Best Sunglasses

[rduder]

The summer thermals are once again making my planes look smaller.
It seems that frequently the thermals are in the part of the sky near the sun.
So, I'm looking to buy a newer - better - pair of sunglasses. :cool:
I am asking for the opinion of guys that stare UP at the sky a lot...

Question: Who makes, & where can I get, the best sunglasses for TD flying ?

Thanks,
Rich D.

[Jurgen]

I have a few for different skies. Allround the polarised Serengeti is a bliss for the eyes, but not good for flying high in deep bleu skies without any cloud, losing constrast due to the polarised effect. Then I take a regular non polarised shades. I have the Serengiti on for 95% of my flying time.
My 2 cents, Jurgen.

[Hossfly72]

You guys are gonna laugh, but so far, the best pair I've found were $12.00 at Walmart. They're amber so things "pop" out at you, but they're also polarized. I hate to share my secret, but they make thermals easier to see also. Higher contrast lets me see the dust and specs and bugs and such that get caught up in a thermal. Try a cheapo pair of amber colored Wally-World glasses. You won't be disappointed, especially when you leave them sitting on the ground when you go home.

[nxtdoor]

I recently purchased a pair of Serengeti with photochromatic plastic lenses.

They are light enough under cloud cover, then darken when it gets bright out. The clarity of the lenses is perfect. Best I have had in 40 years of flying.

They have various lense colors available with and without polarizing.

I bought a $150 pair for $85 online at opticsplanet.

Jeff

[Brendan Miller]

I bought a $20 pair from walmart to go over my eye glasses, work really well to.


Brendan

[Guz]

I still recommend any polarized sunglasses. Tilting my head sideways I find I can sometimes see dust floating up in lift.

[davekra]

Serengeti with photochromatic plastic lenses.

Jeff
Hijack in progress
How dark do they get? I've got a pair of Wiley-X that I'm having an Rx and was thinking photochromatic.

Thanks,
davidk
End hijacking

[element2tandem]

I find my photochomatics do not get dark enough here in FL. Polarizarion really cuts the glare well and won't leave home without them.

[rdwoebke]

I have a nice pair of Maui Jim sunglasses. Got them when I was young, signel and did stuff like that. They are great and were my first polarized sunglasses.

I have to wear contacts to wear them though and I do like the way I can see with the contacts but I don't like the actual wearing of contacts. :)

So I have used a number of different clip overs over the years including some designed for the glasses I had. Recently I had lost a pair of cliip overs and I was at Wal-mart, like others on this list suggested, and my wife suggested I get another pair. I saw an $8.00 set of amber/grey clip overs taht were listed as polarized. Yeah, right, I thought, no way they are polarized and quality for that price. Wrong I was! They are in fact polarized, and although not as good as the Maui Jims, they are pretty darn good. I figure, I scratch them up, no worries, I'll go buy another pair (hoping I can find the same kind, of course).

Ryan

[Hostage-46]

I bought a $20 pair from walmart to go over my eye glasses, work really well to.


Brendan

Problem with the Wal-Mart deals is that they have crappy optics. You'll get decent UV protection but you'll lose acuity.

I'm in my 3rd season with Bolle Vigilante's with Polarized lenses. I made the switch after my eye doc told me to toss the WM specals. They were an affordable higher quality choice. I was losing sight of my model at distance, I was worried my eyes were going bad!

You can get them with a good smoke lense at Sunglass giant for around $85. Polarized lenses are more, but well worth it.

Do your eyes a favor, you only have one pair, invest in a proper set of eyewear.

[Guz]

Do your eyes a favor, you only have one pair, invest in a proper set of eyewear.

AMEN!!!

My friend, and my eye doctor can't stress enough of getting good HIGH quality lenses. Either for correction, or for protection (sun, impact, etc).

After I had my Lasik, he gave me a pair of Maui Jim polarized sunglasses. Each time he sees me outside without my sunglasses on, he walks up and slaps me on the head and asks where are my sunglasses. :eek: I never leave home without them. :cool:

[djklein21]

Yep, Maui Jims with the extra contrast lenses

[bjr_93tz]

I haven't looked into it too hard but I have seriously considered snow goggles.

It sounds silly I know, but the optics "should" be good and the range of lens tints and coatings for different conditions is mind boggling.

