UKC

As above really, need some sunglasses for climbing for some trips abroad, and maybe the UK if this heatwave actually materialises. My main requirement is that they stay in place and dont drop of a cliff. And that I can see the holds I need!

Dont mind spending a bit of cash. Spoke to the people at the Sunglasses shop and they said the only choice is Oakley. TBH, i didnt trust them, think they were trying the hard sell on some £140 shades! Thats to be expected tho.

Any recommendations? I tried to Blur ones for £40 last year, they were crap to say the least. Could not see a thing through them. I also had some Nike ones that were equally crap. Tho, deceent visibility through the lens, just crap in every other respect.

Cheers

Si

In reply to snoop6060:

Check your local TKmaxx, I got a pair of Cebe Kite's for £10. They are SUPERB, fit amazingly, great field of vision and Grade 4 (highest) UV protection. Also came with a hard-case, bag and clip on headband which is ace.

http://www.vision3k.com/brands/cebe-sunglasses/kite-large.asp

In reply to snoop6060: I really like Bloc sunglasses - cheap and cheerful, and they fit my face. Outside in Hathersage had them at half price (£15) a couple of weeks ago, and Decathlon normally have them for under £20.

The coating does scratch. I don't know whether a £100 pair would be more scratch resistant, but I'm not paying that sort of money!

In reply to Nick Smith - UKC:

I loose/break lots of glasses, so go for a cheap option. Last 3 pairs have been by Sinner bought from Slush and Rubble (ok, Snow & Rock) clearance sale.
They do everything i need.

In reply to snoop6060:

Another vote for TK Maxx from me. Just got some Cebe Iguana's for £15. Bargain.

http://www.oracle-eyecentre.co.uk/ProductDetails.asp?Id=133

In reply to snoop6060:

They may be expensive but I've found the lenses in the Oakleys I currently have the best out of all the sunglasses I've had in the past. Only problem is because of the price, I don't like climbing in them incase I break them. If you do set your heart on a pair of Oakleys, try this website, http://www.grandprixlegends.com/legends-inc-fashion/brand/oakley, much cheaper than on the highstreet.

In reply to snoop6060:

I have to go with the half jacket oakleys. You get interchangeable lenses for them. I always use the mid ones which have a kind of red brown tint as opposed to having black tint. It means you can see properly even when sun goes away, or you can put them on just when it's quite bright and you might get a bit of glare. They are also fantastic for mountain biking - you're not suddenly blind when you go through trees etc.

http://www.cricketsupplies.com/detail.asp?productid=1987


Much more expensive when I bought them but good price now I would say!!!

In reply to snoop6060:

Another vote for Oakleys I had their cheapest range Five 2.0's for 6 years & was gutted when I lost them due to being careless while traveling. I went overboard while boating once & they stayed on my head - I didn't even have them on my face or wore a strap at the time! They were chucked about & seldom kept in any form of protective case & was pretty scratched, but the performance was still fab. Vision was perfect & I can't proclaim its praises enough. I'd say go & try them on before buying of the net though, because as with all things a good fit makes a big differnce! I have some new ones now, but still miss that perfect fit of the five 2.0s (which is unfortunately now out of production).

In reply to snoop6060:

http://www.servicesandsecurity.com/index.php/prod/OAKHJ

Indestructable!

In reply to snoop6060:

I second the blocs, got mine for £1 in a bargain bin, have lasted me 5 years so far. I've got a better pair, but tend to use them when snow/water are involved.

Rob

In reply to snoop6060:
Another vote for oakley half jackets.
I had a pair of fakes, then bought a real pair that I didn't intend to use for climbing, but they have been really good.
Oakley bottlecaps are a similar design, and often quite a bit cheaper

In reply to snoop6060: bocht a pair of swiss military in zermatt they are great...

In reply to snoop6060:

Frames that *don't* have a rim around the bottom and sides make a big difference for me, giving the peripheral vision that I need when climbing - easily seeing where your feet are, holds, features and surroundings.

I find the ones with rims all the way round make me feel somewhat detached from the whole experience, with blind spots where my feet are - everyone's different, sure - but it's worth thinking about the frame design.

Oakley Radars fit this bill well (as do the half-jackets previously mentioned), and when they come down in price (currently about £90 online) will be a great pair for climbing.

