Sunglasses.. Cheap vs expensive

[artcarney_agr]

The price of high dollar sunglasses is not related to the frames, but the lenses themselves.

High quality lenses reduce eye fatigue and help enhance your time spent on the water. I too used to buy only el cheapo sunglasses, until I ponied up for some Costa 400G lenses...I'll never go back to el cheapos now. Unbelievable difference!

[pct]

I buy the Berkley Wally World specials. I break 2 or 3 pair a year. I almost decided to buy some nice fishing glasses at Gander Mountain this spring but lucky for me, nobody would help me as they were locked in a glass case..

[Ranger492]

Costa Del Mar...hands down. Have worn these over the past 11 years and won't ever go without them since. I have lost a pair (flew off hat while running), broken a pair (lon-term wear & tear from sitting on top of hat when not in use) and currently have the replacement for those that I'm using. You won't believe tha amount of additional cover you will see in water with them. Definitely worth it.

[bassfish606]

I have always bought the cheap wal-mart glasses and this year I broke down and got a pair of costa 580g's and love them. I have always broken or lost my cheap glasses but since the new purchase considering the cost I always make sure the glasses are in sight and is safe. I say they are worth it and you will take great care of them if you decide to purchase. I highly recomend getting costas with the 580g lenses.

[Carter1]

I have stuck with the cheap pairs for a lot of the same reasons most of you have. I recently bought a pair at Walmart that has the little strip on the bottom for reading or in my case tying on hooks.

[sweetwater]

Cheap ones here. I lose 2 or 3 pair per year the same way. I'll take the glasses off for some reason, lay them down and the next time I see them they'll be flying by my head and into the water as we're running down the lake. Don't suggest wearing a retaining strap either, I prefer to be strapless.

[jdw174]

I always wore the "El Cheapos" and they ended up scratched and the vision with them wasn't the best to begin with. Now in my senior years, I'm farsighted and can't see up close well enough to tie knots so I ponied up the $$$ for a pair of Costas with readers installed. Bottom line is I'd never go back to anything less. On the advice of the people at Costa, I got the green mirror lenses, suggested by them as the best compromise for both sunny/overcast days.

[DJD]

Always bought cheap but will be getting quality soon. I don't see up close as well as I used to so I need a little help when the light is low.

[MrSplitshot]

Switched to Oakley Polarized Half-Jackets a few years back and have never found reason to switch. I'm on my second pair. The good thing about Half Jackets is that you can rotate lenses in and out or replace them if you scratch them. I had them on my hat and slid under the back of my Mustang on a creeper and scratched them real bad, but only had to replace the lenses.

Have thought about looking at some Costas, but I'm a creature of habit and really dig my Oakley's...

[CrappieKing79]

Haven't tried the costa's yet but have had a couple pair of Maui Jim sports. They are so amazing. The only problem is they are so light you forget they are on your head or face and that's how I've been through 2 pair but had them both a couple years each and they were well worth the $$$. Looking at getting another pair of nice glasses as the Walmart and BPS cheapies are absolute junk.

[russcrawfish]

The problem I have is wearing regular eye glasses - I don't use contacts. I have found that the Over-Rx's Coccoons are great and not too expensive, about $50. Not quite indistructible, but the frames are extremely sturdy and you can get replacement lenses for unbroken frames online from the company for about $25 and they become about as good as new...minus frame scuffs (first hand knowledge of the fact....)

[chasmo]

Costa 580s are by far the best out there. Go to BPS or similar to try on frames you like, when you find the ones you like, don't buy them there. Go to eBay and pay 30-60% less. Best thing you will ever do for sunglasses.