Suglasses: Coated or tinted glass?

PEU

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I want to know what you guys think, what is better a coated lens like the oakleys or tinted glass like the raybans?

I been using a tinted glass for the last years and Im happy, but I would appreciate some comments.

Thanks!


Pablo (with his sunglasses hanging from the neck all the time)
 

greenlight

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I have some antique glasses with Swiss lenses that are coated. They are very pure optically, but a little heavy so I don't wear them much.

Currently I use cheap fossil polarized plastic lenses, they are much lighter.
 

raggie33

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i just put on a welding mask.its the new hip thing or im a dork
 

Omega Man

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I love mirror shades, always have. I have a pair of motorcycle mirrored goggles I wear sometimes and pretend I'm cool.
 

Walt175

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Omega Man said:
I love mirror shades, always have. I have a pair of motorcycle mirrored goggles I wear sometimes and pretend I'm cool.

I'm with you, I've always favored mirrored as well. Unfortunately, I now require prescription glasses, and have not been able to find a pair of prescription mirrored. :awman:
 

Patriot

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Um, I guess that I don't understand the question. Maui Jims and Oakleys really set the optical standard in sunglasses but even they are tinted. Some models are optically enhanced with coatings also though. You'll notice that even if you scratch the optical coating off of an Oakley lense it is still tinted underneath. Coatings might further alter the light reaching your eye by reducing or enhancing certain wave lenths. For shooting I like lightly tinted, for a day at the lake I like dark polarized lenses, for driving I like a medium tint, polarized lense.
 
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2xTrinity

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I generally prefer simple polarized sunglasses myself, with moderate neutral tinting (no color distortion).
 

bwaites

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I have eyes which are super sensitive to blue light, so that may affect my feelings about lenses.

That stated, I believe the Serengeti Driver lens to be the best all around lens available, but it has one big drawback, it is relatively heavy, especially when you get to the larger lens sizes with more wrap around coverage. For driving, one of the smaller lens styles is fine, but if I am outside more, I like more side and cheek protection, which means a bigger lens.

However, their weight in those larger styles is a significant drawback, so I wear Oakley M-frames with the Gold Iridium lens when I am going to be outside.

Oakley has multiple tinted and coated lenses, and the Iridium lens is a combination lens with a coating over a tint. I've worn them for 10 years now and I am more than happy with them.

I like Maui Jims a lot, and their laminate lenses are incredible, but I find it pretty hard to ante up the price for them when I have been so satisified with the Oakleys and Serengeti lenses.

Oakly has just released a new frame, the Radar, which has some new lens shapes, and I am considering them for my next pair.

As for coated vs. tinted:

I think the best lenses, like the Serengeti Driver and the Iridium series from Oakley, are a combination.

Bill
 

spock

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a few years back, i purchased a pair of aviator style sunglasses by serengeti. sent the frames to corning glass(maker)with my prescription. they ground corning glass lenses(light brown) and coated them front and back. think the coating increases light transmission and reduces glare. they are not photochromatic(changing). they handle the brighest day and i can drive at night with them if need. they are amazing. you don't look thru them, the image seems to form in your head. well, i guess all images are formed in your head.
 
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luxlunatic

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I say both tinting and coating. I do a lot of driving and my eyes are sensitive to light, enough so to cause a headache at times with the wrong glasses(ie. drug store shades). After sampleing a number of good brands, I have settled on tinted, polarized glass with reflective coating, after that, just have to find a set I find acceptable, which for me is the Bolle Meanstreak.
Great lenses with coating on both sides, so the tint of the glass can be fairly light still providing good color rendition and contrast without being overly dark coupled with polarized, anti-glare characteristics, a sturdy frame, and a fair price is a winning combo for me.
But, coatings have their drawback of being soft, and scratch over time, faster than glass and about the same as a bare plastic lens. I have two pairs of these now, one pair that is 2 years old and one about 5 months old. I replaced the lenses on the 2 year old one since the frame is still rock solid but the lenses were toast. Even with the kinda high maintenence of coatings, the benefit that your eyes recieve with a quality lens is worth it.
 

cobb

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Mirror coated for sizzle.

Walt, I had walmart make me a mirror coated and tinted plastic poly carbinate lenses.

My current glasses are clear with the UV thing. I wear a pair of polar optic mirror polazorizing lenses that fit over them again from teh walmart accessory area in the glass center.
 

PlayboyJoeShmoe

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I wear prescription polarized (which are coming effed up after so long!) for driving and being outdoors like at roadracing or such.

I would never consider wearing non-polarized again.

But then I can't wear ANY off the shelf glasses anyhow, so my thoughts don't count for much...
 

cobb

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I have mirrored polaried slip overs. one nice thing about mirrors is that they reflect back light, but do not make it too dark to see at night. Of course they need to be clean to work well.
 

Walt175

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Thanks for the Lead Cobb. I don't think any Walmarts near me have an optical center, but I'm not sure. And I now have a reason to check!
 

KC2IXE

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Walt175 said:
I'm with you, I've always favored mirrored as well. Unfortunately, I now require prescription glasses, and have not been able to find a pair of prescription mirrored. :awman:

Huh? My Eye Dr will do them - or if you want to have fun - Wiley-X actually does prescription glasses - with their full line of mirrors
 

Omega Man

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I will definatly have to check for these, I've got a pair of darken clip-ons from Sears Optical on my glasses for driving. My glasses are a funny shape, a cross between rectangle and oval, so it was had to find the same shape in a clip on that would fit.
Thanks for the heads up!
 

will

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I am curious as to what is meant by better, Does that mean non-prescription sunglasses? prescription glasses?

There are various coatings that can be applied to prescription, such as non-glare, polarized, color tint, anti scratch, UV coating, There are also different materials that can be used, from glass - to plastic - to polycarbonate (heavy to light)
Some people are more sensative to light and as such different colors will work better.

I do not like polarized sunglasses - I don't like what they do with colors off windshields on cars - they appear to go from blue to green, that might be the pair that I have.

So - better can mean different things to different people...
 
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