Cheapo Shades.

kneemos

Probably crap but only a couple of quid. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/381345392793

biko

Photoshopped onto Will Smith, that is how you know they're good stuff

Copper_pipe

Item location:
Yiwu, China


The good weather will be long gone by the time they arrive!

degsie

So random ebay crud now a BA?

Jet Black

Picture 11 bottom right?

They are cheap sunnies OP ill give you that.

Cheap sunnies can be more harmful to your eyes than not wearing any eye protection though. At that price I'd wonder the level of UV protection and polarisation that they would have.
I wouldn't be buying these at all.



Invest in proper sunglasses. I spend alot of time on the water so good sunglasses are essential for me. I spent around €250 on sunnies 3 years ago and wear them a considerable amount of time from May through to October. They offer the best protection possible. They will last (barring loss or damage) several more years so to me they are an investment.
Look after your eyes.

Rumple Fugly

Jet Black wrote: »

Picture 11 bottom right?

Probably knocked the glasses off in the heat of the moment

TheDriver

TheTorment wrote: »

They are cheap sunnies OP ill give you that.

Cheap sunnies can be more harmful to your eyes than not wearing any eye protection though. At that price I'd wonder the level of UV protection and polarisation that they would have.
I wouldn't be buying these at all.



Invest in proper sunglasses. I spend alot of time on the water so good sunglasses are essential for me. I spent around ?250 on sunnies 3 years ago and wear them a considerable amount of time from May through to October. They offer the best protection possible. They will last (barring loss or damage) several more years so to me they are an investment.
Look after your eyes.

+1. Brands mean nothing to me but I do want a reassurance that they are protecting my eyes

kneemos

TheTorment wrote: »

They are cheap sunnies OP ill give you that.

Cheap sunnies can be more harmful to your eyes than not wearing any eye protection though. At that price I'd wonder the level of UV protection and polarisation that they would have.
I wouldn't be buying these at all.



Invest in proper sunglasses. I spend alot of time on the water so good sunglasses are essential for me. I spent around €250 on sunnies 3 years ago and wear them a considerable amount of time from May through to October. They offer the best protection possible. They will last (barring loss or damage) several more years so to me they are an investment.
Look after your eyes.

You're mad as a Badgers tail to spend that much on a pair. Been proven even cheap pound shop glasses have just as much UV protection as expensive pairs. It's easy to check if they're polarised anyway.

kneemos

kneemos wrote: »

You're mad as a Badgers tail to spend that much on a pair. Been proven even cheap pound shop glasses have just as much UV protection as expensive pairs. It's easy to check if they're polarised anyway.

Maybe....

But because of my use I need the best and at least I know that I am buying and using good lenses that offer 100% uv protection and excellent polarisation that I have never seen on any other brand- and Ive tried a few!! EU regs make sure that sunglasses sold meet a certain UV protection standard.....but the ones in the OP are from China so regs wont be adhered to.
My glasses are also an excellent fit which believe it or not is just as important as good fitting glasses prevent harmful light into your eyes.

Anyway each to their own....

sunny2004

is there a cheap UV meter available for testing sun glasses ?

St. Leibowitz

kneemos wrote: »

You're mad as a Badgers tail to spend that much on a pair. Been proven even cheap pound shop glasses have just as much UV protection as expensive pairs. It's easy to check if they're polarised anyway.

Do you have a link to this proof? Also, a pair of cheap pound shop glasses may have tested OK. Does this mean every batch will?

If the glasses are just tinted, but with no UV filter, they'll do a great job of opening up the iris to allow a nice flood of UV onto the retina. Very bad news for your eyes.

I wouldn't be just picking up any cheap pair of glasses without some guarantee of good UV filtering. More money doesn't mean better filtering, so I don't pay alot, but it's very difficult to be sure of getting proper protection when you pay cheap prices, and your eyes are way to important to take risks.

mcbobbyb

PRIMARK £3

Good coverage: Primark sunglasses

UV protection: 100 per cent against UV rays below 400 nanometres

Expert comment: UV light can also get to your eye from the sides and the gap between you face and sunglasses - so they should be a good fit. 

They need to sit far back on the bridge of the nose but without being so close they are up against your eyes. 

These provide good broad coverage across the eyes and delicate skin area around the eyes. They don't seem to let too much stray light in at the sides - although how they fit will depend on the shape of someone's face so try before you buy.

10/10

NEW LOOK £4.99

Decent: New Look

UV protection: 100 per cent

Expert comment: These have a big gap around the face where stray light could get in, and a brown-red tint which makes no difference in terms of protection. 

