Sunglasses

[[email protected]]

Want to purchase suitable sunglasses for the upcoming season. Search of
old threads turned up info several years old. What are the requirements
for a good pairr of good pilot's sunglasses.Tx.

[Klaus Haehlen]

schrieb:
> Want to purchase suitable sunglasses for the upcoming season. Search of
> old threads turned up info several years old. What are the requirements
> for a good pairr of good pilot's sunglasses.Tx.
>
Hi

IMHO Skylet sunglasses are the best. Take the 80%-ones
http://www.google.ch/search?hl=de&q=skylet+sunglasses&btnG=Google-Suche&meta=

Greetz
Klaus

[Shawn]

wrote:
> Want to purchase suitable sunglasses for the upcoming season. Search of
> old threads turned up info several years old. What are the requirements
> for a good pairr of good pilot's sunglasses.Tx.
>
Avoid polarized lenses. Some LCD instruments will look black through
them. I've read that some canopy/glasses combinations produce weird
artifacts, and they can block out a significant portion of reflected
light off of another aircraft's wings, just as they block glare
reflected off of cars and the road while driving. To me this takes away
a good visual cue that other traffic is in the area. On the plus side
they cut down glare and improve sky/cloud contrast. Amber tinting can
do a lot of this as well.
Wrap-around style shades block that annoying side light you get when
thermaling, where the sun comes in through the side and reflects off the
inside of the lens (I suspect a good antireflective coating would help
with this too). Watch out for cheap wrap-arounds though. The optics
can suck near the edges. I wear Rx Oakleys with a moderate neutral gray
tint. Love em.

Shawn

[Ray Lovinggood]

You didn't say if you needed prescription or not.
I'll tell you about my prescription glasses.

I've used 'Suntiger' http://www.suntiger.com/ for
one full season and have liked them.

I do have bifocals and I ordered on line and they came
in the mail just fine. They didn't have the 'high
performance' type of plastic for the lenses, thus for
my prescription, the lenses are 'coke bottle bottoms',
but they work well.

I was skeptical because they don't appear to have as
much tint as I had been using. My previous pairs of
prescription glasses were rather dark green or brown.
You couldn't see my eyes behind the glasses out in
bright sun. The Suntigers are different and they look
like there isn't much of the orange tint there, but
they do work! I don't squint with these as much as
I did with the 'darker' sunglasses.

Total cost was around US$180. I didn't buy the 'anti-glare'
or the 'scratch resistant' extras. Just the metal
frames and the prescription bifocals, with the visible
line across the lens.

When my prescription changes, I'll get another pair
of Suntigers.

And, I'm sure you can buy non-prescription Suntigers.

Ray Lovinggood
Carrboro, North Carolina, USA

At 16:00 14 March 2005, wrote:
>Want to purchase suitable sunglasses for the upcoming
>season. Search of
>old threads turned up info several years old. What
>are the requirements
>for a good pairr of good pilot's sunglasses.Tx.
>
>

[Stefan]

wrote:

> Want to purchase suitable sunglasses for the upcoming season. Search of
> old threads turned up info several years old. What are the requirements
> for a good pairr of good pilot's sunglasses.Tx.

Buy the cheapest you can find. Sooner or later you *will* sit on them.
OTOH some pilots report that the Oakleys have the best success with the
line girls. Myself, I like my skylets for their intellectual look.

Stefan

[J.A.M.]

mmm... IMHO you shouldn't buy the cheapest. You are improving your vision,
and protecting your eyes. If you buy cheap sunglasses you won't see very
well and your cornea will burn to death...
I use now Oakley, as a lot of pilots I know. Looks aside, they have great
optics.
The Randolph Engineering sunglasses are also great, classic looks and very
good optics. Not very expensive as well.
Ray Ban are also a good bet, in my experience.
Look for good UV filtering, good contrast, no color alteration, and feel
comfortable with them (good brightness filtering)

Jose M. Alvarez,
ASW-24 'BR'

