Best sunglasses?

[clubbyjones]

FWIW, I sell upscale watches and sunglasses privately.

As a test, we took all of these pairs outside and tested them on a bunch of people at a neighborhood party. We live on a golf course community on a lake, with the course facing the front door and the lake facing the back. We had everyone close their eyes, and we put the glasses on them and then asked them to open and look around. We asked what produced, in their opinion, the "clearest and sharpest" vision. We wanted a first and a second choice. As you can imagine, this took a while.

Glasses:

Oakley C-Wire
Oakley M-Frame
Persol 2243
Ray-Ban 3213
Sama Slam
Mosley Tribes Pilot
Oliver Peoples Nitro
Oliver Peoples Lykos
Maui Jim Lanai
Serengeti Bromo
Costa Del Mar Bonefish Bay

Out of the nine people we asked, EVERY single person said the Mosley Tribes or one of the Oliver Peoples. Ironically, they all use the same VFX polarized lens.

My philosophy, which I repeat everyday when someone calls me for sunglasses, is that you should go with a company that FOCUSES on sunglasses and has made a name for themselves based on it. While Prada, Gucci, Armani, etc, have great styled frames, their lenses hardly ever match up. With Oakley, Maui Jim, Oliver Peoples, etc, you are getting great lenses (assuming you buy the top of the line polarized glass lenses) that all give great vision. We only performed our test because we really could only give opinion based on what we saw.

It's my firm recommendation that Oliver Peoples and Mosley Tribes have the clearest glass lenses around, bar none. Truth be told, too many other brands (i.e. Maui Jim) are so darn good that it doesn't really make a difference.

 

[minhi]

Originally Posted by danyllau

How do u guys like ProDesign, the one from denmark?

http://www.prodesigndenmark.com/

i have a pair of their frames for my glasses (not sunglasses), they are well made but a little expensive. i think modo is a better value (i have those too, more comfortable then my prodesign) but the prodesign are definately more fashion forward, they have that quirky/funky danish thing so you have to want to stand out.

as far as sunglasses i seem to go against the grain, i like the oliver peoples but i never find them on sale and don't wear sunglasses enough (because i don't wear contacts enough) to drop $300 on a pair. the two i wear now are paul smith and a new pair of varvatos, both picked up from discount stores for about $60 each.

 

[grunhauser]

Prodesign is an example of a good company gone big. Some of the things they did in the early 90's were downright revolutionary and as far as design goes, they were very innovative and sharp...
I believe everything is made in China nowadays, which leads to very poor quality of finishes in titanium frames. Acetates are not affected as much, but at price point, they are everywhere you look.
In short, Prodesign is in the money making mode right now.

 

[Gus]

The best lenses I have found are on Maui Jims. They may not have the flair that some other brands have in the frames, but when out in the sun they are the best.

 

[Laffertron]

Originally Posted by Hard2Fit

Is that you in your avatar?

no

 

[epa]

The other day I walked into a store to change my prescription lenses on my old sunglasses. Then I started to try on some frames, and ended up buying a pair of Tom Ford sunglasses. Not because they were expensive, but because I really liked the way they looked. Made in China? I do not really care too much, as long as the quality is acceptabe.

 

[Bohdathone]

I've got a pair of RayBan "Sidestreet" which have served me well for 12 years. Just bought a pair of Persol Aviators and they look and feel pretty cool, except they're so heavy they do leave red marks on my nose; quality feels a step up from the Raybans.

 

[iluvray3]

I really like Ray Ban. They have some of the best aviators!

 

[HORNS]

Originally Posted by epa

The other day I walked into a store to change my prescription lenses on my old sunglasses. Then I started to try on some frames, and ended up buying a pair of Tom Ford sunglasses. Not because they were expensive, but because I really liked the way they looked. Made in China? I do not really care too much, as long as the quality is acceptabe.

Is that you in your avatar?

 

[rnoldh]

I found a bunch of vintage frames that I had from 25 years ago!

Here's a picture of 2 pair (with reading glasses underneath, to show their scale, and how big the vintage frames are):

The pair on the left is terri brogans and the pair on the right is hard to read the inner branding but it appears to be Luxxoticca, Clyde model.

Here's the thread that JoelCairo started about the "Marcelo Mastroianni" look. It has pictures of the 5 vintage frames that I have. The 2 mentioned above and 3 vintage Polo.

