Sunglasses

[Boondock]

I have had two pair of Costa 580 glass they are alright. Warranty is terrible, will never own another pair. I got them back from getting fixed (frame coming apart where the plastic meets the rubber in less than 8 months) and sold them.

Bought Maui Jim's and like them more. Have had no problems with them except glass fogs easier than poly.
I normally have Wiley X's with and the Maui with me

[JerryC]

Oakley Batwolfs.. so far i love them, just need amber or bluish lenses

[hobobob]

I have had two pair of Costa 580 glass they are alright. Warranty is terrible, will never own another pair. I got them back from getting fixed (frame coming apart where the plastic meets the rubber in less than 8 months) and sold them.

More detail please. I heard similar stories.

[Boondock]

I have had two pair of Costa 580 glass they are alright. Warranty is terrible, will never own another pair. I got them back from getting fixed (frame coming apart where the plastic meets the rubber in less than 8 months) and sold them.

More detail please. I heard similar stories.

Well, one pair fell from my counter to my tile floor. One lens shattered, obviously my fault but $12X.XX later I got them back after a few weeks. Seems crazy to charge half of the retail price to replace a lens.

I didn't like those frames much so I sold those and bought a different pair. Less than 8 months in the frame started separating as I said above. Tried to get them to cover that, have the receipt box etc... Nope they wouldn't budge.
They have a processing fee of $11 or $12, don't recall the exact amount. Plus me shipping them in, I was into them for another $20 and change. These aren't cheap sunglasses, $225-$250 glasses breaking down that fast is crazy.

MJ lens replacement is $60 plus $10 replacement. Have had the MJ's well over a year with zero issues minus the fogging (same issues with Costas).
I was considering Smiths also, but couldn't find many frames near me to try them on. Their glass lens is great and really light weight also.

[phatbass]

I have had two pair of Costa 580 glass they are alright. Warranty is terrible, will never own another pair. I got them back from getting fixed (frame coming apart where the plastic meets the rubber in less than 8 months) and sold them.

More detail please. I heard similar stories.

Well, one pair fell from my counter to my tile floor. One lens shattered, obviously my fault but $12X.XX later I got them back after a few weeks. Seems crazy to charge half of the retail price to replace a lens.

I didn't like those frames much so I sold those and bought a different pair. Less than 8 months in the frame started separating as I said above. Tried to get them to cover that, have the receipt box etc... Nope they wouldn't budge.
They have a processing fee of $11 or $12, don't recall the exact amount. Plus me shipping them in, I was into them for another $20 and change. These aren't cheap sunglasses, $225-$250 glasses breaking down that fast is crazy.

MJ lens replacement is $60 plus $10 replacement. Have had the MJ's well over a year with zero issues minus the fogging (same issues with Costas).
I was considering Smiths also, but couldn't find many frames near me to try them on. Their glass lens is great and really light weight also.

which style frames did you have? I have a pair I dropped to the concrete and chipped one of the lenses so I sent them in for repair,since these are polarized lenses they have to be replaced as a set ,I paid 109.00 for the repair,but I can't complain it was my fault,there 580g are some of the best lenses on the market.bar none

[Ham Solo]

I recently purchased another pair of Costas. I went with the Cat Cay frames and the 400 plastic lenses this time. So far, so good.

[Toadslayer72]

I recently purchased another pair of Costas. I went with the Cat Cay frames and the 400 plastic lenses this time. So far, so good.

Yeah the Cat Cay is the frame I have w the 580G and I really like that frame. The 580P I have are a frame style called "Cut" which are more of a basic everyday style, which I also really like. What I don't like about either frame is the color. I got Tortoise on my Cat Cat and this two tone color(like an amber on the bottom that fades to a glossy black) on the Cut. While I really like how both look, when the sun hits them a certain way this sort of amber flash occurs on the inside of the lenses. It's more of an occasional annoyance but I don't like it. Never again will I go either plastic lens or any color other than black, preferably flat, on the frames.

****Edit**** upon further inspection, my Cut frames actually transition into a deep dark amber. It looks black though. The color is called "Coconut Fade".

See here: http://www.ems.com/product/index.jsp?productId=35634426

[Ham Solo]

My Zanes were a matte black frame with 580G green mirror lenses. My Cat Cays are a shiny black frame with 400G blue mirror lenses(I thought that they were plastic, but they are actually glass ). No problem with reflections or flashes, just the occasional fogging.

