mtn
MegaDork
6/2/10 12:50 a.m.
What sunglasses do you folks wear?
I've got a pair of Oakley's that I've had for about 4 years now. Good sunglasses, but after 4 summers of caddying, golfing, and fishing, 2 of baseball, and 4 years of driving, they're becoming worn and the lenses are scratched. I've looked into replacement lenses, but for the polarized ones, its $40.... and I'm kinda bored with them.
I'd like my next pair to be Maui Jim's... Ever look through those lenses? Wow, it is a huge difference even from good Oakley's. But the price tag on those is a little out of reach.
Anybody have any to recommend? I'll probably end up looking past the scratch for at least another two months, but I like to think about what I'm going to do next. All that I know is my next will have the amber colored lenses. So much nicer to look through.
Brian
MegaDork
6/2/10 12:56 a.m.
Clip-ons for my RX glasses, and NOT the cheesy flip ups either.
http://www.ray-ban.com/usa/products/rb8301/002 I bought a pair of those, they arent alot cheaper than maui jims, but IMO they are good enough to be worth it. I got silver ones, but they come in brown too.
I like my Oakley's. Maui Jim's in prescription make my Oakley's look SO inexpensive.
Luke
UberDork
6/2/10 2:01 a.m.
Those Ray Ban's look good, Travis.
I have an old pair of Bausch & Lomb (amber-lensed) glasses for driving. I'm not used to wearing glasses often, and these feel the least "weird" on my nose.
I also like the "retro" style Ray Ban Wayfarers you see everyone wearing. But then that's the problem, and it kills the appeal.
I can never get a pair to last. They inevitably get lost, stolen, or spontaneously implode. However, if I could stop that trend I always wanted the "Fly" shades from U2's Zoo TV tour. Call me odd.
I picked up a pair of no name polarized shades at a flea market in Orlando last summer. I paid $15.00 and they're holding up great to near daily use.
Jay
UltraDork
6/2/10 6:48 a.m.
Does getting the expensive brands really make any difference in longevity? I'm pretty harsh on my sunglasses; I always have them with me and when I'm not wearing them they hang off my pants pocket by one arm, which means they get bumped into things fairly often and sometimes dropped. I go through a pair every 8~10 months or so.
A few years ago I got tired of them breaking all the time and dropped over $100 on what I thought would be some really good ones; can't remember the brand, sorry. They disintegrated just like all the others I've had. What a waste of money. Right now I'm using these ones which I bought in Spain for all of €10. Actually they seem to be doing pretty well:
I have learned that metal frames are better because they deform rather than break so you can bend them back into shape when they get squished.
I used to wear shades all the time, but then I got RX glasses.
I reccomend Von Zipper stuff. I loved their shades, cool styles, comfortable fits, great eye protection etc.
http://www.abccatalog.com/view_groups.asp?idproduct=0600000016&idgroup=17
$3.99, they have saved my eyes countless times because they are safety glasses and i need them for work, they look good, and when a nail wangs off one of the lenses and scratches it up i get another pair. i buy them by the case, but my last pair is going on 2 years.
I have a pair of these that need to be replaced, the lenses look like they have been deluged with grinding spray... because they were.
Really cheap knock-off Aviators, mostly to make fun of hipsters who wear Aviators.
I have been wearing a pair of Hobie polarized for over a year now and love them. Light frame, great view and (relatively) inexpensive, especially compared to Maui Jims, etc.
http://www.hobiepolarized.com/eyewear.aspx
I had a pair of Maui Jims for about a day, found them in a Ferrari 360 that was traded in. Wore em, decided they wern't for me, gave them to my mom. She loves them, i was always scared of bending them. I love my Spy Hielos. Could usually find them cheap on ebay...
I really love my Tifosi shades for the interchangeable lenses - I can use them for cycling, driving, just hanging out. They look good and only cost about $60 with 3 sets of lenses at most bike shops or online. I do wish they were polarized, though - at least the normal gray lenses.
I've got two pairs of sunglasses:
3M/A0 Safety safety glasses that I got at Lowes for $9. They're red, they look/act like sunglasses, but have the ANSI spec. and have rather good optics.
Oakley Eyepatch. Big, black and tough as E36 M3. Had to replace the lenses after two years of hard use. Frames are still great.
I got tired of buy 2 pair of Rx glasses so I went with Transitions. They are not quite dark enough for me. But still cheaper than a seperate pair of Rx sunglasses.
Tortoise shell Wayfarers with green lenses. Personally, I like glass lenses.
Also, a shout-out to Sunglass Hut. I dropped my previous pair at the $2009 Challenge and chipped a lens. They replaced the glasses for free since it was within their 90-day or whatever money-back period.
Mndsm
MegaDork
6/2/10 9:59 a.m.
I live in these. LIVE. I have a giant fat head, and these fit good.
I bust those out when I'm feelin' extra saucy.
oldtin
PowerDork
6/2/10 10:00 a.m.
Got a pair of the 3m/AO safety glasses like Per and a pair of Ray Bans that somebody left in the cheapo sunglass rack at a convenience store.
Now go out and get yourself some thick black frames
With the glass so dark thay won't even know your name
And the choice is up to you cause they come in two classes
Rhinestone shades and cheap sunglasses
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah
In reply to mndsm:
im diggin those, plus the "Haymakers" are a good pair...
RossD
MegaDork
6/2/10 10:05 a.m.
The only thing I look for is cheap, polarized, amber colored with some tint. Normally every gas station has at least one pair for under $15. The metal ones are nice since you can bend them to fit around my giant head.
I mostly wear a pair of Ray Ban Aviators (no not a "hipster" just always worn them over the last 30 years).
Though one of my favorite pairs was some Gargoyles (not the huge ones) though they can't even offer replacement parts for them now either, they are about 14 or 15 years old and still holding together. I am tough on sunglasses yet this pair has held together great.