Made in the Shade: A Preview of the Hottest Sunglass Styles for 2015 and Beyond
Among the most important gear for any sportfishing enthusiast has to be a good—no, make that a great—pair of sunglasses. Spend long days on the water staring at the surface glare for a flash of color or the tip of a fin and average glasses just won’t cut it. You need the best of the best: high-quality, shatter-resistant polarized lenses to cut through the glare and protect your eyes; comfortable frames that will stay put no matter how hot or wet the conditions; light weight to reduce fatigue on the ears and nose and of course good looks are all factors to consider when purchasing your next pair. Here’s the latest from a lineup of the top names in the sportfishing industry.
Smith Optics
Smith Optics touts their Chromapop polarized lenses as the most visually stimulating lens in the world. It’s due to a proprietary combination of patented polarization and color management technology that produces incredible clarity. ChromaPop lenses employ a unique combination of patented polarization, and color management technologies that can accept the sophisticated dyes and tints needed to create their proprietary visual experience. Smith Optics also offers a lifetime warranty against manufacturer’s defects.
Dockside
The Dockside is designed to virtually eliminate glare, both in front and behind the lens. Crafted in Italy, the large eye wire and wide temples maximize coverage and eliminate side glare, while spring hinges act to provide a perfect fit every time. Designed around the largest ChromaPop lenses available, the unmatched clarity and enhanced color are perfect for spotting bonefish on the flats or a blue marlin on the teaser.
Audible
The Audible’s titanium teardrop aviator frame is built for strength and durability. With an ultra-light frame made to last, the ChromaPop polarized lenses only add to the experience to provide the highest level of enhanced color and clarity. This is a classic looking frame that looks great on just about anyone.
Rebel
Combining a metal eye wire with a vintage cat-eye shape, the Rebel is reborn for the next generation to experience. While others speak of borrowing retro-styling and vintage vibe, the Rebel remains true to when it was first released in 1988.
Costa
From Cape May to Kona, more captains and mates wear Costa sunglasses than any other brand, making them one of the most prolific brands in sportfishing. They offer a full line of styles for both men and women, with readers and in-house prescription lenses also available.
Hamlin
Named for Capt. Ron Hamlin, this extra-large design features integral hinges and co-molded Hydrolite™ frames for a lightweight durable fit. The lenses yield 100 percent UV light blockage for maximum protection and 100 percent polarization for glare reduction, which reduces eye strain. They are also prescription-ready.
Cortez
Marine biologists have called the Sea of Cortez “the world’s aquarium,” so it’s only fitting that this style carries on that legacy. The Cortez has linear venting, a large fit with nylon frames and Costa’s legendary lifetime warranty against manufacturer’s defects.
Sea Fan
For the ladies, the Sea Fan is a new style that works with today’s fashion-forward designs. The shiny nylon frames come in five different colors with spring hinges for a comfortable fit. And yet they are ready for the water with 100 percent polarized lenses, so don’t be afraid to take them fishing.
Kaenon
Kaenon (pronounced KAY-nun) broke out on the sportfishing scene in 2001, founded by two brothers who were unhappy with the current lineup of sunglasses that were currently on the market. Determined to create something better, they developed the proprietary polarized SR-91 lens, which is unlike anything else that’s out there. They took this new lens technology and combined it with California-designed frame styles that raise the standard in performance eyewear.
Burnet
The Burnet is a medium style for men which combines great looks with the SR-91 lens for glare-blocking, scratch-resisting eye protection. The frames are impact-resistant, lightweight, flexible and form-memorizing TR-90 Grilamid material, which also resists high temperatures. The lenses are hydrophobic with anti-reflective coatings, the hinges are stainless steel and the nosepads are Variflex imbedded rubber for a super comfortable no-slip fit.
Pintail Frost
The classic Kaenon Pintail is all about cool, but the Pintail Frost Special Edition raises the stakes even higher. They rock the same design as the originals but feature a cool frosted look that’s eye-catching to say the least. The TR-90 frame material is flexible and lightweight but super strong, and the SR-91 mirrored polarized lenses block glare, resist scratching and stand up to impacts. Kaenon also includes Variflex nose pads along with a hard case and cleaning cloth so you can keep your shades safe and clean.
Georgia
The women’s Georgia style sports a retro-inspired frame that complements the performance fit and terrific optics. The frames are versatile and fit a range of face shapes with a stylishly oversized wraparound design while the SR-91 polarized lenses protect your eyes from glare whether from the water or on the road.
Maui Jim
Created in the Hawaiian Islands, Maui Jim sunglasses feature patented PolarizedPlus2 lens technology for brilliant color without glare or UV. Their lenses focus on four areas: glare elimination, color enhancement, eye health and lens protection, and with a wide variety of colors and styles to choose from, Maui Jim excels in each one.
Sandhill
Inspired by the long-legged sandhill crane, this design represents Maui Jim’s ultra-popular rimless styles, of which there are more than 30 from which to choose. These are very lightweight sunglasses, lending to a very comfortable experience day in and day out. There are three lens options too.
Kawika
This style is a throwback to the retro days of sportfishing that looks just as good today. Available in either black gloss or gold satin finishes with two choices of lens options, it’s a great choice for just about anyone on the water.
Cloudbreak
For the ladies, the Cloudbreak represents just one of dozens of styles available. Four lens colors lend themselves to some great options including a very cool Maui Rose tint. The lenses are durable and scratch resistant, not to mention 20 percent thinner and lighter than standard laminated glass lenses.
Pelagic
The California-based apparel company has now launched a new eyewear line though with some cool new features. Pelagic’s XP 700 Polarized Lens System with Melanin technology cuts glare and heightens contrast naturally; it also filters both UV rays and blue light to preserve true color perception and relaxes eye muscles to reduce vision fatigue. Melanin is a natural defense of the human body that protects your skin every day against the sun–when put in a lens, it adds a natural level of contrast never before seen in the offshore industry. The lenses are also ANSI Z87.3 certified shatterproof.
Icepick
With the XP-700 silver lenses, the Icepick was designed to fit on a variety of face shapes but works best for those who prefer a medium to small frame shape. The frames feature Carbonite-16 technology, which is engineered to combat the extreme conditions of the offshore environment. The frames are tough yet flexible, lightweight and comfortable while the lenses have a five-layer anti-reflective coating with the Melanin-infused technology to block UVA, UVB and High Energy Visible (HEV) light, also known as “violet-blue light.”
The Mack
Just like your go-to pitch bait, you won’t want to leave the dock without The Mack. A cool pair of frames that looks great on just about anyone with the Pelagic XP-700 polarized lenses equals a dynamite package for anyone who spends time offshore.
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