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Polarized glasses

Clive Shipman

Clive Shipman

Senior Member & Supporter
Not wanting to be drawn into the usual brand war what are peoples thoughts on quality polarized glasses. Plastic or glass lenses fishing trade glasses or high end quality sunglasses. I've had numerous brands but would like that little bit of edge that quality might bring normally I use Amber lenses but would like to hear people's opinions and why?
Regards Clive
 
Been looking myself at Polaroids and almost ordered the fortis switch until the ridgemonkey ones poped up that use proper glass.It's understandable that glass lenses are better than plastics for a clearer image but still haven't decided.
 
I’ve gone through quite a few pairs as I usually bust em in a year. A classic for me is to put em down on my chair while unhooking and inspecting my fish then sitting back down and busting them. The last couple of pairs went that way.
My favorite to date are Daiwas dptsg10f with the amber lenses
They are not very good sun glasses but those lenses are awesome at the task of taking glare off the water. I can see more clearly with them than I can with my polarised Oakleys.
Less than 20 quid a piece they ain’t bad if your clumsy like me.
Very comfortable, very light, but really really excellent optics
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What people call glasses are not in fact glass but hi tech plastic or as some advertise "organic glass" although some specialist manufacturers may use glass.
As I have cataracts developing I would not go for prescription polaroids due to my lens prescription changing over a period of months rather than years.
I bought at pair which are bifocal from either Sportfish or Fishtec and they are fine. Mine have a 2.5 dioptre magnifying area at the bottom which means to tie knots etc I don't have to change glasses. Ebay is as good a place as any to start looking.
 
Got some prescription polaroid varifocal glasses as fed up putting standard ones over my normal glasses. Got softish frames as like some give
About 130 but worth it.
 
I own a pair of shimano tribal Polarized in camo, they were awesome until my cousins dog got hold of them, 😱😠😡🤬
Little f!@#$¥g rat, they are discontinued now. I'm still gutted. I have been looking at the e.s.p. ones they look quite decent. Also these look alright for under a tenner, no carp tax😉
 

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I was testing out my sunglasses sitting by my garden pond, I always believed polarised were supposed to give vision through the water, but seems I was wrong.

My old Teeny Nymph Company ones from USA : was advised by optician to bin them as it was not clear whether they afforded any UVA/B protection. I keep them in my van for "emergencies" (whatever that may mean :)). Didn't give me much vision though the water. Binned.

My ESP ones had broken, the frame was very thin over the lenses and resisted all attempts to glue or hot weld. Didn't give me much vision though the water so decided against choosing them again. Binned anyway.

My missus's RayBans didn't give me much vision though the water.

My Bolles (ski glasses I believe) didn't give me much vision though the water.

Overall, for vision through the water I was better off without any glasses. So my conclusion is that best to wear a pair to protect eyes against harmful glare, but jury is out as to whether they would be any good for fish spotting - but where I've been fishing the last few years there's not much chance of fish :(


Chris Allcock said:
............ Also these look alright for under a tenner, no carp tax😉
Click to expand...

I'm very sceptical about cheap glasses. Since my optician warned me against using my old ones as the UVA/B protection was doubtful, would one trust anything that cheap? even if the far-eastern manufacturer put UVA/B protection on their listing?
The ones you show, I googled and they returned "Wish" - makes me even more dubious.

Might be wrong though .............. :oops:
 
I’ve got a couple of pairs of the old Optix Cormorants,still good despite their age,picked em up for stupid money(50p) off the local car boot sale :):)
 
still have my Maui Jim glasses i got off a guy on here and there really good also have some optix cormorants which are also very good but don`t look the best.
Andy
 
Very sceptical about the need for polaroids to see fish in water. Been staring into rivers lakes and ponds for too many years and can see fish OK, or so I think ..non angling types don't have this gift..how many times have you said to your missus...look at that Chub , Roach, Barbel, and they say where? My lad Anthony has tremendous fish eyes he can spot fish in the deepest murkiest pools, uncanny.
 
Got some prescriptions ones from spec savers, seem perfectly good for a blind man....

have some fortis ones that go over the top of glasses too - they seem no better than the prescription pair. Maui Jim are pretty pricey arent they....?
 
One thing to remember with glass lenses is they can be heavy, and it tells after awhile.

Ive got a fair few pairs, from cheap ones up to Maui Jim’s, rayban, bolles and Costa’s and spending money definitely improves them, and they last better and offer better protection. Costa’s maybe edge it, but you have to be careful which lenses you get as some are designed for off shore use and they are way to dark for our usage.

Glasgow Angling Centre sell a pair of Costa’s for £99 I think which is a good price
 
Without doubt Polaroid’s enhance (significantly I believe) my ability to spot fish and features, I hate being by water without them. I always have a pair on my glovebox in the car and in my fishing rucksack. I have used various makes over the years, all have been effective. Currently using a pair of ESP Stalkers in amber, The Third Eye in brown and a pair of Korda ones in grey. I don’t think I paid more than £20-25 for each pair and they all seem equally effective depending on the light conditions. I wear the Third Eye ones the most as they are the most comfortable, think they only cost £15.

Even when I’m fishing on rivers like the Trent I wear polaroid’s if there is any degree of glare, as I’m often fishing from the crack of sparrow till and hour or two into dark and I find they help keep my eyes feeling fresh for the drive home.

I’m getting to the stage where I’m going to need to have prescriptions lenses of some sort. One eye is half a diopter out, and all four of my grandparents where wearing specs come 50. I’m reluctant to fork out for a prescription Polaroid’s until my eyes have declined further, I dont want to spend north of £100 on a pair of glasses only for them to be useless the following season! But I think it is beyond any doubt that glass lenses will be more effective than plastic.

Aside from fish spotting and keeping my eyes fresh, I also think Polaroid’s enhance the experience of playing fish - I can see so much more of the fight, and can tell a lot quicker if it’s a good-un or not.
 
Neil Smart said:
Very sceptical about the need for polaroids to see fish in water. Been staring into rivers lakes and ponds for too many years and can see fish OK, or so I think ..non angling types don't have this gift..how many times have you said to your missus...look at that Chub , Roach, Barbel, and they say where? My lad Anthony has tremendous fish eyes he can spot fish in the deepest murkiest pools, uncanny.
Click to expand...
I agree
My mrs can’t see sod all unless it actually breaks the water surface. Totally useless 🤣.
Don’t think you need to be sceptical of Polaroid’s. They just make things that bit clearer by eliminating glare off the water.

Your 100% right an anglers eyes definitely spot the fish and a good pair of lenses taking off the glare allows you to see it clearer in more detail and more importantly not straining your eyes.
 
My dear old Jack the Springer, who died nearly a year ago , best damn dog I have ever had, he was a brilliant fish spotter, I guess having a mate like me he had no choice...but apart from sky lining, he could fix his gaze on a shoal of Chub, and stay stock still for ages, many a time had to drag him away. :)
 
I bought these “very special” sunglasses over 20 years ago. Polarised lenses, UVA & UVB protection. They were in a special promotion at McDonalds....yes! McDonalds the burger people and cost the princely price of 99p a pair. I’ve used them for fish spotting, bike riding, taken them on holiday thinking that if they got lost or scratched on the beach then they didn’t owe me anything. I ended up with four pairs, my Missus and I still have a pair each for our now rare bike rides and gave away the other two pairs long ago. As the McDonalds TV advert say’s “ do you like getting value for money “....Now I’ve said all this i’ll probably loose or sit on them now 😂
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