[Boondock]

I have had two pair of Costa 580 glass they are alright. Warranty is terrible, will never own another pair. I got them back from getting fixed (frame coming apart where the plastic meets the rubber in less than 8 months) and sold them.

More detail please. I heard similar stories.

Well, one pair fell from my counter to my tile floor. One lens shattered, obviously my fault but $12X.XX later I got them back after a few weeks. Seems crazy to charge half of the retail price to replace a lens.

I didn't like those frames much so I sold those and bought a different pair. Less than 8 months in the frame started separating as I said above. Tried to get them to cover that, have the receipt box etc... Nope they wouldn't budge.
They have a processing fee of $11 or $12, don't recall the exact amount. Plus me shipping them in, I was into them for another $20 and change. These aren't cheap sunglasses, $225-$250 glasses breaking down that fast is crazy.

MJ lens replacement is $60 plus $10 replacement. Have had the MJ's well over a year with zero issues minus the fogging (same issues with Costas).
I was considering Smiths also, but couldn't find many frames near me to try them on. Their glass lens is great and really light weight also.

which style frames did you have? I have a pair I dropped to the concrete and chipped one of the lenses so I sent them in for repair,since these are polarized lenses they have to be replaced as a set ,I paid 109.00 for the repair,but I can't complain it was my fault,there 580g are some of the best lenses on the market.bar none

The blackfin frames, which retail for $249. So $109 for replacing the lenses, $8 for shipping, another $11 or $12 for "processing" got me the $125 ish mark for new lenses. Just a FYI for people that have them or plan to buy them. Other brands are in the $50-$75 range.

[surf n turf]

Have 2 pairs of Maui Jims(Paradise and Longboards) and they have been excellent sunglasses going on 10 years with one pair and about 4 years for the other. My opinion is Maui Jim is one of the best in the game and their Evolution lenses are fantastic. I recently bought a pair of Kaenons(Lewi) and they are solidly built and very good lenses. I've checked out quite a few Costas and they just do not do it for me regardless of their hype. Most overrated frames for a pair of shades that are $200+. Frames feel like super cheap plastic. They put a ton of money into advertising and have dealers everywhere so they usually get the first look when people start comparing fishing sunglasses.

[Cracker]

Had problems with my Costa 580G mirror, several circles appeared on both lenses, brought them to the Classic expo, explained the problem, received same sunglasses with brand new lenses in two weeks by mail, $0 cost to me. GREAT CUSTOMER service from Costa!!!

[Cracker]

How do you guys evaluate lens quality?

I have sharp eyesight between 20/10 and 20/15, and clearly see difference between high end optics (bino's, hunting scopes) and medium priced lines. Some people don't. That doesn't prove high end lines don't have advantage.
If you compare sunglasses - at least do it on the water, testing in a store doesn't mean anything.

Frames quality - many frames made in Japan or Italy, on my Costa's says Japan.
I know for sure, MJ lenses made in Japan, I guess most top shades' brands lenses come from same source (factories), just colors or layering would be different.
In South East by my estimation Costa outnumber MJ at least 5 to 1, probably because local marketing and location of Costa (Daytona Beach, Florida).
Hawaii/ Cali I guess probably opposite.

[Randingo]

It sucks being old and blind. For years I wore contacts mainly so I could wear sunglasses. During that time I wore Oakleys, Costas, Mauis, but I think the best lenses I ever had were in Revo sunglasses. I've always had dry eyes, and as I've gotten older that problem has only gotten worse. in addition, I now need bifocals, so I've had to go the prescription sunglass route, and let me tell you, it's painfully expensive--Megabass rod and reel expensive. And when you're as blind as I am, glass is never an option – it's just too damn heavy. So I bought a pair of Oakley prescription shades, and I thought they were pretty good until I wore them in the hot sun and sweat got on the lenses a bunch of times. Then the coating came off, and not only did the coating come off, but it seemed like the lenses were scratched so my vision was no longer clear. I've worn glasses since I was eight years old, so you've got to believe me when I tell you I'm not hard on lenses, but those hyper expensive Oakley lenses just fell apart from what should be considered normal wear. And when you're spending $750 or $900 on a pair of sunglasses, you can't get a different pair for every set of conditions, especially when your prescription keeps changing. So the Oakley's were a disaster. Since then, I've gotten Maui Jim's, and they've held up well and perform well on the water. I'd really like to be able to try others but that means risking a chunk of change on a brand that may turn out to be as poor as those Oakley glasses, so I think I'm pretty much going to be wearing Maui's for the rest of my life. I envy all of you being able to wear nonprescription sunglasses.

