are COSTA sunglasses worth the money?

[vash]

i like the glass lens option. but $$$!!

are they great?

only asking about the Costas since they fit my melon fairly well. not asking about Oakley, Maui Jims, Persols... but thanks.

[craigster59]

I have 2 pair and they are great glasses. Mine aren’t the glass lenses though.

They come on sale periodically, I think I got mine for 50 or 70% off, paid about $60 a pair.

Watch out for those FB ads offering a huge savings, they come straight from China, terrible counterfeits. Sign up for emails at the Costa website, they’ll let you know when the sales are but the good ones go fast.

[vash]

my fishing shop carries them. after an alchohol wipe down, they let me try a few..and then the post wipe. the glass lenses are pretty amazing. i'm hoping for some scratch resistance.

[onewhippedpuppy]

My wife has a pair, they seem nice. She hasn’t broken them yet so that’s saying something. Way more than $70 though.

[ramonesfreak]

hahah i was about to tell you how great my maui jim’s are

i like Costa but all i can say is my friend who has is own optometry office sells Costa and personally loves them and recommended them to me- but i haven’t tried them personally

[masraum]

Originally Posted by vash

my fishing shop carries them. after an alchohol wipe down, they let me try a few..and then the post wipe. the glass lenses are pretty amazing. i'm hoping for some scratch resistance.

Many years ago, the missus bought me some Porsche Design sunglasses as a gift with glass lenses. They were great, but I did eventually get a couple of scratches on them. I'd say that in day to day use they are pretty scratch resistant. In one case, I leaned into my car and the edge of the window pressed into the lens and scratched it. In another they fell down between the seat and console of a vehicle resting against sharp metal for the seat mount or seatbelt or something, and that scratched them.

I lived with the one scratch for a while, but then when I had two and one was in a bad spot, I had the optometrist put in new lenses, but they aren't glass.

[cabmandone]

Don't know. Been wearing the big O for about 20 years. Still have the first pair I bought.

[Googam]

I fish & wear bifocals. I tried all kinds of clip ons & refused to buy prescription glasses. These work great & I can see thru all kinds of water. They're not entirely stupid looking either. Cocoons

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by cabmando

Don't know. Been wearing the big O for about 20 years. Still have the first pair I bought.

Yup. I’m on my third pair in about 25 years. One got crushed by a car, one finally had the lenses delaminate after probably 10 years, and on my third pair now.

[mattdavis11]

I have two pair of Costas, Blackfin BL10 and Cat Cay AT 01. The Blackfins have issues with the rubber and I need to send them in for repair. I have never had a pair of sunglasses this long without scratching or losing them.

I would consider them a must have for anyone who goes fishing. You can see the water (under) a lot better than other polarized glasses I have worn.

Thumbs up from me.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Yup. I’m on my third pair in about 25 years. One got crushed by a car, one finally had the lenses delaminate after probably 10 years, and on my third pair now.

I have 5 pairs of Oakley glasses. The original eye jacket (not polarized), pair of straight jackets (polarized) Offshoots (polarized), Prescription Straight Links (polarized) and a pair of air drops that are just prescription glasses. The polarized glasses really clear up the water when I'm fishing. I was telling my son when bluegill were about to bite his bait when we were fishing a few weeks ago.

[mattdavis11]

I didn't have time to elaborate. I would wear the Blackfins at night while driving, amber lens would lighten things up, and the glare was cut down to damned near zero. Both work really well for me when driving in the rain.

Obviously, it's a huge advantage to have glasses that cut through the water when fishing, Cat Cay is great on bright days, Blackfins lighten things up on an over cast day.

My brother wears prescription Costas $800, and he did mess them up, sent them in, got a new pair. No questions. He fishes a lot, and has worn them all.

[RWebb]

what do they do that other polarized glasses don't?

[911boost]

Yes, the ones I like fit my head perfectly and their customer service is great.

I have been wearing Them for as long as I can remember and I used to be able to get them as “prescription” sunglasses. They no longer sell the Triple Tail that I wear but if I have an issue I send them in and they still fix them right away. I have older ones I work in the yard with, a pair I use for driving, fishing and general wear and another pair I ride the motorcycle with. Yeah, I like them And have a few new pairs stashed away.

I HATE not having sunglasses on outdoors if it’s sunny, which it is 300 days a year here. Have both the glass and plastic lenses.

[cabmandone]

Not all polarized glasses are equal IMO. I've had friends put on my non prescription glasses to compare to theirs and they've always commented on how much more clear mine are. I suppose some of it depends on the lens tint. I like my bronze lenses better than the dark set I have now.

[mattdavis11]

Originally Posted by RWebb

what do they do that other polarized glasses don't?

Higher visual clarity in all conditions, 100%UV A,B,C protection, elimination of almost all yellow light while boosting blues, reds and greens. And those are just the 580P lenses I have had for 3 years.

They are bad ass.

[RWebb]

boosting? do they contain amplifiers?

I understand the perceptual issues tho...

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

Higher visual clarity in all conditions, 100%UV A,B,C protection, elimination of almost all yellow light while boosting blues, reds and greens. And those are just the 580P lenses I have had for 3 years.

+1.

Here in AZ good SGs are almost compulsory and Costas are excellent. Fort for me though, Maui Jim is still has the edge WRT (glass) lens quality/clarity/polarization/glare/etc.
Serengeti polarized glass is also very good.

[rusnak]

Sunglasses do "wear out", or rather the coatings get worn off. It's not a great idea to continue to wear them at that point because you've lost all of the protection that your eyes need.

I like MJs also. Bass Pro Shop is fantastic for sunglass shopping only because the selection is so vast.

[RWebb]

I think I'll keep my polarized Nikons with brown tint...