, and better styling.
 
Same as everything else. The cheap stuff is fine and works, but the more premium brands -- provided they're not just 100-percent dishonest marketing a la Monster cables and accessories -- are more refined. Better ergos, better lens clarity, better lens coatings, polarization, better frame materials and hinge materials, higher abuse tolerances (sometimes), more substantial "feel." The list goes on.

As for the specific benefits you ask about, I'm not sure there is a huge difference in how fast a cheap pair will scratch against how fast a pricier pair will. Surely you will scratch up your cheaper shades faster (unless you're just massively unlucky and have an accident with your good pair), because you won't care about them and baby them as much. However, some higher end glasses have anti-scratch coatings, but even the Gorilla Glass on your smartphone will show scratches sooner or later.

That said, I wear my cheap drugstore shades a LOT more often than my good pair because I keep them in the car and don't care how they get banged around. I throw them around, get crud on them, and generally don't care what kinds of situations I use them in.

I still like these best:

RayBanWayfarer.jpg


But I wear a pair like these more often:

solarshield.jpg
 
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There can be a big difference in the UV protection. Believe it or not, cheap sunglasses sometimes advertise as %100 UV when they are not. Don't necessarily believe the sticker. Then there is the matter of which type of UV spectrum they protect against. Let's assume that you find a cheap pair that is actually %100 UV. That may only refer to UVA protection. Cheap sunglasses may offer only partial protection for UVB, and none for UVC. A high-quality pair of sunglasses will ensure high to maximum level protection against each type of UV radiation. Also consider than a bad pair of sunglasses is even more harmful to your sight than no sunglasses at all. That is because even cheap sunglasses will have tinted lenses, which will dilate your pupils, but will then allow even more damaging radiation into your eyes.

There are some good articles out there on how cheap sunglasses get away with certain claims and advertising, all the while being harmful to your eyes. As someone said, you get what you pay for. $15 is not enough to make a high quality pair of sunglasses. As has been said, optics will be much better on a high-quality pair, which also eases eye strain. And you can get polarization on some high-end models, which can come in handy if you drive alot or waterski, jetski, do stuff on water or on the road where there is alot of glare. Bottom line: You don't need to spend $300-$400 on a designer pair of high-end sunglasses, but I would expect to pay about $135 or so for a decent pair that will protect you fully and have decent optics.
 
Contrary to what hoxhunbe just wrote, the cheap crap is NOT ok. Cheap sunglasses do not block out UV rays. As a result, you put the glasses on because it is bright out. To compensate for the darkness, your pupils dilate and let in even more UV light than if you were not wearing the sunglasses in the first place. What's the big deal with UV rays? Well, besides causing skin cancer, as far as your eyes go, exposure to UVA and UVB radiation can cause cataracts, muscular degeneration, and ocular cancer.
 
Oakley has been my favorite for nearly 2 decades and the only problem ive had is losing them.
Ive owned everything from plastic to titanium and they all depend on how they fit the user.
Ray-bans and Maui Jims are also sweet, but mine were really light and always flew off my head.
Some of my larger "x-metal" oakleys were heavy and would leave marks on my nose.
Polarized lenses make a huge difference as far as visibility, clarity, and protection from sun.
NTM. You can choose a variety of lense tints and colors with Oakley.
 
fatheadhill said:
I used to work in a motorcycle shop that sold Oakley's.., and didn't believe the hype either until I got my first pair. I wore them for a couple weeks, and didn't think much of 'em until I tried on my old pair. Now Oakley is the only brand of eyeglasses/sunglasses I'll wear. The optics are better, they fit better, last longer, and just plain look better IMO. Give 'em a shot, like most other things, you get what you pay for.
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Both my pair of Oakleys had Ultra Weak ear pieces. Both broke at the slightest pressure.

I use a couple pair of Wiley-X for the past 6 years or so. Way more robust than any of my Oakleys have been. They did say they would replace the ear pieces, but I was in a 3rd world country, with no dealers, and was told not to mail them. When I got home 2 years later, the colors were discontinued.


My favorite old pair of sunglasses were a pair of "tortoise shell" Killer Loop. Loved those glasses. -28 F and a crash snowboarding at night (they were in my pack).




