I feel dirty

[legion]

I just dropped $160 on a pair of sunglasses. I've never spent so much before, and I don't like it.

I had an $80 pair that lasted 8 years that died last fall. I got a $35 replacement pair at Cabela's, but they were shoddily built and the hinge broke after only 8 months of use. I seriously only wear them for driving, so it's not like they get abused.

I had to go retail because I'm leaving for Florida tomorrow and needed something for the drive. I had three simple requirements:

-Polarized
-Metal frames
-Well built

It seems like now all sunglasses are either under $40 or over $120, with nothing in between.

I ended up with a pair of Ray Bans.

[pwd72s]

Good choice. Ray bans...around for years. They know how to make 'em.

BTW, all my sunglasses cost more than yours...the curse of having to wear glasses since grade school.

[sammyg2]

$160? For sunglasses? OMG.

You are gonna be really pissed when you lose them in a month.

I get these free at work, a case of them costs about $30. Light, comfortable, and cheap.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

If you like them and they're going to last, what's the problem?

I own two pairs of Oakley A-wire polarized. I shopped a LONG time and tried a lot of different kinds (including cheapos, prescription sunglasses, etc.) to find ones that looked halfway decent on me and (more importantly) which gave good resolution and were good in an airplane cockpit. Even though the FAA recommends against polarized, I find them to be superior when dealing with glare and other airborne issues. I suppose polarized could potentially be a problem with CRT screens and similar displays (there's an Advisory Circular out on it) but the aircraft I fly have conventional gauges and I find the benefits to far outweigh any penalty. The color spectrum is excellent and they enhance features in less-than-perfect visibility conditions (they make stuff sharper and stand out better in mist). As such, I find them to be well worth the money.

They're your eyes. Don't feel guilty about spending money to protect them and/or get the best information out of what they take in. Just don't lose 'em or sit on 'em.

[ramonesfreak]

im on my 5th pair of $400 sunglasses in 8 years. previous ones broke or were run over by car. i cant live without these glasses (see avitar) but im sick and tired of spending the $.

[dhoward]

Spent $230 on a pair of Maui Jim's 5 years ago. I too, was ashamed. They're hanging around my neck right now. I guess I can't complain.
I find that if I spend a lot of money on sunglasses, I'm much more protective of them.

[cgarr]

Rite-Aid $2.99 out the door

[masraum]

I felt decadent when I bought $35 sunglasses. They are polarized and came with 2 sets of lenses (gray and brown). I bought a hardshell, zippered case for them. I'd like to keep them for a while.

[sammyg2]

LOL, look at the bright side, at least you weren't gullible enough to spend $2500 on a freaking wrist watch

[Zef]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Good choice. Ray bans...around for years. They know how to make 'em.

BTW, all my sunglasses cost more than yours...the curse of having to wear glasses since grade school.

Should be good...Made in China...!

[911boost]

I wear Costa Del Mars for everyday use, and Maui Jim's on the bike. I usually get 4 to 5 years out of them, as I take care of them.

Of course, I have a Medical reimbursement fund from work that covers sunglasses.

Don't beat yourself up over it, you only get one set of eyes.

Bill

[scottmandue]

You evil dog hater... how do you sleep at night?

Oh sorry... wrong thread!

Ray Bans? Cool!

[Laneco]

I absolutely hate polarized sunglasses and I'm hoping someone here can explain why I see what I see when I wear them (no not dead people)...

When I wear polarized sunglasses I see a strong double image of clouds, double images in high contrast colors like yellow center-line tape on a black road, and in high contrast light such as strong sunlight to dark shadows in trees. When I look at car windows with factory tint, I see such a strong dappled effect that I can't even seen inside of the car (and sometimes have difficultly seeing OUT of the car).

Every pair I've ever worn does this - $20 glasses to $160 glasses. So I only wear the ones that aren't polarized.

