Which Fishing Sunglasses Brands Should You Consider?
A decent pair of fishing sunglasses are a must-have for every angler. But this is a saturated market, and the quality can vary considerably from brand to brand.
In this article, I will go through some of the most reputable brands that sell great quality fishing sunglasses.
Some brands specialize in more specific areas of fishing sunglasses, whereas others cater to them all.
The below is an overview of some of the more popular fishing sunglasses brands and will give you a good guide of where you can spend your money, knowing that you will be getting good quality and value.
Why are the below brands the best for fishing sunglasses?
There are a few things that you need in fishing sunglasses that may not be as important in a regular pair of sunglasses.
First of all, as an angler you are going to be spending many hours out on the water, so you need sunglasses that are light and comfortable to wear.
This is not the time for fashion accessories, so forget about the Gucci sunglasses you saw in the fashion magazine! You need these glasses to fulfill your practical needs when out fishing.
Not only should they be light and comfortable, but they need to have more of a sports design so they cling well to your face and don’t keep slipping down with all of the sweat and sunscreen that they will be in contact with on your face.
The frame designs on fishing sunglasses need to be such that the light is kept out of your eyes from all directions. The water will reflect the sun rays upwards, so the frames need to block this, as well as from the top. And the wider arms will stop the sun from getting in from the sides of the glasses.
These lenses used on fishing sunglasses are one of the most important elements. Most good fishing sunglasses will have polarized lenses that cut a lot of the glare from the water, and this will help you from straining your eyes and squinting for long periods.
Really good quality polarized lenses will also allow you to see through the surface water as well. They remove any glare from the surface, and you can then see any fish just below it. This is really handing when fishing in shallower water.
Top brands for fishing sunglasses
All of the brands mentioned below provide excellent sunglasses for fishing as they understand exactly what the angler needs
Costa Del Mar
Costa del Mar is probably the biggest name in fishing sunglasses. Their sunglasses are very high-end, and although there are other brands that offer similar products at a lower price point, Costa del Mar has always been known to produce the highest quality fishing sunglasses.
They use top-grade materials like titanium and stainless steel which makes their sunglasses extremely durable. They also offer a lifetime warranty on their sunglasses, so if anything goes wrong, they will replace or repair it free of charge.
The lenses used on their fishing sunglasses are polarized, and you have the option of choosing polarized glass lenses, which are their clearest type, or their polarized plastic lenses, which are the lightest option.
Costa has a wide range of fishing sunglasses available, with different shapes, sizes, and colors to suit all tastes. They are also available for men and women, and you will be able to add prescription lenses to your Costa sunglasses if you wanted to.
If you want a quality pair of fishing sunglasses, then Costa Del Mar is an excellent brand that has earned its reputation for designing and creating top-quality sunglasses for anglers.
A few examples of popular Costa fishing sunglasses:
- Costa OCEARCH Half Moon 580G Polarized Sunglasses
- Costa Corbina 580G Polarized Sunglasses
- Costa Del Mar Fantail 580G Glass Polarized Sunglasses
Maui Jim
The Maui Jim company started off humbly back in 1980 when a local fisherman started selling sunglasses on Ka’anapali beach in Lahaina, Maui.
Then in 1991 a boat captain named Walter Hester bought the company and built up the brand to what it is today. As of 2015, the company was the third-largest producer of sunglasses in the world, so they really have understood and captured the market well.
They still design their own sunglasses using only the finest materials, and they do not compromise on quality. They know that fishing sunglasses should be made to last, and ensure that every aspect of their glasses is optimized for comfort and performance.
Their range of fishing sunglasses includes some very stylish models, so if you want a pair that provide all the practical needs for your long fishing trips on the hot sunny days, and also look great while doing so, then you really should check out the Maui Jim range of fishing sunglasses.
A few examples of popular Maui Jim fishing sunglasses:
- Maui Jim Stingray Polarized Glass Sunglasses
- Maui Jim Peahi Polarized Sunglasses
- Maui Jim Red Sands Polarized Sunglasses
Salt Life
The Salt Life brand was founded by four watermen from Jacksonville Beach, FL who had a passion for the ocean and some of the activities to be had on and in it. Fast forward to today, and Salt Life is now a leading lifestyle brand that sells multiple products, and their wide range of sunglasses has become popular with anglers all around the world.
They knew that saltwater fishing could be tough on sunglasses, and they also knew that anglers needed something extra in their sunglasses that would protect their eyes from the intense glare experienced when out on the water, and keep them safe and comfortable while they fished.
So Salt Life designed a new kind of lens that would help anglers see through the surface water, and they created their first pair of polarized fishing sunglasses. Since then, Salt Life has grown into one of the most successful fishing sunglasses companies in the world.
Today, Salt Life offers a huge range of fishing sunglasses that offers many different designs for men and women. All of their fishing sunglasses come with a lifetime limited warranty, and you will receive a replacement pair if yours gets damaged during normal wear and tear.
