For years I’ve advocated spending money on the gear that matters. In fly fishing, rods get all the love. But even in the hands of a skilled caster, a fly rod will only be as good as the line being cast. Whether you’re catching  a lot of fish or not, you’re definitely going to be on your feet all day. So invest in good wading boots. Perhaps most importantly, your sense of sight is key to finding fish and fishing for them. It only stands to reason that sunglasses are an integral piece of gear.

For each of the aforementioned items, another $50 or $100 takes you from decent to excellent. It is an investment. But for you? It may very well make a lot of sense.

Recently I upgraded my go-to sunglasses. And I went from excellent to next-level.

I’ve been fishing in Costa Del Mar sunglasses for about seven years. The reason? Glass. I’ve fly fished, ran in, and simply worn every kind of lens material out there. Nothing beats the clarity and scratch-resistance of glass. Clarity means I can see more; and that I can see it with less eye fatigue. Scratch-resistance means I can see more; with the promise that I’ll be able to do so in that pair for years to come.

Glass lenses in quality frames do come with a price tag. That cost fits in with the investment/benefit equation that I explained above. Decent sunglasses will run around $100. For something that you’ll wear every time you’re on the water, and potentially every time you’re outside, $200 for excellent might make sense.

My latest pair of sunglasses is beyond excellent. Costa upgraded two of their most popular frames (Blackfin and Fantail). The new “PRO Series” sees tweaks and additions that are truly noticeable and helpful. Here are the two that stand out to me:

• Adjustable, vented nose pads: Instead of a static, one-spot-fits-all place where the glasses rest on your nose, the PRO series features a bendable and rubberized arch. This allows for a customized fit. It also features venting, which,  among other benefits, helps keep fogging down if you’re wearing a buff or mask.
• Sticky rubber: I like the rubberized arms and frames of my Fantails. Although they fit my head, having that extra grip keeps them right where they need to be when I move quickly or am starting to sweat. The updated model features more rubber along contact points.

Costa touts some other features, such as channels that route sweat away from your face and ports that allow water to drain from the inside of the lens/frame. I’m sure I’ll notice those additions as I fish in hot and wet environments. But after a few months of fishing, casual wear, and even walking around Disney World, I’m a believer in the Fantail PRO. Costa has taken a great frame and lens combo and made it excellent.

Check out the updated PRO Fantail and Blackfin here.

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Can you get by with $10, gas station, polarized sunglasses? Sure. You can also get by with a $25 WalMart rod/reel/line combo. If that is what makes you happy (regardless of performance), that is completely fine. If you want to spend a little more to get some tangible benefits, that is also completely fine. In my humble opinion, good sunglasses are worth that investment.