Jump to content

Sunglasses - Ray Ban or...

Knoxtnhorn
 Share

Recommended Posts

Knoxtnhorn

Knoxtnhorn 6061

Posted
Posted

So I've never in my life spent more than $20 on sunglasses.  Partly because I've always been a poor and partly because I figured I'd lose or break the first expensive pair I'd buy.

Well, now I'm all grows up.  I know with Ray Bans, you're paying some for the brand.  My question is this...  Does the claim that they're more sturdy and scratch proof justify the cost?  I want aviators and I'm tired of buying a crappy pair every few months because they start to bend or I've scratched the lens.  I'm open to other brands as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Celery Man

Celery Man 20972

Posted
Posted

Yeah, I get the whole "you're paying for the brand it's an overpriced chunk of plastic" thing, but I've had the same pair of wayfarers for coming on 3 years and they're still in great shape and function perfectly.  The plastic frames have some road rash in a few spots, but the lenses are unmarred.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

Posted
Posted

Had a pair of Ray Ban Wayfarers handed to me by the duty free lady @ Dulles airport as I boarded a plane in 2007 for Africa.  I kept that same pair till they were stolen in 2014 in Germany.  Ray Bans are the shit and no do not get aviators unless you want to buy  another pair in less than a month.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

I’m hard on glasses. After being a ray ban guy for 30 years, I have Oakley now. They have a plastic breakaway hinge and if you tweak them they come apart where as Ray-Ban’s bend or break at the hinge.

My  2 year old precriptions are the new Oakley style. they're tough as hell. I love 'em

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DanRydell

DanRydell 799

Posted
Posted
Had a pair of Ray Ban Wayfarers handed to me by the duty free lady @ Dulles airport as I boarded a plane in 2007 for Africa.  I kept that same pair till they were stolen in 2014 in Germany.  Ray Bans are the shit and no do not get aviators unless you want to buy  another pair in less than a month.


I’ve had the same Aviators for 5-6 years now without issue. I had the pair before that for 3-4 years before losing them in the lake.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dewey

Dewey 3286

Posted
Posted

My first pair of wayfarers last maybe 8 years, on my second pair that I've had for 3 years. Construction, commercial fishing, takes a lot for them to go down.

I'll also.add that having cheap sunglasses, I always lost or broke, because I didnt care. Not hard to take care of sunglasses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
deft

deft 6857

Posted
Posted

It’s all owned by luxottica.

I’ve got some Oakley aviator style glasses that I wear less and less. I’ve come to enjoy cheap wayfarer styles (under $10) but was looking for something with polarization. A friend recommended shady rays. $40 and they give you 2 replacements for broken or lost with no questions asked. I’ve only worn these to the pool, kayaking, and now a splash pad but they seem well worth it at this point.

9be9106ec8f089e2293684b9b039b0e9.jpgab11fadbdc6265ec72b041b7d69a48e7.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Brew

Brew 3049

Posted
Posted

I’ve had Ray Bans for a number of years. My last pair had a scratch across the middle of the lens, so I went in last week to pick up a new pair. Walked out with a pair of rimless Maui Jim Kupunu’s instead. Their lenses are far and away better than the Ray Ban’s I had. I wore them driving home in a thunderstorm yesterday because of how much clearer they made everything. The completely flexible frame is also light weight and can be bent any direction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
52-80

52-80 19185

Posted
Posted (edited)

Just like with clothing, sturdiness and durability are NOT indicators of quality.  

Most lenses are polycarbonate - good thing as they are lighter, and wont break into shards.  

Unless some company has some ultra proprietary formula for the thermoplastic or the coating to make them more scratch resistant, then you can assume they're all pretty much the same.  And in fact, if a company  had such a thing, they would market the hell out of it.

As of today, I know of none that do.

I say there are 2.5 or 3 tiers of actual quality in sunglasses:

(1) You have the throwaway shit tier, mass produced clones in China, sold at the gas station.  They feel flimsy, and the lenses are probably wavy and murky.

