Sea Specs Extreme Eyewear

After a lifetime of surfing, I now find myself suffering from pterygiums, strange skin-like growths that cover the inner corner of the eyeball and can eventually grow to cover the pupil and impair vision permanently if not surgically removed. These nasty little devils not only look horrifyingly bloody when irritated but they are caused and exacerbated by sun and wind exposure.

And I am not alone. Several friends I have grown up with have the same condition as well as countless fishermen, divers, and other outdoors lovers I have encountered over the years.

So what is a surfer to do? Will you be able to surf with your kids when they come of age? Will you have to quit going to the beach and shun the sun like some mole rat? Maybe not.

Luckily, the surf industry has noticed this trend of sun-related eye problems, and several companies have put out eyewear made specifically for surfing, skiing, kite boarding, or any outdoor sport that requires that glasses be not only light weight and secure, but they must also provide total protection from the sun’s harmful rays.

In all honesty, I would avoid any extra gear. A pair of baggies and a board, and I'm good. But to keep surfing, eye protection is an unfortunate requirement now. So in my quest to find the best protection for my eyes and future waveriding pursuits, I have personally tried surfing eyewear from three companies: Oakley, Sea Specs, and Barz, and based on my trials I recommend Sea Specs based on price, style, and security (or least likely to come off in the surf).

The first day I used my Sea Specs, the surf was small, so I put them through the “kids at the beach” test which involves pushing my daughter into waves on her body board, throwing my son up in the air, falling backwards into the water, rolling around in the mud and building castles in the sand. Standard surf dad activities. So far, my Sea Specs provided complete protection that I could leave on as I ran back and forth from the water to the sand. The minor water beads posed no deterrent to our intense search for shells and didn’t fall off in our race to jump over as many waves as possible. This sounds rather insignificant, but any person who spends time near the ocean knows that regular sunglasses (even with a strap) must be taken off during many of these types of activities, but my Sea Specs were functional for all my beach-related action.

The following day saw the arrival of a good swell, and I was able to put my Specs through a real test. Under normal surfing conditions which included paddling, duckdiving, and riding small to medium sized waves, Sea Specs worked extremely well. The lenses stayed clear, and the frame remained securely on my head even after some minor wipeouts.

They were most clear under full sun (which makes sense), but when the sky grew very overcast, the minor beading was a little annoying. However, Sea Specs does make glasses with different tint levels which would alleviate this problem. Also, I have been told that by adding a little dish soap or anti-beading product (like the ones for windshields) will totally eliminate any beading whatsoever.

Overall, my surfing experience with Sea Specs was extremely positive. In bigger surf, I have found that Sea Specs come off if the wave catches you right or if you have a significant wipeout.

In contrast to the other brands I tried, I found Sea Specs to be both more advanced in terms of function and more stylish in terms of fashion (not that I would say they actually "stylish"). Barz are more like goggles, and I found them clumsy and unsightly. They do keep the salt water completely off you eyes which would be effective if your eyes need that level of protection. Oakley, didn’t fit quite as snug as Sea Specs, and they look a bit too “space man” for me. Therefore, in terms of fashion, function and price, I find Sea Spec to be the most effective “extreme surf sunglass” on the market.

According to the press release, Sea Specs utilizes polarized polycarbonate lenses that provide 100% UVA and UVB protection. They float in the ocean and are specially designed with an adjustable strap which prevents them from falling off. I found this to be true although I have not used them yet in any waves of consequence. However, most of us spend the bulk of our water time riding small to medium sized waves.

Costing about $70 (which I found to be the cheapest of the different glasses I tried), Sea Specs are a great form of protection for any water sports enthusiast. Obviously, if I had a choice, I would opt for nothing at all, but Sea Specs affords me a stylish solution to my problem.