Sunglasses
 

I'm off shopping today for some new aviation sunglasses.

I've had a load of Oakleys in the past and the plastic framed examples have proven strong and light, but the lenses always scratch easily.

I know that Oakley have their "flack jacket" and "radar" models which now come with interchangeable lenses.

Or should I just buy some Serengeti glasses instead?

If you have used any of the above in the cockpit, pls give me you opinions.


thanks in advance,


Sicknote:ok:

Always had Bolle and rayban then tried serengetti drivers............will never look at another brand. Purely belter!

Serengeti Drivers
 

Been a Ray-Ban person for some 15 years until I tried a pair of Serengeti Drivers. Won't be wearing anything else. They also darken in bright sunligt. The best ever sunnies for cloudy/overcast days.:cool::cool::cool::cool:

What Serengeti model do you have ?

Thanks for the advice guys.

Looks like the Serengetis might be getting the nod after all.

Apparently the Oakleys have bulky arms which can cause problems with certain headsets...pity as they look great!

best,

Sicknote:ok:

Not sure if these are any good, thought about having a look at them myself; a good time for a review I guess :)

http://www.voneeyewear.com/about.html

Serengeti for me while flying and if you happen to be a member at COSTCO then they do a pair there for £86inc same pair on the internet £140 very thin arms that sit right next to your head so dont interfere with headsets

Avoid polarised lenses - unles you like looking through the wierd psychadelic lines across your plastic canopy.

I used to fly with a pair of metal framed Ray-Bans that had a polarising element, without any problems - until we fitted a new KX-155 nav/com; with the Ray-bans on, the unit looked as if it was switched off and it took a stomach-clenching couple of minutes for me to clock what the problem was....DOH!

I now fly with some trad 50's Ray-bans with the arms bent over a hot kettle (so they lie flat against my head with the head-set on) which, imho, are the canines-clackers.

.... or if you fly on an FAA ticket - polarized lenses not allowed :=

On a different note: can you get the Serengetis with corrective lenses ? I have special bi-focals made with a 'near vison' (i.e. reading) inset that sits a bit higher then usual and is calculated for the distance to the instrument panel. Will need to change these later in the year. For the time being, they live in old Ray Ban Aviators frames, but am open to suggestions - and everyone seems to love the Serengetis !

Another vote for the Serengeti. I have the Vidi frame with corrective lenses - comfy to wear and great for flying, driving and skiing.

I have polarised lenses and have no trouble viewing the twin Garmin 430 kit in the plane I fly with my head in "normal flying position".

I just got some Serengetis Velocity from the states. Ordered online, delivered in 2 weeks, $90 dollars, plus £9 odd VAT so they cost me about £60.00 quid all in. Im very impressed with them so far, driver gradient lenses are excellent.

Judging by the state of the transparencies in most rental singles I have ever seen - the exact make of sunglasses you wear is a pretty academic issue.

Keeping the canopy clean is far more important, especially at this time of year when it gets peppered with bug juice.

SB

Does anyone have "Skylet" glasses from Carl Zeiss?
Many glider pilots recommend them here. These glasses seem to be the official sunglasses of the german national glider team...

Can You get Serengetis with corrective lenses?

Another vote for Serengeti. I won't wear anything else.

Oakley Crosshairs, brown lenses. Doing fine for me.

have used these, for a few days now, both cockpit and soaring, very good so far. http://www.mile-high.info/index.html

Will.

Big thumbs up for V:one sunglasses!! I already posted on another sunglasses page, but have had them for a few months now and i am very pleased. I had tried some serengettis but i preferred the v:ones (and they were cheaper too :) ). Topgunn - I saw a few good reviews for them too in loop and TP.

WILL5023,

They look interesting, especially to someone like me who needs corrective lenses. I can imagine them to be great in a soaring situation - but how are they in a cockpit ? Reason I ask is the huge difference in light between outside and inside (i.e. instrument panel). I fly with graduated glasses for this reason, but these, of course, are not interchangeable :{

i have been using Oakleys since i started flying, well it was all analog then, but now i seem to have problems seeing thru glass displays/CRT's... currently using the Radar series, am gonna try the Serengeti and see for myself 1st hand why most of you had a change of heart.... :ok:

Another vote for Oakley Crosshairs, prescription with the 80% grey lens. Top-notch field of view, clarity and neutral colour. Cost about £240, which isn't bad for prescription.

Stick-on solution
 

Another vote for Serengeti Drivers. In my case with stick on 1.2 dioptre correction lenses, probably should go for stronger, advancing years yer know...

Otherwise bone dome with tinted visor and the usual half-frames.

Safe Flying,
Richard W.

I bought the Serengeti's and flew with them this weekend in a hot and hazy Philippines.

They were fantastic...comfortable...I can honestly say I didn't notice I had them on. The optics are exceptionally clear as well.

I bought the Nuvola which are exceptionally light and frame less.

I'm a happy chappy.

Best,

Sicknote:ok:


PS. Here's the link.
http://www.serengeti-eyewear.com/

Always been a Rayban fan - then tried a friends Serengeti's - 150% better especially with glass screens . go to www.ebay.com and use a Canadian ebay shop 76 USD plus about £11 postage and VAT

WKW: "In my case with stick on 1.2 dioptre correction lenses" that sounds very interesting, tell us more. What lenses, from where? It would be great to find a way to add a "reading" segment

I've got some Serengeti drivers gradient lenses in Pilot1 frames - great sunnies but I don't like the fit. I think I'll get the same lenses in a different frame. Mine are unmarked and only worn two or three times if anyone's interested.

