When great sunglasses become discontinued.

[Darth-Baiter]

I own plenty of sunglasses.  of all price ranges.  I have very inexpensive Gooder sunglasses scattered in all our cars.  the sun is brutal these days to my aging eyes.  I need them for daylight driving.  I also work construction and inexpensive sunglasses are a must.  Mountain biking, I am nursing a pair of Oakley Pitbull sunglasses.  they are on life support despite me buying new lenses for them ( I found old stock a few years ago when I called Oakley!).  they survived a mountain bike crash that sent me to the ER.  tough tough glasses.  I love them.  Fishing, I am wearing my new Costas.  glass lenses.  they fit okay, and I ONLY wear them fishing.  but lately in the summer, the fish are in the weeds and I am punching, so I wear plastic lenses.  My favorite are an old pair of Arnettes.  I think they are style 4703 or something.  way discontinued.  they fit beautifully, despite my giant melon head.  the fit is my datum.  I judge how  all sunglass fit compared to these.  they might be 15 years old.  the lenses are scratch because I bought them way back when I was poorer and they were my only sunglasses.  a life of bowhunting deer and elk
(and field construction) destroyed the lenses.  just amber polarized lenses.   I was just about to toss them in the garbage and I found aftermarket lenses!!  I had to take a magnifying glass to read the style number.  It was very worn down, and I could barely make out the four digits.  I ordered green mirrored lenses, and waited and waited.  then I forgot I ordered them.  the company is so slow!!  I remembered (weeks later) and harassed them a bit talking trash about their customer support.  I hovered my finger over the PayPal claim button and BOOM!  I think I get my lenses today!  fingers crossed they fit into my beloved frames.  

 

my next pair of the greatest fitting quality sunglasses, I will immediately go back to the store and buy a second pair.  if they are moderately priced like my Arnettes, I might buy two pairs.    IIRC they were around $100.

[KSanford33]

I completely understand how you feel. I have a pair of Oakley gas cans that I only wear fishing. The block out light from the sides, so you only see light through the lenses. Absolutely perfect for fishing. But like you said about your pitbull's, mine are on their last legs. I check eBay occasionally for replacements.

[casts_by_fly]

Mine just broke yesterday.  I had them on a lanyard around my neck when I pulled on a fish.  The fish missed and my rod went straight to my chest.  The nose piece broke at both points of attachment to lenses.  These are Ray Bans that I got in the UK and they aren't available here in amber lenses.  I guess I have to do the 'need new glasses' shop.

[QED]

Rudy Project sunglasses with custom ground lenses.  Perfect for cycling and fishing.  Cost? Many hundreds of dollars.  Worth?  Priceless.

[Obi_Wan]

My problem is that I need sunglasses with readers and everyone charges a premium for glasses with readers or you have to get a $29.95 pair that is questionable at best.

 

[The Baron]

There was a thread just started about replacement lenses for discontinued glasses.  I didn't know this type of option existed.  Could be just what you need, someday.

 

 

[TnRiver46]

$5 shades are never discontinued 

[Darth-Baiter]

15 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

$5 shades are never discontinued 

100% correct.  I did however ask my eye doctor about cheap sunglasses. she said, sunglasses dont have to be expensive to be good.  but junk sunglasses are no good.  they actually fool your eye into thinking its darker, and your eyes dilate wider, and will actually let in more harmful UV stuff.  she said to look for UV filtering lenses bare minimum.    something she said.  

 

I like Medium sunglasses.  

[TOXIC]

Throw a progressive prescription in the mix and double the frustration.  The sun glass industry is going through some big changes with Luxottica owning Costa, Oakley, Native, Ray Ban, and probably a few other “sport” brands.  I’m about due for a new pair.  My last Oakley Rx glasses were $600 and I was able to get updated lenses when my prescription changed.  I doubt I’ll be that lucky again because they were discontinued the last time besides the fact I’ve heard bad things about Luxottica and their prescription quality.