Sunglasses for gliding

Lo... I've finally got my backside in gear to getting around to finding some sunglasses for flying with but am needing to make up some lenses from the optician (I've not got perfect vision...) Can anyone suggest what coatings/tint are most usefull? Im thinking along the lines of a basic high-contrast tint, and a anti-reflective coating as well (cheaper than polarising) anyone have experience and suggestions for whats best?

Cheers,

I got mine from VisionExpress, I told them I needed them for gliding , they knew what tint worked best for viewing clouds (orange) and the had them done within 1 hour.

I wear Bolle sunglasses which are brown to look at but make the world look yellow through them. They take out blue light, of which there is lots up in the air, and make it easier to distinguish flying objects.

They are also superb for driving in the rain and fog for the same reason.

I also have bolle inserts which house my prescription lenses and double as a nose peice.

Pev,

anti reflective coating will NOT help get polarizing, the darkest 'photo gray', and max UV blocking.

R. Williams

There are lenses for sale at opticiens called Opt-X made of a sort of supple vinyl; they can be glued (using plain water) into any sunglasses, even curved ones; even be taken out and re-used in other sunglasses. This makes for a sort of bi-focal sunglasses. Not bad if you can't read your map or instruments anymore. Made in several dioptries. But they are only made as reading lenses; so if you need more then just a reading correction this will be no help.

I had the same problem. I've done several experiments with different producats (as well as other people with the same problem), until we found some scientifically done tests done by some very well known mountaineering magazine. We discovered that there is only a producer in the world that builds glasses for specifical aeronautical use. It is Carl Zeiss, which produces the Clarlet Skylet leneses (available also with correction). They come in three different grade of tint (all brownish). The useful is the Sport model, the darkest with 10% light transmittance.The lens is build in plastic (so no problem in whack case...). The lenses need to be fitted in a frame (already complete glasses are not available), and are non-polarizing. I've verified directly with Carl Zeiss technicians before buy the lenses, discovering that they are a standard that they devloped originally under request of several airlines for their pilots, and finally decided to buy them with the Carat treatment (extremely anti-scratch and anti-reflection performance), which raise the prices quite high (Carl Zeiss product = bet quality and price . The result is that almost everyone tried my galasses bought one for himself/herself. No doubt that they are the best in class, but not suitable for who tends to lost often the glasses, due their price. It is an investment destined to a very long time use.

For more info take a lok at:
http://www.zeiss.de/zeiss/english/home.nsf/frame/ cop_glasses_sun_skyl...
http://www.zeiss.co.uk/opttecoat.htm

My 2 cents.

I too have Skylet (fun) lenes. And they are great both for flying and driving. But I have a major problem with this type of lens and thats on a good flying day when you are on the ground NOT flying, they make it hurt to much!

I personnally wish the Skylet (fun) were a little darker.

:J (Massino, I'm mailing you seperately!)