SPY+ Polarized Fishing Sunglasses Review – Where Style Meets Safety and Serious Fishing Gear

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Kurt Mazurek | Last updated Oct 4, 2024 5:25 PM ET

Sunglasses for Bass Fishing

As bass fishermen, we all seem to recognize pretty early in our fishing journey, that polarized sunglasses are “must have” gear if we’re serious about efficient, successful angling. Sure, we all probably start with a pair that are “good enough”, but the first time we get the opportunity to try a real, high-quality pair, we realize how much of a positive impact they can have on our bass fishing.

How Can Sunglasses Help Fishing?

First, we immediately recognize how a good pair of polarized fishing sunglasses allow us to spot cruising fish, or fish on beds, or fish following our lures. Amazing! But eventually, something will happen—you, or your fishing partner swing hard on what feels like a bite, resulting in a bullet sinker headed back toward the boat like a…well, like a bullet. Or, as you swing that four-pound smallie aboard, the jerk bait pulls free, sling shotting all three treble hooks at your face. These things happen so fast. And it’s never going to be pretty, but a good pair of sunglasses can be the difference between an inconvenience and a lifelong disability. Sorry, I didn’t mean to get overly dramatic, but it can be serious.

Fishing Sunglasses- Function + Fashion

But I also understand, that if these glasses aren’t comfortable and, at the risk of sounding vain, aren’t cool looking, we’re probably way less likely to wear them. Well, good news! There are quite a few manufacturers of high-quality fishing sunglasses, but I’ve recently been introduced to one I’m particularly impressed with—SPY+.

SPY+ polarized sunglasses are built to turn the toughest glare-filled rays into crystal clear, eye-soothing vision. These polarized sunglasses reduce glare and provide crisp, clear vision which allows you to see right through the harshest surface glare, revealing exactly what those sneaky bass are doing down there. Plus, in the case of their REBAR ANSI model, which I would say is there most obvious choice for fishing, they provide ANSI Z87-2+ certification for safety eyewear.

SPY+ REBAR ANSI Specs

-ANSI Z87-2+ certified for lens retention and high-mass impact resistance
-SPY+’s revolutionary therapeutic HAPPY™ Lens Tech is scientifically tuned to boost mood and alertness while enhancing color and contrast, providing a truly life-changing visual experience
-ARC® (Accurate Radius Curvature) polycarbonate lenses are tapered to follow the natural curvature of the eye, providing crystal-clear distortion-free vision while reducing eyestrain
-Available with polarization, which blocks over 99% of surface glare and is layered and sealed within SPY’s lenses to prevent scratching, delaminating, and hazing of your polarized filter
-Constructed from Grilamid® NZ, a lightweight and durable frame material that can handle a load of beatings
-Comfortable rubber nose pads and temple tips provide a secure fit no matter how hard you sweat
-Snap pin hinges provide a secure, comfortable fit
-100% UV protection reduces eye fatigue and long-term sun damage
-Scoop® ventilation system increases air flow and decreases fog-causing sweat and moisture
-Frame measures 62-18-130

Is ANSI Important for Fishing Glasses?

If you’re like me, you just thought to yourself, what is ANSI? Is Z87-2+ good? I looked it up. The American National Standards Institute ("ANSI") is a nonprofit, private company, responsible for establishing safety standards for products like protective eyewear. From what I can tell, it looks like Z87-2+ means high-impact rating certified prescription safety glasses. They are tested for impact resistance—making sure the frame and lenses can sustain impact from small flying objects without breaking or moving. They are tested for high mass impact by dropping a 500-gram steel ball against the glasses from an altitude of 50 inches. The sunglasses must not break or crack and the lenses must stay in place to pass this test. There is also a lens penetration test where a 500-gram pointed projectile is dropped from 50-inches onto the lens which must not fracture or be pierced to be certified. So, seriously, these glasses have proven they’ll protect your eyes from an errant hook or pointy overhanging limb.

Best Lenses for Fishing Sunglasses

But in addition to being tough, they really are effective as polarized sunglasses. In addition to blocking over 99% of surface glare on the water, and utilizing ARC® (Accurate Radius Curvature) polycarbonate lenses which are tapered to follow the natural curvature of the eye to provide crystal-clear, distortion free vision, SPY+ has created a revolutionary, therapeutic lens technology they call HAPPY BOOST™ which boosts mood and alertness while enhancing color contrast. According to their description, the sun creates both good and bad light waves. While most glasses block the bad rays, they also block the good rays. But HAPPY BOOST™ actually blocks the bad while enhancing the good rays, which boosts your mood and alertness while enhancing color perception. I didn’t really conduct any tests where I could definitively say I noticed I was happier, but they are definitely nice to look through.

Fishing Sunglasses for Big Heads

And, if you’ve read my column for any length of time, you know I’m always concerned whether a product is going to be big enough for my way-bigger-than-average stature. The SPY+ REBAR ANSI is built for the big guys! Incidentally, they also offer the REBAR ANSI SE (Smaller Edition) for all you average-sized humans.

Best Looking Fishing Sunglasses

And one thing I noticed about all of the SPY+ models, including the REBAR ANSI, is that they’re cool looking. Like, genuinely, fashionably cool. I’m not usually someone who is super concerned with fashion, but if they can perform and make me feel a little cooler, count me in.

My Favorite Driving Sunglasses

I’d also like to mention that my first exposure to SPY+ was with their CYRUS model. To me, again not an expert on fashion, I thought these were even cooler looking than the REBAR. But, while I love their super comfortable fit and stylish look, they don’t really wrap around the face much and allow some amount of peripheral light in along the sides, making them less than perfect for fishing. Plus, they don’t offer the ANSI safety rating like the REBAR model. However, I’ve found they have become my go-to driving sunglasses for everyday use. They’re big, they’re light, they’re comfortable, and they still include SPY+’s HAPPY BOOST™ lenses. I love them for driving.

SPY+ CYRUS Specs

-SPY+’s revolutionary therapeutic Happy™ lens tech is scientifically tuned to boost mood and alertness while enhancing color and contrast, providing a truly life-changing visual experience
-ARC® (Accurate Radius Curvature) polycarbonate lenses are tapered to follow the natural curvature of the eye, providing crystal-clear distortion-free vision while reducing eyestrain
-Available with polarization, which blocks over 99% of surface glare and is layered and sealed within SPY’s lenses to prevent scratching, delaminating, and hazing of your polarized filter
-Constructed from Grilamid®, a lightweight frame material ideal for everyday wear due to its strength and flexibility
-Robust 5-barrel hinges for added durability
-100% UV protection reduces eye fatigue and long-term sun damage
-Replacement lenses available
-Frame measures 58-17-145

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

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