Sunglasses for flying

[HighDreams]

Any suggestions of good sunglasses for flying? Brands, lens color, polarized or not etc. I do have prescription glasses. I recently got a new pair of glasses, transitions as well as contacts and non prescription Ray Bans. Legally though my license says glasses must be worn and then sometimes I just prefer glasses as contacts can tire your eyes out and especially later in the day.

Any ideas would be great!

[angry inch]

I have been using prescription Serengeti's with the "Driver" lens for the past several years... Love 'em.

[kev994]

+1 for Serengeti, I was able to find a pair that works with my ANR headset.

[lownslow]

I like brown tinted lenses instead of grey. I find it really picks up the contrast of whatever I'm looking at.

LnS.

[checkremarks]

I use a pair of Oakley "Fast Jacket" Interchangeable lenses are easy to swap and I like the dark lens. Not sure if they come with prescription, but if they do I'd go for it. It works well with my ANR Bose Headset as well.

[182-SS]

Maui Jim, Serengeti, Get the real glass lenses. I know there is the old thing about glass in an accident but seriously the real glass lenses are that much better, just compare good glass to even high quality plastic like Oakley, its actually amazing how much better glass is.
Maui Jim is my pick, my brother’s wife is an optometrist and says you can’t get much better than real glass Maui Jims. They rarely have them at places like sunglass hut though. You can find their highbred plastic/glass there sometimes though, its still better than anyone’s plastic and its lighter which is great for long hauls.

Keep with the contacts but always have spares and solution with you, I feel its far safer with contacts.

Wire arms fit under your headset and are far more comfortable.

I like the Amber tints myself, I have a light tint, medium and a dark tint, Using the right tint can make all the difference, especially in float opps.

And yes to Polarized, again especially on water. Although I was in a machine that I couldn’t use polarized due to its windshield, you could see all the streaks and blotches etc. not safe in that situation.

[CpnCrunch]

Polarization not recommended:

https://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilot ... lasses.pdf

[esp803]

I've got a pair of Sarengetis that I chose based on the fact that I can wear them normally and it doesn't screw with my ANR. The lenses are good, clear, and I agree with glass over plastic. As for polarized, I've flown with both, they both have their place.

E

[Beefitarian]

I have Ray Ban Aviators™ and if you can't afford them I fart in your general direction. I am basically a hobo people. There is no excuse for not getting decent sunglasses if you're a pilot. Save up.

Though the Scott brand I had before them were ok too. Left them on the shuttle from Namao to the Muni.

[FogboundBird]

Make sure you get a pair that makes you look like the coolest , biggest bad ass around. So when you ding your wing off the hanger trying to park it nobody questions why you did it.

[Brantford Beech Boy]

Randolph Engineering.

Been wearing them for almost 20 years.
Bayonet temples are the most comfortable kind under a headset IMHO.

I require prescription, so unfortunately I have to remove the original glass lenses and put in prescription plastic lenses.
I tried to get glass prescription but my optometrist could not find anyone who makes them anymore, but at least he got the tint right in the plastic ones.

They are quite reasonably priced (usually less than a $100).

http://www.randolphusa.com/

or any fine pilot shop should carry them....

cheers
BBB

['CauseTheCaravanCan]

I vote Ray Bans. Brown Tint, Thin Wire Frame, no frame across the bottom of the lens, whatever shape you choose.
Also, I had problems seeing the Garmin 530/430, and MFD screens when I bought a Polarized pair, don't know if anyone else has had the same problem? So I bought the same shape, non-polarized and they lasted a long time.
Make it a good investment, otherwise they'll leave permanent dents in your skull right behind your ears.
You could really nerd it up and bring your headset into the sunglass hut, for a try on, to check for pressure points.

Also, on a side note, and you may have already learned this the hard way, but if you use Gel earseals, NEVER slide your glasses on without first removing your headset. Otherwise you might puncture the GEL, and you'll be wondering why your ear is sticky for at least a week before you figure it out.

[Mr. North]

I love my Serengeti's! Hard to find a proper dealer though. The best one I've found is at the pilot supply shop in CYYC. Well worth the money!!

[Pratt X 3]

[HighDreams]

I have been looking at Serengeti and like a few. Velocity, Granada, Aerial, and Sortie. With the Velocity 3 are polarized and the other two are "driver's gradient". The colors don't exactly jump out at me though. The Granada are all polarized, two are driver's polarized. The Aerial and Sortie have a few more options other then polarized.

I've also been looking at those Randolph Aviators. The frame's 23k gold plated and a tan lens. That's the closest to brown. From reading comments, I'm leaning towards a brown lens.

And for the Ray Bans, I have a new pair, they're like a silver frame, grey gradient. Non prescription though. Could order another pair, different frame with a brown tint and get prescription in them.

Hmmm...

[Sulako]

Serengeti non-polarized ftw.

[182-SS]

Polarization not recommended:

https://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilot ... lasses.pdf

Ya The FAA basically said what I said about some windshields.
My machine is mostly old school gauges so no issue with reading the computer screen instruments, however I do have a Garmin 430 and I have no problem whatsoever seeing that, my I phone is worse though.
My opinion is coming from experience as a float pilot, polarised lenses can be incredibly valuable. Every person/ machine is different. Borrow someone’s polarized glasses and try them out, see if they work for you.

[looproll]

Oakley have worked very well for me for many years. I've been wearing the splinter frame with grey or black iridium (non-polarized) lenses. They don't mess up the colour like the contrast lenses and the optical clarity is excellent.

[jeta1]

Those non-polarized all seem to do a good job, and what often makes the difference is how they work with your headset or helmet, so they dont break the seal.

[Brown Bear]

C'MON man! They're sunglasses. Make a decision. Buy what you like. You really need to ask advice on a public forum? Tightly whiteys or boxers? That we could deal with. Levi's or Wranglers? Nikon or Canon? Use your head mate.

[CpnCrunch]

Polarization not recommended:

https://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilot ... lasses.pdf

Ya The FAA basically said what I said about some windshields.
My machine is mostly old school gauges so no issue with reading the computer screen instruments, however I do have a Garmin 430 and I have no problem whatsoever seeing that, my I phone is worse though.
My opinion is coming from experience as a float pilot, polarised lenses can be incredibly valuable. Every person/ machine is different. Borrow someone’s polarized glasses and try them out, see if they work for you.

They also say polarization might make it more difficult to see traffic.

[5x5]

It slays me when I see younger pilots and student pilots wearing $200 - $300 sunglasses while they cry about being broke, and how hard piloting is, and oh, poor me. It seems a bit odd to spend that amount of money on a product that is easily damaged (scratched, bent, broken) or lost. A pair of Foster Grants from London Drugs - on sale each spring and fall - will do a fine job and if you have to replace them it doesn't break the meagre bank.

But if "name brands" are important to you, go ahead and blow the wad.

Judgementally and practically yours,
5x5

[SpeedChecks]

Nothing to fancy, good ol' Ray Bans should do the trick!

[petpad]

Having owned, abused, lost and twisted all types over the past 40 or so years - from Beer store 9.99 specials to Maui Jims and everything in between (no, never owned Louis Vuitton or Gucci or Prada, but I did wear some traditional yellow-lense cat-eye Vuarnets back in the 80's... we just had to!...) I can honestly say that the biggest difference is build quality of the frame. Good shades just last so much longer, plain and simple. In second comes the actual performance of the lense. Like many here, I bought tons of Shopper's Drug Mart rack beauties, only to have them lose a lense, or an arm, or have the bridge break, or the lense frame breaks after a couple months, or the nose grips fall, the lense scratches just by looking at it.. etc. And I admit that owned a lot more cheap ones than good ones, unfortunately... The more expensive ones, no matter how some feel about them for whatever reason, are simply so much better. Period. Granted, many people argue that you will lose them anyway, so that's a way to look at it... In the end, it really becomes a personal choice, no need to be judgmental.

[182-SS]

C'MON man! They're sunglasses. Make a decision. Buy what you like. You really need to ask advice on a public forum? Tightly whiteys or boxers? That we could deal with. Levi's or Wranglers? Nikon or Canon? Use your head mate.

It slays me when I see younger pilots and student pilots wearing $200 - $300 sunglasses while they cry about being broke, and how hard piloting is, and oh, poor me. It seems a bit odd to spend that amount of money on a product that is easily damaged (scratched, bent, broken) or lost. A pair of Foster Grants from London Drugs - on sale each spring and fall - will do a fine job and if you have to replace them it doesn't break the meagre bank.

But if "name brands" are important to you, go ahead and blow the wad.

Judgementally and practically yours,
5x5

The original questions was suggestions of good sunglasses for flying.

I implore anyone with the attitude of $10 gas station specials are good enough to compare between a quality set and any of those. Good enough in a pinch, absolutely better than nothing.

Quality does not mean fashion name brands either. Were all talking about Serengeti’s, Ray Ban’s and Maui Jims, quality sunglasses, not Prada, Gucci and channel, Fashion.

I’m quite surprised that pilots would have the “good enough” opinion when seeing is arguable the most important part of flying (VFR anyways, and protection from radiation and blinding sun etc for the high flyers)
When you compare a gas station lens to a high quality one you can see the distortion/blurriness etc plain as day. Its not splitting hairs its dramatic the difference.

As far as losing them, breaking or scratching….well why aren’t you taking care of your equipment? Sunglasses are a vital part of your flying equipment, do you lose and forget your journey log all the time? What about your wallet? You remember to do your walk around right?
Its not necessary to break the bank but they are very important, something worth spending some money on.

Good glasses last too. I’ve had my Maui Jims for 10 years, not a scratch or loose screw. My Grandfather is still rocking the real Glass rayban’s he bought in the 60’s
There are many quality manufacturers out there, and some are very affordable.