Fishing is a competitive sport.

And when it comes to the competition, many fishermen want to have every advantage they can get - whether that's using the best bait or having the best fishing rod. But if you're not careful, your eyes could be your biggest handicap!
So here are some tips for picking the right fishing sunglasses for you.

1. Polarized Lenses

Glare is the enemy when you're out fishin'. All those rays from the sun reflect off the water and right into your eyes making it much brighter than if you were on land.
This can cause eye fatigue and headaches, but it also makes it near impossible to see into the water. And if you're wanting to sight fish, or see where those weed beds, logs or drop-off's are...Well, then you're gonna have a tough time.

Overall, here is what you can expect from good polarized lenses:

Clearer vision, especially in bright light
Increased contrast and minimal color distortion
Reduced glare and reflection
Reduced eyestrain
See DEEPER into the water

In terms of performance, polarized lenses are the BIGGEST factor for quality fishing sunglasses.

2. UV400 Protection

UV damage to your eyes can start in as little as 15 minutes when you're outdoors. That is a little scary considering you can experience up to 25% MORE radiation when out on the water. The health risks for your eyes when unprotected include:

Cataracts
Macular Degeneration
Pterygium
Keratitis
Skin Cancers of the Eyelid

So although it may not improve your fishing experience, having sunglasses rated for UV400 protection are the best defense against eye disease so you can ensure you can keep on fishin'! Sunglasses with this level of protection block an even wider spectrum than the CE and British Standard

models, making them the ultimate protection for your eyes.

Moral of the story: don't skimp on your eye protection when you're out on the water!

3. LENS COLOR

Lens color is not a one-size-fits-all sort of situation. In fact, its mostly based on the type of fishing you're doing and the current conditions.
So lets dive in to some different use cases for different colored lenses...

Blue mirror lenses - This dramatically reduces eye fatigue and allow for better contrast and visual clarity on the open water.

Green mirror lenses - They are effective when its sunny or cloudy. So, when the clouds decide to come out, you still get great contrast and clear vision.

Orange mirror lenses - They will provide more protection from glare than a pure amber or yellow lens and can still be effective even in brighter conditions (but less so than the blue or green).

Grey lenses - They work well in bright conditions to help minimize eye strain and fatigue, but can still be used in slightly dimmer conditions so they are perfect for variable weather.

Amber lenses - They provide adequate protection for brighter conditions, they work best in lower light or overcast weather.
So if you're looking for maximum contrast for sight fishing, or are fishing the shallows under dimmer conditions - these are the perfect pair to use.

Photochromic lenses - They are the perfect solution in extremely low light conditions when you still want the advantage of polarized lenses, but don't need as much protection from the sun. Since they darken to provide more protection when the sun comes out, they are excellent to use in variable conditions.

4. LENS MATERIAL

There are 3 main materials used for lenses in fishing sunglasses, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

1. Glass

Advantages:

Highest optical clarity
Scratch resistant

Disadvantages:

Not impact resistant
Heavy
Expensive

2. Polycarbonate

Advantages:

Extremely impact resistant
Lightweight
Naturally provides UV400 protection

Disadvantages:

Lower clarity
Not naturally scratch resistant

3. TAC

Advantages:

Good visual clarity
Lightweight
Scratch and impact resistant

Disadvantages:

Lower clarity than glass
Less impact resistant than polycarbonate (but still very impact resistant, check out this gif)

We generally lean toward TAC lenses as a well rounded option, but any of these lens materials will do the job.

5. COMFORT

If you can't wear your glasses all day, that's no bueno. The last thing you want is to be uncomfortable when you're out for a long day fishing, so here are some things to look for when your trying to find the perfect frames.

So there you have it. Hope these tips have helped give you some ideas on what to look for when you're grabbing your next pair of fishing glasses!