[sarcazmo]

I love my Maui Jims.

Their warranty was pretty sweet too. They were looking a little beat up from constant use. I sent them in and $60 bucks later I basically got a brand new pair of sunglasses. If it was within the original two year warranty it would have been free. Now the warranty starts fresh. It was a very pleasant experience overall, and someone from the factory even called to confirm what I was looking for.

I will try a pair of Costas one day though.

[FrankTheRabbit]

I've had a couple of designer sunglasses, until I got tired of them only lasting for two years and forking over $200 each time. I picked up a pair of H2Optix Bajas, which were on sale for $25, normally $50. No frills, basic polarized shades and they were lightweight as well. I wasn't sure what kind of lens or how they were constructed, but for $25, they did the job, took decent care of them, and have had them for 4 years and counting. Perhaps my eyes are a little different, because when my wife wears them, she notices distortion and feels like there's a big hole in the ground. I've worn them for 4 years and had no such experience…weird.

Did some research last year, looking to jump into the higher end category of shades, which led me to Smiths, Mauis, and Costas. I ended up going for a pair of Smiths Spoilers, which I bought off Kijiji for a pretty decent price. They featured interchangeable lens (grey green, clear, and ignitor) and were really comfy and stayed on my face, even when the outdoor temps were hot. I brought them down to Bermuda and it cut so much glare from the blue ocean waters, it was amazing! I was able to see through the water for a loooong distance! Unfortunately, swimming in salt water with the shades, the metal hinges started to corrode. I put them in a bowl of water in the hopes of trying clean the hinges and the next morning, there were "spots" on the lens! It looked like some coating was starting to come off…I was heartbroken! As with many others have mentioned, Smiths customer service stands behind their Lifetime warranty. I sent them in (no receipt) through a Smiths retailer, made contact with a CS agent, and within 7 days, I received a new pair Terrace shades (grey green lens). I've worn them fishing on a lake and also on the rivers, for trout/salmon. They've held up really well (no dips in salt water yet), really light weight, and phenomenal polarization.

Because majority of the fishing I do are on rivers, I decided to try their Techlite Polarchromic lens. Picked up a pair of Touchstone shades, but there hasn't been enough sun for polarchromic lens to work. So, I'm excited to give them a try on the river when the temps are high enough. So far, just wearing them out and about, they feel comfy, although slightly (very minute) heavier than the polycarbonate lens. Perhaps, my eyes are a little different…but I can't discern any clarity difference between the polycarbonate and techlite lens, despite wearing prescription glasses for more than 30 years!

I'm looking forward to spending more time with the three sunglasses and will try to update as I go along.

Just an update:

The weather has warmed up nicely and I've just spent the last five days fishing trout opener and wore the Techlite amber lens for the entire duration. The amber lens were perfect for the river colour I was fishing in (mostly brown and green stained waters). Because these have the polarchromic lens, I was able to fish 30 mins before first light till about 30 mins after sundown, which was really amazing. There's no comparison when you don't wear polarised lens to fish the rivers, it's a definitely necessity. I was able to spot fish, below surface structure, and everything was very sharp and clear.

There were two minor annoyances that I found…since the lens is made out of glass, it is slightly heavier and I found myself having to push the shades up multiple times throughout the day. I'm wondering if perhaps I chose a smaller coverage, the fit would be better. Also, another thing, the anti-glare coating on the inside of the lens, is really prone to smudges. Despite following the manufacturers care guide, there doesn't seem to be a way to completely remove the smudges. And one other minor thing, because it's a glass lens, I think static electricity is more evident, compared to polycarbonate lens. Everytime I wipe the lens with a microfibre cloth, there's always a little residue of dust that's stuck onto it and doesn't come off.

Overall, with the performance of these shades, I can live with the minor annoyances associated with them. There was never a moment where my eyes were tired…well, that's kinda of a lie. Fishing from dusk till dawn will tire out anyone's eyes.

I look forward to many more fishing adventures with these techlite polar chromic lens.