Best Polarized Glasses

[AaronJasper]

i have to say action optics is the best out there. i have the vectors in amber and all hour brown. what about you guys whats your pic?

[alanb_ct]

Last year, I bought the photochromic copper Guide model from Action Optics. These are awesome glasses, allowing me to spot fish and see structure far better than my older pair. I also highly recommend the AO products.

[Troutbum from Griswold]

I like the AO as well. I did lose one of my pairs which was in copper. I like that color for rivers and streams. I also have a pair in gray lense for the salt. So, I had to purchase a new pair so I went with Polar Eyes in copper. GREAT PAIR OF GLASSES. Extremely light weight. Feel good on your head. Great polarization. A little less expensive than AO but I actually like the PE better. Just my opinion.........

[SlowNDeep]

I like the AO as well. They have a great selection of frames, a great selection of lens colors (I too like the low light coppers/browns - I have worn them from sun up to sun down and am always surprised that it is actually dark when I need to take them off), they are reasonably priced, and have quality lenses.

That said, my favorite pair is the pricey Hobies wraparound, I got them for a reel good deal 8) And they are VERY nice.

The most important things when picking glasses are to make sure they dont form a seal with your cro magnon man brow bone - too much fog, heat can't dissipate fast enough. Make sure you have a hat with a dark underside on the brim. Get fitted or integral side shields - Light leaks are as damaging to seeing through the water as they are to film.

If you dont believe me, try wearing glasses with no shields or hat and cup your hands and place them around the tops and sides of your glasses to eliminate as much stray light as possible - you will be amazed at how well you can see through the waters surface.

[The_Sib]

I bought Action Optics polarized bifocal Rx in glass photochromic copper with the aviator metal frame.

As someone that has worn prescription glasses and contacts since 6th grade, and a
lifelong wearer of polarized sunglasses, I can attest to AO's quality.
$290 well spent. This is GOOD stuff.

I have worn prescription lenses for most of my life.
I have also worn polarized sunglasses since my early teens.
I know a thing or three about them.

I have a pair of Lenscrafter's polarized in dark grey witrh brown highlights ( the touch of brown provides increased contrast ).
They work well for fishing and driving and other outdoor activities.

I recently purchased a pair of prescription Smith ACTION OPTICS photochromic polarized sunglasses for fishing.
These are an exceptional pair of sunglasses and I recommend them highly.
They cost about $300 but ( to me ) are worth it. Since I'm as blind as a bat, I need ALL the help that I can get.
I chose the glass lenses - heavier and thicker in my RX - so your personal choice may be for a lens of different composition.
Glass provides the best optical quality available, are most scratch resistant, and the heaviest.

THE QUESTION THAT YOU SHOULD ALSO BE ASKING IS "WHAT COLOR POLARIZED LENSES SHOULD I CHOOSE - and DO I WANT PHOTOCHROMICS?"
I chose photochromic lenses They provide variable light transmission according to how bright or dark it is - i.e., they adjust their darkness.
This is limited to appx 13% - 30% available light allowed to pass through to your eye.
Constant density ( dark ) sunglasses allow about 13-14% light to pass to your eye.

Action Optics are available in constant density or variable densities in amber ( yellow ), copper, brown and grey.
I would recommend amber for fishing LOW light situations - early, late or cloudy.
I chose photochromic copper because I like the overall flexibility they provide - optimally medium to bright light with high contrast.
Can u say rose-colored glsasses?
Brown gives enhanced contrast in very bright condidtiions
Grey is for very bright conditions with more true-to-life color rendition ( but lower contrast ).
I've heard that Grey is optimal for being out on the ocean.

BUT regardless, any polarized sunglasses will enhance your seeing into the water.


See this link - get educated on polarization
http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSC...ht/u12l1e.html

[AaronJasper]

AWESOME post with a great link! i like it! this is whats going to make this great. i read a bunch of things on there that i dont even think about. thanks!

[SherpaB]

Action Optics...awesome company to deal with. My brother and I both use them exclusively. We've both had to deal with customer service and they've been great. I sat on my Rx glasses and broke a lense last year. They were shipped out on a Thursday and I had them back with a new lense the same Friday. BTW I think that is outstanding service for a prescription lense replacement.
My brother who has no prescription was in Vail a couple years ago. He popped out a lense on one of their cheaper pairs a lost it. He called them up explained what happened and they Fed Ex'd a new pair to him that day. No cost-they just asked him to return ship the faulty pair when he got the new ones. Another example of superb service!
We both fish a lot. Between salt water and freshwater fishing we both put in about 100-120 days per year each. The only way we can do that is because we have great glasses from AO. Having used other brands I never seem to suffer eye strain which can wipe you out(especially on the drive home). I also use them extensively when sailboat racing which again is a sport that you depend heavily on eyesight and spend large blocks of time staring at a sail to trim it properly or looking around the horizon for the next mark. I have recommended them to all of the guys I sail with. They all seem to say the same thing, "These are awesome-I dont get tired dude". Anyways I have been using them since high school(over 20 years) with some other brands mixed in here and there but I have a lot of confidence in their service and their ability to make a very high quality prescription lense. The local optician in town has just started carrying them after he saw my pair. He thought they were better quality frames and lenses than some of the "designer" stuff he carried for the locals.

[Chasin tail]

I just LOVE my Maui Jims. I have them in the rose colored lenses and think they are unbelievable! I have a pair of the Action Optics in Amber/ yellow lens, they too are nice but I Love my Maui's!

[3wt cane]

I use spotters.
they are made in australia and have a much higher uv protection rateing than u.s.a made glass's. The lenses at least in glass can't be scratched. I use the brown lense.
they are a Bit pricey but worth it.

[trout5]

I also love my action optics specs. Visibility is superb but the frames are a bit heavy after fishing all day. I am eternally searching for the most versatile, comfortable fishing glasses.