Costa Del Mar
 

The other morning while walking to the truck, and having an allergy attack my glasses fell off my shirt and onto the ground in front of my foot and crush. I'm sending them back to Daytona Beach to be repaired, but in the meantime I'm without sunglasses. Does anyone know of a good Costa Dealer with many options in the Nashville area? I've seen them at BPS, and on the Costa website it says that West Marine is a Premium Dealer also. Does anyone know who has the best selection BPS or West Marine, or if there is another dealer out there with a better selection.

I'm asking this question of Costas not Solar Bat, Ono's, Smith Optics, or Oakleys. I love my Costas and that's all I'll wear.

Thanks for the help in advance.

Jeremy

I got mine and my wife's at BPS. I'm with you, once you go Costa you'll never go back.

OK guys educate me here. Are those high dollar sunglasses worth it and if so why? Now all my sunglass have been high dollar as I wear a progressive lens and get titanium frames....titanium because of no corrosion from perspiration from being outdoors so much. But have often thought of getting scrip sunglasses from Costa or Oakley.




regards

I had always thought it was hype and always bought the $20 BPS polarized glasses, and 2 years ago my wife surprised me with a pair of Costas with the 580 Glass lenses. I was a little upset with her spending the money until I put them on my face. Now I've looked thru other well known manufactures polarized glasses, but after I put these on it was like I was looking in HD. Yeah when HD TV's came out I didn't buy that hype either. Everything is so crystal clear, vibrant, there is no distortion at the edge of the lens. The polarization and lens color is sandwiched between glass so it you happen to scratch or chip them which is difficult it will still have the tent and you would se a bright streak.

When she gave me my 1st pair of Costas we were fishing in the Gulf I arrived at the beach and I got goose bumps from the views. Now I have lived 20 min from the beach for several years, and after moving from Florida we still frequently went down to fish, but I had never seen the sand, sky and water like I had seen it that day. My wife was wearing a pair of other polarized sunglasses well over $150 and she couldn't see a bait pod I was watching until I put my Costas on her face, and when I did her smile grew.

There's my true Costa story.

Now there are other glasses out there that are good, but in my opinion and that's my opinion Costa are the best.


Jeremy

Thanks for the info....good to know.

Fly South sells Costas and has a wide selection.

But if you buy a pair of Kaenons you might not want the Costas anymore. :D

bd

I've herd the name bd, but never had the oppourtunity to try them out.

EDIT: Is there a dealer local to Nashville?

Jeremy

http://flysouth.net/

They are over by the Brewhouse and Gigi's cupcakes on 19th ave S

I support all of these responses. In addition from a technical side, these glasses provide complete polarization. Just like a filter for your camera, when you turn the lenses 90 degrees the light cancels out. Try it in front of your tv. That technology is what cancels out the glare on the water so good. I too have bought countless cheap-o's, and could have bought 3 pairs of Costas.

I have been banned from there, but I'll try to sneak in sometime.

I only owned one pair of Costas - a pair of 400s, and one of the lenses started to delaminate after a surprisingly short period of time. I couldn't believe a pair of sunglasses that cost that much would have that kind of problem. I was going to send them in for a warranty replacement, but then my friend Mike had a pair of Costas that started doing exactly the same thing. I decided it was time to check out a different brand.

After that I fished with Smith Action Optics glasses for quite a while and liked them quite a bit. But then my Smiths got crunched (my fault, not the manufacturer's), and when I was shopping for a replacement pair, I was persuaded to try out a pair of Kaenons.

Now that I've fished with the Kaenons, I don't think I'll go to a different brand. Their clarity is simply the best. I can fish on flats all day in bright sun with their high-contrast copper lenses and still have zero eye fatigue.

bd

bd,

Where can you find these Kaenons locally? I would like to take a look at them in person, they are about the same price range of the Costas.

Thanks,
Jeremy

Fly South has the Kaenons too - that's where I got mine. I believe Bass Pro carried Kaenons long ago but I don't think they have them anymore.

You're going to have to sneak in after all. :)

bd

I won't buy any more $$ sun glasses until the little ones gets bigger. All mine get broke..

Haven't tried the Kaenons but seen them at Fly South and like how the wrap around your face. That is almost essential for optimal results.

I've discovered you have to watch wrap around frames closely. If the fit is too tight, the glasses will fog badly when you're on the Caney on a hot, windless day. The frames I've got now don't fit quite as tightly, but they don't fog. It took me a couple pairs of sunglasses to figure that one out.

bd

Which model did you go with?



