I do a fair amount of sight fishing up here and down south. I have polarized prescription lenses, but they aren't really sport sunglasses like costa del mar or action optics.

My glasses don't have very good side coverage. They work alright.

I am going to get a "real" pair of sport glasses. Does anyone have any recommendations or opinions?

Costa del mar has an Rx program... anyone have experience with any of these companies?

Thanks for your help

I have had my Blue lens Costa Fathoms for two years. They work great and can take a beating. I have dropped them numerous times and not a scratch.

Maui Jim with amber lenses...but they'll run you about 600 bucks :hee:

I loved mine until my freaking prescription changed :crying:

Going to buy another pair, after I get contacts.

-spence

I'll second what Spense said - Maui Jims. I've been wearing mine for four, going on five years and I'm on my second frames.

SM,

Just last month I got a pair of Polarized Bolle's made. Nice frames with side coverage. They were only about 160 or so and i am very happy. No they aren't the quality of a Maui Jim etc but there nice.

I have been going to King Optical in Braintree Mass since I was a kid. You cannot beat the prices anywhere, It is not a chain place. More of the family place.

Spence, word is you were in M & D's the other day and nobody recognized you. Is that so?

The Bolles scratch way too easy. Stick with the costa or mauis.

_Z_

SM,

Just last month I got a pair of Polarized Bolle's made. Nice frames with side coverage. They were only about 160 or so and i am very happy. No they aren't the quality of a Maui Jim etc but there nice.

I have been going to King Optical in Braintree Mass since I was a kid. You cannot beat the prices anywhere, It is not a chain place. More of the family place.

Spence, word is you were in M & D's the other day and nobody recognized you. Is that so?
It's probably a false story, I've bought enough rods from Mike that he'd better know my sorry puss :bsod:

-spence

Spence, word is you were in M & D's the other day and nobody recognized you. Is that so?

it would be pretty hard to miss spence in a tackleshop. Think of it as the complete opposite of Larry the Cable guy in a french cheese shop. :laugha:

Thanks for the good info guys.

Spence, I hear ya on the prescription changes. I'm not sure I could bring myself to spend that much $$ knowing I might need to to do it again in a few years... I also have lost sunglasses and regular glasses out of the boat after not securing them anywhere.

I was hoping to limit the damage to $3-400.

So the maui's and costa's are scratch resistant? You see it advertised but don't know if you really believe it... that's what I wanted to hear. I'm not necessarily hard on glasses, but I use 'em, so some abuse is gonna happen.

I definitely like the amber lense for sight fishing. The costa green mirror is an amber lense with the green mirror to reduce glare. I think that's what I'm gonna get.

I have amber lenses on a pair of wide raybans but they are regular wire frames the glare gets me. I'm also hoping to get better performance from a lense designed specifically designed for fishing and with a better fitting frame.

There is no doubt that the glass costa del mars and the maui jims are scratch resistant. They can scratch, don't get me wrong, but its not like oakleys or bolles where they scratch if you acidentally put them on the coffee table on the lenses for a minute. I have 3 pairs of bolles I spent $$$ on that are so scratched up they are un wearable.

I am a sunglass nut. I have very light eyes, and they are extremely sensitve. I cannot be in the sun without shades. I am now mainly a costa del mar buyer. I have several pairs, for different light conditions. The maui jims are awesome, don't get me wrong, I just think they are overpriced compared to the costas.

I don't think I ever put a scratch in my Maui's...

The did delaminate, but it was covered under warranty.

They are pricy, but I think much better styled than the Costa Del Mar's.

-spence

Action Optics (Smith) does a lot of prescriptions for us. Reasonably priced and they're glass, which is definitely what you want if you're looking for scratch resistance.

Oakley may claim their lenses are "unobutanium" or whatever, but at the end of the day glass is always the best for people like us who are prone to scratching lenses, imo.

I also love Maui's. Dropped mine on the concrete floor at RISAA and even then no scratches.

I have had RX:
Maui Jim: excellent quality, good color (amber/copper color). lenses tend to be a little darrk for sight fishing in anything but bright conditions.
Costa Del Mar: I loved the amber, but the poly carb lenses scratch way too easily.
A few pairs of Action Optics:Low light lense (a light amber), Photo chrom. copper, and yellow. I think that Maui has more stylish and better made frames, but the Action Optics lenses are the best for fishing. The right colors and not too dark. This is really important. I like yellow best for sight fishing because it excells when the light is marginal (when you need the most help you can get!). In bright light, it is not that bad, but the photo chrom. copper gets the nod when it is bright. Guides if Fl. are starting to use yellow, and that says alot.

When it comes to scratch resistancy that all depends on what you put in for lense material. The best most scratch resistant IMO is glass...which is the heaviest choice and also not so "safe" if your worried about shattering or if your putting them in a Z87 OSHA frame for saftey glasses.

If you have a fairly high perscriptoin like I do real glass is just way too heavy.

Maui Jim with amber lenses for sure....mine were awesome, till I left them down in New orleans about 5 years ago on a trip.....ouch.....what a mistake.

Oakley may claim their lenses are "unobutanium" or whatever, but at the end of the day glass is always the best for people like us who are prone to scratching lenses, imo.

unobtanium is kind of an inside oakley joke gone awry.
but i will swear up and down by my iridium lenses.
but i do spend alot more time on the water than most people.

I have Costa's and I swear by them. I had a pair of green fathoms for 3 years and no scratches, lost them fighting a tuna solo last year. Took a trip to the Keys a couple months ago and replaced them while visiting the Zane Grey Lounge in Islamorada. Mine aren't prescription but I am thinking of adding a magnifying strip so I can tie with them on.