They do have individual pads on each side where they sit on the bridge of the nose and these are often adjustable, so an optician might be able to fit them properly.

8/10

POUNDLAND £1

Poundland kids shades: Worse than wearing no sunglasses

UV protection: 47 per cent left eye, 94 per cent right eye 

Expert comment: This is worrying. These glasses have a CE mark yet neither eye of the lenses on these sunglasses block out the recommended minimum of UV. 

Why there is the variation between the two eyes is hard to say - but probably means one side was dipped less thoroughly than the other. 

These are for kids, who spend more time outside than adults and their pupils tend to be more dilated.

The tint on these means they would dilate further and allow more UV light in than normal. So in a way wearing these is worse than no glasses. 

It's a shame, because the wraparound shape is good and means little light can stray into  the sides. 

Another pair of adult sunglasses in the same range had 100 per cent protection, so maybe this pair was not dipped for long enough in the UV coating, but this should have been picked up.

1/10

So-so: Top shop glasses

TOPSHOP £14

UV protection: 100 per cent

Expert comment: The lens offers protection but the shape is not so good. There are big gaping holes at the side where stray light could get in, but they do feel quite sturdy.

7/10

SUMMER LIVING 99p FROM 99p STORE

99p Shop sunglasses: A good shape, Jackie O-style

UV protection: 100 per cent

Expert comment: These offer good UV protection and are a good shape, a big Jackie Onassis-style that covers a big area of the eye, with only minimal stray light coming in at the sides. For the price they are hard to fault.

10/10

BEABA £19.99 FROM KIDDICARE AND BOOTS

UV protection: 100 per cent

Expert comment: These Beaba Kid 360 glasses  (this pair are for 18 months  to three years) are great for  young children. 

Great: Beabba kids lenses

They are flexible - even the front section can't bend - so won't snap. They also have  curved arms that fit around  the child's head so they will  stay on. 

Don't put children in sunglasses all the time. Their pupils are naturally a little wider than adults and if they then wear sunglasses this makes the pupils dilate to allow more light in.

And if you put children in sunglasses a lot - not just when it is a bright sunny day - their pupils will gradually lose tone and won't be able to become smaller (which reduces the amount of light coming in to the eye) as they should, so as adults they won't tolerate bright light well.

10/10

Nice snug fit: Boots' offering

BOOTS £5

UV protection: 100 per cent

Expert comment: These are a small design - so don't protect a big area around the eye unlike some of the others. But they are a nice snug fit, going right back on the bridge of the nose and letting little light in at the sides. They also feel quite sturdy.

9/10

MARKET STALL £15

Surprisingly effective: Market Stall shades

UV protection: 100 per cent 

Expert  comment: I am pleasantly surprised by these. These have a CE mark and a mark saying they offer UV 400 protection. But they feel a little flimsy and aren't a particularly good fit - a lot of stray light can get in around the sides.

8/10

RIVER ISLAND £15

UV protection: 100 per cent

Good deal: River Island sunglasses

Expert comment: These are a good fit, offering good protection around the eye. They are mirrored so may reflect some light but they won't block more UV. 

They have a dark tint - four - which, as the label warns, means they are so dark they should not be used for driving as they could make it hard to see. However, they could be good for a bright day on the beach.

9/10

So how do cheapies measure up?

'I've been pleasantly surprised,' says Mr Goldberg. 'It seems in the vast majority of cases the CE marks can be trusted and manufacturers are taking greater care about the type of sunglass they sell - even at the budget end of the market

sunny2004

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/13B-Optical-Lens-Anti-radiation-Ultraviolet-Ray-UV-Tester-Detector-Measurer/32367800526.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.2.u6iaeI&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10152_10208_10065_10151_10068_10304_10136_10137_10060_10302_10155_10062_437_10154_10056_10055_10054_10059_303_100031_10099_10103_10102_10096_10052_10053_10142_10107_10050_10051_10171_5300020_10084_10083_10119_10080_10082_10081_5320020_10110_519_10111_10112_10113_10114_10182_10078_10079_10073_10123_10120_10189_142-10102,searchweb201603_13,ppcSwitch_3&btsid=8d3e3d83-5b3e-4189-ac97-ab7dfd47ba16&algo_expid=51dbf361-b936-4eb1-a47d-03261ce25e02-0&algo_pvid=51dbf361-b936-4eb1-a47d-03261ce25e02

portable version of this would solve the problem

mrcheez

degsie wrote: »

So random ebay crud now a BA?

