Sunglasses any recommendations?

[Skip Chernoff]

With the flying season almost here I promised myself a pair of really good sun glasses. I've tried some of the polarized types ,but seem to get distortion. Any recommendations for sunglasses? Thanks,PhillySkip

[Fredvon4]

Not a good answer cuz you are asking a serious question...

CHEAP sunglasses!!!!

I rode a motor cycle for 40 years.... never lost a $3 set....but every set of $45 or more never lasted a full week

[Brett Buck]

With the flying season almost here I promised myself a pair of really good sun glasses. I've tried some of the polarized types ,but seem to get distortion. Any recommendations for sunglasses? Thanks,PhillySkip

   I switch between Serengeti Drivers and ancient Ray-Ban Ambermatics. The Serengeti are for extreme conditions. I usually use the Ambermatics. They are also surprisingly good for night/twilight driving, because they turn bright yellow in the dark.

    The issue most people have is trying to use too-dark glasses. Too dark, and you can't see the ground, it's just a mass of black ground clutter.   I think you definitely want brown-colored lenses, not gray/neutral. You might expect that you could open up the shadows using blue lenses like with cameras (since shadows are mostly illuminated with blue light from the sky) but that hasn't ever worked for me, even experiments with Wratten monochromatic blue. Green is interesting and would work except you can't get any quality lenses in green. Green with about a 2-stop neutral density filter was about the best thing I tried, but you basically cannot get those already made. Even *I* couldn't deal with the nerdy taped-together look.

      I also suggest *quality* glasses. All the really dark mirrored cheapies don't work very well even though they are dark. The unfortunate feature is that the Ray-Ban ambermatics were discontinued for years and I had to go to a vintage sunglass website to get spares, and you can assume it was not to be confused with a charity operation The other problem is that all the places you go for sunglasses treat them as fashion statements, not optical devices, and you can't get straight technical answers about transmissivity, etc.

   Of course, the usual rules apply, don't ever look straight at the sun - not because of eye damage, but because it will briefly "zap" your eyes and you will lose sight of it for a few seconds.

     Brett

[badbill]

I've been using the Serengeti Aviators for about 6 or 7 years now and they are the best I have tried. I started with them when I was mostly flying heli's and turbines, and have stuck with them. Nice and light also. I love 'em!

[john e. holliday]

I use the ones from the eye glass place at Wally World(Wal-Mart) when I remember to use them.

[James Holford]

I wear the $20 specials from the fishing section of Wal-Mart. Love them

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[dennis lipsett]

Having just had my last cataract taken off last Thursday and no longer needing to wear glasses rendering my hi zoot prescription glasses unusual,
 I made up my mind to get some really good glasses.
Got wrap around U/V and polarized With brown lenses about the same tint as my prescription lenses. They are great to drive with.
They work better than I expected and I look ultra 'cool' in them. Not cheap but not pocket numbing either under $15O.OO. That said I also have a cheaper pair about 40.00 that seem to be just as good, go figure.
Another poster mentioned distortion. I'm not having that problem as they are not full wrap around. They were bought simply to block light from the side view hitting my eye and that function they do extremely well.

Dennis

[Fredvon4]

Now that I feel like a schmuck for my smart assed response I have to say

Notice the folks talking about Ray ban Ambermatics or Seringeti Drivers lenses and take a look

Neither are curved wrap around but more straight and flat... yes the color contrast and brightness are important but you did mention distortion..... My experience is all the cool looking wrap around styles have the distortion to some degree

Another thing I learned here was about airplane color vs back ground color... when planning a paint scheme for high vis... do a contrast drill with the sunglasses on.....

[Randy Powell]

I use a pair of Oakley Half Jackets since I need prescription sunglasses. And they work very well.

[Kim Doherty]

"Drivers" are great sunglasses. I have used them for ever for both full size and models. But now I use Oakleys. If you get a good pair you can change lenses to suit the condition.

Kim.

[James Holford]

I cannot see well at all when outside without shades on.  These fishing glasses work wonders and don't scratch that easy I find.




Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[frank williams]

One of the best kept secrets of flying in the sun are welding glasses.  Shade 5 you can fly right through the sun.  Shade 3 is more practical ... you can fly right by the sun and not get washed out.  Cheap too.  Only downside is that they give everything a greenish hue ... colors don't look right, but the brain adapts quickly.
https://www.amazon.com/Miller-Electric-Welding-Glasses-Scratch-Resistant/dp/B003H1J5E6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1490058841&sr=8-3&keywords=welding+glasses

[RC Storick]

I use the $20 #4 Snap-on welding glasses. I can look into the sun

[Skip Chernoff]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. At present I have about 3 pair of different sunglasses in the glove compartment of my van when I go to the flying field. None seem to work for me. I'm not opposed to spending the money on getting something that works. When I fly R/C it doesn't seem to be a problem as I can fly in another part of the airspace and avoid the sun,but at our field it seems as if the downwind portion of our circle is always in the sun. I made a list of all of your suggestions and see if I can get something to work for me.