Yes, more expensive optics are much better than cheapo's. Clarity of vision, distortion, etc.

Especially if you are looking for any real eye protection. The first time a good sized stone hits you in the eye at 80 or so miles and hour, and you don't even have a black eye to show for it, you will realize they are worth every penny you paid.

Or, when a hot piece of lead smacks against your glasses (happened many times shooting)! I took a tiny piece of hot lead in my eye without glasses (not a ricochet, but a hot shaving/fleck from an auto 22 burned my eye).
 
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I have been wearing one pair of oakley ducati monster sunglasses for over seven years. they cost a little over one hundred dollars.

cheap pairs only last me a couple months.
 
Grease said:
I'm talking functionally, like how
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Ignoring the brands that are all "hype" and "marketing", you get better visual clarity and acuity.

Durability is only part of the equation. Optical quality and protection are really what it is all about. There is a reason why people actually use Rose, Yellow, and Brown lenses. I also have used various greys and transition lenses. Since I wear glasses 100% of the time, eye strain can be a real problem. Rose at the computer monitor, Yellow at night and on overcast days, and Polarized Brown in harsh light really do allow me to see better.

Safety is also a real benefit from quality sunglasses. When you take a bolt to the lens that drives a lens into you eye socket and knocks you silly, you will gladly replace the glasses that saved your eyesight. ;)
 
$135

Look into *safety* glasses...they are at least certified to ANSI standards. High grade safety glasses meet that, plus full UVA/UVB and can also be polarized. They run $40-50 range and are actually held to the standards by industry.

Just one of many to choose from: http://www.fuglies.com.au/
I have no connection whatsoever...there are many makers to review.
 
My friend used to distribute Oakleys and had one of those old laser eyeball dummy heads. Essentially you put the head on a table, turned on the lasers and marked the spots on the wall where they pointed. You put on some good sunglasses on the head and the spots shouldn't move or diffuse much. Cheap ones always blurred the dots a lot, but some would move the dots by as much as an inch if you were 6' away...

So you're paying for distortion free optical clarity (as well as the name). You can get decent optics by going to a glasses place and ordering tinted plano lenses for a frame you like.
 
My $200 RayBan got scratched the 2nd day when they fell in the sand. So longevity is not the reason. You have only one par of eyes and you dont wanna risk exposing them to harmful rays that come through the cheaper glasses.
 
Say you buy ray-bans (my preferred brand) you can trust that you will get better UV protoection and most likely they will be more comfortable. The other big difference is when you lose/break them you are more pissed than the $15 pair.
 
As far as the how they are physically better, like everybody has already said, Clarity and Scratch resistance are way better on legit sports brands. A real nice pair of Polarized lenses will change the way you do anything on the water. Another factor that I personally think is a very big deal (I'm rough on my stuff) is durability and ability to deal with shocks and so on... My Oakleys have been dropped, sat on, thrown unprotected in the bottom of a backpack, and even had the stems snapped off and you just pop them back in, rub the lense clean and go on your way :)

I hate being a fanboy of anything but I seriously can't see myself wearing any other lenses for outdoors activities and sports. :o
 
I have horribly light sensitive eyes and an astigmatism. After getting a couple of pairs of prescription sunglasses made for me by Optics Planet (They sucked!) I ordered some online glasses with titanium frames and got the same frames with 80% blue lenses. Fit and finish are fantastic and the lenses are outstanding! Plus, I get a ton of compliments. Best part of all. I spent 1/8th of what I spent on those other glasses!
 
Grease said:
What's the difference between a $15 pair of sunglasses and a $150 pair?

I'm talking functionally, like how much longer will a nice pair of shades go without getting scratched or broken?
Click to expand...

UV protection
Impact protection
Clarity/optics without distortion

I care more about protecting my eyes from the sun and flying debris more than anything else. The sun if brutal in AZ, and walking around without anything on your eyes is asking for major problems later in life. I've work Oakley's for the last 20 years.
 
The last time I replaced my Rx sun lens I got Polaroid and it makes one hell of a difference.

YMMV.
 
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