Gear Review: Island Optics Angler Sunglasses

There was a time in my life when I couldn’t afford the most esteemed polarized sunglasses brands, the ones that now start at $250 or $300. At 55 years old, however, I’m at the point in my life where I can justify getting just about any fishing gear I want, as long as I feel it’ll improve my performance or comfort. I have expensive sunglasses in every vehicle we own, plus my boat, plus more in the house. Nevertheless, I’m still all about saving a buck (or a couple hundred bucks) if there’s no drop off in function.  

Accordingly, when writer/editor/tackle guru Jason Sealock told me about Island Optics back on a trip to Lake Hartwell in October, I was intrigued. He’d been fishing out of them for quite a while and claimed that they performed as well – or better – than most of his pricier shades. I trust Jason completely, but eyewear is a very personal thing. What works for you might be subpar for me. The frames that fit on my head might pinch your temples or allow light in through the sides. I went into testing these with an open mind. Here’s what I found:

The Testing Grounds

I spoke to Allen Alovis of Island Optics shortly after my conversation with Sealock. We discussed the company’s history and some of the things that he believes makes them stand out. Shortly thereafter I obtained their “Angler” model with Matte Blue Aqua Tortoise frames and Blue Flash Mirror lenses. I started wearing them around home immediately, but knew that the first big test would come on our January trip to Panama, where I’d compare their fit and function to those of several other pairs of polarized sunglasses. Since then, I’ve taken them bass fishing a number of times in Virginia. Indeed, what I’ve come to value most in a pair of sunglasses is their versatility. While I can afford to have multiple pairs for highly-specific conditions (like low light, or offshore, or sight fishing), frankly I find it to be a pain in the ass to switch out over the course of the day. I have enough things to plan before most fishing trips that I just want to put on a favorite pair and forget about them.

Fashion Forward and Fit

The Angler model comes in eight different frame/lens combinations. The latter include both standards like gray, and rarer options including “Red Sunset Mirror.” Frankly, I have enough black and brown tortoise frames that I wanted something different, but still fairly conventional (i.e., not the crystal frames). I went with the Matt Blue Aqua Tortoise because they seemed just different enough to stand out, and also because  particularly when I fish in saltwater I tend to wear a lot of blue or similar complementary colors. Even through only a few months of testing, several people have asked me about the distinctive frames.

My face and head used to be very think which meant that a lot of glasses let too much light in from the sides. Over time (and as I’ve added a few pounds) it has filled out, which gives me a broader range of options. I knew that the company’s Mako XL would likely still be too big. That’s why I opted for the Angler model. The frame width is 138 millimeters and the temple length is 123 millimeters. The lenses are 58 millimeters wide and 43 millimeters high. They proved to be the right fit for me, and did not let any light in from the side, thanks not only to the fit, but also to the wide temple pieces.

The glasses stayed on my head, even when I leaned over the side of the boat to admire a sailfish that we were releasing, or to look down at the Garmin screens on my bass boat. For some reason I’ve become increasingly less likely to wear a retaining cord or strap in recent years, but I never worried that these would end up in the drink.

Lens Quality

Proper fit is critical, both for your grip and grin pictures, and also so you don’t get a massive headache or eye damage, but ultimately the key element in sunglasses comes down to the lenses. If they suck, nothing else matters. When I spoke to Alovis, he told me about his long term background in optics. Here are the features that they advertise (in their words):

• Innovative OX2 dual polarized lens technology for sharper and more vibrant colors

• Hydrophobic, Oleophobic, & Anti-Reflective coatings for increased optical clarity

That’s great for adspeak, but I wanted to see what it meant on the water. In Panama, I found that they were incredibly crisp. I tested this by bringing several other pairs of shades, of several different lens colors (including other blue mirrors) and I swapped them out repeatedly through changes in light conditions – everything from bluebird skies with bright sunshine to semi-heavy rain. I found that these lenses were at least as clear as any others, and quite a bit better than several others, including some that cost much, much more. In fact, when looking for a billfish bait back in the spread, or when trying to be the first one to “see color” on a rising tuna, I felt like I had a distinct edge with these. While I haven’t sight fished for bass with them yet (our spawn is coming later this spring), I did fish a local clear water lake  and felt that they provided clarity.

One thing I’ve noticed with other less expensive sunglasses is that if I try to glance out the side of them, there’s some distortion across the lens. There was none of that here. Everything remained true from any angle. Also, despite fishing in extreme humidity and occasionally with a neck gaiter over my nose, they never fogged up. I’m not sure how they accomplished that, but I’m glad they did.

Features and One Potential Drawback

I kept looking for an aspect of these sunglasses where they’d cut a corner, or where something was likely to fail. I couldn’t find it. The temples snap into place cleanly and decisively. They have non-slip material on both the nose pads and the tips of the temples. Indeed, they worked as advertised – as noticed above, the glasses stayed in place perfectly. The only potential drawback I experienced was when the sun got particularly brutal in Panama and I pulled a buff up over the sunglasses and hat. I felt a slight digging in the temples. I don’t know if it was the anti-slip material or the design of the frames, or simply the odd shape of my head, but it did feel like if I’d kept the buff in place I might’ve gotten a headache. I didn’t feel that pressure when just wearing the glasses on their own.

Conclusion

As noted above, I have more than my share of sunglasses, and I find that I go through phases where I wear some more than others. I have lately found myself reaching for the Island Optics Anglers even when not in “testing mode.” They’re lightweight and comfortable. In fact, last week I left the house before 5am to fish and got home after 7pm, literally leaving in the dark and arriving home in the dark. For every moment the sun was out the Anglers were on and I didn’t notice their presence until it got too dark to see with them on.

Also, note that all of their sunglasses come in prescription.

These glasses come with a microfiber pouch and a sunglass retainer, but a hard or soft case is not included. Of course, at a sub-$80 price point, you can easily add one separately (Island Optics sells one, or look at Amazon) and still be ahead financially.

If you like a bigger frame, consider the Mako XL. Hanna, who semi-proudly touts the fact that she has a melon-sized noggin, has been wearing them for a while and should have a report soon.

For the widest selection of Island Optics, go to IslandOptics.com. They’re also available at online retailers like Tackle Warehouse.