Explain high end sunglasses to me

Nullity said:
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.
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Ever since my first pair of polarized lenses, I can't go back to non-polarized.

I've been wearing Oakleys for the years, because they are:

More scratch-resistant than cheaper pairs I have owned.
ANSI impact rated, more durable overall (frames can be bent, re-bent, and tweaked for comfort without fear of breakage).
Comfortable, do not come off my face.

When they do get scratched, worn and the frames get beat up, you can get a replacement pair from the manufacturer for 50% off. Which is still expensive, but for polarized glass lenses, it's a nice bonus.
 
Prior to getting my first pair of expensive sunglasses (Oakley, about $160), I always wore cheap sunglasses because I thought they were "all the same". When I first put them on, the difference in how comfortable my eyes felt needed no more explanation as to why the high cost was justified.

Aside from comfort, I've had these sunglasses for about a year and a half and they've been sat on, left baking in the hot sun in 100+ degree heat all day, constantly used and they are still going strong with just some slight play on the hinges.

Just like most things, usually you get what you pay for. Sunglasses are the one thing you shouldn't cheap out on IMO.
 
My wife bought me titanium flex frame Maui Jim's about 13 years ago. They are still going strong. I got a large scratch on one lens about 5 years ago from them dropping onto some rocks on the side of a railroad track and I sent them in for repair. Got 'em back good as new - no charge.
 
What's the difference between a $15 pair of sunglasses and a $150 pair?
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$5 vs $140 profit. Although some of it is lost in cool advertising.

UV light protection lenses aren´t expensive to make. Plastic frames are... plastic. Metal frames made from different kind of metals can be MIM for a very low cost. The tricky part is getting people to lust for the product, or even better - the brand. Why else would a high quality sunglass/pen/watch maker branch over to selling bags/clothes/watches/sunglasses/perfume...

Same thing with knives, pens, watches and so on. Dig around in forums on the net discussing those items and you will see for yourself after a while that this is true.

A few fast examples:

Montblanc (changed the name from Mont Blanc because the investors couldn´t TM it) - made of "prescious resin"
Oakley - made of "unobtanium"
Rolex - keeps time better than a Seiko because it is "certified" (by an institution that exist to protect the swiss watch makers)

If you have the money to spend do what you want (I do) but don´t get fooled by the marketing department.

/C.
 
I'm an Optician so here's an analogy:

$20 throw away knife or $500 Strider. They both have a market.
 
The nice thing about Ray Bans is you can get them with glass lenses. Glass is scratch resistant. Plastic is well... plastic. As many have said, quality shades have better optics, etc. I find the price is offset by longevity.
 
Good quality sunglasses tend to have better optics and most people can perceive the difference. Also, the better ones tend to be polarized and have backside AR (anti-reflective coating) and almost everyone can tell the difference with them. As to the cheap ones, you can't trust them to be UV protective and their impact rating is often non-existent so avoid them like the plague. Fake Oakley and Raybans are all over the place and total crap. If you have a pair made by a company that copies Oakley and fakes the label what make's you think the UV sticker is genuine? Lastly, macular degeneration is the LEADING CAUSE OF SEVERE VISION LOSS in older Americans and UV exposure plays a significant roll in it's development. I'm very pro preventative medicine and recommend good quality sunglasses to all my patients, even infants.
 
And since this is a knife forum, can I compare designer knock off shades with cheap Chinese copies of quality knives? Same concept in terms of quality and patent infringement but a cheap knock off knife won't make you go blind unless the tip breaks off and hits you in the eye;)
 
Nice post. I better look into better glasses and stop wearing my Walgreens pair. Thanks for all the good info.
 
Colinz said:
$5 vs $140 profit. Although some of it is lost in cool advertising.

UV light protection lenses aren´t expensive to make. Plastic frames are... plastic. Metal frames made from different kind of metals can be MIM for a very low cost. The tricky part is getting people to lust for the product, or even better - the brand. Why else would a high quality sunglass/pen/watch maker branch over to selling bags/clothes/watches/sunglasses/perfume...

Same thing with knives, pens, watches and so on. Dig around in forums on the net discussing those items and you will see for yourself after a while that this is true.

A few fast examples:

Montblanc (changed the name from Mont Blanc because the investors couldn´t TM it) - made of "prescious resin"
Oakley - made of "unobtanium"
Rolex - keeps time better than a Seiko because it is "certified" (by an institution that exist to protect the swiss watch makers)

If you have the money to spend do what you want (I do) but don´t get fooled by the marketing department.

/C.
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And a $5 Sanrenmu is the same as a $260 ZT 560 right?
 
A friend of mine also questioned why people spent absurd amounts on sunglasses when you could get the same pair for 10% of the price. Within seconds of wearing my newly acquired Maui Jim's (they were around $300), he knew. He called my sunglasses, "The HD glasses," because they were THAT clear. I mean unbelievable clarity...

