Gear Review: Island Optics Sunglasses

The author’s friend, Alex, showing off both the Island Optics sunglasses and his personal-best brown trout. Photo: Spencer Durrant

Island Optics is a name I reckon few anglers have heard of, even though they’ve been in business since 1922. Of course, they didn’t build fly fishing sunglasses back then, but the Florida-based company has over a century of lens-making knowledge that they’ve since applied to on-the-water pursuits.

Their lenses are designed for use in the saltwater environments off Florida’s coast, but they’re right at home here in the Rockies, as well. I’ve been using these lenses for around two months now, and I’m thoroughly impressed.

Island Optics sent me a few pairs to try out, and the Mako XL frames with the Red Sunset mirror lenses have been my favorites.

What stands out right from the get-go is the build quality. The frames are polycarbonate, but they feel solid. Nothing about the construction feels flimsy, and they’re as well-built as any of the frames from a big-name company.

I have a wider face, and the Maxo XL frames fit well and don’t slide off. I’ve had problems with frames from other companies fitting well lately, but everything I tried from Island Optics was comfortable.

The author’s favorite Island Optics model is the Mako XL frames with Red Sunset mirror lenses.

Now, well-built, comfortable frames are only half the battle. The real test of fishing sunglasses comes in the performance of the lenses. And I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first because the Mako XL with the Red Sunset lenses retail for $98. With sunglasses, I’ve found that you generally get what you pay for. Cheap gas-station glasses are fine in a pinch, but the lenses often lack the clarity and comfort you experience when fishing with high-end optics.

I’m also wary of protecting my eyesight, and even though this might sound silly, I don’t fully trust cheap lenses to have the same level of polarization and eye protection that top-tier lenses do. I’m already deaf in one ear, so I probably worry a bit too much about my eyes, but I like the peace of mind that comes with name-brand sunglasses.

So, here’s the honest truth: I can’t see a difference between Island Optics’ lenses and those of my fancier (and more expensive) sunglasses. The clarity and color enhancement is there. Island Optics’ lenses cut through the glare off the water, and my eyes don’t feel tired after an entire day of wearing them.

I even did a quick test with my buddy Alex a few weeks ago while we were out fishing. He wears big-brand sunglasses with gold mirror lenses, and I handed him my Island Optics Mako XLs. I asked Alex if he could tell the difference between the image quality of the two lenses. He didn’t know anything about Island Optics—price point, lens technology, or anything else that might have swayed his opinion. After a few minutes in both lenses, Alex shrugged and said “they’re pretty much the same.”

Island Optics offers an array of frames and lens colors.

To me, that’s the highest compliment I can give Island Optics. They’ve crafted lenses that are “pretty much the same” as what you get from the big names, at a fraction of the price. These lenses are polycarbonate, but glass lenses are on the way in 2025.

Every Island Optics lens features OX2 polarization, which I’m told helps anglers see “absolutely vivid, real color,” according to CEO Allen Alovis. Each lens also receives oleophobic and hydrophobic coatings, which makes them fog-free and smudge and oil-resistant.

Finally, each lens gets a marine coating, which protects against oxidation and ensures that lenses won’t delaminate, even when consistently exposed to salt water.

I haven’t had the chance to test these in salt water, but all the claims Island Optics makes about polarization and clarity ring true for me. I’m extremely impressed with what this company has done, and look forward to whatever new lenses they put on the market in the near future.

Spencer Durrant is a fly fishing writer from Wyoming. He’s the host of the weekly podcast Untangled: Fly Fishing for Everyone, as well as a staff writer for Flylords. Connect with him on Instagram/X, @Spencer_Durrant.