The ultimate pair of shades
 

It's coming to that time when a student approaches the finish line. I will be attaining my Private license in the next few months, and I was planning on buying a nice, affordable set of shades to combat the everlasting glare from the sun.

Would any of the veterans here have any advice on what to look for in a brand/series? Do any of you just say, "to heck with it, gimmie a pair of those $10 retro drug store knock offs!"

Thanks in advance.

,Dubes

DO NOT GET AVIATORS! Ok, I personally had a set of serengeti sunglasses that I loved, but broke them because I wore them under my motorcycle helmet more than I should've. I don't know if they still sell the type I had, but they were wrap-around types, not the huge-jass aviator style.

I prefer glasses the seal against your face (wrap arounds) to keep light from sneaking in the sides. I DO NOT get polarized lenses because they can cause trouble viewing some types of instruments.

I get the cheapos because I break or lose them soooooo often.

oakley crosshair with amber lenses. They look good and the amber lenses are great in cloudy conditions trying to find an airport for a visual.

I just use the back side of my left hand to block the sun. I never have to worry about losing it, unless I don't follow the directions on my wood chipper. Just set the thrust levers mid-blink with your left hand, move it back into position and manipulate the yoke with your right. If the sun is too bright, you can just close your eyes, while blocking the sun with your left hand. I only recommend this if you have an RA with step callouts on landing, flare at 30ft and hold 'er off! This works best if you are an FO, if you are a CA, you can reverse hands. This method is eyeglass compatible too! :D

I once tried the $10 gas station bought sunglasses and found out I could not read the screen on the FMC during flight.

were they polarized?

I wouldnt get polarized shades .. your screens and windows look funny .. gets annoying after a while. I usually look for a 20-30$ decent pair that I like and buy about 3 of them since I'm always losing them. also try them on with your headset when you get home. some thick ones break the seal on your headset and it makes it sound like your not even wearing a headset. just my .02

Any type you do not mind loosing:D

... not to mention that Polarized glasses will minimize the glare from another airplane and make it harder to see in flight.

Find a pair of Iridium glasses that you like. Oakley makes many of them. I personally like black frames and black lenses.

Oakley + Iridium lens + black frame + black lens

Yes! I have some nice Rayban Aviators. I've yet to wear them in the cockpit. I'll just end up losing it or breaking them. Plus its a bit cliched dont ya think. Im gonna get a $20-30 pair here soon. Just some comfortable sporty wrap around without the huge lenses.

SERENGETI!!!!! I've had the same pair now for over 5yrs. In cloudy or hazy conditions they cut right through and definately aids in calling the visual. Go to their website [url]http://www.serengetieyewear.com browse the style you like then simply buy them on Ebay. Trust me, you wont regret it.

If you don't lose glasses, you can't go wrong with most better brands (Oakley, Ray ban, Serengeti, Smith, etc)

Find something that fits your face, and doesn't have huge arms which is getting hard to do with today's styles.

Thank you everyone for the advice!

Personally, my aim for a first set of glasses is something cheap. Yes, the ladies love the jacket, and an expensive pair would complete the outfit, but value is what I am looking for. I will be testing out one set per flight, and see which one I enjoy the most, (online ordering + one test flight + return via mail to company= i win).

Without your help, I probably would have ordered a wrong size, and wasted money on shipping.

Thanks again everyone, for your suggestions and help! I will let you know when I choose the best pair, (I'll bump this thread in a couple months :D).

Where are you getting these from that you can return them? I would love to be able to test before committing...

Check out Sierra Trading Post they got some Serengetis, Oakleys, Smiths, and other stuff on closeout half price... Sierra Trading Post
I got a pair of Smiths "Kenai" w/ amber lens & polarization. They're great for haze reduction and work in well in high and low light conditions and the polarization doesn't pose a problem on any garmin 430/530/1000.

Polarized glasses can be ok you just have to make sure it's ok with the equipment you fly. Because from unit to unit the material that makes up the LCD is polarized at different angles, so are sungglasses. So if you get glasses with one angle that lines up just right with the avionics angle then it may not work...

I have aviators only because I was on the mountain skiing a few weeks ago and didn't have goggles. $18. I'll never pay much for glasses.

Just stay away from those douchebag approved Oakley and Gargoyle wraparounds.

Polarized is no good for aircraft with a heated windshield. Looks like you on a drug trip when the screen heats up.

I bought a pair of Serenenti drivers lenses last year. Great glasses.

Smiths. They have several models that have interchangable lenses, and a nice case that actually fits in my flight bag. I use the amber non-polarized lenses for flying. Then I have a polarized pair of lenses for the rest of the time. You can buy them online, or at most sporting goods stores and if you scratch a lens, they are easily replaceable.

Tailwinds,

I have a pair (actually 3) of Serengetis and I love them. The first set the sent me had a tiny nick on the edge of the lens and they spent me two extra pairs without me even sending the first set back. They are huge aviators and they are great because the cover my entire field of vision. Also, the lenses fade so that the bottom is lighter than the top. This makes it easier to see the instruments when wearing them. I have had them for 7 years and have never had any problems. My two backups have never had to be used.

If you are the type of person who is careful with shades, then I would get a nice pair. If you always find yourself breaking glasses, then get a cheap pair. Just make sure they cover your entire field of vision. The hip designs may look cool, but I noticed many of them fail to work when the sun is coming in an area where there is no lens.

You can really never go wrong with a pair of Oakley sunglasses. I myself just purchased a pair of Ray-Ban's and I'm very impressed.. RB3342 Warrior. They have a hybrid style that almost mixes the aviator/fashion style and adds a gradient lens. I like them a lot.