I’m looking around for some magnifying glasses (readers) that are pretty rugged.
For use while fishing.
I have some glasses that I use while tying flies and rod building. But they have wire frames and arent very stout.
I’d like to find something that will hold up to fishing and that I can use with eyeglass keepers, around my neck. Wire frames don’t work too well with those.
I swap between my polarized glasses (while fishing) and the readers (while tying tippet knots).
I’m not looking for fitover readers, nor looking for flip-down readers, nor adding reader stick-ons to my polarized sunglasses.
If anyone has any recommendations, I would appreciate it.
I use readers the same way. Polarized sunglasses while fishing, replaced with readers for tying knots. Although I have my sunglasses on a keeper arond my neck and the readers in my shirt pocket or in my chest pack.
I’ve had plenty of success with the cheap readers from the dollar store. More than good enough optical quality for the minute or so that I wear them at a time and cheap enough not to worry about durability.
About a year ago, at an outdoor show, I saw some magnetic magnifying glasses that, instead of sitting on your ears like regular glasses, had flexible side pieces that clipped to the bill of your cap. Can’t remember the name and can’t find them with an internet search.
Those are called Flex Spex. I looked at those and they look like a good idea.
But, I don’t know how well they would hold up.
I also don’t think they would work well on a wide brimmed hat.
I’m also not sure about the angle of the glasses when attached to any sort of hat.
Orvis sells readers in 4x and 5x (I’ve never seen anything that high in the drug stores). They cost more but have real frames. I use a pair of 5x for both tying and fishing.
Check out http://www.zennioptical.com/. They have standard reading glasses and you could have them make readers with any frames that they sell. I use computer glasses (bifocals with reading lens on bottom, mid range lens on the top) for both computer use at work and for fly tying, and I have purchased several pairs from them. The glasses are made overseas and they are inexpensive.
I had the same thought. I tried them on and they seemed like a good concept but I, too, was concerned about them working on a wider brimmed hat, which I sometimes wear.
I’m a HUGE fan of the “Clics” Warren posted about. I’ve had mine for 5 years of daily wear. They finely broke and I’ve since replaced them with the same. They work great for on the river too. You’ll become more challenged as time goes by though, especially with the really small flies (I love fishing small flies). In that case I bring an extra, cheap pair of cheaters, that gives me that added magnification for threading tiny tippet into tiny holes. Works great. (You can also use those clip on flip ones for this purpose…but the Clics are a MUST HAVE, IMHO. I LOVE THEM.
I hate them. Last pair I had lasted about 4 hours. Fell apart on the river. They are hard to focus with and if you don’t flip them back under the hat, they can give you a nasty burn on a sunny day. It’s Clic’s forever for me.
Here’s a video on the Spex Flex. they incorporate Warren’s idea with a clip. They not only clip to your hat, but you can clip them directly to your sunglasses.
Thanks for that link!
I ended up buying the Clics in the XXL size. I haven’t tried them on the river yet…but they fit GREAT!
The ones I tried on in the drug store were way too small. They pressed on the back of my head and the bridge of my nose.
It was like wearing some sort of brace on my head.
The XXL Clics are completely adjustable. The back slides wider and narrower. There is also adjustment for the temple pieces to slide out and in.
If you hadn’t posted that link, I would have just written them off based on the ones I saw at the pharmacy.
Thanks again!
I am glad that the link worked and they had what would work out for you. I wear bifocal glasses and have to contend with clip-on sun glasses which have worked fairly well so far for me. I always see good sunglasses that I would like to use but they are not prescription sunglasses and, even though they would would work great on the water, I would not be able to see to tie anything on the line! : ) I know I could get prescription sunglasses but would have to contend with switching back and forth and would, eventually, lose one of them plus prescription sunglasses are not cheap and, once scratched, would not be useable. For now, I will continue to use my bifocal prescription glasses with clip-on sunglasses which has been a good combination for my fishing so far. I have tried several of the “fit-over” sunglasses and they all make me feel as though I am wearing goggles and they keep sliding down and are just a pain to use.
I am glad that I was able to provide something that worked for you. Now, go and enjoy them on the water.
