any suggestion on sunglasses

[ki-raphael]

Hi,
I sometimes find it hard to see the gusts and were they are going,
people have recommended to wear sunglasses.
Does anybody have a suggestion on what are really good sunglasses for sailing?

Thanks

[gordo]

its not too big an issue as of which brand but i would what is important is that they are polarized. that means it will cut the glare off the water and make it easier to see.

[markmod1]

I use Gill glasses in the UK see http://www.gillmarine.com/section_he...ub_cat_code=23 they float (as does most/ all of their range) when lost off the head over the side, I have also added a floating strap to them too and in conjunction with a cap (tied to the top of my buoyancy aid shoulder strap) keeps the whole thing with me when I 'go for a swim'

Gill are very affordable (mine were £34 I believe), well made (resilient to knock and drops) and are also most are available in polarized flavor.

If your into the 'cool' labels, Gill don't seem to have they cache of some of the designer brands like Oakley, Rayban etc (I rate them very highly though) but you could pay a fortune for a pair of 'designer label' watersport sunglasses and would you want to 'lose these at sea'?

All polarized sunglass are designed to do the same thing (obviously different lens tints strengths/ tint colors/ filter types are available, protecting your eyes from the glare and allowing you to see more clearly in haze etc the old saying goes...you pays you money and you takes your choice stands

These are just my views/ opinions and I hope they will be helpful to you...

[Sailorchick]

I just get cheap and cheerful ones as I lose them very quickly

[Mattcm]

Not to mention break them

[sk8ingsailor]

Kaenon Kore. LOVEEE mine. Amazing coverage, great polarization, and all the really good sailor wear em.

[pez]

Kaenon Kore are great sunglasses, but I may as well just get $200 and light it on fire... I dont think I've Had a pair of sunglasses for more than a month.

[Merrily]

I got polarized sunglasses that fit over my regular glasses at a fly fishing store. $35.

[49208]

You can occasionally find good deals at Campmor http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Category___246__

I think I got a pair of K. Kore for $65 couple years ago - they also have other brands that I have liked for sailing (Hobie, RayBan and Maui Jim - all with gray polarized lenses)

[bjmoose]

I already wear ordinary glasses. To cut the glare, I've settled on wearing a baseball cap that I attach to my PFD with a short tether.

When I used to race keelboats, the baseball cap wasn't great as I spent so much time looking *UP* trimming the spinnaker. But for the laser, it's great and the short glances up at the mainsail to check trim aren't hindered by the cap.

[MasterMike]

Originally Posted by ki-raphael

Does anybody have a suggestion on what are really good sunglasses for sailing?
:

Yes, you could go find my "Native" polarized glasses at the bottom of Flathead Lake! They were great. No glare, neutral color. Then put some sort of strap that doesn't catch on the boom in a gybe and send them to the bottom of the lake.

They floated for a long time, but was I going to give up 6 places to go get them?
So frustrating.

[Kaiser]

I agree with the "cheap ones" line of thinking... I end up in the water a lot (sometimes by choice, sometimes not) so I stick with the $10 gas station specs

I have heard that polarized lenses help you see wind lines, though - so it might be worth getting some that are a bit nicer... but don't go wearing $100+ glasses on the lake.

Then again, I sail in swim trunks and a T shirt and can't understand all the talk about rash guards and hiking pants... so your mileage may vary

[ki-raphael]

Thanks,
i'll see what i can find.

[guido02474]

It looks geeky as hell but... I wear normal corrective eyeglasses. When I used to teach Eskimo rolling in a kayak, in addition to a normal strap I used to use a second cord that ran from the ear pieces down and under my chin. Never lost my glasses in thousands of rolls. Worth a try when sailing in swim provoking conditions.

[fracisco]

I have a pair of Kaenon Rhinos that have worked really well. I am actually on my 2nd pair. The optical coating on my first pair started to flake off after 3 years, and I sent them back in to see if the lenses could be replaced, and they sent me a new pair of glasses.

[YachtKnotSail]

I am a die hard Hobie user for over 15 years. Because you can get GLASS lenses, and they do not scratch as easy.

[Halfjack]

Just to say - Walmart and Target usually carry polarizied in the $10 range...
(But I'm still wearing my Maui Jims)

[L'Angostino]

I´d get some hydrophobic polarized oakley sunglasses, they are very cool!

[Windglider]

Use some teflon spray to make youre glases "water resistant".

[WCsailor]

Originally Posted by Windglider

Use some teflon spray to make youre glases "water resistant".

Now we're talking... it's not what make you look good but what makes you faster!

[Windglider]

Originally Posted by WCsailor

Now we're talking... it's not what make you look good but what makes you faster!

Few weeks ago I bought an old laser, my first one. So I need every trick in the book to go faster.

[Sailingpj]

Originally Posted by Windglider

Few weeks ago I bought an old laser, my first one. So I need every trick in the book to go faster.

I don't think that putting Teflon spray on your sunglasses is even in the book.

[dyzzypyxxy]

I also agree with the cheapest polarized sunglasses you can get. I never lose my cheap ones, but if I ever pay money for a pair, they're gone almost instantly. I've found a great selection of "last year's" styles of name brands for usually under $10 at my favorite outlet store - Burlington Coat Factory.

You're nuts to ever go sailing without sunglasses. Not only can you see the water better, they're the equivalent of sunscreen for your eyes. Unless you don't mind the idea of cataract surgery when you're 40, wear those shades, kids!

[monkey_feet]

I like maui jims. They are expensive, but worth it. I wear sunglass holders. Don't want to have them go bye bye.

[Beachcomber]

The consensus here is that you should get polarized glasses. I'm not so sure. When light reflects off water, there is polarizing effect, meaning that most of the reflected photons are oscillating in the same direction. The polarizing lenses cut out most of the light oscillating in that direction, which reduces amount of light reaching you eye from the surface of the water. (Tilt your head sideways, and since you're twisting the lenses to allow more of those photons through, the water surface will look brighter.)

That's great for fishermen, who might want to see through the water surface into the water, or for people just messing about in boats. But for the racer who wants to see the gusts and shifts acting on the water, i.e. the surface of the water itself, I don't think it's helpful. I have yet to test this out by looking at the water with polarizing glasses vs. simply tinted ones, but that's my thinking. It's also important to get a pair of glasses with a uniform tint (some are more strongly tinted towards the top of the lenses) so that it's easier to tell where the water is lighter or darker.

Like many, I go for cheapies, since I tend to lose them or break them, although in my fair share of capsizes, I've never had a pair fall off my head.