My wife has told me that since I’ve been such a great husband this winter that I may purchase a GOOD pair of polarized glasses. I’m looking at the Guides Choice glasses from Action Optics(Smith) with the photocromic brown lens. Does anyone have a set of these? Are the worth the money? I’m open for any other suggestions on glasses. I really want a pair with the glass lens. Which color lens would be best for all around use, I’m leaning towards brown or copper.
My opinion polarized is polarized. How could you have different polarized? Costco will sell polarized glass sunglasses and prescription sunglasses polarized. I haven’t seen the tests reports, and I would guess built for fishing the better ones would have side protection. Being from the hot desert I do not like to look at the world through brown or copper. In the summer it feels too hot to me. I like a green or gray color. Just my opinion…it is the only one I am an expert on. Good Luck
Plain old Jim, I’m Plain…and I’m old.
My personal opinion is yes they are worth every penny. I wear a bifocal prescription and have tried poly lenses, and while yes they work, the superior optics of glass make all the difference in the world. My eyes are worth having the best. I have the Padres in copper. I’ve tried brown, but it makes everything look too redish-brown in my opinion. However, it depends on what your fishing conditions are. For me I spend quite a bit of time in and out of shade, so the copper ones work better for me.
Mike
JC and I both have the Action Optics prescription Guides Choice, in the brown-tone, Polorized. I would not trade mine. I have had others, both glass and plastic also in the blue, not even close.
[This message has been edited by LadyFisher (edited 12 March 2005).]
I thought I would chime in on this one. Not all polarization is equal. I used to fish with a pair of polarized RayBans, and they seemed fine. Then I lost them in a bubbling mudpot in Yellowstone, and sprung for a pair of AO photochromatic copper. The difference was like night and day.
I will never, never wear anything else. They are expensive, but worth every penny.
The only thing I would add is to keep weight in mind. The glass lens weighs considerably more than plastic. For me, after 2 or 3 pairs of Action Optics with the glass lens, I found they were uncomfortably heavy (with my prescription and bifocals) so I switched to plastic and couldn’t be happier. I don’t notice the difference in clarity between glass and plastic, although I know that the glass lens are supposed to be the superior choice.
John
I have the Guides Choice glasses from Action Optics with the photocromic copper lens…Abosulty love them…I have had them 2-3 years and think it was some of the best money I’ve spent on fly fishing equipment. Spend the extra money and make sure you get the glass lenses (less chance of getting scratched). The guides choice are nice as they wrapp around your face and do not let any light in from the sides. The photocromic lenses change with varying light conditions.
Highly recommend.
John G.
Albuquerque, NM
I have the Lochsa frames with prescription bifocal Clearwater Copper lenses.
I also have a pair of grey base, mirrored, prescription bifocals VA made for me.
The AO’s are, quite simply, the best I’ve ever worn. That list includes Vuarnet PX-5000 glacier glasses, Galibier glacier glasses, Costa Del Mar’s Maui Jim’s and my previous favorite Ocean Waves.
You only have one set of eyes. Don’t mess with cheap glasses if you can find any way to finance good ones.
aka Cap’n Yid.
Stev Lenon, 91B20’68-'69
When the dawn came up like thunder
Thanks to everybody that has responded to my question. It sounds like they are a great pair of glasses and I will be getting mine soon.