• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Favorite sunglasses for shooting/hunting?

Sendit6.5

Sendit6.5

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 29, 2009
467
47
Sabinal, TX
www.brushyhill.com
I lost my Costs sunglasses while tracking one of my clients’ deer. Ugh! So, I’m in the market for a new pair of quality sunglasses. I’ve been wearing Costas with 580G lenses - the green mirror; and I really liked them for fishing. But, they were sometimes too dark for shooting. For instance, on an overcast day or when a heavy cloud rolled in. I’m open to something with a slightly brighter lens. If I get a Costa again it’ll probably be with the copper lens without the mirror.

What are your favorite sunglasses for shooting and daily life? Not interested in a yellow lens as I need something with a little more cross-platform use - I’m not looking for a pair of traditional shooting glasses.
 
I use a pair of Liquid color-change ones for shooting.

Pros:
They have no hinges
They're tough as hell
They're typically about the right darkness
They will NOT fall off your head

Cons:
They have no hinges
They're kinda expensive
They're not polarized

I do have a pair of their polarized sunglasses that I love, but the color-change ones are not.
 
ESS with the lens of your choice. I prefer the amber to gray and stopped using polarized after many years using. Although I have polarized lenses on hand too.
 
I’ve had luck with Oakley Prizm polarized in Radar EV path model. For overcast days I have a clear lens Radar EV path.
 
I have a pair of SSP glasses that have the bifocal on the top of the lense. Much easier to see your sights when shootiing handguns or open sight rifles.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tono and Sendit6.5
Alabusa said:
Costa Tuna Alley is my go to and have been for a few years.
Click to expand...

I tried a pair of those on a couple days ago and I really liked how they fit. I will probably get either the Tuna Alley or Fantail frames if I go with Costa. I’m pretty sure they offer the copper lenses in those models and they both come in the newer “moss” color and the sand color. What lenses are you using?

CMH said:
I've owned most of the bigger names, and to my eye, there is no equal to Maui Jim. If I am outside and the sun is shining, there is a 99% chance I am wearing them.
Click to expand...

My wife has a pair of Maui Jim’s and loves them. That’s kinda what got me interested in a brownish lens. I figured they only made surfer kinda sunglasses (did I just “profile” a sunglass company? LOL) but I guess I should check out what they offer. Thanks for reminding me - that’s exactly why I posted here.
 
CMH said:
I've owned most of the bigger names, and to my eye, there is no equal to Maui Jim. If I am outside and the sun is shining, there is a 99% chance I am wearing them.
Click to expand...

100% seconded. Mavericks with the Blue Hawaii lenses are amazing, especially with how vivid colors are.
 
Sendit6.5 said:
I tried a pair of those on a couple days ago and I really liked how they fit. I will probably get either the Tuna Alley or Fantail frames if I go with Costa. I’m pretty sure they offer the copper lenses in those models and they both come in the newer “moss” color and the sand color. What lenses are you using?





My wife has a pair of Maui Jim’s and loves them. That’s kinda what got me interested in a brownish lens. I figured they only made surfer kinda sunglasses (did I just “profile” a sunglass company? LOL) but I guess I should check out what they offer. Thanks for reminding me - that’s exactly why I posted here.
Click to expand...

I am using the 580 Blue Mirror lenses. My wife also wears Maui Jim. She has the Punchbowl series. She has the Chocolate Fade frames with Maui Rose lenses.
 
I have literally had 50+ pair of costas over the last 15 years. I noticed in the last 5 years the QC got worse and worse. I can’t go outside without sunglasses. I made the switch to Maui Jim’s last year and haven’t looked back.

They seem to be holding up well. I have two pair. I won’t buy another pair of costas.
 
I wear Wiley X Airrage w a prescription 24/7. Mil spec lenses are Osha approved so i can wear them on any job site.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Drahthaar Dan
Also prefer Maui Jim. All blue mirrors are grey and green mirrors are amber-and both can be too dark for me as well. The MJ rose lenses are the Goldilocks to my eyes and I have them with the built in readers as well as plain. The only downside to Maui Jim’s is the lack of glass lense options as about 95% of them are plastic. I can be a bit of a brute on sunglasses and the Costa glass 580s resist scratching much better. But I also agree Costa’s customer service and QC basically suck compared to years past and I no longer spend money with them.
 