"Stefan" > escribió en el mensaje
...
> wrote:
>
> > Want to purchase suitable sunglasses for the upcoming season. Search of
> > old threads turned up info several years old. What are the requirements
> > for a good pairr of good pilot's sunglasses.Tx.
>
> Buy the cheapest you can find. Sooner or later you *will* sit on them.
> OTOH some pilots report that the Oakleys have the best success with the
> line girls. Myself, I like my skylets for their intellectual look.
>
> Stefan

[Stefan]

J.A.M. wrote:

> mmm... IMHO you shouldn't buy the cheapest. You are improving your vision,

Ok, on a more serious level:

> Look for good UV filtering,

UV filtering isn't an issue anymore. It was at the time when sunglasses
consisted of coated glass. Todays poly-whatever glasses filter out
essentially all UV, regardless of colour or price. You could even fly
without sunglasses, as even the canopy filters between 80 and 90 percent
of the UV.

> good contrast,

This is an important point. Look for glasses that filter out the blue.
They will appear yellow, brown or red. This will give you contrast and
cuts the haze to some degree.

> no color alteration,

Colour alteration isn't an issue. Your brain will adapt pretty fast to
whatever filter you put on your nose.

> and feel comfortable with them (good brightness filtering)

Probably the most important point.

Stefan

[[email protected]]

I couldn't disagree more with whoever says to buy the cheapest
available. You only have one pair of eyes, and there's lots of bad rays
out there.

I tried a half dozen pilot-recommended brands and the winner was
Serengeti. Wonderful optics, doesn't scratch easily, great protection,
light and comfortable.

2NO

[Nyal Williams]

At 18:00 14 March 2005, wrote:
>I couldn't disagree more with whoever says to buy the
>cheapest
>available. You only have one pair of eyes, and there's
>lots of bad rays
>out there.
>
>I tried a half dozen pilot-recommended brands and the
>winner was
>Serengeti. Wonderful optics, doesn't scratch easily,
>great protection,
>light and comfortable.
>
>2NO
>
I have used Suntigers since they hit the market in
the 80s. They were based on NASA research to reduce
UV that was causing cataracts, particularly by welding.
They based the orange color on the natural filters
in eagle's eyes. Eagles are in natural daylight all
the time, fly high, and do not get cataracts.

The orange is impossibly bright for the first two minutes,
but you can stay outdoors 12 hours and will not have
eye fatigue at the end of the day. There is an expected
amount of color shift. Greens pop out, yellows tend
to disappear, and blues tend to be black. You get
used to it quickly. The only problem is flowers; they
look weird!

You can have your own optometrist make your lenses
- even tri-focals (mine are) from C-39 plastic with
no hardener added. Send these lenses to Suntiger and
they will dye them for you and your optometrist can
put them back in your frames. I have done this with
4 pairs for myself and 4 pairs for my wife.

Soaring had a long article with graphs and charts back
in the 80s about these lenses. I have no financial
interest in the company.

[[email protected]]

wrote:
> Want to purchase suitable sunglasses for the upcoming season. Search
of
> old threads turned up info several years old. What are the
requirements
> for a good pairr of good pilot's sunglasses.Tx.

I have worn Suntigers for several years. I never squint, and my eyes
never get tired. Because I wear trifocals and because I prefer to able
to choose the style I want, I purchase clear, uncoated lenses locally
from my opthamologist and send them to Suntiger for tinting. They
charge $40 for this service. I'm convinced I can see other aircraft
better wearing Suntigers. They're also good for night driving.

[Cloudy]

Klaus Haehlen wrote:
> IMHO Skylet sunglasses are the best. Take the 80%-ones
> http://www.google.ch/search?hl=de&q=skylet+sunglasses&btnG=Google-Suche&meta=
>
Yes, I'd recommend Skylet as well. They are Zeiss lenses, you should be
able to get an optician near to order them for you.

I got Zeiss Skylet 80% and as prescription sunglasses via my optician
here in the UK.
Perfect. They really make clouds more visible, and unlike some other
lenses the grass is still green, not blue, when you take them off.