Needs a superthread tbh

bk

sunny2004 wrote: »

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/13B-Optical-Lens-Anti-radiation-Ultraviolet-Ray-UV-Tester-Detector-Measurer/32367800526.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.2.u6iaeI&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10152_10208_10065_10151_10068_10304_10136_10137_10060_10302_10155_10062_437_10154_10056_10055_10054_10059_303_100031_10099_10103_10102_10096_10052_10053_10142_10107_10050_10051_10171_5300020_10084_10083_10119_10080_10082_10081_5320020_10110_519_10111_10112_10113_10114_10182_10078_10079_10073_10123_10120_10189_142-10102,searchweb201603_13,ppcSwitch_3&btsid=8d3e3d83-5b3e-4189-ac97-ab7dfd47ba16&algo_expid=51dbf361-b936-4eb1-a47d-03261ce25e02-0&algo_pvid=51dbf361-b936-4eb1-a47d-03261ce25e02

portable version of this would solve the problem

Wow, that is the real bargain on this thread. Will be buying and using for all my family and friends sunglasses.

I understand that people want to have assurance when protecting their eyes. But there is really no need to be paying €250 to get it. There is absolutely no reason why you can't get 100%, fully protected sunglasses for €20

The reason why most name branded sunglasses have gotten so expensive, isn't because that is the price needed to make quality sunglasses, it is because one single company has almost a monopoly on the entire brand name brand sunglasses market, both manufacture and retail!

Luxottica owns many brands including Ray Ban, Oakley and makes under license most name brand sunglasses, e.g. Ralph Lauren, DKNY, Versace, Prada, Bulgari, Chanel, Dolce & Gabani, Bulgari, etc. etc.

They also own Sunglass Hut and loads of the in-store department store sun glasses section, 8000 stores!

After they bought Ray-Ban (which BTW use to be made in Ireland, but not anymore), they significantly increased the price.

So the hilarious thing is that when people buy their fancy expensive name brand sun glasses from Brown Thomas, they are all coming from the same Italian company!

There really isn't any needed for €250 sun glasses for boating, etc. you can get great sporting sunglasses for around the €40 on Amazon.

If you get polarised sunglasses, you can easily test them yourself to check that they are genuine and working properly. No need for the device above (though it is good for testing non-polarised type).

Bk
I hear what you are saying alright about branded names.
Over the years I've tried many different brands both cheap and expensive.

I have yet to find a brand that better the the Costa del Mar brand https://www.costadelmar.com/
These are light years ahead of any other brands I've tried both in terms of protection and polarisation.
Yes they are expensive but I see it as a necessary (for me) investment.

loyatemu

main reason for not buying expensive shades (apart from being a tightar$e) is that they are so easy to lose, drop, sit on etc. Shades and hats are the 2 things I've lost the most over the years, I couldn't spend any serious cash on them for that reason alone.

bk

loyatemu wrote: »

main reason for not buying expensive shades (apart from being a tightar$e) is that they are so easy to lose, drop, sit on etc. Shades and hats are the 2 things I've lost the most over the years, I couldn't spend any serious cash on them for that reason alone.

Yup, same here doing a lot of hiking, kayaking, skiing, etc. good sporting shades are very important, but the reality is you are going to lose them, step on them, sit on them, scratch them, etc. So I think branded glasses around the €250 mark is just silly money IMO.

You can get very good sporting shades around the €30 to €50 mark from any decent hiking/sporting shop or amazon that are 100% UV protecting (and/or polarised), so 100% as good as branded glasses in terms of UV protection and IME just as good build quality as the much more expensive pair, while having to worry less about losing them, etc.

Just for some examples:

https://www.greatoutdoors.ie/shop/equipment-accessories/eye-wear-casual-or-outdoor?&dir=asc&is_ajax=1&order=price&p=1

sunny2004

bk wrote: »

Wow, that is the real bargain on this thread. Will be buying and using for all my family and friends sunglasses.


If you get polarised sunglasses, you can easily test them yourself to check that they are genuine and working properly. No need for the device above (though it is good for testing non-polarised type).

The device is for testing UV, not polarity ... as far as I understand polarity isn't an issue when it comes to eye health, it simply removes reflections..

