The Bajio Bales Beach sunglasses are nothing short of incredible.
Every angler needs a good pair of sunglasses. Because a good polarized lens will cut through the glare coming off the water and allow you to see down into the depths, allowing you to pick up vital clues that will help you catch more fish.
Lens technology has come a long way the last few years and many new offerings offer a greater view of your watery surroundings than ever before. While also offering functionality and style that extends beyond just the lake.
We recently got to test the Bajio Bales beach sunglasses with drum/rose lenses on both fresh and saltwater and came away quite impressed by not only how great they look, but how they perform as well.
Bales Beach
Travis Smola
This offering from Bajio is still brand-new. It was only just introduced at ICAST a few months ago. Bajio ended up sending me a stylish-looking black matte frame color fitted with a drum/rose glass lens color. I was told this style of lens is perfect for lakes and rivers that are tree covered or on slightly overcast days when the sun is peeking in and out of the clouds. More on that later.
The Bales Beach is a classic wrap-around frame style that provides excellent side coverage from the sun's glare. What sets it apart from other sunglasses is the construction of the durable frame. Bajio is extremely environmentally conscious, and it shows in the Bales Beach. These sunglasses are constructed with a material derived from plants rather than plastics. Although you would never know it holding these frames in your hands. We appreciate a company that is as concerned about the health of our watery playgrounds as we are.
They are also extremely durable, as I found out when I accidentally left them on the roof of my Jeep, and they hit the pavement when I drove off. Only a few minor scratches on the frame, nothing that ruined them. The lenses were protected well thanks to an anti-scratch and oleophobic lens coatings.
The frames are extremely comfortable. It has always been difficult for me to find a quality pair of sunglasses because the frames usually do not seem to fit my face right. The Bales Beach has an excellent set of rubber nose pads that stay comfortable even when wearing them all day. No red marks on my nose like I've gotten from other pairs of glasses.
The lenses.
Travis Smola
This is where the Bales Beach really shines as the best sunglasses I've ever used. The drum/rose lenses remind me of a filter for a camera lens. I'm not talking just when you are on the water either. They immediately make all the colors of the world around you pop like someone turned up the saturation filter. These lenses aren't just darkening the sun's rays, they are enhancing it.
Most notable here is Bajio's "Fresh Eyes" polarized blue glass technology. Blue light is a huge concern these days because it can be damaging to the eyes. Bajio says their lenses reduce this light like a giant blue mirror, to the tune of a 95 percent reduction. I believe it. My eyes felt much less strained whenever I used the Bales Beach. During my testing, I spent quite a bit of time fishing here in Michigan on both bright and sunny, and slightly cloudy days. The lenses of these glasses cut through the glare perfectly and allowed me to see fish I may have otherwise missed.
Travis Smola
I also went on a press trip down to Puerto Rico during my testing. Unfortunately, the fishing portion of my trip was cancelled due to weather, but I still logged some time on a boat and was amazed at how the lenses cut through the glare and allowed me to see down into the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean where I spotted a number of cool reef fish and even some tarpon at one point. The first photo above is an unfiltered view of the waters I shot on a scuba diving expedition.
Travis Smola
This next photo is a shot after I put the camera behind the lens of the Bajio Bales Beach. This is not a perfect representation of these glasses since the camera mutes the colors a little. However, the difference there is clear. Even though this lens setup was not designed specifically for the situation I had it in, the Bales Beach blows every other pair of sunglasses I have out of the water when it comes to performance. I have even taken to using them while driving just because they seem to enhance my vision for that too. Which makes them perfect for long road trips through a sunny area.
The Bottom Line.
Travis Smola
The Bajio Bales Beach sunglasses are worth the price of admission. And Bajio has a style for everyone here with color offerings like Cuda Grey/green cerveza matte, trevally blue glass/dark tort glass, cuda silver plastic/basalt matte, cuda grey plastic/black matte, and permit green glass/green cerveza matte. These glasses are so nice, I'm considering checking out some of Bajio's other offerings like the Nippers, Boneville, and Calda too. They are that good. If you are looking for a top-of-the-line pair of sunglasses, the Bajio Bales Beach is the way to go.
Products featured on Wide Open Spaces are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
NEXT: PETA IS NOW GOING AFTER FISHERMEN
WATCH