Claudia

[mattdahoov]

wrote:
> Want to purchase suitable sunglasses for the upcoming season. Search
of
> old threads turned up info several years old. What are the
requirements
> for a good pairr of good pilot's sunglasses.Tx.


Also keep in mind what the AIM reads in section 8-1-6 Vision In Flight;

3. Excessive illumination, especially from light reflected off the
canopy, surfaces inside the aircraft, clouds, water, snow, and desert
terrain, can produce glare, with uncomfortable squinting, watering of
the eyes, and even temporary blindness. Sunglasses for protection from
glare should absorb at least 85 percent of visible light (15 percent
transmittance) and all colors equally (neutral transmittance), with
negligible image distortion from refractive and prismatic errors.

Specifically the part about "all colors equally". This refers to the
"Blueblocker" lenses or other similarly tinted lense. Also
"distortion...refractive...prismatic" I have heard these in arguments
against polarized lenses.

This is in the aim so it is not regulatory, but some like to enforce
anything that the FAA has published, I was asked not to wear my
polarized prescription sunglasses while flying, however I was not
cited.

SEE YA!!!

Matthew.

[Ron Roberts]

I bought a pair of prescription Suntigers 4 years ago and about a week
or two past one year the coating started coming off. Suntiger honored
the one year warranty and re-coated them. Two years later the coating
started coming off again. My guess is that sunscreen mixed with sweat
was what caused the detreriation. No more Suntigers for me.

[Bob C]

I wear Polar Eyes ($50 from Aircraft Spruce or polareyes.com,
including a hard case and cleaning cloth). I love
them! They are very lightweight and comfortable.
I find the polarized lenses actually accent the contrast
of another plane against the sky. I prefer the copper
colored lenses. They have just a touch of blueblocking,
but won't make daisies look black. I have seen a couple
of canopies that produced some very mild color banding,
but most don't. Also, the rotation of thermals tends
to create a 'polarized' effect when they pick up dust,
pollen, grass, etc. You can see thermals for miles
with Polar Eyes. You can also see details in clouds
that aren't visible with non-polarized lenses, and
they cut through haze very well.

As for the post about the FAA 'asking' someone not
to wear polarized lenses, I'd 'ask' them take a hike!

[[email protected]]

I have a pair of Ray-Bans with the B-15 brown colored mirrored lenses
which are great for enhancing contrast and eliminating scattered blue
light of which there is plenty at altitude. The brown lens barely
distorts color, and really helps in finding the wispies or darkest part
of the cloud. Optics are excellent with no distortion. I bought a new
pair on Ebay for $30.00. They can't be beat IMO.

[[email protected]]

I have a pair of Ray-Bans with the B-15 brown colored mirrored lenses
which are great for enhancing contrast and eliminating scattered blue
light of which there is plenty at altitude. The brown lens barely
distorts color, and really helps in finding the wispies or darkest part
of the cloud. Optics are excellent with no distortion. I bought a new
pair on Ebay for $30.00. They can't be beat IMO.

[[email protected]]

J.A.M. wrote:
> mmm... IMHO you shouldn't buy the cheapest. You are improving your
vision,
> and protecting your eyes. If you buy cheap sunglasses you won't see
very
> well and your cornea will burn to death...
> I use now Oakley, as a lot of pilots I know. Looks aside, they have
great
> optics.
> The Randolph Engineering sunglasses are also great, classic looks and
very
> good optics. Not very expensive as well.
> Ray Ban are also a good bet, in my experience.
> Look for good UV filtering, good contrast, no color alteration, and
feel
> comfortable with them (good brightness filtering)
>
> Jose M. Alvarez,
> ASW-24 'BR'


A survey done a couple of years ago in South Africa found the cheap
sunglasses bought from road side vendors offered superior UV protection
than Ray Bans and a few other top end brands. Still love my Ray Bans
for their nuetral colour tones. Just hate putting them down in the
cockpit when working around the glider because I know I will sit on
them sometime.

