the future's so bright. recommend me some shades

July 11, 2017 7:57 AM

I live in Florida. i wear sunglasses all day, every day. recommend me some shades. must haves:

• durable frames (nylon etc, not wire)
• lightweight (very!)
• darker to very dark tint
• mirrored
• polarized really really nice to have: warranty that includes lenses or "no questions asked" or personal stories of some brand standing behind their product. this can be a after market thing or a brand etc. just tired of having a little scratch make these things useless.

i had some revos i loved but lost and aren't made anymore. i had fuse replacement lenses made for another older pair of revos and the lenses sucked (2 pairs of lenses in 2 months completely failed coatings).

i'd like to spend less than say $150 unless you can convince me of why i should spend more.

i'd probably prefer to try them on in a store of some sort or buy them from a risk free place, so local to st petersburg, fl is key.

posted by chasles to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (14 answers total)

I love my Maui Jim sunglasses. They're very dark, lightweight, comfortable, and seem durable (at least, I don't treat them well and I've had them, I dunno, 3 or 4 years? I do keep them in the case when possible. No scratches, no bends, etc). They also really do have better colors/I can see better than any other sunglasses I've worn, even while being darker than most sunglasses. I also know they have a reputation for really good repair/warranty stuff, though I've never had to use it.

I don't know if they come in mirrored or not (I don't think so, but I could be wrong), and I'm not going to recommend my specific frames to you since mine are women's frames for the small-faced, but I got them at Sunglass Hut, which despite the stupid name is actually a good sunglasses store with a zillion options, including Maui Jim and otherwise, so I recommend that you go there and look around.
posted by brainmouse at 8:11 AM on July 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Ive had a pair of Oakleys I picked up at a sunglass hut a year or two ago that may now be just above your preferred price but have held up well and are super light - I was initially hesitant as I associated the brand w wrap-around orange mirrored lenses on beach volleyball players but they make some pretty nice non-sport glasses. I think mine are the Holbrook line.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 8:12 AM on July 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

(Oh, they do come in mirrored in the "Blue Hawaii" lens color. My review is based on the "Neutral grey" lens color)
posted by brainmouse at 8:13 AM on July 11, 2017

Oakley Frogskins. The only sunglasses that have ever caused a stranger to walk up to me and say 'Frogskins... what a classic!'. Which may have just a weird one-time anomaly, but maybe not!
posted by so fucking future at 8:14 AM on July 11, 2017

I've been wearing Smiths for a long time. Good quality. The ChromaPop lenses make everything look amazing.
posted by trbrts at 8:44 AM on July 11, 2017

I've really loved SunCloud. You can try them on at REI, I think, but I've bought all mine for ~$50 through Amazon and I've never had a single problem. I have one pair that is probably five years old and a new pair I got recently to replace them because they were looking worn. All the ones I've bought are polarized and I've dropped them about eleventy billion times with no issues.
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:55 AM on July 11, 2017

I highly recommend these glasses: https://www.stihlusa.com/products/protective-and-work-wear/eye-protection/pfxgls/

People often presume they are fancy designer eyewear, but I purchase them for less than $20 per pair at my local hardware store.

As a bonus, these shades meet American National Standards Institute's high-velocity impact requirements.
posted by MrJM at 10:20 AM on July 11, 2017

i just bought these oakleys on groupon for like, $60. they're light, they're mirrored, the frames are clear. they don't seem to fog up as much as my ray-bans (my face tends to get hot). they got stuck somewhere (totally my fault) and one of the arms came off, but the way that they're built allowed me to just pop it back in (no screws, no fiddling). i do keep them in the bag that they came with, which is also the cleaning cloth.
posted by koroshiya at 11:31 AM on July 11, 2017

I've had Maui Jims in the past, and have experience with both their warranty and their repair service, and they are both TOP NOTCH.

They're expensive to begin with, but it's a high quality product that they really, really stand behind. I miss wearing them since I had to abandon contacts. :(
posted by uberchet at 11:48 AM on July 11, 2017

I like Ray-Ban, Smith, and for a cheaper set, Blinders Optics.
posted by entropone at 11:51 AM on July 11, 2017

I also love Maui Jims. Mine are Rx, but otherwise fit everything you want. I have no experience with the warranty/repairs/etc., however, because they've survived everything that's happened to them thus far. I wear them every day and, when they're not on my face, they're on top of my head - love them!
posted by VioletU at 1:21 PM on July 11, 2017

Another vote for Maui Jims. I've worn their Baby Beach and Sugar Beach for years. Both styles are lightweight (Sugar Beach more so), polarized, dark tinted, but not mirrored (I think they do offer that option in other frames). I've broken the Sugar Beach twice and they've fixed them. I scratched the Baby Beach lenses after a fall and they've fixed them. Good quality, minimal repair costs, and excellent customer service.
posted by vivzan at 2:43 PM on July 11, 2017

Natives. No questions asked return policy, free with the first year, 30$ for replacement after that. They're incredible.
posted by Marinara at 3:22 PM on July 11, 2017

Costa Del Mar - Best glass in in the industry.
Lifetime warranty ($15 shipping, and if the lenses need to be replaced up to $60 depending on lens style).
made in and warranty service in Florida.

You would likely spend more than $150, but in my opinion and experience, these are much better than Maui Jim.

I have Fisch with glass lenses and they are great (they fit my large head/face). Previously, I had a style with metal frame, and plastic lenses and loved them (would have bought the same frame but it was discontinued).
posted by bonofasitch at 9:30 AM on July 12, 2017 [1 favorite]