In the meantime I'm waiting for some nice weather to finish up an Ares and Strega.......and hope to see some of you at our PhillyFliers contest at the end of July..... PhillySkip

[TigreST]

There is a sunglass outfit  (Zurich) that has advertised in the MAAC bi-monthly mag since I can't remember when.  No idea if they are any good or not but here's a link.: 

www.ajsalesandsevice.ca   

And the U.S. provider is :

https://www.z-xg.com/about

And remember...."Mama always told me not to look into the eye's of the sun....,
But mama, that's where the fun is...." (name that band)


 FWIW,

[badbill]

Manfred Mann's Earth Band. I tried the Zurich and wasn't impressed. They used to travel to fly-in's and set up a booth, and do the ol' hard sell. Ended up selling them after I got my Serengetis.

There is a sunglass outfit  (Zurich) that has advertised in the MAAC bi-monthly mag since I can't remember when.  No idea if they are any good or not but here's a link.: 

www.ajsalesandsevice.ca   

And the U.S. provider is :

https://www.z-xg.com/about

And remember...."Mama always told me not to look into the eye's of the sun....,
But mama, that's where the fun is...." (name that band)


 FWIW,

[TigreST]

Must admit that the Serengti  with the Driver lens was a good one when driving (go figure) and skiing.  That was back when I was a contact lens operator (I use RX lenses).  Locally they have been difficult to find to test fit and purchase. I'm kinda gun shy when it comes to ebay and some of the on line venders due to the clone/fake ware's that are out there. But it's more about test fitting them for size I guess.  I bought a pair of Drivers for my wife, who thought I was totally nuts to spend that kind of money on sun glasses...until she put them on.  Then it was "Hey, these things are awesome! Thanks Snooky Bear!"  Thanks for the Zurich feed back Bill.

[Steve Helmick]

I just buy polarized fishing glasses, latest from Cabela's or Sportsman's Warehouse. I look for something comfortable with no rubber nose or ear pieces to fail or come off, and pretty dark. Usually about $30 will do it.

I tried the green welding glasses based on Sparky's recommendation, and couldn't stand the green. Made me kinda queezy and not feeling like flying models at all. I gave them to Rod Claus, and he seems to like them.

I've tried brown lenses and they changed the colors enough to make me think Ted's color combination was awful, so I went to grey lenses. For driving (with factory tinted windshield) or just being outside on a sunny day, I'll grab a pair of grey tinted Carhartt safety glasses.

Oddly enough, my vision has improved as I aged (71) to 20/20 and I can still read without reading glasses. Highly  recommended!  Steve

[RandySmith]

There is a sunglass outfit  (Zurich) that has advertised in the MAAC bi-monthly mag since I can't remember when.  No idea if they are any good or not but here's a link.: 

www.ajsalesandsevice.ca   

And the U.S. provider is :

https://www.z-xg.com/about

And remember...."Mama always told me not to look into the eye's of the sun....,
But mama, that's where the fun is...." (name that band)


 FWIW,

i LIKE THE  Serengeti Drivers, most times, if the Sun is extreme, or I have to fly right at the  Sun  I use the wrap around  Zurich, or  both

Randy

[B Norton]

Del Sol sunglass polorized several styles and a life time warranty against every thing including loss .Kinda expensive first pair @$40.00 or so but I haven't purchased sun glasses in about 8 years just paid s/h .Just check on line del sol sunglass .

[Mark Romanowitz]

And remember...."Mama always told me not to look into the eye's of the sun....,
But mama, that's where the fun is...." (name that band)

Manfred Mann's Earth Band - blinded by the light

[Larry Fernandez]

And remember...."Mama always told me not to look into the eye's of the sun....,
But mama, that's where the fun is...." (name that band)

Manfred Mann's Earth Band - blinded by the light

[/quote

Written by Bruce Springsteen

Larry, Buttafucco Stunt Team

[Steve Thornton]

  I switch between Serengeti Drivers and ancient Ray-Ban Ambermatics. The Serengeti are for extreme conditions. I usually use the Ambermatics. They are also surprisingly good for night/twilight driving, because they turn bright yellow in the dark.

    I second this opinion.  I've used the Serengeti for about 25 years, but only because I couldn't get Ambermatics or Cats from Ray-Ban.  I love the Cats for the plastic frames and excellent color in bright light.  The nose piece of my 10 year old Serengeti broke so my wife (business manager, spiritual advisor, and
financier) sent them back and they sent me a brand new pair & PAID THE POSTAGE.
Steve