Why Do I Need Polarized Glasses?

It's widely accepted that anglers should wear polarized glasses while fishing, but do you know why? In this article I'll try to explain why polarized glasses are needed (without getting overly technical) and also how all polarized glasses aren't created equal. For many years I labored under the delusion that polarized sunglasses were a crock, and not only were they a crock but people who spent more than $25 on them were idiots. Boy was I misguided.

Polarized glasses help to reduce the glare created by the sun when it hits the water. With this glare eliminated, it enables you to be able to see into the water. This is a huge advantage to any angler who fishes shallow water in lakes or likes to fish in the flowing water of rivers and streams. I had always heard that this was true, but never fully believed it. So I would buy inexpensive polarized glasses every year, and wear then while I fished. And invariably, the polarized glasses that I bought never seemed to work properly. My vision was distorted and I was never able to see with any clarity. Therefore, I wouldn't wear them and the next year I would buy another pair, thinking that would help. It was a vicious cycle.

Then one day a fishing buddy of mine let me borrow his polarized glasses. I was absolutely astonished. The clarity that they provided was unreal. With these glasses, I could actually see intothe water. It was crazy! When I took them off, I could tell the difference immediately. After an hour or so of fishing, I asked my buddy how much the glasses cost, and he said $125. I almost fell over! I simply couldn't see myself spending that kind of money on a pair of glasses. Then my buddy explained something to me, hat I had never considered.

He said that he had owned the polarized glasses that I borrowed for almost seven years. He explained that when he invested that amount of money, he took great care of them, so they lasted. Not only that, but the glasses are made from much higher quality material so they fit and last longer as well, he explained. I began to think about this theory, and came to my own decision. I bought myself a pair of quality polarized sunglasses for $100. Ever since I got them, I've been in love with them!

I was thinking about my glasses the other day while fishing and realized something. The purchase that I just described happened five years ago, and I still have the same polarized glasses. If I amortize the cost of my polarized glasses, they only cost me about $20 a year. My quality polarized glasses actually cost me less than the cheap ones that I used to buy! I was amazed by this and thought it might help people out. When it comes to polarized glasses, you get what you pay for. Keep that in mind before you purchase another pair of cheap polarized glasses.