Polarised sunglasses are the Xray specs of the carp fishing world, they allow you to turn the harsh silvery glare of a lakes surface into a clear fish tank revealing not only our quarry but also any features that may have been lurking. As you can probably guess I am a very large fan of polarised sunglasses and take a pair with me fishing on even the most dull of days as when you need polarised sunglasses you really need them. Not only will they help you see fish they will also help cut down in eye strain ensuring that even if you are “casting at the sun” your eyes will not feel like it. Additionally if you are a lure fisherman or fly fisherman a pair of sports sunglasses will also give you basic eye protection against everything from a misplaced fly to weed and lake water flying off of your reel.
The above image shows the kind of view that you should be able to expect from a pair of polarised sunglasses when looking into the water. The surface glare is completely gone allowing you to peer into the depths and hopefully catch a view like this.
Whilst looking about for a set of good quality Polaroids I came across the range from Kontrol Sports which combined the practicalities of a decent light weight pair of Polaroids with looks that aren’t out of place on designer shades. The ones I have are the Kontrol Polar Ice Polarised Sunglasses with the name referring to the colour of the lens. One of the big problems with the polarising sunglasses that you tend to find in fishing tackle shops ( and particularly those aimed at carp anglers) is that the sunglasses look good on the bank but you wouldn’t wear them out and about. These ones from Kontrol Sports buck that trend.
So do they work ? Well I had the opportunity to try them at several lakes recently and compare them to my normal set of polarising sunglasses ( Oakley Ti Frames and Hoya lenses) and I have to say that these stack up rather well. Taking build quality and weight as factors, normally you cant have light weight glasses with good build quality however these have gotten the balance perfectly right. The glasses feel substantial yet are light to wear. The matte grey frame is unobtrusive as well as adding a touch of class and the smoke coloured lenses do not add any colour cast to the image as my old ones did.
Over all, they represent superb value for money priced at 25 pounds and in addition to the polarised sunglasses you also get a well made zip up hard case that will be sure to protect them for many years to come. Well recommended and they are available for 25 Pounds from Kontrol Sports website here.
The Masterblanker 