What the heck am I seeing and am I the only one who sees it?

angela

[Aurel]

I like to buy mine at West Marine. Very cheap $25, polarized. With polarized, you see a lot better under the water surface for fishing.

[billybek]

Originally Posted by Laneco

I absolutely hate polarized sunglasses and I'm hoping someone here can explain why I see what I see when I wear them (no not dead people)...

When I wear polarized sunglasses I see a strong double image of clouds, double images in high contrast colors like yellow center-line tape on a black road, and in high contrast light such as strong sunlight to dark shadows in trees. When I look at car windows with factory tint, I see such a strong dappled effect that I can't even seen inside of the car (and sometimes have difficultly seeing OUT of the car).

Every pair I've ever worn does this - $20 glasses to $160 glasses. So I only wear the ones that aren't polarized.

What the heck am I seeing and am I the only one who sees it?

angela

Yup, it is just you!!
I bought some polarized Ray Bans for the kayak, you can't beat them for cutting back on glare from the water.
Interesting though in the instruction/warranty info they do not recommend polarized lenses for action sports such as skiing and mountain biking. Takes too much detail out of the terrain from what I remember...
I don't have a problem spending money for good glasses that fit well, within reason. I still like those old Ray Ban Predator Eights. Tough and last for years..

[legion]

Originally Posted by Laneco

I absolutely hate polarized sunglasses and I'm hoping someone here can explain why I see what I see when I wear them (no not dead people)...

When I wear polarized sunglasses I see a strong double image of clouds, double images in high contrast colors like yellow center-line tape on a black road, and in high contrast light such as strong sunlight to dark shadows in trees. When I look at car windows with factory tint, I see such a strong dappled effect that I can't even seen inside of the car (and sometimes have difficultly seeing OUT of the car).

Every pair I've ever worn does this - $20 glasses to $160 glasses. So I only wear the ones that aren't polarized.

What the heck am I seeing and am I the only one who sees it?

angela

I think some of it might depend on your eyes. I see the dappled effect on car windows too, but not the other things. In fact, I see things much sharper at a distance. My wife put on my fancy new sunglasses and she say less of an effect than I did.

[m21sniper]

I once bought a pair of $100+ Oakley Killer loops. My puppy ate them.

Now i spend no more than $10.00 a pair.

[Dave L]

I have a couple of Oakleys, 1 that I wear most often, I also have a pair with orange lenses for driving when its over cast. I have a third pair in my wifes car another pair in the 944 and I have a "gulp" fifth pair that have a nice wire frame for when I am wearing a suit. I also have a pair of Oakley ski goggles, a pair of smith goggles and a pair of Uvex clear goggles. I am considering getting another pair with water replant lenses for kayaking.

I am sun glasses hoar, but I also just hate to squint and cant imagine leaving home for the day without sunglasses.

I have had raybans and smiths as well but I find oakleys fit me well and I find them to be fairly durable.

[mjohnson]

While, yes, the more you pay - the shorter they'll last. Good optics don't come cheap.

Like a poster before who'd spent years in eyeglasses, sometimes you're addicted to actually seeing things. I've accepted it as a cost of life. A good pair of sunglasses will make your eyes say "aaahhh", relax and start to see things you hadn't in a while.

(angela re: polarized stuff) You'll also see things that aren't there, but those things are pretty trippy - you have to admit. Reality when modified can be quite nice.

Me, I'm waiting for the '80s to come back so I can rock my old vuarnets. Ski bunnies dig those with a purple headband.

[Tobra]

I have a pair of Ray Bans my wife gave me about 10 years ago that were close to $200, my tortoise shell Wayfarers finally broke, after about 25 years. Wife always hated those glasses.

Angela,

I see a cross hatched effect when I look at tinted windows at certain angles, can't see digital clock on dash. If you take two pairs of polarized sunglasses, wear one pair, and look through the other pair while rotating them 360*, it will go black as you do so. Perhaps you have some sort of astygmatism.