I won't wear any glasses that don't cover my entire eye socket as I can't stand glare comming in from the sides. Currently I have a straight amber set for overcast and cloudy, amber with orange mirror for normal winter days and a set of Dolce and Gabbana's for the summer days that really make your eyes water. All are 100% UVA and UVB

I figure if you have to squint your eyes at all your glasses are not dark enough and I'd rather give away a downwind thermal a hundred yards earlier than the next bloke if it means I don't get cataracts later in life...

[Hossfly72]

I love my Wally-world specials, but I'm gonna check out Maui Jim's today. My sister has a pair and swears by them also. I just have an aversion to paying so much for sunglasses. I usually end up sitting on them or dropping them or something. Do they still make Bausch & Lomb WIngs? Those were one piece aviator style. I bought them when I was learning to fly (1984) because the sun always hit me in the face as I turned final and it would come through the middle of regular sunglasses and blind me in one eye. Love them.

[nxtdoor]

There are varying degrees of darkness available in the Serengeti.

I know the Natives I had were too dark for me, but maybe not for others.

I looked up the percentage of light the Natives let in versus the Serengenti and chose lighter by at least 10%. They are perfect for me.

Look at there website. Lots of information. They also do Rx.

Jeff

[regis]

Best? For reasonable and sufficient, try http://zennioptical.com/cart/home.php?cat=16 (cutesy of The Gordy).

[Granite]

No doubt about it. Maui Jim's are great lens. I have had all kinds of great high end sunglasses and use them to the extreme for fishing from salt water to trout streams and also flying and nothing so far can touch the polarized sunglasses of Maui Jim's. I dig them and have yet to find better.

Cheers!

Steve

[retiredVTT]

I fly right through the sun with these on..!

Bill

[Richard J]

Julbo teardrop glacier glasses. They block the sun from all directions and don't distort the view at all.
Since I fly F3J I have to look up at the sky for most of the time and they worked for me the best.

[POF]

Almost lost my Supra yesterday because I launched right up in the direction of the sun. Couldn’t see anything but blue stars for a few seconds. And then I couldn’t find my glider. Pretty stressing experience! Then I heard the sound of some high-speed loops behind me. And there it was - in one piece :O)

I always use sunglasses but now I’m about to test some glasses for welding – but only for lunching in the direction of the sun.

[rduder]

RetiredVTT
"I like my Zurich's"
"I fly right through the sun with these on..!"

Anybody know where to purchase the Zurich goggles ?

Thanks
RD

[rduder]

Got it !

http://www.zurichsunglasses.com/
and
http://www.modelaircraft.org/shopama/dept.aspx?id=290F8BE3AE7646C38D10E71E9ED30561


Thanks

[Jurgen]

Zurich for the Europeans:
http://www.braeckman.de/sonnenbrillen.htm
http://www.braeckman.de/SonnenbrilleRC.htm
Jurgen.

[gklimber]

Since I wear glasses I needed either clip-ons or something like this: http://www.brimz.net/Baseball.html
They attach to the brim of a baseball cap (which I wear everywhere) and just flip down when needed. They come in various shades and polarizations. I too have tried the clip-ons from Wally World and think they are great for the money.

My 2 cts.

Jer

[TheAdrian]

I just received some Coloreyes glasses - the copper shade. They enhance colours; reds especially take on a luminous glow and blues look very deep. They are not strictly relevant to TD as you are not going to see much colour at that range, however they are great for aerobatic stuff and sloping.

Normally they are a bit expensive, but the store was having a closeout:
http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/5461

[Mark Miller]

I have been using Ray Ban Wayfarers or Predators with Lenscrafters brown polarized lenses for years. I broke a pair last year and used some Wal Mart ones that slip over my regular glasses but didn't feel comfortable with them. The Lenscrafters lens work great for me. They are good in all light levels and really make things pop including low light.

Mark Miller

[Ercoupe Ed]

I fly right through the sun with these on..!

Bill


I use the same kind VTT does, Zurich, about 55 to 60 dollars a pair.They do a good job.


Ed

[POF]

Zurich for the Europeans:
http://www.braeckman.de/sonnenbrillen.htm
http://www.braeckman.de/SonnenbrilleRC.htm
Jurgen.
Thanks Jurgen. I just ordered some. Hope they will do the job :)

[Jurgen]

I did some order from braeckman before, good fellow to deal with. Let us know what you think of the glasses pls. J.

[POF]

I did some order from braeckman before, good fellow to deal with. Let us know what you think of the glasses pls. J.

He had some good service when sendig him questions and ordering :)

I'm not able to tell you what I think about the glasses the next few weeks - but I'll get back to you.