Speaking of sunglasses, if anyone rides these are what I have.

http://www.7eye.com/Diablo-Glossy-Black/

Mine are the original Panoptx version that was $200 since they have changed the name to 7eye but are tremendous bike glasses.

I have CDM 400's and 580's and Kaenons. Been wearing CDM for years and I love them. They do delaminate sometimes. Usually CDM will replace the lenses free. It's hard to say which ones I like the best. The CDM's I have (eliminators) wrap and tend to fog. Thats when i usually switch over to the Kaenons. If you value your eyesight and spend alot of time on the water better dish out the money and get some protection. Don't trust your most essential sense to $5 glasses.

Are there any good sunglasses out there that can be worn over your prescription glasses? I'd love to buy one of these, but I'd be blind without wearing my glasses. I have a pair of the Cocoon sunglasses from BPS, but I'm not really impressed with the results.

I spent 21 years working in the desert of Saudi Arabia. I can tell you how important sunglasses are. I won't get into a debate about Costa..Oakley...and so on. Until I started buying prescription sunglasses I used to wear FitOvers....the brand FitOvers. A lot of ex-patriots in Saudi used to wear FitOvers...at least until we reached the age of 40 and had to start wearing bifocals....LOL. Then most of us started buying scrip sunglasses. At the time they were made in Australia...now they are made in China. One of the differences now is you don't have the size selection in those that you used to. But they are still a good sunglass. My sunglasses are prescription so if I get from Oakley...Costa....locally....they are going to cost me three to four hundred dollars. No you won't get good eye protection from a 15 dollar pair of sunglasses....but if just a pair of sunglasses is all you want you don't have to spend 400 bucks either. However.....if you are getting a prescription sunglass get ready to shell out some money. Whatever I bought I would just makes sure it blocked the harmful UV...blocked intense light...eliminate glare...and block certain frequencies of light for what you are using them for. Sunglasses for fishing...golfing...need to block different frequencies than if you only used sunglasses for driving.




Regards

Before I got laser surgery I wore Cocoons and really liked them. Though not as good as CDM. :)

That's what contact lenses are for!

bd

With the fogging issue, I've found that the glass lenses fog easier than the Polycarbonate. The Polycarbonate are lighter also, but I feel that the clairity of glass is better, but that just might be me.

A little tough when you're wearing bifocals ;)

So what I'm gathering is that the flip-ons aren't worth it?

Costa Del Mar Recommendation
 

I have been looking at some Costas...am looking for any advice on body and more importantly on lenses...I mainly fish rivers and lakes (no ocean fishing)...usually Caney, Harpeth, and Priest...so many options in lenses that I feel like they need to offer an online course!

Wordty,

Here's some info to better inform you.

All Costa Del Mar sunglasses are hand made in Daytona Beach, Florida


400’s are produced in three different kinds of lenses (CR39, Polycarbonate, and 400) the 400’s just eliminate glare while the 580’s do that and make the reds, blues and greens more vibrant.

CR39 – Scratch resistant plastic

Polycarbonate – Weigh less, won’t shatter like glass so good for shooting, mostly offered in frameless glasses like aviators, eliminate glare

580Glass – Have the clearest visibility, eliminate Glare, no distortion near the edges of the lens, reduces yellow light, more vibrant reds, blues, and greens, heavier, can shatter (glass), will fog easier, and if left in the cold will fog while on your face until the glass comes up to temperature. Offered in copper, blue mirror, grey mirror, silver mirror, green mirror

580’s are typically the most expensive

I have a pair of Triple Tail’s coming with the 580G Blue Mirrors coming to me. These will be for fishing in the Gulf and south Florida.

As for frames I like a frame that will block light from coming in on the sides between my face and the glasses. My Man O' War's had removable side pieces that would block the light, but that’s one more piece you can loose, as to where the frames of the Triple Tail are larger on the side to reduce light in. As far as to what frames are the best it’s up to the individual user, and what fits their face the best. Lenses are a personal choice also where I like the blue mirror for the beach, amber for creeks and rivers where I may encounter shady areas or lower levels of light.

For what is best they are all good, it’s just what fits your style and preference.

Jeremy

I own a set of Kaenon Gauge sunglasses and absolutely love them.Got the grey lens and toutouise style frames very good on those sunny days.Cost a little more than i wanted but truely are worth every penny.

I need prescription sunglasses. Can I get these really nice sunglasses in prescription? Where?

I know the Costa Del Mar's you can, and Kaenon's probably. If your interested in the Costas just go to their website and look up a dealer http://www.costadelmar.com/

Well there's always that, lol. :) But I hate wearing them.