Jeroen Schoondergang talks to Steve Haber from Habervision about polarised sunglasses and their uses as a piece of strategic fishing equipment. Look out for the special offer in the article too.
In some fisheries success or failure can greatly depend on vision. Under those circumstances a pair of sunglasses is much more than a fashion accessory. Sunglasses-guru Steve Haber explains how to choose the right type of shades for eye protection and how to use them as a strategic ‘weapon’ to enhance your fishing odds.
Why would you wear sunglasses? The most logical answer to this question would be: to block the negative effects of the sun from my vision. Two other possible answers to this question drove Steve Haber, founder of the world famous sunglasses-brand Bollé, to dedicate his time completely to develop the ultimate pair of shades. Steve: ‘A good pair of sunglasses offers much needed protection against harmful UV-rays. Next to that, they will help you to improve your vision under most light-conditions. This offered me all the inspiration I need for a lifelong commitment to making the ultimate eye-tool.’
A good pair of polarised sunglasses will help you find the fish
Steve loves the outdoors. He used to be a ski-instructor and has been fishing most of his life. ‘The idea of designing the ideal sunglasses for specific types of activities and sports has occupied my mind for a very long time’, he says. ‘Especially in fishing I can be really creative. For fishermen the use of a pair of shades doesn’t stop at protecting your eyes against UV-rays and bright light. Seeing the fish and structure under water can improve your success rate dramatically. You can use your sunglasses as a strategic instrument.’
Right lens colour, better vision
Making the ideal pair of sunglasses starts with the choice of material of the lenses. Steve: ‘I like to use glass for all my fishing-glasses. It is slightly heavier than plastic, but the light light-emitting properties and scratch-resistance of glass are unsurpassed. I also think that a pair of fishing sun-glasses should have photochromic lenses. This means that the darkness of the lenses adjusts itself to the shade of light. This is especially important with glasses that are used to enhance the contrast. Even with rapidly changing light conditions, good photochromic lenses can save the day.’
Polarised lenses will take the glare away and improve your vision
Most fishermen are aware of the benefits of polarised lenses. This property takes away the glare from the water’s surface. Steve knows that the effect of polarisation will improve dramatically if you choose the right lens colour for the circumstances. ‘The most popular colour for fishing is copper with some pink added. Especially on clear rivers, along beaches or on sand-flats, this colour offers extremely good vision. The touch of pink does wonders for contrast. But there are circumstances where this colour doesn’t do so well. For offshore conditions and when fishing over vast expanses of water, a blue or green lens colour will get better results. They will help your eyes adjusting to the light conditions that mainly has a bluish tone. This will rest your eyes and offer better vision.’
When fishing offshore a pair of blue or green lenses will offer the best vision and comfort
All-rounder
As a personal choice Steve likes to wear amber or yellow lenses. ‘The best part of the year I live in Alaska, where I don’t get to see a lot of sunlight. Amber and yellow will provide me with the best contrast. Even a dark day seems bright.’
As a sunglasses manufacturer Steve isn’t secretive about his wish that fishermen should buy different sunglasses for different conditions. ‘Look at it as fly choice. You wouldn’t put all your money on one fly for all circumstances, would you? I do however understand that not every fisherman can afford a series of top quality sunglasses. If you want to invest in a good all-rounder, I’d suggest that you get a pair of sunglasses with copper coloured photochromic lenses. They will give you optimal vision and protection in 80% of the fishing conditions.’
Looking and seeing
Fish can show up in the water as a slight change of colour or shade in the water, a fin that breaks the surface, or a reflection of the silvery scales. The signs can be very subtle and even wearing the right pair of shades isn’t a guarantee for success. Finding fish requires a proper technique and experience. The latter takes years to acquire, the first can be learned. The biggest mistake sight-fishermen can make is focussing on one point within your field of sight. Not only is this counter-productive, it is also very stressful for your eyes.
Your eyes need to be relaxed when searching for fish. Take in the complete field of sight and leisurely scan the surroundings. As soon as your eyes adjust to the light conditions you’ll find that they will notice any imperfection in the area, even very subtle ones. You will find that you will be able to continue with this kind of searching for hours without your eyes getting weary.
When fishing beaches and flats, copper and a touch of pink will give you the ultimate contrast
HaberVision
Steve Haber started HaberVision in 2005. He develops his sunglasses based on his own fishing experiences and feedback from clients. Haber sunglasses are available online at www.habervision.com Enter EATSLEEPFISH as affinity code and you’ll be able to benefit from the special offers.
How polarised lenses work
Light travelling to earth finds many obstacles on its way. This causes the light rays to be in different directions when they reach our eyes. Once on the planet, the rays bounce off shiny surfaces, like water. Especially the horizontal rays will have a ‘polluting’ effect on the light we take in: the distracting glare.
A polarising membrane in the lens consists of a great number of vertical lines that will guide the ‘strayed’ light rays back to a uniform, straight direction, thus eliminating the horizontal glare. A good polarised lens will not only relax your eyes, it will improve your vision dramatically.
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