It's probably more up to personal preference than anything else thought!

Good luck.

In reply to snoop6060: Rayban Wayfarers....you might as well look good

In reply to snoop6060:

I have a few suggestions for you. Not the cheapest on the market but well worth a look as they have been specifically designed for climbing. All have large lens sizes for unrestricted vision, a removable strap to keep them securely in place, interchangeable lenses which are good for different light conditions, and can be replaced if scratched without replacing the whole frame. The Cebe Crux also has a flexi nosebridge which allows the frame to properly cling to your face. A great secure fit. Well worth having a look at.

Bolle Traverse
http://www.vision3k.com/brands/bolle-sunglasses/traverse.asp

Adidas Climacool A136
http://www.vision3k.com/brands/adidas-sunglasses/elevation-climacool-a136.a...

Cebe Crux
http://www.vision3k.com/brands/cebe-sunglasses/crux.asp

In reply to snoop6060:

I got some Julbo ones in Joe Brown's shop in Capel Curig three years ago and they seem to have worked a treat ever since. Cost £30, haven't fallen apart, work fine under a helmet, etc. And they're a lovely shade of blue which, as it turns out, matches my goretex. And my rucksack. And one of my pairs of rock shoes. Er...

In reply to snoop6060:

or maybe not ! - guaranteed to make you look like some pillock straight out of an outdoor catalogue - unless perhaps you're on an Extreme.

In reply to Jim Nicoll:

sunglasses can sometimes be useful for keeping the sun out of your eyes, in addition to their primary <ahem> function of making you look, like, really coooool, man...

On the first point I feel that they can perform well no matter what grade their owner is climbing.

In reply to snoop6060:
Got mine in Lidls. £3 a pair, nice and tight, and they make mountains look smaller in wintertime?!

In reply to Ireddek:

...and another vote for Oakleys - I wear mine windsurfing, and they manage to stay on through virtually everything (including a full on face plant...)

In reply to snoop6060:

I'll give another vote for Oakleys.

I might be a tad biased as part of my job is to sell them, but to be honest, they are the best glasses I've ever had. *and* they come with a lifetime guarentee. Damage them and you send them back to Oakley who nine times out of ten will either fix, or replace them for you, free of charge. That's how confident they are with their product, and they are that confident for a reason!
Plus they are customisable, so you can get lenses that suit your uses, and frames that fit your head perfectly.

In reply to snoop6060:
I use Oakley Flak Jacket XLJs with polarised lenses. They are category 3 so are a bit more versatile than darker lenses. Expensive enough, got mine cost price in the States. I have an old pair of Oakley A wires that have been dropped, flattened, skiied over etc and are still in one piece and relatively scratch free so decided to stay with the brand!

In reply to SeanT:

Thanks all for the input.

Made my decision based on the UKC massive.

Ended up getting some £15 Cebe ones from TKMax as recommended above, reduced from 70 with hard case etc. The lens are ok (cat4), but they are not in the same league as the Oakleys I was going to buy (£125 polarised ones) for clarity, so we shall see. They seem quite solid, but look a bit silly, really big lenses so make me look like a fly. Dont really care tho, I'll be hanging off a cliff in them.

If these are not upto scratch after some use, I shall be taking the plunge for the Oakleys as the lenses are really much better then anything else I tried. Also, the CEBEs dont have as much rubber on the arms. I am going to perform a DIY job, which may just ruin them.

All in all, really good value for money at £15. Maybe slightly clearer lenses than the Blur ones and simlar build quality. The fit on the Blue ones was better for me tho. We'll see if they survive a trip to kalymnos, that will be the acid test.

Si

In reply to snoop6060:

I'm clearly a bit late with my opinion, but I have a pair of these...

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/88041/Workwear-PPE/Protective-Clothing/Eye-Pr...

They fit me well, the arms grip tightly and I have never felt in any danger of them slipping off, the frame holds the lenses at the top, with nothing along the lower edge to impede downwards and peripheral vision. Excellent value (cheap) which means you can buy several pairs should you be the type to sit on or lose your shades. If the shape isn't ideal for you, you can heat the arms (or even pop out the lenses and heat the frame) over a heat source, or at a pinch by dunking in boiling hot water, and bend it to achieve the perfect fit, something you wouldn't want to try with a pair of £70+ Oakleys.