(2) REI tier stuff with low brand equity... the 30-80$ stuff like Peppers, Tifosi, Polaroid, whatever... 

(3) Established brands.  The Oakley/Persol/Ray Ban/Maui Jim/etc.  As far as im concerned, the only real difference between #3 and #2 is.... brand equity.

And then there's the 500$ GucciGabanaTomFord Dallas Fashionista bullshit.  and I'll punch anybody in the face who even tries to argue that they are objective better from the others.

 

If you try really really hard, viewing back to back, maybe theres a slight bit of optical clarity improvement from #2 to #3.  But in most cases, with most samples, its pretty much the same.

SUMMARY:  As long as you're not paying <20$ or <50$ for it, you're not buying the shit tier stuff.  The only real perceivable difference is the styling.  In which case, buy what appeals to you.  Also, Polarized vs Non-Polarized is a choice.  Polarization cuts glare but messes up with some digital displays like navigation, smartphones, digital cameras, etc.... 

 

When I walk into an optometrist / glasses shop, i completely ignore the label and gravitate towards the style, then pick based on looks and comfort.  Ironically, im always looking at the exact same style (thick framed, brown, tortoise-shell frame with medium-dark lenses...).  So I end up with like 10 identical looking pairs.  Between the Persols, Mauis, RBs, Oakleys, Rodenstock, Carrera (bought yesterday), that i have....as far as perceived quality its all the same

Edited by 52-80
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gil Bang

Gil Bang 25979

Posted
Posted

I also have a pair ofMaui Jim’s. They are lighter and less sturdy than my daily Oakley’s so I only wear them on occasion. I broke them once and their customer service for the repair was terrific.

I was quite amused that the Maui Jim service department is in Peoria IL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Damor

Damor 1236

Posted
Posted (edited)

Buy Costas at Steep & Cheap for enough of a discount that they aren't irreplaceable.  I have had a couple of the polycarbonate lenses smear or scratch more easily than I would have liked, but I've generally been pleased.  The glass lenses are awesome but pricey, even at a discount.

If you put stuff on a credit card for points, check if you get a reward bonus through your card portal -- I get 5-8 points/$ at Steep & Cheap.

Edited by Damor
muledick
Link to comment
Share on other sites
deft

deft 6857

Posted
Posted

Regarding lens quality

I have some Rayban aviators that my grandfather bought at the Mabry PX some 50 odd years ago. They’re green lenses with gold frames with aged cracked nose and bayonet pieces. I hate gold and the plastic is sharp, but they’re the best glasses I have to see though and it’s not even close. I want to fix the plastic but I don’t know where to start.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
52-80

52-80 19185

Posted
Posted
33 minutes ago, Gil Bang said:

I also have a pair ofMaui Jim’s. They are lighter and less sturdy than my daily Oakley’s so I only wear them on occasion. I broke them once and their customer service for the repair was terrific.

I was quite amused that the Maui Jim service department is in Peoria IL.

They're headquartered there.

I scratched the fuck out of a pair of MJs.  Retail is 250 USD or so.  They offered to swap the lenses for 60EUR, shipped out of German office.  Even sent me back the old lenses, which was kinda nice.  

*** 

Anyway, back to the glasses, its really ALL commoditized now.  Luxottica and Safilo owns most of the market.  Other "brands" license from them.  By no means do either of those firm run a crackpot engineering crew innovating plastic design or glass manufacturing.  It's basically a design-and-marketing operation.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TwiceHorn

TwiceHorn 31509

Posted
Posted

I have a 30+ year old pair of Ray Bans, when they were just quality, glass sunglasses.  They also cost about $30.  They're very good.  But they have wire temples that are either too tight or I'm just not used to them anymore.  I suppose they can be replaced with longer ones?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RPM

