A question I get from fans of Flats Class TV on a regular basis is, “What brand of sunglasses do you and Ray prefer”? The answer is varied quite honestly because every individual’s needs are different but generally speaking… style, comfort, and cost are the mitigating factors for most selections. Flats Class TV has not partnered with any particular sunglass company so you have probably noticed a variety of brands and styles being worn by us on the show. Here are a few facts and observations that might make finding the perfect pair of sunglasses a little easier.
I make my living on the water so periodically various sun glass companies give me product (sunglasses) to use at no cost… often these glasses are high-end with a big price tag. If I had to buy the optics with my own money, would I do it? In most cases “no”… my experiences have proven to me that I can see just as many fish with a pair of $75 to $125 sunglasses as I can see with the $200 plus sun glass brands. I’m also not advocating that it’s alright to use the “el-cheapo” under $30 products that can’t properly filter out dangerous UVA or UVB rays either! The well recognized big brands make fantastic glasses, don’t get me wrong, and provide anglers with a wide variety of stylish frames and lens options… but are you willing to pay twice as much for them? Some of the added cost for the high-end glasses comes from marketing the product to anglers through costly magazine ads, pro endorsements, and of course TV shows. If the big name brands are in your budget, go for it… I’ve worn them myself for years and they are well made and handsome. But if your budget is stretched and you are looking for some alternatives here is what you need to know.
Fishing sunglasses should always be polarized and have the proper UVA and UVB filter coatings… serious eye damage can occur in the harsh saltwater environment without the proper eye protection. Make sure the sunglasses you select meet or exceed UVA/UVB standards. Polycarbonate lens versions are lighter and more comfortable then their ground glass lens counterparts but are not as scratch resistant or quite as distortion free… still PC lenses are 98% optically correct. Because I’m on the water almost daily I do prefer PC lenses for comfort over the heavier more expensive glass versions which have a tendency to fatigue my nose and ears. Also the lighter PC lenses allow me to use bigger frames that block out peripheral light… this is very important for sight fishing. If you need prescription lenses unfortunately you will have to buy the glass lens models. By in large, guides and inshore pros choose brown or amber based lenses for shallow water fishing scenarios… with most inshore experts leaning toward a green mirrored/amber based lens for bright or partly cloudy conditions and a amber/vermillion yellow lens with no mirror coating for low-light situations (early am or overcast). I find because my eyes are sensitive to bright light that I like to keep two pairs of sunglasses in my tackle bag for all conditions (bright/low-light)… just another reason to find affordable and functional eye wear without spending a small fortune.
I personally look at my sunglasses as a tool… they get blasted by saltwater almost every day, get dropped on the deck occasionally, heat scorched on the dash of my truck regularly and eventually lost before I can retire most pairs. So for me, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to spend a king’s ransom on sunglasses when there are affordable offerings that can get the job done.
Keep’em Bent…
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