A fisherman probably understands the importance of polarized eyewear better than anyone; reducing glare and protecting eyes against harmful ultraviolet rays is of the utmost importance, but so is improved visibility of the underwater environment in terms of isolating lines of deep water versus shallows, and of course spotting fish.
Anglers also have a multitude of choices in today’s market in terms of that perfect pair of polarized eyewear. I’m actually one of those obsessed individuals with more than a dozen different lens selections that may get cycled in and out of operation. In fact, I’ll often have two different sets for any one day’s session, copper or amber colored for low light conditions on up to blues and greens when the sun is at its fullest. If you happen to see me wearing one set of lenses on my face with another hanging around my neck, it just means I’ve been fishing since dawn, or plan to fish through dusk.
One new option on the market this season comes from Australia, TONIC Polarized Eyewear which you may have only seen for the first time as a new prize offered in The Fisherman’s 2025 Dream Boat Fishing Challenge. This will be my first season getting to know TONIC as well, particularly their Copper Photochromic lenses which feature a four-color integrated filter system that adapts to changing light conditions from dawn to dusk.
A lot of folks who wear eyeglasses on a regular basis have been switching to transition style lenses which automatically change to light, darkening in sunlight and becoming clearer when indoors. The TONIC Glass Photochromic lenses – Copper or Grey – actually darken and lighten depending on ambient light conditions. In bright sunlight the lens changes to a darker shade which blocks 86% of the light, while in lower light the lens moves to 67% which provides optimal vision in cloudy or overcast conditions.
As someone who uses polarized eyewear on the beach, I’m a big fan of glass lenses. A couple of grains of sand can ruin polycarbonate lenses pretty quickly. TONIC uses Crown Corning Glass which provides great clarity and scratch resistance. They also boast a Nano-polarized film for exceptional optical clarity and superior glare reduction. On the back surface of the lens TONIC uses a premium Japanese anti-reflective coating to further reduce reflective glare by up to 45%.
There are a wide range of frames to fit many face shapes and sizes (think larger heads and noses like mine), and a host of lens color selections for those who prefer specific colors for their angling purposes. For example, in addition to their top-selling Copper Photochromic I mentioned earlier, you also have Neon favored by fly fishermen, as well as high contrast Green Mirror and Blue lenses often favored on the offshore grounds.
Designed in Australia and manufactured in Japan, TONIC Polarized Eyewear is uniquely poised in this current global market environment to make a big splash in the U.S. this season, and the timing couldn’t be better as a prize package in The Fisherman’s Dream Boat Fishing Challenge in 2025. Personally, I’ll be getting a better look at (and through TONIC lenses) in July at the ICAST show where TONIC is expected to have another big product launch. Stay tuned.
Until then, keep an eye out for TONIC Polarized Eyewear at your local shop or online retailer, where prices – depending on frame and lens selection – start at $299.