RPM 26326

Posted
Posted

I had a pair of Ray Bans (not sure which model, but not Wayfairer or Aviator) for almost 10 years until they were stolen out of a rental car. Joke's on the thief because they were prescription, but they were my favorite pair I've ever owned. Bought a pair of Maui Jim that were great for almost a year until the frame broke. Wound up buying a pair of Soxick off Amazon for about $30. Really nice sunglasses with memory metal frames. I'll see how long these last.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gil Bang

Gil Bang 25979

Posted
Posted
Regarding lens quality

I have some Rayban aviators that my grandfather bought at the Mabry PX some 50 odd years ago. They’re green lenses with gold frames with aged cracked nose and bayonet pieces. I hate gold and the plastic is sharp, but they’re the best glasses I have to see though and it’s not even close. I want to fix the plastic but I don’t know where to start.


Send them in to Ray ban. Maui Jim has a website with pricing and shipping instructions. I’ll bet ray ban does too.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CfRhTxStBobcats

CfRhTxStBobcats 602

Posted
Posted

Bought my first pair of aviators in 1980, I paid something like $40 for them. That's pretty much all I wore for 20 plus years. I then tried Serengeti, Oakley, Maui Jim, and Revo for the last 19 years. In the past 6 months I purchased a pair of Ray Bans, but they're not aviators. Like aviators they're a bit heavier than all those other glasses I've tried but I really like these glasses and will probably be sticking with Ray Bans another 20 years if I live that long. If you get aviators, pay the extra $30 or whatever the price difference is and get the polorazied, well worth it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
GottaB

GottaB 594

Posted
Posted

I like Costa’s. I get a discount for being a veteran thru govx. Steep and cheap is another place with good discount. They have been durable and have great lenses.  Glass lenses seem more scratch resistant than polycarbonate.  They will replace or fix scratched lenses for $60-80  

I’ve also enjoyed a few Nike and serengheti (from Costco ).  When I get Nike glasses, I try to get models with swappable lenses. That way when I scratch a set, I don’t have to trash the pair. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Damor

Damor 1236

Posted
Posted

Yes. S&C is the outlet for Backcountry.com, which is also awesome. Sometimes Backcountry has the same or similar price, and has free shipping for orders over $50, so it can be worth checking. I've bought a lot of stuff from both, and have had nothing but good experiences.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tokamak

tokamak 6432

Posted
Posted

I have two pairs of Ray Ban polarized prescription Wayfarers. I guess I’m either really unlucky or my expectations for sunglasses are way too high, because I think the quality is shit. One pair has already developed cracks and the others one of the earpieces isn't straight. Have taken them to two different Lens Crafters or whatever Luxottica owns and the employees there are completely useless.

Sure they look cool but I'm going to try something non-Luxottica next time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TTU13

TTU13 108

Posted
Posted

I bought a pair of Ray-Ban polarized wayfarer shades 5 years ago. I wear them daily and have beat them up pretty good. When I clean them up, they look brand new. Best pair of shades I’ve ever bought. I had a couple pairs of Oakley’s previously and by far love the Ray-Bans more.

As far as the “polarized make it hard to see digital screens” I’ve never had that issue. Just look at your phone screen straight on like a normal person and you won’t have an issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
52-80

52-80 19185

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, TTU13 said:


As far as the “polarized make it hard to see digital screens” I’ve never had that issue. Just look at your phone screen straight on like a normal person and you won’t have an issue.

It's almost like some apps work in landscape mode, and that there are more than 1 type of digital device out there... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nice Guy Eddie

Nice Guy Eddie 13515

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, TTU13 said:

As far as the “polarized make it hard to see digital screens” I’ve never had that issue. Just look at your phone screen straight on like a normal person and you won’t have an issue.

It all depends on the polarization orientation of both the phone screen and your shades.  If they're aligned in the same direction, you can't see the screen.  You have to turn  the phone sideways (landscape) to view the screen.    It's not about looking at the phone like a normal person.  