[bobthenuke]

I don't know if these are the "best", but I just got them a couple of weeks ago and love them. I've been through the real expensive ones in the past and these seem to be just as good and very comfortable as well. The price is reasonable as well.

http://www.sunglassesgiant.com/opnebasu.html

-bob

[POF]

I did some order from braeckman before, good fellow to deal with. Let us know what you think of the glasses pls. J.
Yesterday I tried my new Zurich and they are different from what I’m used to.

It’s very big so I can use them with my normal glasses and even with my clip-on sunglasses. Yesterday I was only using them with my normal glasses. They feel so big so it’s like walking around with a widescreen on you head:O)

Could be that they are better than my other sunglasses but the sun wasn’t visible yesterday so with my sunglasses on, the glider went pretty dark when it ended up a long way from me following a thermal.

There is a very small area around the nose with a little optical distortion. I think I will get used to that quickly but it should be mentioned.

[FrogChief]

There is a relatively new brand of sunglass out now that has captured quite a following in the Golfing and cycling worlds; Tifosi. http://www.tifosioptics.com/index.html

I purchased a pair of their Q3 matt black polarized shades and have been VERY happy with contrast, optical quality and glare reduction. Got 'em for $89.00 at zappos. :)

http://www.zappos.com/n/es/d/722669846/page/1.html

[Jurgen]

.... but the sun wasn’t visible yesterday ...Maybe the sun is mandatory? :).
So it's huge, does the weight becomes a burden after a while? Pls keep us informed.

FogChief, you must be pretty cool with that Q3 on the nose :cool:
http://www.tifosioptics.com/images/q3/frame01.jpg

[FrogChief]

Maybe the sun is mandatory? :).
So it's huge, does the weight becomes a burden after a while? Pls keep us informed.

FogChief, you must be pretty cool with that Q3 on the nose :cool:
http://www.tifosioptics.com/images/q3/frame01.jpg

Yeah...I'm pretty cool. :cool: :p

[cfw]

The Q3's for $75. Here (http://www.sportsbasement.com/jump.jsp?iShadCat=1614&itemID=12643&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=1614&iSubCat=2893&iProductID=12643)


I have the tifosi Czars. I bought 'em because i lost my shades, and these were in the store and about $29. Turns out they're really nice polarized shades.

[davidleitch]

I have two pairs of Maui Jims (dark and light lens) and find them pretty good, although they are not perfect. When you break them Maui Jim are very good with their replacement policy, and I stay loyal for that reason.

Like all polycarbonate lensese they must be cleaned before every use.

Polarised lenses are hopeless for looking at LCD screens (so I believe pilots don't use them).

Maui Jims also fog up so I like the Tifosi venting system.

[truestorys]

Here's a photo of the Best Sunglasses ever made.

Prescription, Polarized, Amber, and orange and purple.

The Polarized and Amber help detect thermals.

The Orange and Purple color attacks women.

These are the two best things in life. :D

Don

[POF]

...weight becomes a burden...

The only weight problem is not the sunglasses :o

[IBWALT]

Don let me guess. That picture was made either on a Tue. or Wed. just prior to 6 till 8 pm. How did I do?

Walt

[MatthewG]

I like Raybans.

Those Tifosi look good. If they have good optics then they might be a good deal.

I checked and there are some dealers fairly close by.

I like the Maui Jims but have to drive too far to get them. And they are a little expensive. Not too bad.

Vaurnet used to make some pretty good sunglasses but I never see them around anymore.

[stmcknig]

I bought the Zurichs after seeing some fellow fliers recommend them and the information on the website looked good. I was disappointed with the overall quality feel when they arrived though - they felt like a cheap $5 pair from the local Big Lots. Cheap though they weren't. Further problems in less than a year; failure with the temples due to the design flaw on the hinges which stresses the plastic, cracks it and ultimately makes it fall apart. I had the same happen to both temples and as with most of the other comments here I was doing nothing more than regular use, once a week for about nine months. So that's not even daily use......

I emailed their customer support, sent photos of the damage and indicated that it looked like a plastic problem. They replied back that they would happily replace them once I sent them $4.95 for shipping.

What?

It's a frickkin design problem and you're trying to scam me on the postage? These things would mail for under a buck and probably cost 50 cents. I emailed back to query this policy as a first time failure but received no reply at all.

Most other companies are honest enough to put their hand in the air on a design flaw (at least on the first enquiry/failure) and do the right thing.

I've consigned these to the As Seen on TV category and found a sturdier alternative. In their present form, I can't recommend them.

Caveat Emptor.