The Dung Beatle look has been popular for well over a decade now and it would seem that plastic framed, fitted sunglasses that wrap themselves around the shape of the face, with their funky shaped and coloured lenses, are here to stay. They look good and they’re functional for those that choose to engage in outdoor sports. I purchased my first set of extreme sports influenced sunglasses in the 90’s, made by Oakley, the company that can be held responsible for the sunglasses revolution that has now become the norm.

Now when it comes to sporting sunglasses, it cannot be disputed that Oakley make the best. They are of superior construction, with great looks, and with a vast range to choose from. But, unfortunately, this comes at a cost. Yes, they are great and they are the best, but if you’re too scared to wear them doing the sport you love (in case you damage them and cannot afford to replace them) they kind of loose their function. I’ll put my hand up, I own a couple of pairs of Oakley glasses and, I admit, it scares the life out of me hanging over the gunwales of a boat with several £50 notes strapped to the sides of my head! So what’s the answer? We need to find a cheaper pair of sunglasses that not only look good but that work good too!

FASHION!
Fishing is more closely related to extreme (adventure) sports than athletics and field sports and the trend over the last decade has been for anglers to adopt clothing that follows the lifestyle sport theme. Most anglers live, eat and breathe angling so, without a doubt, fishing is a lifestyle! Overseas guides and anglers were the first to adopt the ‘surfing’ look which was closely followed by the UK’s younger generation of fly fishing guides and fly anglers and this has now spread to all other disciplines of angling including sea fishing. Today’s UK saltwater sports angler must pride himself in, not only fishing his best but also looking his best for that all important trophy catch shot!

FUNCTION
So why wear sunglasses at all? Firstly, and most importantly, sunglasses protect the eyes from the sun’s harmful rays which are further magnified by our sea’s surface. On a red hot summer’s day, standing on a beach or on the deck of a boat, staring into bright sunshine, without eye protection is complete madness! Secondly, and more common to fly fishing, but still possible with any type of fishing, sunglasses protect the eyes from flying objects being cast around. And lastly, this time nothing to do with protection, polarised sunglasses can help you see fish under the water. I hear you ask - how?!!

When the sun is bright, surface glare prevents you seeing anything beneath the surface with the naked eye or standard sunglasses. Polarised glasses, on the other hand, will eliminate this harsh reflective glare allowing you superior under-the-surface vision throughout the waters upper layers. By wearing polarised glasses on bright days, you will be able to see fish beneath the surface in the upper layers that you otherwise couldn’t if wearing sunglasses with normal lenses or no sunglasses at all. Polarised sunnies will also allow you, on bright days with very clear water, to see the bottom in depths up to around 25ft. Quite handy for spotting snags and shallow water dangers.

CALCUTTA SHADES
Calcutta UK have created a massive range of polarised sunglasses, designed by the angler for the angler with qualities, looks and affordability that you’ll find hard to match anywhere without hurting your wallet. Retailing at £25.95 (a safer price to wear fishing) the Calcutta range of sunnies come in 13 different styles that are not only functional for angling, but look funky too! Whether you prefer the plastic wrap-around look or traditional wire frames, Calcutta have a style to suit everybody, young or old, and with their modern looks, these glasses not only suit a day’s fishing but have day-to-day casual appeal too!

For safety, all Calcutta’s lenses are 1.1mm thick. For function, all lenses offer a wider field of vision than non angling branded glasses. Frames are strong in construction and feature a fade resistant finish. There are 4 lens colours to choose from – standard grey, electric blue, green and (new this year) amber. But more importantly, for the angler who wants to see fish under the surface in bright conditions, Calcutta’s polarisation technology is second to none. To pair with their range of sunglasses, Calcutta have also created a range of retainers including an adjustable and a floating retainer, to make sure that whatever happens your sunglasses don’t fall off!

If you’re looking for a functional, funky looking pair of sunnies to fish in that won’t hurt your pocket (so much that you’re scared to wear them) you won’t go far wrong by checking out the Calcutta range! As with all other angling gear... cheap is cheap for a reason. Expensive gear is expensive for a reason too. Calcutta’s sunglasses fall somewhere in between, offering a great functional product, with no corners cut, that are great value for money. I have been using Calcutta sunnies whilst fishing for the last 4 years and I have no complaints. My favourites are Carolina, Tellico and Bermuda but in the future I think I’m going to try Cero and Thresher!

Available from most Calcutta UK Stockists. More information at High Octane Angling

Calcutta Bermuda Shades

Calcutta Carolina Shades

Calcutta Telico Shades

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