Sunglasses are one of the most important items on your boat! The Costa Del Mar Permit sunglasses are by far the greatest pair of shades I’ve ever had on my face. Here’s my Costa Del Mar Permit review and hopefully I’ll help you see exactly how Costa can make you a better angler!
1 year ago I purchased my first pair of Costa Del Mar Sunglasses. Previously I always wore the cheap sunglasses you can buy at the big box stores. I also had a pair of plain-jane Oakley sunglasses that had the typical gray lens. But now that I have been fishing competitively for 3 years, I see the importance of having not just good… but great sunglasses. I’ve discovered that you can’t put a price tag on something that will help you this much. Not only will they protect your eyes but they give you that extra edge by allowing you to have that X-Ray vision under the water. Let me explain how the Costa Del Mar Permits do that better than any other sunglasses I’ve ever worn before.
Product: Costa Del Mar Sunglasses
Lens Color: 580p Green Mirror
Frame Style: Permit
Frame Color: Black/Blackout
Price: MSRP – $189.99 (June 2016)
Aesthetics – The Frame
First and foremost let’s talk about how the Permit’s look. And let’s be serious… if we’re going to spend almost $200 on a pair of sunglasses they sure better look good on your face. The Permits are a wrap-around style sunglasses that are intentionally made extra large. Now don’t let that term “extra-large” fool you. They sit perfectly on your face. The “extra-large” part of these sunglasses ensure you’ve got nearly 100% coverage from the top, bottom and sides of the glasses. I personally prefer the wrap-around style for both cosmetic and visual reasons. It offers full protection from the sun as well as giving you that “I’m a bad ass” look. The frames I purchased are Costa’s blackout frames. They are a matte black finish and the “C” logo on the sides is blacked out. On most pair of Costa Sunglasses the “C” has a nice chrome finish. For me, the blackout frame gives you that professional/serious look that I am craving when tournament fishing.
Sun Protection
The Permit’s I purchased boast Costa’s 580p lens. This lens offers 100% UV light blockage and 100% polarization. As an angler you shouldn’t accept anything less. The 580p lens have superb clarity and also are scratch and fingerprint resistant… This is a big deal for me. The lens has a coating on it that discourages oils (such as the kind on your fingers) from sticking to the lens. I can’t stand fingerprints on my sunglasses and I found out that other sunglasses from other companies don’t offer this technology. So the question begs an answer… what good are the sunglasses if they’ve got fingerprint smudges all over them?
In regards to the actual sun protection – Your eyes will stay happy and healthy behind these lens’. They block the suns most harmful rays and block out the color yellow. Yes, they block out the color yellow! Let me say it once more… the 580p lens BLOCK’S THE COLOR YELLOW.
The Lens – 580p Green Mirror
The Costa Del Mar company was started by anglers for anglers. A group of anglers from Florida needed a pair of sunglasses that went above and beyond any other pair of sunglasses and gave them an edge on the water. The 580p lens does that. I have been MORE than impressed by what the 580p lens does.
I choose the green lens for this pair of Costa’s. Why? Because it provides the perfect tint and clarity for fishing the type of waters that I do. I fish rivers, creeks and a whole lot of black water. The green lens is copper based and is specifically designed for this type of fishing.
NOTE: If you’re seeking to do off-shore style fishing the blue lens would be your choice
Out on the water this past weekend, there was a cloud in the sky. It was 95 degree’s and the sun was at it’s peak. With these conditions I was able to fully test the sunglasses. What I discovered is that Costa’s 580p green lens does in fact go way up and above any other pair of sunglasses I’ve ever used before. I was able to see 3 feet below the waters surface in dingy black water. I was able to see directly through growing grass. I was able to pin-point bedding bream fish. I was able to see minute details under the water that I could have never seen without the 580p green lens.
I removed the sunglasses several times through the day to see what life would be like without them… The only way I can describe the difference is between switching between a HD TV Signal and the old standard non-HD. The lens simply helps you see better.
So when pairing the 580p green lens with the wrap around frames to help block out additional light entry points, you get a pair of sunglasses that give you superman-like vision. I’m not even kidding here…. The level of visibility with this setup is unparallel to anything else I’ve used before.
Ventilation
What’s the only thing that could make a $200 pair of sunglasses useless? Fog. Yeah, I said Fog. As in the lens’ foggy up when you sweat. In other sunglasses I’ve used, during the hottest portion of the day, or whenever I began sweating on my face the lens would always fog up. This is from your body perspiring creating moisture and your body heat pushing heat up to the sunglasses.
So how does the Permit frames help this? By using vents on the side of the frames that help pull out that moisture and body heat away from your face. I can honestly say… it works! And it works great! Being outside in 95+ degree temps and sweating profusely, not once did the frames fog up…. NOT ONCE! There are 3 vent port on each side of the frames. At first look you’d think the sunlight would enter them. But the vents are designed in such a way to prevent light from coming into direct contact with your eyes. You basically don’t even know the vents are their when the sunglasses are on your face.
It’s just another feature at why you should be using Costa.
Size and Comfort
The Permit frames are labeled as “extra-large”. But that’s really a bad term. They aren’t extra large. But what they are is extra light! I promise you, the only way I could tell the sunglasses were on my face is because I could feel the frames on the side of my head. Paired with the 580 plastic lens the sunglasses are feather light. You’ll never had the need to take them off for a minute to rub the tension off the bridge of your nose. When I’m fishing in a tournament the last thing I need to be is uncomfortable. The lightweight Permits help keep me focused by providing the comfort and visual clarity I need.
Costa Del Mar Permit Review – Score & Summary
Costa Del Mar Sunglasses also come with a convenient travel case to help keep them protected when you’re not using them. It’s a nice zipper case that does what it’s suppose to do. Costa also includes a cool “C” sticker to stick on whatever you want. My reasoning for purchasing these sunglasses was to get that extra advantage against the fish on the water. And the Permit Frames paired with the 580p Green Mirror lens do this. I can now be better at sight fishing because I can see better under the water. I can see the small details and the bigger picture both above and beneath the waterline. It’s also comforting to know my eyes are being protected from the suns rays as well.
The only question you should really ask yourself before buying a pair of sunglasses is – “How much do I value my vision?” Is $189 asking to much? Nope… not at all. So do yourself a favor and don’t skimp on your next pair of shades! Visit costadelmar.com and see for yourself.
| PROS | CONS |
| Super light weight 100% UV Protection 100% Polarization Look bad ass! Travel case/sticker X-Ray vision beneath water Stay Firm on your face even if sweating No fogging Lifetime Warranty |
$189 is asking to much for some people. But those people aren’t serious about fishing. |
| FINAL SCORE – 5 OUT OF 5 | |
