AV-Sun Aviation Sunglasses w/ or w/o Bifocal Readers

Never heard of them, price seems reasonable if they are not to flimsy. I have a pair of Weather Watcher Sunglasses, formerly sold by the King schools, in the Aviator Style which is not my preferred style but they were a gift. I only wear them when I fly.

I love the visibility. They have an orangesih lens and when I wear them everything is so much more defined. I can see clouds and their outlines that I could not see with the bare eye. I'd really like to get a pair of the stick on reader lenses but I think the company that made them shut down or is retooling so they are impossible to find. I'll probably take mine to my opthamologist and see if she can make me a pair with readers.

As for the AV-Suns if thats they color lens you want and if they give a money back guarantee it looks like a decent deal. Buying that stuff on line can be a bit hard.
 
I use Maui Jim's with rose lenses, I prefer polarization and have no problem with my Garmin panel. They also come with bifocals and full prescription lenses if desired.
 
Henning said:
I use Maui Jim's with rose lenses, I prefer polarization and have no problem with my Garmin panel. They also come with bifocals and full prescription lenses if desired.
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Rose lenses are good for definition too
 
AdamZ said:
As for the AV-Suns if thats they color lens you want and if they give a money back guarantee it looks like a decent deal. Buying that stuff on line can be a bit hard.
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Yeah, I shot off an email asking them:

What type of case is included?

What is your return policy?

That was a few hours ago... still awaiting a reply.

I did speak with my eye doctor and he said he could customize me a pair of reader sunglasses (on my choice of frame) based upon my distance from the instrument panel. So, I may go that route instead.
 
FlyRod said:
Yeah, I shot off an email asking them:

What type of case is included?

What is your return policy?
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Here's their response:

Most of the cases are soft but we do hard cases if you want, same price. The return or exchange policy is that you must mail them back to us the next day after receiving them. We do not sell used glasses.
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Armageddon Aviator said:
I wonder if they use optical glass or polycarbonate for their lenses....

Couldn't find any info on their website....
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This website is the same company:

http://airplanethings.com/avsuns.htm

They say,


The lenses of the AV-SUN Readers are made from CR39 ophthalmic resin, a prescription quality lens material. The lenses offer 100% UV protection and provide the same clarity as glass lenses with more comfort without the weight. The gray tint was developed by BPI for the U.S. fighter pilots who must make life and death decisions in a split second. This gray tint will not change the color of what you see. The lenses are impact and scratch resistant, exceeding all government ANSI standards. The bifocals are ground into the lens, they are not stick-on.
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The CR39 is what the FAA recommends.
 
Heh. No one has given Henning grief for viewing the world through rose-colored lenses yet? ;)
 
denverpilot said:
Heh. No one has given Henning grief for viewing the world through rose-colored lenses yet? ;)
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Should be the only color allowed, there is a lot of truth to that adage, there really is. If I wore green Ray Bans, what the kid in Colorado did the other day would seem like an act from Romper Room...:rofl:
 
Never heard of those ether.

I'm a big fan of Randolf Aviators (with the bayonet arms). Glass lenses with a neutral grey tint that doesn't mess up colors, non polarized so you don't get that acid trip effect when you look at LCD screens or out polarized windows, standard issue to USAF too I beleve. Best of all they can be had on eBay for under 100 bucks.

randolph-aviator-sunglasses.jpg
 
I heard Randolph Engineering and Serengeti make nice glasses. I just use a pair of cheap mall kiosk sunglasses.
 
I am in trifocals with astigmatism correction.. While I can afford to have a pair of 1AMU sunglasses built, I content myself with goggles that go on over my regular glasses - about 20 bucks at the kiosk (right next to the white canes)...
 
FlyRod said:
Has anyone tried these aviation sunglasses by AV-Sun? They are non-polarized, as recommended by the FAA. You can also order a pair with bifocal readers in various powers, as needed:

http://www.av-sun.com/home.htm

BTW, here is a reference on sunglasses by the FAA:

http://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilotsafetybrochures/media/sunglasses.pdf
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I just purchased a pair of AV-Sun bifocals and I am extremely happy with them.

