non-prescription sunglasses

[warneral]

I did a search but most discussions seem to be about prescription ones. I never really thought I needed these until yesterday's ride when on 3 separate occasions I ended up with bugs on my eyeballs!

What is a reasonable price for sunglasses and what are your favorites?

Thanks! Alison

[Kitsune06]

I love, love, love the tifosi glasses I got from TE. $60 is pretty reasonable, I'd say, for really good glasses, but if you want something cheap and comfortable in case you lose/sit on/etc glasses a lot, there's always the $15 option from most motorcycle shops. Those tend to seal out wind and road dirt pretty well.

[ny biker]

My favorite are Oakleys, which are not reasonably priced. But I wear sunglasses all the time, even when it rains, due to migraine-related light sensitivity. So I want the best.

Oakleys are light, comfortable enough to wear for hours at a time, and their optics really are amazing -- so clear it's like you're not looking through a lens at all. And they do not slide down when you sweat -- the "unobtanium" nosepieces and ear pieces work great.

The Flak Jackets fit me best. I got them with the darkest lenses available, polarized. I also have the yellow lenses for riding at dusk.

[indysteel]

I've had several pair of Tifosi sunglasses over the years. My go-to pair at the moment are from their Light Night line (I got them at TE). They change from clear to a smoke tint depending on conditions. I also have a pair of their Fototec lenses, but I found they didn't get light enough in low-light conditions, so I switched primarily to the Light Nights. If I'm really going to be in full sun the entire ride, then I might opt for the Fototecs, but I otherwise prefer the Light Night so that I can see in shade. I just don't really like to fiddle with changing lens out based on the conditions. They're pretty light and comfortable. I'll admit, however, that I haven't really tried other brands.

[Blueberry]

I've been very happy with my Natives. Nice bonus: they have a lifetime warranty that includes accidental damage. So, if you sit on them and break them (ahem), you send them with $20 (and an explanation of what happened) and they send you new or repaired glasses.

[spokewench]

Bolles, Oakleys, Riders. Riders are the cheapest - pretty good tho

[zoom-zoom]

I've had the best luck with Optic Nerve sunglasses. They are ~$60/pair, but I usually order them from the company and there are always 25% off coupons floating around the web. I have found them to be bomb-proof (have found that this is NOT the case with the 2 pairs of Tifosis I've owned). They also have the widest photochromic range of any other brand--I really researched this. I don't want to mess with multi-lenses and still be comfortable in everything from overcast Winter weather to glaring sun against snow.

I wear sunglasses pretty much unless it's raining. For sun protection, but also wind and UV rays. UV exposure = cataracts.

[warneral]

Great suggestions ladies. I'm looking now

[OakLeaf]

Smith & Wesson Mini Magnum. Sized to fit a woman's (or youth's) face, wrap-around style that doesn't obstruct vision, impact resistant, excellent optical quality, UV protection, available in smoke, amber and clear (yes I protect my eyes at night and in bad weather too!) and $8 a pair, cheaper by the dozen.

Available retail at a lot of industrial supply/safety stores, shooting sports stores, or online. Can't beat 'em.

I quit wearing Oakleys after my dog ate my last pair. There's definitely not $100 worth of difference between them and my S&Ws. I'm not sure there's a nickel worth of difference, to be quite honest.

[TsPoet]

all of these are great, but I've switched to relatively cheap safety glass from Home Depot, Lowes, Ace... whichever. They look pretty good now, come in smoke, dark, and clear varieties. Why? because they should offer a little more safety from rocks, but that's not really it. The real reason is they are ~$10 and I lose/break/scratch glasses like butter. i got tired of replacing really nice glasses because I did something stupid with them. These, I don't mind so much.

[OakLeaf]

Just FTR, I have seen the regular (large) S&W Magnums for sale at Tractor Supply, but not the Minis. Hardware store safety glasses generally are too big for my face, and I haven't found another brand with optical quality as good as S&W.

[Grits]

Glad to see this post. I have a pair of Trifosis that I really do like, except the bottom of the rims rest on my face. When I finish the ride I have indentions and racoon eyes for hours. I've been too cheap to buy new ones though.

[tulip]

Whatever sunglasses you get, be aware that those that do not provide both UVA and UVB protection could do more damage than no sunglasses at all. Cheap sunglasses without adequate protection can damage eyes because they darken (pupils open wider) and allow the UVA/UVB rays to pass though.

Invest in your eyes. They are the only ones you have and they are very difficult to replace (trust me, I know). Good sunglasses protect your eyes from ultraviolet radiation and from flying stuff.

[OakLeaf]

According to one supplier, all safety glasses provide 99.9% protection against UVA and UVB (only welding goggles protect against UVC).

AFAIK, all safety glasses are made of polycarbonate, which automatically protects against UV. I have no problem recommending against drugstore "fashion" sunglasses though, which definitely aren't impact resistant and may not be UV protected either.


ETA: ooooh, a little higher priced than where I get them, but this site has the Mini Magnums in blue-blocking copper, indoor/outdoor gradient, and "Iridium"-style metallic reflective lenses. I'm stocked up at the moment ... but those gradient lenses would be terrific for evening rides.

[Xrayted]

Home Depot safety glasses. Pretty cool styles now. Paid around $10 each for my last 2 pairs. One in amber, one tinted darker. Yes, they are UVA and UVB rated. I can hit 'em with a hammer and they don't break. I'm pretty sure a stone or bug won't matter much to them.