I'd have to saw that Oakley has some of the worst styled sunglasses on the planet. I have been going with Spy or Smith. Keanons and Costas don't fit me right.

smith super method polarzied are around my neck as i type

(can't forget the croakie/lanyard-thingy)

I love my oakleys so much that I wear them whenever I do anything outside, theyre also great for just driving!

I love my Oakley Goggles that I use, to ride on my Harley! I found out real quick, that I can use 'em during a bass tournament when I ride with Go-Fast Rick.

My wife won a pair at her company picnic and she won't part with them.
I just wish they made prescription sunglasses ... Go Big O!

Those babies you described, sound as if they are the "Cream of The Crop!

How are they compared to Costa Del Mar?

Sounds like Oakley did their homework. I still have a pair that survived some cross country bike rides. Good products.

Are they rating certain colors better than others for different fishing environments? Or is that just a brilliant marketing scheme to get people to buy different glasses for lake, stream, and ocean? I tend to just stick with the lightest shade available, usually amber, so that I can use them in low light on smaller rivers.

I like native sunglasses

I have a lot of problems with Oakley, and of course my husband loves them. It is tough to get most people's prescription into a pair of Oakleys and the company is notorouly difficult to work with. Their warranty is no where as good as it used to be, and as much as my husband loses his sunglasses, it is not worth the money, even at cost. As for scratching - you will have that problem with any plastic or especially polycarbonate (shatter resistant) lens. It comes down to the quality of the scratch coat at that point between the companies. Watch out for the cheap sunglasses - some have very poor optics and don't offer 100% UV protection - but some do. As far as color - grey is the best for not distorting color vision, but most of the time it is your preference which color and density you choose. I have Wiley X for my sporting stuff (balistic, fishing, motorcycle, with interchangeable lenses) - and they have held up well considering how often I knock 'em off my head! Whew-- I need to clock out now!

Ooops! Sorry for the double post.

Hey Deet, glad to here you "survived" your time in ol' Mexico. Never doubted you would get your permit. I once got permit, had to stand in line at the DMV for like 2 hours, but man it was worth it.

The glasses sound great, definitely Oakley did their homework and got the technology right. I don't think I could ever justify the cost, but if I were a guide that spent days spotting fish I probably could.

Do you think the Shallow blue will be a good tint for trout fishing on streams?

I've been wearing Oakley's since high school, and have always loved them. I did make a mistake and get a pair of Costa's last year just for fly fishing, and hate them. So they are collecting dust and my old Oakley's are once again riding on the dash. I can't remember the model they are, but they are polarized with gold lenses.

The brand doesn't matter as much as the quality of the coatings and the warranty service provided by the manufacturer. The high quality coatings resist scratches, bug dope and other abuses. I have owned and destroyed SunCloud, Maui Jims, Ray Ban, Costa del Mar, Reptile, etc. Check out the cost of replacing scratched lenses, arms, and the spring loaded joints before buying. You are going to break and scratch them if you play hard. Like all good quality optics or lenses you will get value from the extra money you spend but warranty and service can save a bunch over the years. Or you can go the "buy 'em and bust 'em" route and not care. (try Croakies instead of sitting on your glasses) If you live in a mountain or marine environment spend the money or go blind later. If the pursuit and capture of fish consumes an unconscionable amount of your time then you probably already enjoy the X-ray vision that any pair of high end glasses that fit you well will give you. If you are unsure about the value remember you only get one set of eyes. I will have to check out the Oakleys.

I wear FishGillz Sunglasses exclusively. They are hands down the best fishing sunglasses on the market today. Their lenses have amazing clarity, and the frames are the most comfortable I have ever worn. I have been wearing mine for over a year and they are still like brand new. They only cost $50 which includes a nice acessories package. When I'm fishing on super bright sunny days, I can see several feet under water, better than any other glasses I have ever worn. My wife bought them for me for Christmas and they're the best glasses that I've ever owned.