If you’re a surfer like me, you probably spend hours in the ocean, rain or shine, exposing your eyes to hard sun glare and salty water during long sessions.
For us surfers, high-quality surf sunglasses make a lot of sense as we’re at high risk of early cataract and other nasty eye problems resulting from our prolonged exposure to sunlight.
I’ve had many unsuccessful attempts at using surf sunglasses (I surf, SUP surf, and kitesurf). Most ended with me losing the shades in the water or tossing them because they were so uncomfortable they ruined my sessions.
Recently though, I stumbled upon the LIP Typhoon surf sunglasses and decided to invest in a pair for surfing and kiting. I can honestly say these sunglasses changed my surfing life. Though somewhat pricey, they’re simply the best surf glasses I’ve worn in the water.
The Typhoon really stick to my head in the waves. The loss-proof retainer system makes them impossible to lose. The Zeiss lenses give me incredibly clear vision. The anti-splash coating is the most effective I’ve seen.
In this post, I go over the main things to look for in a pair of quality surf sunglasses and share my personal experience with the LIP Typhoons.
Surf sunglasses common pitfalls
As I mentioned earlier, I tried a lot of different surf shades, all of which ended up lost or forever forgotten. Here are the main reasons:
- They quickly got scratched from dry salt and sand, and I had to replace them as often as twice per season
- They filled up with water every time I fell or got hit by a wave
- The lenses eventually started to fog out or get covered with droplets. To avoid this, you really have to keep the lenses spotless.
- Low-quality film coating led to salt spots which ended up hindering my vision
- The frame quickly busted or rusted at the pins
- The straps weren’t strong enough to keep the glasses on me through hard wipeouts
The surf glasses I’ve owned were not the cheapest ($30 – $70), yet they were so uncomfortable I ended up leaving them at home (those I didn’t lose).
Also tried using cheap glasses that I tweaked – attached leashes to them, sprayed all sorts of coating on the lenses etc. That didn’t work well for me and I went back to surfing with no eye protection.
What to look for in surf sunglasses?
These are the main things to look for when choosing surf shades:
UV protection
As surfers, the constant UV radiation combined with water glare can damage our eyes and provoke early cataracts and retinal problems such as macular degeneration. Surf lenses should have category 3 or 4 UV protection to reduce the damage.
Impact protection
Good surf glasses should withstand strong impacts, including getting hit by a big wave or a board without cracking or shattering. Polycarbonate frames absorb impact and are ten times stronger than plastic or glass shades.
Splash protection
Surf sunglasses should remain clear in the water. You want hydrophobic lenses coated on both sides. The coating should also reduce residues from the salt.
Fog protection
Surf-focused shades should have decent airflow to reduce fog and drain holes in the frame to let the water out (no trapped water under your eyes).
Stay in place
You want surf sunglasses that stick to your head snugly. Also, for duck diving and for wipeouts, you want an effective retainer and leash system that reliably keeps the glasses on you when they get ripped off your face.
Vision range
When surfing with sunglasses, you need to clearly read everything happening around you, in and around the wave. You should have a wide vision and peripheral range, similar to ski goggles or semi-rimless lenses.
Lens treatment
Non-glare treatment is important in surf sunglasses as it creates much better contrast and reduces ghost image impressions. Polarization provides improved eye protection but can make it harder to read the surface when the sun is directly overhead (best for low sun).
Why the LIP Typhoon are my top choice
After years of surfing and kiting without eye protection, I thought I’d give it another shot and started researching and testing various surf sunglasses based on the above criteria.
I zeroed in on the LIP Typhoon surf shades and forked out the hefty price for it – price ranges from $178 to $238 depending on variant.
Well guess what? To this day I do NOT regret my purchase! Here is why:
- The Typhoons give me a really broad vision and peripheral range when I’m on my surfboard or SUP. I can see everything happening around me without hindrance – almost feels like I’m not wearing glasses. The Zeiss (German) lenses deserve their high-quality vision reputation.
- These surf sunglasses have a wrapping curve shape that results in a wide vision span. This combined with the highly-flexible and lightweight frame makes it extremely comfortable. The wide nose section also fits my face pretty well.
- Due to their curved shape, the Typhoons naturally stay on and barely move even in moderate wipeouts in the surf. The wide arm tips tucked behind my ears also help keep them in place when a wave hits me
- The clip-on leash and retainer silicon necklace are very reliable and keep my sunglasses attached to me even when a stronger wave rips the glasses off my face or when I crash in the water headfirst.
- The Zeiss lens coating makes them water-repellent, oil-repellent, and scratch-resistant. They don’t crust up from the salt during a surf session, and stay mostly clear even after drying – I can keep them on while on the beach.
- The vent system on these glasses is great, it keeps the fogging minimal and reduces heat. The holes in the frame also let the water drain out really well. Never had surf sunglasses that handled fogging this well.
UDPATE: I do get some amount of fog on my glasses during a surf session. After digging a little I found this is a natural consequence of the heat from my body and hot breath combined with the humid conditions and cold water – apparently that’s the best possible combination for getting fog! Still way better than I’ve experienced with other surf glasses though. - I’ve had them for months now and they’re still good as new. The frame is made from an extremely durable TR-90, a Swiss polymer that can resist anything you can throw at it.
- Even though the Typhoon lenses are polarized, I haven’t experienced any significant depth issues in the surf. This may be because I rarely surf when the sun is directly overhead. When I do, the water surface is usually choppy which reduces the verticality of sunlight and the associated distortion effects of polarization.
On the minus side, you have to take great care of the LIP Typhoons. These surf glasses are meant for water use and shouldn’t be used for everyday life.
You also have to keep them very clean and rinse them after each surf session. I avoid putting my fingers on the lenses as much as possible, and I store them away in their case before I leave the beach to avoid any scratching.
To recap, the LIP Typhoon watershades are high-quality sunglasses for surfing but are not for everybody. They’re specially designed for water use and must be handled with care and stowed away after a session.
In return, they give you unmatched clarity of vision and superb comfort for surfing, SUPing, and kitesurfing.
Check out the Typhoons here on LIP’s website.