Thread: Sunglasses, Bay Ban

Many years ago, I was feeling flush and decided to treat myself to a nice pair of sunglasses. Up to that point, I'd always been a drug-store-shades sorta' guy. I don't think I'd ever paid more than $5 for a pair. But there I was in the sporting goods store and looking at the Bausch & Lomb display and thinking " $65 is a lot for a pair of sunglasses, but they sure seem a lot more durable than what I've been using. What the hell, I got a steady job" so I bought them and instantly felt guilty about spending the money. $65 is a LOT for a pair of sunglasses, after all, and I tend to be a skinflint.

But here's the valuable lesson. If you have a problem remembering where you left your sunglasses, you won't after you spend $65 on them. You'll make it your business to remember from that day on. The only thing that will make a cheapskate feel worse than dropping that much money on sunglasses would be to lose them. Paying for quality is also it's own reward. I had those glasses for almost fifteen years. The lenses seemed all but immune to scratches, the frames held up really well, and they were comfortable and clear. In fact, they still looked almost new after I'd had them that long. So, after ten years, I finally stopped feeling guilty about spending the money

Sadly, one day they were broken in a freak accident. I was poor again, and so I went back to the drugstore variety and I've not felt wealthy enough to replace them since. I was just looking online at Ray Bans again, hoping to replace them one day and wondering how long I would have to save up my nickles. As it turns out, pretty long. The Wayfarers I got for $65 so many years ago are now selling for about $110 a pair. Holy crap! How did I get so old?

I thought for a moment this was yet another product being banned by ebay!

I read up about Oakley sunglasses as they were mentioned in another thread, and I have to say they are impressive. There is some BS on their website, but overall they look like great quality. I may stump up the cash for some.

And I'm happy to see that some are quite dark - only allowing 9% of light through. (I just don't see the point of sunglasses that let 50% of light through.)

I dropped just over $300 on my first pair of Oakleys and lost them. I think it's why I drink now.

Originally Posted by Mudkipz

I dropped just over $300 on my first pair of Oakleys and lost them. I think it's why I drink now.

If I'd dropped $300 on a pair of sunglasses, I'd have pierced my ear so that I could chain them to my head.

You may be on to something there

I bought a second pair that I need to keep track of.

My Ray Ban puts dust on in a drawer.
They might be nice when you do not need glasses anyway
but they become too heavy with optical sun glasses.
Guess I'll sell it one day.

I love both Ray Bans and Oakleys. Unfortunately, I can't wear them anymore since I wear glasses, but they are both great. There's a reason all the sports people wear one or the other.

I'm absolutely terrible with sunglasses though. It started when I was young and bought a pair of 80's Gatorz. Cost me something like $40, and I held on to those like nothing else. Then one day I somehow misplaced them and they were just gone. To this day I still don't know where they went, but I was about 7, so who knows. Lately I've been bad about sitting on the glasses I do buy. I had a great set that I really enjoyed, then sat down and heard "crunch". Twas a sad day.

I wear specs too. Spending money on prescription sunglasses is largely a waste here in good old Blighty. I have bought photochromic lenses a few times, but they just don't go dark enough.

I'd rather switch between the two. Specs for seeing well, sunglasses for relaxing the eyes.

I can't wait until I can get some of the bladeless laser surgery. I'd like to try contacts, but I don't know if I can stand putting something on my eye.

300.00, I'd be afaid I'd sit on them in the car or leave them somewhere. I recently found the small style John lennon sunglasses, which I love. I found them on Amazon, I bought four pairs so I'd have spares, One already bit the dust. The lenses are made of glass, I dropped them and they broke...Bummer....