Are all polarized glasses the same quality of polarization?

[tcbass]

If someone buys an expensive set of $200 polarized sunglasses, is the quality of the polarization the same as a $15 pair? I'm sure the sharpness and clarity could be better with the higher end glasses but is the polarization the same?
 

If I look at water with 2 sets of polarized glasses, expensive and cheap, will I see the same thing?

[Obi_Wan]

Short answer: No.

 

Slightly longer answer:  It's not just about polarization.  Lens tint, thickness, etc will also make a difference.  

[CroakHunter]

Polarized is polarized

[Jig Man]

I have a pair of Costas and a pair of $3.49 from Wally World.  There isn't much difference in what I can see on the water.

[Sam]

I have prescription polarized Costa's with a special tint combination that the Costa people suggested.

 

Prior to using these prescription glasses I used the Cocoons attached to my regular glasses.

 

I like the Costa's and can see great with them but I cannot say definitely that they are better than the Cocoons.

[BigAngus752]

8 hours ago, tcbass said:

If I look at water with 2 sets of polarized glasses, expensive and cheap, will I see the same thing?

What @CroakHunter said is dead on.  Polarized is polarized.  But what you are asking here has little to do with polarization.  Any transparent or semi-transparent material you place in front of your eye will be subject to light absorption or light scattering.  Wide-angle scattering causes a "haze".  Narrow-angle scattering causes a lack of clarity.  Think about rifle scopes or binoculars.  There is nothing wrong with an inexpensive rifle scope and you will "see" the same thing with a cheap scope that you see with a Nikon rifle scope but the clarity and light transmission is a world of difference.  I buy Nikon stuff because of the Nikon glass.  There glass (clarity and light transmission) is amazing.  Now, do the people producing the $200 fishing glasses use exceptionally high quality plastic that out performs a $10 pair by $190?  I don't know and judging by your responses so far I'm betting not.  It's tough for me to imagine getting that kind of performance from plastic but maybe it's possible.  

[Armtx77]

Polarization, is polarization.

 

The process involved in the rest of the lens is where more exspensive glasses come into play and outshine the cheap stuff found in the $20.00 and under rack at Wally World.

 

If you were to look through a pair of Oakleys with their Prisim Glass/Plastic lenses and than look through a pair of cheap 20.00 glass. There is a drastic difference in what can be seen. If you can not see the difference. You should set up an appointment with your eye doctor.

 

The ability of the higher end glasses to bring opitcal clarity is part of the price tag and people can bag on higher end stuff being no better than the lower end, but they have a hard time, providing scientific proof.

 

Anyone who uses a scope to hunt with, knows there is a difference between the high end glass and the cheap glass. The glass being used in a 1k scope, is infinetly better than one in a 200.00 scope. Like a bearing, you can only grind something so far, before the cost makes it impossible to sell.

[NorthernBasser]

I find the contrast and clarity of the higher priced glasses are superior to the cheaper models. 

[Adleyfishes]

I tried this out once and I was slightly surprised. My Kast King glasses worked great and were an outright bargain but my oakleys worked better. I believe what the others said is true though its all about the other features like tint that make a difference in most situations.

[J Francho]

There's definitely a difference between my Maui Jim glasses and my $20 rack glasses.  I'm not sure it makes any difference in my fishing, but I do enjoy how things look through my MJs.  They're just too dark for many situations, so I buy a variety of cheaper glasses to fill the gaps.  On a sunny day, it's the MJs all the way.

[BrackishBassin]

To answer your question, no. Polarization is just a coating applied to the lens in a horizontal fashion. Think old school prison stripes. What it does is block any light that is being reflected by a horizontal surface (e.g. lake, road, sidewalk, etc.) and allow light reflected vertically to pass unobstructed. But polarization ‘quality’ isn’t what limits the clarity of a particular pair of sunglasses - it’s all about the lens. 

[Riazuli]

Contrary to many of the answers given, yes, there is a difference:

 

"Inexpensive polarized sunglasses differ from more expensive lenses in significant ways. Cheaper sunglasses may only have a thin chemical laminate on one side of the lens. The thin layer may only provide minimal benefit and the thin layer can be rubbed or scratched off easily. You may also notice aberrations in your lenses, as these are usually mass produced stamped out lenses that are lower quality.

Higher quality options have film laminated between two layers of lens material. Encasing the laminate protects it from being scratched and provides additional benefits. The thicker the polarizing film, the more protective the lens is against glare.

A note about lens color: darker lenses are not a sign of better protection. Ask your eyeglass retailer or optometrist how the polarized laminate is applied to the eyewear before you purchase it. As far as other options go, polarized glasses are available in a wide variety of colors, materials and lens designs."

[govallis]

The $5 Walmart YUM see under water well. They are thin - thin lenses and thin frame, light and comfortable. That's all matters.

[Kjruiz]

Funny enough, despite having fishing specific glasses, the best glasses I have ever used to see through water was the “as seen on tv” hd vision glasses (yellow lenses). 

[Quarry Man]

I got a concussion exactly one year ago in two days. The biggest side effect fro mid was vision loss/ alteration. It is very hard to describe, but i can still see clearly, but i have almost no depth perception or ability to track with my eyes. I went to the eye doctor and he prescribed me pink polycarbonate glasses that enable me to see with 20/10 vision. Without the glasses i get terrible headaches and can't do much. I wear costa sunglasses in green mirror and blue mirror and they make a much bigger difference than the cheap ones, and they are much better for my eyes, so that is what i will stick with.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

Oakley doesnt laminate sandwich use coating for their polarization

https://my.oakley.com/en/technology

 

Also the degree of polarization can be tweaked or a lesser manufactures quality can effect the performance of the polarization.

Look through your glasses and tilt your head left/right what happens??  The polarization should decrease. If it gets better even slightly your lens film wasnt aligned properly.

[greentrout]

My polarized glasses are more expensive than most of my rods...see the eye doc at least once a yr. ...come from a gene pool that has problems with eyes...

 

good fishing...