Their range of fishing sunglasses features polarized lenses that are available in a variety of colors. They also have options with either glass lenses or polycarbonate lenses to suit your needs.
If you are looking for a pair of fishing sunglasses that will handle the heat, and provide protection against harmful UV rays while out fishing, then Salt Life is a brand that has been delivering high-quality products since 2003.
A few examples of popular Salt Life fishing sunglasses:
- South Port Crystal Blue Tortoise Sunglasses
- Lauderdale Tortoise Sunglasses
- Perdido Matte Brown Tortoise Sunglasses
Oakley
Oakley is another brand that has been making fishing sunglasses for over 40 years. Their history began in 1975 when the founder of Oakley, James Jannard started off selling motorcycle grips. The material used for making the motorcycle grips is now used to make the earsocks in Oakley sunglasses.
Today, the brand is known worldwide for its innovative and durable sunglasses, and they continue to produce some of the best sports sunglasses on the market and have become a popular choice for anglers around the world.
Oakley has continued to grow and develop its range of sunglasses and other accessories and has a wide range of sunglasses suitable for fishing.
While Oakley does offer glasses with polarized lenses, they also have their own proprietary lens technology called Prizm.
By using Prizm technology in their lenses, Oakley has been able to fine-tune the lenses to suit specific environments. The Prizm lenses filter certain colors and enhance vision and detail.
Some of Oakley’s sunglasses have lenses that only use Prizm technology, others have polarized lenses only, and then you can find some that use a combination of both Prizm and polarized lenses. The lenses that use both Prizm and are polarized are exceptionally powerful for anglers to use, as they do an excellent job of cutting out glare and improving your vision into the water.
A few examples of popular Oakley fishing sunglasses:
- Oakley Gascan OO9014 Polarized Sunglasses
- Oakley Fuel Cell OO9096 Polarized Sunglasses
- Oakley Flak 2.0 XL OO9188 Prizm Water Iridium Mirror Polarized Sunglasses
Wiley X
Wiley X is a family-owned brand that was founded by U.S. Veteran Myles Freeman Sr. and the vision of the company was always to create the world’s best protective gear for those that protect our country.
The Wiley X brand was born in 1987 and literally started off in the basement of a building. The two sons of Myles Freeman Sr also started working for the family business, and now it is a hugely successful company.
They proudly claim that Wiley X is the only premium sunglasses manufacturer whose entire line of products exceeds occupational safety standards.
While the Wiley X sunglasses are primarily aimed at the safety market and designed for military personnel, their quality designs and premium materials used in their design make them an excellent option for anglers too, they even have a range of sunglasses designed specifically for fishing.
All of the fishing sunglasses produced by Wiley X are designed to fit comfortably and securely onto your face. This means that they won’t slip down your nose while you are out fishing, and they provide a lot of comfort, even when wearing for hours at a time.
Wiley X sunglasses feature a unique design that allows them to sit closer to your eyes than any other fishing sunglasses. This helps to keep any glare away from your eyes and prevent eye strain, and also makes it easier for you to see what is happening below the surface of the water.
A few examples of popular Wiley X fishing sunglasses:
Smith Optics
We have to go all the way back to 1965 to see when Smith Optics was born. The founder was Dr. Bob Smith, an orthodontist and in his own words, “the original ski bum”. He developed the first sealed thermal lens and breathable vent foam for his ski goggles. He hand-built goggles in his garage and sold them out of his van on weekend ski trips in Utah and Colorado.
While the initial products manufactured by Smith were skiing goggles, their expertise, and experience in designing the goggles and lenses led them on a natural path to creating sunglasses too, and now their sunglasses is a large part of their overall product range.
Smith Optics has a wide range of sunglasses that provide options for everything from lifestyle through to sportswear and active sunglasses. The brands’ knowledge and experience in this market have made them a popular option for anglers, with a lot of positive reviews about their quality.
They do have a specific range of fishing sunglasses and Smith has developed a technology they cal ChromaPop™ specifically for this range. This technology helps to filter specific wavelengths of light, allowing greater definition, natural color, and clarity for long days on the water.
Another reason why Smith sunglasses are so popular with fishermen and women is that they really understand what they need in a quality pair of sunglasses.
They are light on the face and can be worn for hours without causing any discomfort. They also have Megal nose and temple pads to ensure they sit comfortably and do not slip. They also include spring hinges on the arms so that fit snuggly on slimmer or wider head shapes.
A few examples of popular Smith fishing sunglasses:
Which brand of fishing sunglasses should you go for?
The good thing for the consumer is that there is no shortage of quality brands that sell fishing sunglasses. The above is a select few, there are plenty of other brands that can be considered also.
The main considerations for you should be looking for are the fit, the looks, and the quality of your fishing sunglasses. The lenses must provide your eyes with ample protection from the glare off the water, and polarization to help you see through the water surface.
Work out what you want to spend on your fishing sunglasses and then start making your shortlist. Any of the above brands will get you a very good quality pair of fishing sunglasses and should last you a very long time too due to the quality of their products.
