Costa Del Mar Fantail Sunglasses Review (WITH ON-WATER VIDEO)

As an avid fly fisherman, I can’t stress enough the importance of high-quality fishing sunglasses. Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on the Costa Del Mar Fantail fishing sunglasses.

They do more than just protect your eyes from the sun; they reduce glare, guard against UV radiation, and even improve underwater visibility.

First Impression of the Fantails

My first impression of the Costa Del Mar Fantails was positive. The beautiful flat black satin finish caught my eye, and their close-fitting design, which effectively blocks out light, seemed just right. The full-length padding on the temple arms and an array of fishing-friendly features definitely piqued my interest.

How Well Did the Costa Del Mar Fantails’ Work on the Water?

It was a lot of work and a miracle for timing, but I got a sunny day right after some trout were stocked in a local river. I laid +17 pairs of sunglasses out and snapped pictures of fish through all those lenses. But the MOST important factor for fishing sunglasses is – HOW WELL THEY WORK!

Here are the before and after pics.

WHERE DID THE Fantails PLACE IN MY COMPARISON?

Out of all the sunglasses I tested, the Fantails finished near the top. They ranked #3 place out of 17 at the time of my review. A stand out feature of the Costa Fantails is “the fishing seeing ability” They scored with the BEST sunglasses for seeing fish.

These sunglasses excel at seeing fish. They were near the top, and priced nearly $60 less than the very best sunglasses tested. Check prices and availability on Amazon with this link. 👉 Costa Del Mar Fantail

If you’re looking for the BEST, check out my FULL REVIEW link 👉 Looking for the Best Fishing Sunglasses. In the article I detail all the sunglasses tested and provide the nitty gritty details covering 16 factors that I reviewed.

Video “On-Water” with the Costa Fantails’

Fit and Comfort

These glasses rank well in terms of comfort. They feature a full rubber pad on the ear and a nice rubber pad on the nose, adding to their overall comfort. However, they were a tad tight at the ear contact point. All in all, they earn a seven on my comfort scale.

Lens Features

The bronze-colored lenses are not just aesthetically pleasing but also quite beneficial for fishing. The lenses offer superior polarization—rated 8 out of 10—greatly reducing glare off the water. Additionally, they provide excellent UV protection, scoring an 8 in that department too. The Visible Light Transmission (VLT) of these glasses is slightly on the darker side, with my tests showing a VLT of 11.4%, but the contrast under varying light conditions is still decent.

Fishy Factor for the Costa Fantails

I rated these glasses a solid 9 out of 10 on the ‘fishy factor’. This metric is my personal measure of how well a pair of sunglasses combines all the best features for fishing into a single pair, and these glasses do it exceptionally well with their good side shield, nice hook over the ear, and very good VLT and tint color.

Frame and Design

The frame material is plastic, which is quite common with most fishing sunglasses. They felt durable enough, but a creaking sound when flexing them left me rating their durability at 5 out of 10. The lack of spring-protected hinges was a minor letdown. Weighing in at 25g, they are light enough for long-term comfort.

Fantail Sunglasses Style

Pictures are worth so much better than words when it comes to style. Both my daughter and I posed for pics wearing the Fantail’s. I’m not all that good looking and a “fat head” wearing a large to XL size hat. She’s a small thing wearing a size small. Check out the pictures.

Included with Costa Del Mar Fantail Sunglasses

The sunglasses come with the essentials: a case and a cleaning cloth. A pretty standard offering, but still good to have.

Additional Features of the Costa Del Mar Fantail

Costa Del Mar’s Fantail glasses stand out for several reasons. They feature premium polarized 580 lenses and offer 100% UV protection. The C-Wall coating on the lenses is a nice touch, providing extra scratch-resistance and repelling water, oil, and sweat for easy cleaning. The warranty, although a bit confusing, seems to cover you for 30 days.

Performance and User Experience

These sunglasses perform excellently in the field. They cut glare exceptionally well—in fact, only 4 pairs of sunglasses I’ve tested received a score of 9 in this category. Despite the slightly higher than ideal VLT and the absence of spring hinges, the Fantails make up for it with their overall comfort and glare reduction capabilities.

Technologies that Set Costa Del Mar Fantail Apart

Costa Del Mar Fantail features unique technologies that make it great for fishing. The premium polarized 580 lenses and the 100% UV protection are key features that ensure superior eye protection and improved visibility.

Pros and Cons of Costa Del Mar Fantail

Pros	Cons
Highly polarized	Hinges lack spring protection
Excellent UV protection	Creaky sound when flexing
Comfortable fit	Plastic lenses, no glass option when I purchased
High ‘fishy’ factor
Good value for the price
Good size side shields
Impressive wraparound curvature
Lightweight design
Scratch-resistant coating

Price and Value

The Costa Del Mar Fantail Sunglasses retail for $213. Considering the quality and the host of features they offer, they do present good value for money.

These sunglasses are fantastic at seeing fish, sharing the top score with only 3 other sunglasses. Check the link below because the price of sunglasses varies. I’ve see huge discounts when “in-season” Check out the current prices and reviews on Amazon with this link. 👉 Costa Del Mar Fantail

Warranty

Costa Del Mar offers a somewhat confusing warranty, but it seems to be a 30-day coverage. While it’s better than nothing, one might hope for a more generous duration given the investment.

Customer Reviews and Ratings

The Fantail has garnered a commendable average star rating of 9.2. Several thousand users have vouched for its performance with positive reviews that speak to its quality, comfort, and efficiency in enhancing fishing experiences.

One More Cast with the Costa Del Mar Fantails

In conclusion, the Costa Del Mar Fantail fishing sunglasses are an impressive blend of function and style. The pros heavily outweigh the few cons. These glasses excel in providing comfort and great visibility, making them a worthy investment for any serious angler. If you’re seeking a reliable pair of fishing sunglasses, the Fantail should be on your shortlist.

Do I recommend the Costa Fantail’s Heck YES! These sunnies excel at seeing fish, the Costa brand is proven in the on-water environment. Thousands of positive reviews with an outstanding rating. Read Read more and check prices with this shortcut link to Amazon. 👉 Costa Del Mar Fantail Sunglasses

Resources

• Check out my full comparison of all the sunglasses in this article. 👉 The Best Fishing Sunglasses
• Download my score sheet if you want the details 👉 Sunglasses Evaluation Score Sheet