The quality is absolutely great ! Their lenses are made with a Milspec resin providing excellent optical properties - no distortion and flawless definition.

Now I can read checklists, sectionals and instruments without having to constantly remove my headset to switch between sunglasses and prescription glasses ( so annoying ).

Highly recommended !

P.S. I think that the model with the largest frame / lenses will suit most adult pilots.
 
Armageddon Aviator said:
I just purchased a pair of AV-Sun bifocals and I am extremely happy with them.

The quality is absolutely great ! Their lenses are made with a Milspec resin providing excellent optical properties - no distortion and flawless definition.

Now I can read checklists, sectionals and instruments without having to constantly remove my headset to switch between sunglasses and prescription glasses ( so annoying ).

Highly recommended !

P.S. I think that the model with the largest frame / lenses will suit most adult pilots.
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Awesome.

I have these when I fly:
http://www.aoeyewear.com/Flight_Gear/original_pilot_frames.htm

And these when I am doing anything else:
http://www.mauijim.com/honolua-bay-7024.html

I like the Maui Jim's, but the polarization makes it hard to see the iPad/iPhone.
 
After my wife got LASIK'd she bought a lot of bifocal readers both in clear and sunglass tints from readingglasses.com.
 
I've flown with the Av-Sun Titanium Flyer bifocals for several years and have found them to be exceptional. The frames and lenses are small and very light. The temples are small/thin which helps with the headset seal against your head. The only regret is that I didn't order stronger bifocal strength. Mine are 125, which was fine when I got them. However, three years later I wish they were 200 or more....
 
Prescription lenses in Scheyden flip-ups here. Zero complaints. Prior to that it would have been prescription lenses in Oakley frames, which is what the non-sunglasses prescription daily drivers are.
 
I have a pair of prescription Serengeti Drivers I bought back when Corning would do prescriptions on their Serengetis... I would probably give up flying if I lost them.
 
$70-100? You can get reading sunglasses like that at most sunglass shops around here for $10-15 -- UV-A/B protective, the works.
 
I've had many pairs of glasses but I've been using a pair of Titanium Aviator AV-Sun's for the last couple years. They are good quality and I just ordered a pair of their new 180 style. I would say they are a very good value and I like the gradient tint to see the maps. :yes:
 
FlyRod said:
Has anyone tried these aviation sunglasses by AV-Sun? They are non-polarized, as recommended by the FAA. You can also order a pair with bifocal readers in various powers, as needed:

http://www.av-sun.com/home.htm

BTW, here is a reference on sunglasses by the FAA:

http://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilotsafetybrochures/media/sunglasses.pdf
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I like those and need a set with +1.25s, I just wish they had them in Rose.:( Oh well, I had a gal in Key West who made me custom tint polarized lenses before as a tip for taking her out on the dive boat over the lobster mini season. I think her normal price was $135 for a set of custom non prescription sunglass lenses then what ever the frames cost. The ones she gave me were the flex titanium with ultra slim frame soft flex loop wire style that were really comfortable under my gel cup seals.

I don't concure with the FAA's opinion on polarized, I find I spot traffic very clearly and with good contrast though my Maui Jim Sports with polarized rose lenses that I've been wearing for a decade. I own and fly a TAA with a G-500 and a 430w and have viewed and used the GNS 750 & 650 while wearing them with no problem. Industry has figured this out and you can always manage to get full bright between a 45 left -right tilt arc with the Maui Jim coming in around 5 left tilt for full bright which images the 20 degrees left or right of it only slightly dimininished at the very edge of performance.
 
I received a pair of Serengetis for my birthday. I like them a lot. They are a bit heavy and were a bit larger than I had anticipated. Nevertheless, a good set of lenses!

Edit: I should note that they are non-polarized and are henna colored with the driver's gradient. Perfect for driving and flying.
 
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