I would assume that each individual sunglass manufacturer and phone maker stick to a common polarized orientation.  I wonder why they don't just publicize A or B, then leave it up to the consumers to decide that to buy.  Or have the sunglasses come in both.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Archer

Archer 474

Posted
Posted

I have a pair of Ray Bans that I really like except for they will not stay on my head when I raise them up after going inside. If I look down for any reason they fall off and bounce across the floor. Something to check for if you are in the habit of just pushing your sunglasses up. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
elfenix

elfenix 34326

Posted
Posted (edited)

i've had 2 pairs of ray-bans and now i'm on a pair of maui jims.  all have been glass. when i got the second ray-bans, i bought a plastic lens pair, but returned them because they just didn't block as much light (store clerk said something like, oh, you got plastic, you want glass).  the maui jims don't seem all that dark either and have an odd glare to them (they're mirrored aviators while the ray-bans were a metal wrap type). 

it doesn't seem possible to guarantee you get "crystal" lenses from ray-ban unless you go straight to luxxotica (iow, sunglass hut). i'll probably keep checking at costco for overstocks/last year's and try to run into a deal.

Edited by elfenix
Link to comment
Share on other sites
crash_davis

crash_davis 23114

Posted
Posted

3 choices.  do you care about lens clarify, polarization, or is it all about style and brand name?

i classify sunglasses into 3 categories.

1. cheapo: they are cheap but you get what you pay for, meaning shitty lens and subpar clarity.  do NOT bother buying cheap polarized sunglasses.  cheap polarized sunglasses fucking suck  and you are an idiot if you buy a pair.

2. fashion, most all sunglasses: learn this word - luxottica.  all you need know is that they prob own 75% of all name brand fashion sunglasses that you can buy, this includes ran bay and oakley.  lens are good, quality is good, pricing is arbitrary based on fashion name.  i do believe oakley still keeps their lens technology to themselves.  all the other fashion brands prob share the same lens.

3. costa del mar: the 580P glass lens are hands down THE BEST lens in sunglasses, there isn't a close second.  clarity and polarization are incredible.  the downside is that they are catered towards sport, mainly fishing, so styling is limited and mainly on the sporty side.  

 

i have costas for everyday sunglasses, especially if i'm on the lake.  i have a pair of persols if i am dressing nice, for example wearing a suit, or don't want to look like a frat boy at nice event.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Onboard 2.0

Onboard 2.0 9083

Posted
Posted
Just now, crash_davis said:

3 choices.  do you care about lens clarify, polarization, or is it all about style and brand name?

i classify sunglasses into 3 categories.

1. cheapo: they are cheap but you get what you pay for, meaning shitty lens and subpar clarity.  do NOT bother buying cheap polarized sunglasses.  cheap polarized sunglasses fucking suck  and you are an idiot if you buy a pair.

2. fashion, most all sunglasses: learn this word - luxottica.  all you need know is that they prob own 75% of all name brand fashion sunglasses that you can buy, this includes ran bay and oakley.  lens are good, quality is good, pricing is arbitrary based on fashion name.  i do believe oakley still keeps their lens technology to themselves.  all the other fashion brands prob share the same lens.

3. costa del mar: the 580P glass lens are hands down THE BEST lens in sunglasses, there isn't a close second.  clarity and polarization are incredible.  the downside is that they are catered towards sport, mainly fishing, so styling is limited and mainly on the sporty side.  

 

i have costas for everyday sunglasses, especially if i'm on the lake.  i have a pair of persols if i am dressing nice, for example wearing a suit, or don't want to look like a frat boy at nice event.

Have a pair of Costa Del mars (15 years now) for deep sea fishing only. They are indeed incredible(ly expensive).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
crash_davis

crash_davis 23114

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Have a pair of Costa Del mars (15 years now) for deep sea fishing only. They are indeed incredible(ly expensive).

ebay and steep and cheap (as someone said earlier) are great places to buy discounted new costas.  i've purchased 3 pairs of costas from ebay and never had a fake pair.  you cannot copy the costa 580p glass lens so you'll immediately know if you have a knock off pair.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...