Unfortunately, they don't come with a security device. The next summer someone stole them at the pool where I work :(
 
I wear a pair of Serengetis that are discontinued, so I got them for a lot cheaper than retail (plus 2 "back-up" pairs). I've been on the same pair for about 4 years now, and they're still going strong. If the sun is up, I'm wearing them. I don't baby them, but I'm not reckless either. There's a couple very minor scratches in the glass lenses, but nothing bad. It's hard to believe they're 4 years old. That accounts to less than $20/year. Granted, this pair has last me longer than any other pair I've owned (I went through 3 of the same model prior to this pair), and longer than I ever expected it to, but this is certainly a testament to the build quality.

The photocromatic lenses are a cool little gimmick too. It's pretty subtle (way moreso than "transition" lenses), but it's a nice feature.

I forgot them once when I went to Denver for a few days. In the middle of winter, when it snowed. I was blinded, so I tried to find a cheap pair that would work for a few days, but I couldn't find anything that wasn't garbage. None cut the mustard. No anti-reflective coating, so I kept seeing reflections of my eyeballs in front of me. Good god that's annoying. Lots of glare/streaking. I don't buy my knives at a gas station, and I won't buy sunglasses there either. Some things you just don't want skimp on.
 
Im a Photographer.
i spend a fortune on good lenses, good cameras and courses to further my knowledge.

im going to spoil the tool i use the most (my eyes) with a cheap crappy pair of glasses ? - nope.

I currently wear Oakleys, they protect my eyes from both sun and impacts, hold up to abuse pretty well (my current pair were on my head when i walked into a low doorframe the other day, they took the brunt of the impact, and were knocked from my head - there is only a tiny little scratch on the lens.

Im also very picky, and have a hard time finding a neutral coloured lens - the oakley black iridium polarised is pretty close to neutral although its very very slightly blue.
 
I have had Oakley's since the first Frogskins came out in the late 80's, (at least that's when I got them). Oakleys are nice, they have very cool designs, but my $28 polarized work glasses are just as good, they fit well, are comfortable, and the polarized lenses are just as good as Oakley IMO. I think we all know that a designer name costs more right? Are Ralph Lauren shorts any better than Carharrt? Society assigns value to products based on perception, or status associated with ownership of these brands, that's why they cost more. You can buy a great quality watch like Seiko for a few hundred or a Rolex which may not be any better functionally for $10,000. Is it worth it? It is if you can afford it.
 
I've scratched my oakley's before, so scratch free is not really a point. However, compared to cheaper sunglasses, my oakley's (only good sunglasses I have), don't feel like I'm looking through any glasses, but rather I've altered the colors of the world. That sounds really weird, but wearing oakley's makes it feel as though you aren't wearing sunglasses, yet still have the comfort and protection of them. Also, I believe they are more durable- I've heard they can be used as eye protection in shooting. And looking at everything just feels a lot better, like a higher quality video tape or something.
 
they have better clarity, the polarization is better (if they are polarized).

wear a pair of good ones for a week and you will never go back, I bought a set of oakleys about 3 years ago, theya re used every day, I have bought 2 sets of new lenses in that time, one time to upgrade from no polarized to polarized (and because my lenses were scratched) and some clear lenses for safety glasses

It is about time for me to get a new set of lenses, they others are scratched up now.

they seem to be more comfortable, and i have found that they are lighter as well

my advice to you is try a pair
 
Are Ralph Lauren shorts any better than Carharrt? Society assigns value to products based on perception, or status associated with ownership of these brands, that's why they cost more. You can buy a great quality watch like Seiko for a few hundred or a Rolex which may not be any better functionally for $10,000. Is it worth it? It is if you can afford it.
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Well put in fewer words than I was able to do.

/C. (Montblanc, Rayban and Seiko owner...)
 
Go try some and you'll see. For the first 22 years of my life I never wore sunglasses because the cheap ones felt like crap, fit like crap, and offered nothing more than a darker version of everything I saw. I bought a pair of Maui Jims and I can't go a single day without them, if I forget them at home my day is pretty much ruined. The clarity, contrast, glare reduction etc. is amazing, I wish my normal eyesight made everything look that good. The examples they give on their site are 100% true to life, they really make things look that much better.

I'd say the polarizing/glare reduction is probably the best feature. I keep my car extremely clean and the dashboard always reflects light on sunny days, these glasses turn it into a complete matte finish and I can see specks of dust that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye. The glare in the windshield is also lessened so much that it almost appears to not even be there at all.
 
The scratch resistance may be about the same for polycarbonate lensed high end glasses, but real glass lenses do hold up to scratches a lot better in my experience. I'll compare the two pairs of glasses I have the most experience with (since they're my only pairs)- a pair of cheap $10 "aviators" and a pair of American Optical 55mm Pilots. The aesthetics were similar IMO- a classic retro look. They seem pretty similar at first glance, metal frames, grey tints, aviator styling. When you open the temples you feel the difference. The AOs are tight and smooth, while the cheapos are rough and wobbly. The optical quality is instantly recognizable when you wear the glasses in the sun. The (polarized, mirrored) cheapos work OK, they cut glare decently, and the picture is reasonably clear. The (unpolarized, unmirrored) AOs cut every bit of glare as long as you aren't looking directly into the sun, the picture quality is excellent, and the things are so clear that I forget that I'm wearing them. Not to mention that they are made in America- with quality materials. These are only $45 sunglasses. I think it's worth it.
 
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