Clinton
LAK 12

[Bill Daniels]

"T o d d P a t t i s t" > wrote in message
...
> "mattdahoov" > wrote:
>
> >Also keep in mind what the AIM reads in section 8-1-6 Vision In Flight;
> >
> >3. Sunglasses ... all colors equally (neutral transmittance)
> >Specifically the part about "all colors equally". This refers to the
> >"Blueblocker" lenses or other similarly tinted lense. Also
> >"distortion...refractive...prismatic" I have heard these in arguments
> >against polarized lenses.
>
> Polarized lenses transmit all "colors equally" It's the
> tinting not the polarization that affects colors.
>
> >This is in the aim so it is not regulatory, but some like to enforce
> >anything that the FAA has published, I was asked not to wear my
> >polarized prescription sunglasses while flying, however I was not
> >cited.
>
> Who asked you not to wear them? Did an FAA official imply
> he had the power to cite you for wearing them?

I've been wearing CODE wrap bronze 64 13 125's for a year. These wrap
around my face fitting close to the eye preventing light from getting to the
back side of the lens. They produce better contrast than any aviator style
sunglasses I have ever worn. They also serve a safety glasses protecting my
eyes from sand blasted by tow plane props. The only downside is that the
close fit traps moisture so that they fog more easily.

A big upside is that several students have asked me for the brand and style
because they think they look cool. Any 64 year old can use all the "cool"
he can get.

Bill Daniels

[Papa3]

wrote:
>
> I tried a half dozen pilot-recommended brands and the winner was
> Serengeti. Wonderful optics, doesn't scratch easily, great
protection,
> light and comfortable.
>
> 2NO

Ditto on the Serengeti recommendation. I find them particularly useful
late in the day when going "up sun" and for picking out the best
looking clouds through the haze. I've worn these for about 10 years
now; they replaced a pair of Ray Bans. I go with the Aviator Style -
geeky looking as all hell but wide enough to eliminate all but a small
amount of light infiltration from the sides. Those of you worried
about style can find Serengetis in other more fashionable
configurations.

P3

[ttaylor at cc.usu.edu]

I like both the Serengeti's and the SunTigers.

I use a combination of Serengeti "Driver tent" Aviator style on bright
days and SunTigers on days that are overcast or very hazy. The
SunTigers cut the haze better than anything else I have used. I often
carry both pairs and switch based on light and haze condtions.

TT

[5Z]

They look a bit geeky, but I really like these:
http://www.zurichsunglasses.com/index.html

They fit right over my Rx glasses and provide complete wraparound
antiglare protection.

-Tom

[m pautz]

wrote:

> Want to purchase suitable sunglasses for the upcoming season. Search of
> old threads turned up info several years old. What are the requirements
> for a good pairr of good pilot's sunglasses.Tx.
>

I have had good luck with Hidalgos. They sell various brands, such as
Ray Ban, American Optical, and Serengeti. They also sell various Frames
such as Ray Ban, Randolph Engineering, Titanium & Monel by different
companies.

They also grind to prescription including bifocals. So, you can get a
top notch frame like Randolph engineering with custome made lenses.

Their web page has plenty of informative advice, but is totally useless
for ordering. Go their web page and order their hard copy catalog. You
will not be sorry.

http://www.hidalgos.com/sunglasses.html

[Atacdad]

My vote (and my $) go to Serengeti. The drivers tint helps bring the
contrast between clouds and sky into view. Not as good in low angle sun
conditions as some, such as the Costa Del Mar's that they replaced (got
crushed in the door of the truck). Good in shadow or direct sun.

[OscarDelta]

I'll have to throw my hat into the Serengeti ring as well. Very high
quality for the price, I am a satisfied multiple repeat customer.

[rosalind88]

Want to purchase suitable sunglasses for the upcoming season. Search of
old threads turned up info several years old. What are the requirements
for a good pairr of good pilot's sunglasses.Tx.

In my opinion, there's nothing better than a pair of polarized Sunglasses on the frame of your choice. I've tried several polarized glasses over the past 14yrs of fishing and I've yet to find anything better.
http://www.sourcingmap.com/polarized-sunglasses-c-1350_1612.html
The sunglasses is very cool