There are generally two types of anglers—those who are fine to spend a decent chunk of change on good sunglasses, and those who opt for the best-fitting pair they can find at the gas station.
While there’s nothing wrong with either approach, it does simplify a gear choice that I don’t think gets enough attention. A lot of anglers ignore how important sunglasses are in the same way many people handle merging onto the interstate, or deciding who goes first at a four-way-stop. They don’t give it nearly enough attention until the problem is staring them right in the face. Never mind that sunglasses literally protect your eyes—a rather critical piece of fly fishing kit.
Of all the things to consider about sunglasses, I’ve come to the conclusion that the lenses themselves matter most. They give you the ability to see into the water and spot fish, ideally before they spot you. In worst-case scenarios, they protect your eyes from hooks and flying chunks of lead (not bullets—actual lead sinkers and weights), not to mention all those harmful UV rays.
Which is why I reckon we ought to give more thought and consideration to the lenses we pick. Specifically, the material our lenses are made from—glass or polycarbonate.
Now, some might raise a hand here and ask if the “lens tech” from one brand to another matters. As someone who has used all the major sunglasses with the exception of Ray-Bans, I can honestly say, not really. You might prefer the way one company’s amber lens looks compared to another’s, but I don’t know that it’s possible to say one is objectively better than the other. The only polarized lens I’ve used that I didn’t like was Smith’s newest Green-Brown PhotoChromic lens, which is designed to change its tint based on how light or dark it is. That lens lent an odd pinkish-brown hue to everything, especially on overcast days. That was an outlier, as I’ve used other lenses from Smith that I’ve loved.
So, with that in mind, let’s get to it. I’ll start out by giving the details on the differences between glass and polycarbonate lenses, their strengths and weaknesses, then we’ll wrap up with my personal recommendation.
Polycarbonate Lenses
The Quick Hits:
- Lightweight
- Impact/shatter resistant
- Natural UV protection
- Can be cheaper than glass
The Downsides:
- Scratches easily
- Not as clear/sharp picture as glass
- Needs replacing sooner
Polycarbonate lenses are made from plastic, and they’re probably the most popular lens material right now because they’re cheap to manufacture. Since they’re cheap, you can often find polycarbonate lenses in good quality frames, with good colors and polarization, for less than a pair of glass lenses in a similar spec. Plus, poly lenses have natural UV resistance built into them, which means they require fewer extra coatings of material at the factory.
The big thing that folks point to with polycarbonate lenses, though, is their weight. They are lighter than glass, yes. No doubt about that. But I have yet to wear a pair of glass lenses all day long and think afterward, oh, those were heavy. I wish they clocked in a half-dozen ounces lighter.
Where poly lenses really shine, in my opinion, is in their impact resistance. These things don’t really shatter and splinter the way glass lenses do. So if you fall on a rock, have a heavy streamer launched at your face, or are otherwise unfortunate enough to have something sharp and heavy flying towards your eyes, polycarbonate lenses are a safe bet. There’s a reason most safety glasses are made from this material.
The biggest downside to polycarbonate lenses, though, is how easily they scratch and scuff. Every time I’ve reviewed polycarbonate sunglasses, I’m amazed at how quickly I can make them look like they spent a day as the scratching post for a lion.
Alright, maybe that’s a bit exaggerated, but the point remains—they’re easy to scuff up, and if I’m going to spend a decent chunk of change on nice fishing sunglasses, I’d rather get a lens that’s more durable.
Glass Lenses
The Quick Hits:
- Durable
- Sharp, crisp picture
- No vision distortion
- Timeless quality
The Downsides:
- Heavier than polycarbonate
- Can shatter or crack when damaged
Glass lenses are crystal-clear and sharp. To my eyes, the difference in image quality between glass and poly lenses is—pardon the pun—crystal clear. I know not everyone has that same experience (a few of my fishing buddies don’t notice any change between the two), but it’s something I’ve come to be more and more sensitive to over the years.
On top of the image quality, glass is extremely durable. I’ve had a couple of pairs of glass lenses for going on five years now, and only one—my main fishing pair—has a small scratch. They’ve held up well to travel all across the continent, and in all sorts of environments. I’ve also found they’re easier to clean smudges off than poly lenses.
The downside to glass is that it can shatter or crack if it takes a sharp impact, which could be a safety hazard. I did have a pair of glass lenses shatter on me once in Alaska, but none of the glass shards fell out of the frame and into my eye, and they were pinged with a 2-ounce banana weight that shot at my head at an unbelievable speed. So, I’m not sure how much of a safety hazard glass lenses are, but in the interest of covering myself from some sort of lawsuit, I reckon that ought to be included.
My Pick: Glass Lenses
Glass is the no-brainer option for me, and I say this as someone who used to be philosophically opposed to spending more than $50 on sunglasses.
I’ll lose or break them anyway, or they’ll get scratched up or break. Why spend good money on glass lenses? They can’t be that much better, can they?
Yes, as a matter of fact, they can. Since I started putting a leash on all my sunglasses and keeping them in my truck, I haven’t lost a pair in almost a decade. As far as damaging or scratching them, that hasn’t been an issue since I switched to glass.
The image quality, the sharpness, the lack of scratches or smudges, the durability—that alone makes glass lenses worth it. Plus, with how much time we spend as anglers staring at water, protecting eyesight is worth investing in. A good pair of sunglasses, designed for fly fishing, is worth the money.
I view it this way—when you’re renovating your kitchen, and you get to the cabinets, you can choose between regular or soft-close hinges. The soft-close hinges cost more, and initially you think, oh, I’ll just go with normal hinges and save some money. Can’t matter that much, can it?
Then you visit someone else’s kitchen, and you see the difference. They’re not inadvertently slamming cabinet doors; the doors themselves hang straight and have less dinged-up edges; it’s worth the price difference for a better experience.
My personal favorite lenses are currently the Gold Mirror lenses from Costa, which I use in a Tuna Alley Pro frame. Spendy lenses, for sure, but they’ve served me well everywhere from the Florida Keys to Alaska.