I wear Persols while wearing some Teva flip flops and a Hawaiian shirt....sitting in a beach chair waiting on the coyotes to walk by.
 
b2lee said:
I wear Persols while wearing some Teva flip flops and a Hawaiian shirt....sitting in a beach chair waiting on the coyotes to walk by.
Click to expand...
Pics or it didn't happen? Yotes on a beach.
 
heh....never said I was 'at the beach'.....I just pretend I'm at the beach...while it is snowing on a KY corn field....but back in the day...a long time ago...when I was young and handsome...I saw deer walking on the beach in Florida. I think it was deer...I was f'ing hammered.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Notevenonpaper and BCX
I've always liked Oakley's, I wear a pair of safety glasses for work , and their sunglasses for everything else. They are also highly skilled at getting my prescription perfect.
 
For shooting I like my old school Oakley M frames. I have about 4 pairs of them. I actually still have the ones that were issued to me in the military 15 years ago. I buy new lenses every couple of years when they get scratched but that’s it. They are tough and offer good protection without obscuring your sight picture through a scope. That’s the problem I have with most glasses. Part of the frame ends up in the way when I’m prone behind my rifle. Oakley also makes a frameless model that would work even better but my M Frames have always worked so I haven’t bought any.
 
+1 for ESS. They have a lot of options for fit, style and lens type.
 
krimet said:
+1 for ESS. They have a lot of options for fit, style and lens type.
Click to expand...

Also safety certified beyond most others.

Are Maui Jims safety glasses/shooting glasses?

I've had Maui Jims and they are nice sunglasses but their glass lenses, while I like them very much, are too. heavy for me after wearing all day long. IIRC, they've moved to plastic lenses?
 
The best pair of sun glasses hands down has to be the as seen on tv TAC Glasses. They are “Military tough but light as a feather”.

just kidding I would not spend your money on them if you gave it to me.

I use Maui Jim’s mostly, bit my Oakley’s are right behind them.
 
Serengeti Drivers for about the last 25 years.
The lenses accentuate orange which is good for hunting plus skeet and sporting clays shooting.
i tried Maui Jim‘s and liked them except that the polarizing causes a “rainbowing” effect looking thru tinted windows. I couldn’t work around it and ended up taking them back to the store to exchange them.
 
I’ve got a set of Oakley monster dog frames with a couple sets of Revant replacement lenses that have the upgraded impact resistance. I just swap out the lenses depending on the lighting conditions.
 
I really like the Gatorz eyewear. The Magnum polarized I use all the time and while not light weight I think theyre very durable and comfortable, plus have a very large lense.
 
I have a pair of Smith Director Elite's that I got for shooting because they meet MIL-PRF-31013 .....a little better than the ansi standard.
After I read the article on performance of different shooting glasses on Accurate Shooter I started looking for a pair of mil spec glasses.

These are also polarized.
As a side note, a couple years ago, my wife and I were climbing in Acadia National Park and a huge gust of wind almost ripped me off the mountain and my Smith's saved my eye from the granite when I swung back against the rock face....they got scratched, but not bad...especially for how bad my head hurt after that....my glasses actually left a bruise around my eye because they took all the shock of my head hitting the rock. Smith replaced the lens for free.
I'll buy another pair when I need them.

Oh, I shoot with these on sunny days, but switch to clear lenses on overcast days.
Ross
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Krob95
Question for folks that wear Costa Del Mar sunglasses
Replies
9
Views
642
TurboTrout
TurboTrout
gr8fuldoug
Kowa TSN-884 Spotting Scope with 25-60x Wide Angle Zoom only $2,499.99
Replies
0
Views
224
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
Optics Kowa TSN-884 Spotting Scope with 25-60x Wide Angle Zoom only $2,499.99
Replies
0
Views
164
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
Kowa TSN-883 / 884 Spotting Scope Super Sale
Replies
0
Views
468
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
Optics Kowa TSN-883 / 884 Spotting Scope Super Sale
Replies
0
Views
315
gr8fuldoug
gr8fuldoug
Top Bottom
Back