What I am interested in is a device like the one I posted that is portable. not mains supply.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/13B-Optical-Lens-Anti-radiation-Ultraviolet-Ray-UV-Tester-Detector-Measurer/32367800526.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.2.u6iaeI&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10152_10208_10065_10151_10068_10304_10136_10137_10060_10302_10155_10062_437_10154_10056_10055_10054_10059_303_100031_10099_10103_10102_10096_10052_10053_10142_10107_10050_10051_10171_5300020_10084_10083_10119_10080_10082_10081_5320020_10110_519_10111_10112_10113_10114_10182_10078_10079_10073_10123_10120_10189_142-10102,searchweb201603_13,ppcSwitch_3&btsid=8d3e3d83-5b3e-4189-ac97-ab7dfd47ba16&algo_expid=51dbf361-b936-4eb1-a47d-03261ce25e02-0&algo_pvid=51dbf361-b936-4eb1-a47d-03261ce25e02

bk

sunny2004 wrote: »

The device is for testing UV, not polarity ... as far as I understand polarity isn't an issue when it comes to eye health, it simply removes reflections..

Of course not, you don't need a machine to test polarity, you can pretty easily do it by just looking at a LCD screen:

https://essilorusa.com/content/essilor-usa/en/newsroom/news/how_to_tell_if_youh.html

Also most polarized sun glasses come with a little card that you can easily use to test them.

That was the point I was making if you are buying polarized sun glasses (ideally used for water based activities and Skiing) then you don't need this machine.

However if you are buying non-polarized sun glasses (used for general wear, driving and land based sporting activities) then this UV tester looks like an excellent machine to test and conform that cheap UV glasses are in fact working.

sunny2004

bk wrote: »

Of course not, you don't need a machine to test polarity, you can pretty easily do it by just looking at a LCD screen:

https://essilorusa.com/content/essilor-usa/en/newsroom/news/how_to_tell_if_youh.html

Also most polarized sun glasses come with a little card that you can easily use to test them.

That was the point I was making if you are buying polarized sun glasses (ideally used for water based activities and Skiing) then you don't need this machine.

However if you are buying non-polarized sun glasses (used for general wear, driving and land based sporting activities) then this UV tester looks like an excellent machine to test and conform that cheap UV glasses are in fact working.

confused, as I stated I was only interested in testing UV regardless of polarity.

Truckermal

TheTorment wrote: »

They are cheap sunnies OP ill give you that.

Cheap sunnies can be more harmful to your eyes than not wearing any eye protection though. At that price I'd wonder the level of UV protection and polarisation that they would have.
I wouldn't be buying these at all.



Invest in proper sunglasses. I spend alot of time on the water so good sunglasses are essential for me. I spent around €250 on sunnies 3 years ago and wear them a considerable amount of time from May through to October. They offer the best protection possible. They will last (barring loss or damage) several more years so to me they are an investment.
Look after your eyes.

I have been buying cheap pairs but they are always rubbish, could you steer one in the right direction to a decent pair?

bk

sunny2004 wrote: »

confused, as I stated I was only interested in testing UV regardless of polarity.

You didn't mention anything about polarized glasses. I was just making the point that this machine isn't needed for polarized type glasses. My comment was aimed at everyone reading this thread!

I don't see why you need a portable version of this machine! Buy sunglasses, test at home, return if not UV protected *

* All sun glasses sold in EU most be 100% UV protection, so you have a slam dunk reason to return them for a full refund.

The reality is most sunglasses sold here are 100% UV protected, it is just nice to have this machine to confirm that it is.

Truckermal

Truckermal wrote: »

I have been buying cheap pairs but they are always rubbish, could you steer one in the right direction to a decent pair?

I've found that Costas are very good. MaU Jim are another good brand.
I'd also recommend a glass lense rather than polycarbonate.

I've found both very good with the Costa just shading the others.

Check on their websites for correct fitting sizes and authentic retailers.

sunny2004

bk wrote: »

You didn't mention anything about polarized glasses. I was just making the point that this machine isn't needed for polarized type glasses. My comment was aimed at everyone reading this thread!

I don't see why you need a portable version of this machine! Buy sunglasses, test at home, return if not UV protected *

* All sun glasses sold in EU most be 100% UV protection, so you have a slam dunk reason to return them for a full refund.

The reality is most sunglasses sold here are 100% UV protected, it is just nice to have this machine to confirm that it is.

doesn't apply if you travel or buy online..

As I clearly stated the machine is for UV testing, nothing more, and the portability ... well that's obvious now

bk

TheTorment wrote: »

I'd also recommend a glass lense rather than polycarbonate.