HFD

Hi 172, sorry for late reply, I find them fine in the cockpit, also as the lenses are interchangeable you can find a shade that suits you best, give John a call via the earlier link he is very helpfull.

Will.

Optx 20/20
 

HFD,

I’m not sure what type my lenses actually are. A friend got them for me, I think from the ‘States, some years ago.

A quick Google indicates that OPTX 20/20 are something very similar, in fact it may be the same brand. It’s cheaper than prescription sunglasses, particularly if you already have the sunglasses.

Safe Flying,
Richard W.

Prescription (Rx) sunglasses (including Serengeti) can be ordered online from the states. I used http://www.opticsplanet.net for my Serengeti Sangro Rx sunglasses. Great specs and the ordering was very simple (just took a couple of weeks to arrive). The only downside is that the prescription lenses are only available as glass. You can end up with some hefty plates of glass sitting on your nose if your prescription is on the strong side. Sunny day, hatch closed and latched, slippy nose, heavy specs. With a headset clamping them they're OK.

Thanks WKW, I didn't know such things were available until your reply. I've just ordered some from a US guy on eBay.

HFD

I can vouch for V:one Eyewear sunglasses. I use them both while flying and on the ground and the lens is excellent - you can easily see inside the cockpit wearing them too. They're also do them with prescriptions if i'm not mistaken.

My money is on the serengeti's. I brought a pair off ebay about 6 months ago. I liked them so much that I went back and got another pair as a spare just last week. They have the drivers gradient and photochromatic lenses. Think they are a year or so out of date but from what I can see look about the same compared to the current models and its not a fashion show afterall. The model I got was the Pergusa and checking ebay this morning they look to be 55 quid. Very comfortable to wear and they brighten up conditions when in IMC no end.

Do a search on ebay.co.uk. The guy selling them is a powerseller and the glasses arrived in the next days post.

I have Persol 2305-S.

Persol are Italian, originally designed for pilots and racing drivers (James Bond wears them).

I have a nice pair of Russian flying goggles from the cold war with interchangable lenses. Never actually worn them flying.

I wear ray bans with polarised lens and havnt had any problems yet.

After donkeys years of RayBans someone bought me a pair of the Serengetti Flex series. I now have a pair in the car, a pair in the nav bag for flying and my spare pair as required by the CAA have corrective lenses.

They are magnificent and I have no problems with seeing the screens

Zeiss Skylet corrective lenses here, custom-built into a DKNY frame. Not cheap, but I absolutely love them! :ok:

Don't buy these
 

V;one. they are really badly made and fall apart no matter what the company claims. it happened to me and several pilot friends after only a couple of days. For one friend it happened in flight on finals at the apparently indestructible joints and the frames and wonderful lenses got jammed under the right rudder pedal- a go around had to be done- and a chirp report had to be filed. the sunglasses are consistently with todays aviation by vitue of their ridiculous price. but that is the closest it should get to being a pilot product. I want my money back and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. They also look dated and the model on their website is RAF- Rough as FXXX.

agree
 

I know, I know. Don't say I didn't tell you so. Oakleys, rayban and Serengettis seem to rule. V1 looks like it didn't quite take off- more like a an EFATO for pilot sunglasses.

v:one sunglasses
 

Eyedoc, you seem to be a miffed competitor to v:one.

You spent the whole of last week private messaging me asking prying questions about v:one sunglasses (even asking where you could get yourself a pair) and then last night posted a message on Pprune exactly the same as the one now posted by "cockpitferret" slating the sunglasses.

When I questioned you, you immediately deleted your post, set up a new profile called "cockpitferret" (which was set up last night just after you deleted your other post) and copied and pasted your exact message into a post from "cockpitferret" to make out that it came from somebody else.

As I mentioned to you on our private message, I use v:one sunglasses for flying and they're a fantastic quality product. I also know for a fact that other pilots who use them rave about them too. I highly doubt anything that you and cockpitferret claim happened with regard to the sunglasses causing a go-around is actually true.

Shame on you for using these disgraceful tactics!

Advertisement
 

'vrotpiesanguk' - you have no manners, your comments are defamatory and accusational, while you clearly have financial interest in V:one because your posts are blatant advertisements. You have been contracted by the company to give an opinion on the sunglasses and therefore give a biased opinion. Since you were so blatantly reluctant in providing me with further details about the sunglasses when I was genuinely interested in buying a pair (Quote: 'why are you asking me all these questions?'), I instead looked for opinions elsewhere. As a result of your reluctance to provide me with information about the sunglasses I sadly discovered from others that they are in fact crap and apparently dangerous. Please read the terms and conditions of this website before you continue to post what are obviously advertisements.

I nearly bought a pair of V:one glasses at the Aero Expo as they were being offered 20% off. However, when trying them they felt uncomfortable just behind the ears.

It seems the consensus of posts here are for Serengeti - think I'll buy a pair but with so few days of sunshine lately I'm in no hurry :cool: