What sunglasses are best for flying gliders?

A couple of weeks ago I purchased a fairly cheap pair of sunglasses. When I put them on in my glider all of my instruments magically went black. Unbeknownst to me, the lenses are polarized.

Are there any sunglasses that seem to work really well for flying?

I use wrap-around surf/sport style sunglasses. They block light well from all angles since they wrap around the sides of your head and generally fit close to your face. So-called aviator sunglasses aren't great for aviating, IMO. They only block light from the front. This is a potential safety issue.. You want the best light-blocking coverage you can get so that your vision is never compromised by bright sunlight.

On Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 11:27:58 AM UTC-7, Jonathan Foster wrote:
A couple of weeks ago I purchased a fairly cheap pair of sunglasses. When I put them on in my glider all of my instruments magically went black. Unbeknownst to me, the lenses are polarized.

Are there any sunglasses that seem to work really well for flying?

Mechanical instruments or LCD displays? If all your mechanical instruments went black then they have their glass installed incorrectly or you have the worlds worst pair of polarized glasses with the polarization 90 degrees from where it is supposed to be.

Some glider pilots, including me, prefer to fly with polarized sunglasses because of benefits in seeing cloud wisps and haze domes etc. How well they work usually comes down to LCD display and canopy distortion causing issues (Mecaplex canopies usually seem impressively distortion/stress free)). Lots of space on r.a.s. has been wasted already talking about sunglasses, you can search for those past threads.

On Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 11:45:15 AM UTC-7, Darryl Ramm wrote:
On Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 11:27:58 AM UTC-7, Jonathan Foster wrote:
A couple of weeks ago I purchased a fairly cheap pair of sunglasses. When I put them on in my glider all of my instruments magically went black. Unbeknownst to me, the lenses are polarized.

Are there any sunglasses that seem to work really well for flying?

Mechanical instruments or LCD displays? If all your mechanical instruments went black then they have their glass installed incorrectly or you have the worlds worst pair of polarized glasses with the polarization 90 degrees from where it is supposed to be.

Some glider pilots, including me, prefer to fly with polarized sunglasses because of benefits in seeing cloud wisps and haze domes etc. How well they work usually comes down to LCD display and canopy distortion causing issues (Mecaplex canopies usually seem impressively distortion/stress free)).. Lots of space on r.a.s. has been wasted already talking about sunglasses, you can search for those past threads.

http://sunglasspolarized.net/

Avian 515 Non-Polarized Lens many different styles of frames

Richard
www.craggyaero.com

Zeiss Skylet lenses, nothing else comes close.

I find Zeiss Skyler "Fun" tint (in prescription lenses) excellent for gliding for all light levels from dull UK to strong South African.

BTW Zeiss advise pilots not to use polarised lenses mainly because their primary benefit is to reduce glare from polarised reflected light and that, they say, can make it difficult to see other aircraft that might otherwise have been picked up by the glint from the wings.

I use THESE
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EKERBU4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1.
They're inexpensive and they work great!Â* Bifocal, too!

On 10/26/2017 3:56 PM, wrote:
I find Zeiss Skyler "Fun" tint (in prescription lenses) excellent for gliding for all light levels from dull UK to strong South African.

BTW Zeiss advise pilots not to use polarised lenses mainly because their primary benefit is to reduce glare from polarised reflected light and that, they say, can make it difficult to see other aircraft that might otherwise have been picked up by the glint from the wings.

--
Dan, 5J

On Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 11:27:58 AM UTC-7, Jonathan Foster wrote:
A couple of weeks ago I purchased a fairly cheap pair of sunglasses.
When I put them on in my glider all of my instruments magically went black.

I bought a few pair of those this summer for watching the eclipse.

On Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 2:27:58 PM UTC-4, Jonathan Foster wrote:
Are there any sunglasses that seem to work really well for flying?
snip

Without a doubt, the Suntiger Aviator from Elton Optical in Las Vegas, the non-polarized version. Not only can you see the instruments, but the ultraviolet and blue-blocking tint actually makes it easier to see through haze AND makes the little "pre-cumulus" wisps visible! Been using them for two decades now. Perfect for the soaring pilot.

For those of us that need bifocals I take my favorite pair of sunglasses and trim a pair of these plastic reading lenses to fit at the bottom. An inexpensive way to get to bifocals without the custom work. They attach with just water and, magical, seem to never come off. Comes in many magnification levels. Depending on your eyes you may need two different levels. Enjoy, John

https://www.amazon.com/Optx-20-Stick.../dp/B000W7HQCQ