Be VERY CAREFUL of using glass lenses for sporting activity. It isn't recommended. Imagine mountain biking (or skiing, hiking, etc.) with glass lenses, going over your handlebars and ending up with glass in your eye!

sunny2004 wrote: »

doesn't apply if you travel or buy online..

As I clearly stated the machine is for UV testing, nothing more, and the portability ... well that's obvious now

Well if you buy online, portability won't matter as clearly you won't be mailing them the machine to test the glasses now will you!

Buy online, test them at home when they arrive, request a refund if they don't pass *

* If bought in the EU you would absolutely be entitled to a refund. From China etc. then no guarantee, though in my experience most sites would be quick to refund under these circumstances.

If travelling, you could always bring it with you and test the glasses at the hotel and return them the next day. Again portability wouldn't really be important here. Either way you would be dragging a large device around with you on holidays!

But the great thing about this device is that even if you happened to buy cheap glasses while away, at least you can test them when you get home and throw them away if you find they aren't working.

unklerosco

If anyones looking for decent sunglasses at a good price i've bought a good few pairs of these the last few years.. less than €10 a pop, they're really well made and I've found them great. I'm constantly loosing my sunglasses so I refuse to pay big money for them.

bk

bk wrote: »

Be VERY CAREFUL of using glass lenses for sporting activity. It isn't recommended. Imagine mountain biking (or skiing, hiking, etc.) with glass lenses, going over your handlebars and ending up with glass in your eye!



Good point BK.

sunny2004

bk wrote: »

Be VERY CAREFUL of using glass lenses for sporting activity. It isn't recommended. Imagine mountain biking (or skiing, hiking, etc.) with glass lenses, going over your handlebars and ending up with glass in your eye!



Well if you buy online, portability won't matter as clearly you won't be mailing them the machine to test the glasses now will you!

Buy online, test them at home when they arrive, request a refund if they don't pass *

* If bought in the EU you would absolutely be entitled to a refund. From China etc. then no guarantee, though in my experience most sites would be quick to refund under these circumstances.

If travelling, you could always bring it with you and test the glasses at the hotel and return them the next day. Again portability wouldn't really be important here. Either way you would be dragging a large device around with you on holidays!

But the great thing about this device is that even if you happened to buy cheap glasses while away, at least you can test them when you get home and throw them away if you find they aren't working.

ok lets deal with your confusion, I clearly stated I was interested in a portable version of the device, and wait for it, I have NEVER bought a pair of sunglasses in a brick and mortar shop in Ireland in over 30 years.. all my glasses are bought while travelling.. hope that clears up any confusion on your part regarding my desire to have a portable version of the device, that I have now located so I'm happy I can take it out in a stall or shop and buy with confidence

RiseToMe

Portable UV meters are very limited in application as they are restricted to wavelength. In order to actually test your eyewear properly for UV you'd need a spectrophotometer which can test over the given wavelengths that you'd be concerned about (280-780nm minimum).
Also while it's easy to test if something is polorised there is a specific orientation required and each lens is only allowed be off by certain amount and a total deviation when lenses are combined.

Source: I own a laboratory that tests sunglasses for compliance to all standards (ISO, ANSI and AUS/NZ).

Skerries

so what are your recommendations in the cheaper range of glasses that pass muster?

RiseToMe

We test everything on sale from 1 euro right the way through to glass polarised with bi gradient mirrors and reflection coatings that retail well into the 100s.

Literally everything across all low end and high retailers and you get fails across all at some point for numerous reasons. More often than not, everything passes.

Best advice is to ensure that your sunglasses come with the right claims to the right standard (ISO 12311/12312). Once they claim it, they have to prove that they tested it if required by the relevant authority, and that they showed due dilagance and got it retested according to the volume sold.

I won't post anything regarding brands I'd recommend but happy to tell you by PM what brand my knock about sunglasses are.

mrcheez

I picked up a pair of Foster Grants in Lloyd's Pharmacy today for €20. Look great and apparently conform to iso 12312 - 1

[url]Http://Fostergrant.co.uk[/url]

rubadub

mrcheez wrote: »

I picked up a pair of Foster Grants in Lloyd's Pharmacy today for ?20. Look great and apparently conform to iso 12312 - 1

[url]Http://Fostergrant.co.uk[/url]

It would seem the dr dre beats headphones have followed the same scam as the sunglass makers, but at least I have not heard of a risk of ear damage due to earphones, either fake or over priced, unless purposely/knowingly played too loud (or sh ite muzak;))