Joel and I laughed at the way Ralph is seemingly copying his own designs of 25 years ago. But back then he was copying someone else's stuff.

Here's Polo's current frames. What do you sunglass people think. Do my vintage Polo's look like the current stuff?

Here's a photo of the vintage Polo frames:

 

[THEBIGDODDY]

Originally Posted by clubbyjones

FWIW, I sell upscale watches and sunglasses privately.

As a test, we took all of these pairs outside and tested them on a bunch of people at a neighborhood party. We live on a golf course community on a lake, with the course facing the front door and the lake facing the back. We had everyone close their eyes, and we put the glasses on them and then asked them to open and look around. We asked what produced, in their opinion, the "clearest and sharpest" vision. We wanted a first and a second choice. As you can imagine, this took a while.

Glasses:

Oakley C-Wire
Oakley M-Frame
Persol 2243
Ray-Ban 3213
Sama Slam
Mosley Tribes Pilot
Oliver Peoples Nitro
Oliver Peoples Lykos
Maui Jim Lanai
Serengeti Bromo
Costa Del Mar Bonefish Bay

Out of the nine people we asked, EVERY single person said the Mosley Tribes or one of the Oliver Peoples. Ironically, they all use the same VFX polarized lens.

My philosophy, which I repeat everyday when someone calls me for sunglasses, is that you should go with a company that FOCUSES on sunglasses and has made a name for themselves based on it. While Prada, Gucci, Armani, etc, have great styled frames, their lenses hardly ever match up. With Oakley, Maui Jim, Oliver Peoples, etc, you are getting great lenses (assuming you buy the top of the line polarized glass lenses) that all give great vision. We only performed our test because we really could only give opinion based on what we saw.

It's my firm recommendation that Oliver Peoples and Mosley Tribes have the clearest glass lenses around, bar none. Truth be told, too many other brands (i.e. Maui Jim) are so darn good that it doesn't really make a difference.

Exactly. It's about what's best for your vision, and not your image, when it comes to your eyes. Oakley, Maui Jim, Revo, Serengeti, and even Kaenon are the BEST for your VISION, from what I've seen.

Don't know much about Oliver and Mosley. What technology is used in the lenses?

Everything else is really what you like..not that there is anything wrong with that..

 

[ironmarshal]

I've always been a big fan of the syling of the Serengeti glasses myself. Curious to know what clubbyjones thinks about the brand.

 

[linsook]

Originally Posted by Colonel428

+1 for the Maui Jim's. I spend most of my time outside in the job I have & eye protection has been a priority. I have spoken to numerous optomitrists & hands down the recommendation for the highest quality lenses goes to MJ almost every time. You may not find a style that blows you away, but rest assured, you are getting the finest protection available from UV rays by wearing them, especially in the models that wrap on the sides.

http://wcbstv.com/seenon/UV.Rays.Sun....2.234545.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8543419

my 20 dollar glasses protect just as much as your maui's. however on the style or frame quality side, it may be lacking.

 

[cowboyjack]

While it is true that a $6 pair of safety glasses will protect your eyes from UV just like a $200 pair of Maui Jims... the optics are simply not the same. If you don't believe that, try on a pair side by side, or better yet, wear each for a full day outside and see if one gives you tired eyes and a headache.

That said... I have spent much of my life outdoors and been a long wearer of Ray Bans and Serengetis... but I acquired my first pair of Smiths this past year and will never be wearing anything else again anytime soonly. Light weight, scratch resistant, impact proof, yada yada... I think they were about $125, but on a cost per wearing basis they are already inexpensive.

 

[THEBIGDODDY]

Originally Posted by cowboyjack

While it is true that a $6 pair of safety glasses will protect your eyes from UV just like a $200 pair of Maui Jims... the optics are simply not the same. If you don't believe that, try on a pair side by side, or better yet, wear each for a full day outside and see if one gives you tired eyes and a headache.

That said... I have spent much of my life outdoors and been a long wearer of Ray Bans and Serengetis... but I acquired my first pair of Smiths this past year and will never be wearing anything else again anytime soonly. Light weight, scratch resistant, impact proof, yada yada... I think they were about $125, but on a cost per wearing basis they are already inexpensive.

Smith Optics are outstanding! I was given a pair of the Interlocks (I think) to wear while skiing in Breckenridge a few years ago.