Costa Del Mar Tuna Alley Review

Costa Del Mar Tuna Alley Sunglasses Review (On-Water Testing)

Continuing on with my quest to find the best sunglasses for fishing. I’ve got the Costa Del Mar Tuna Alley’s. So, I decided to give the Costa Del Mar Tuna Alley fishing sunglasses a try, and let me tell you, it’s been quite the experience.

Tuna Alley On Water Results

The Tuna Alleys’ were impressive on the water.  The day I tested was full sun and I attempted to orient the sunglasses to catch as much glare as possible.  A perfect test for these darker shades.

Check out the results!

Without Tuna Alley's
Without Tuna Alley’s
With Tuna Alley's
With Tuna Alley’s

Overall Rating Compared to Other Fishing Sunglasses

The Tuna Alley’s just made the top 10. I tested over 17 sunglasses in total, the manufacturing concerns and getting a scratch after 4 days of ownership really put a dampener or some sunglasses I thought would finish near the top. A hot tip — check out the Costa Fantails. Around the same price and they finished near the top of my results and I highly recommend them especially if you’re fishing in harsh sun saltwater conditions

Guide Recommended: These sunglasses are super popular and have lots of great reviews. If they seem like the right sunglasses for you, read more with this shortcut link to Amazon 👉 Costa Del Mar Tuna Alley Sunglasses

Style

I enjoyed the style of these sunglasses and found the wrap to fit me fairly well.  Remember I have a bigger head (large hat size) When trialed on my daughter they were a little on the large size.  (she wears a small hat)

Me wearing Tuna Alley's
Me wearing Tuna Alley’s
Daughter wearing Tuna Alley's
Daughter wearing Tuna Alley’s
Costa Del Mar Tuna Alley 👈 Amazon Link for more infoScore with 10 Being Highest
On-Water Testing (Video, Pics and my eyes) 5
UV Protection (Scored 3-bad, 5-moderate, 8-100% protection) 8
Comfort (Padding and Fit)6
Fishy Factor (Design features that fishing sunglasses should have)5
Durability (Glass lens or option, spring hinge, scratch resistance)5
Star Rating from Others ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(2X weighted)9.4

Impressive Polarization and UV Protection

The first thing I noticed about these sunglasses was the impressive polarization. I could see the difference as soon as I put them on. They cut through glare like a hot knife through butter, allowing me to spot those sneaky fish hiding beneath the surface. I was also pleased to learn that they offer top-notch UV protection, which is a godsend for someone who spends hours outdoors trying to reel in the catch of the day.

Noteworthy Items

I purchased the 580G (glass lens) but the sunglasses sent were the 580P (plastic version).  This was disappointing since the glass lenses should have better clarity and I am evaluating “the best fishing sunglasses”.

I bought glass lenses but was sent plastic - disappointed
I bought glass lenses but was sent plastic – disappointed

The response I got from Costa Del Mar was that since I bought them from Amazon I would need to work through them.  I wasn’t very happy with this response since the labeling on the glasses was incorrect from the factory.

Included with the Tuna Alley’s

The sunglasses came with a useable case, cleaning cloth and a Costa sticker.

Included with Tuna Alley sunglasses
Included with Tuna Alley sunglasses

Tuna Alley Lens Choice and Visibility

Now, let’s talk about the lenses. I wanted the glass lenses but was sent the plastic.  The lenses were a mirror green with a rose/copper tint. It’s a snazzy look, if I do say so myself, and the lenses really helped in enhancing the colors and contrast of my surroundings. With a stated VLT of 10%, these lenses were perfect for those bright, sunny days out on the water.

My VLT Testing

This is highly caveated; my testing is only related to the sunglasses I tested.  The Tuna Alley’s were definitely on the darker side only allowing an average of 14.9% of light to pass through. 

Comfort: Room for Improvement

As much as I appreciate the Tuna Alley’s performance, I must admit that they weren’t the most comfortable sunglasses I’ve ever worn. The lack of a proper nose pad left me feeling a bit sore after a long day of fishing, and I couldn’t help but notice some bumps on the nose area. It wasn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s worth mentioning for those who prioritize comfort.

Bumps on nose pad of Tuna Alley's
Bumps on nose pad of Tuna Alley’s

Durability: Sturdy, but Lacking Spring Hinges

One thing that surprised me was the durability of these sunglasses. The plastic frame material is fairly robust, but I couldn’t help but notice the absence of spring hinges. I’m not one to treat my sunglasses gently, so I do worry about their long-term durability.

Scratch Resistance

The Tuna Ally lenses have “C-Wall” r technology for scratch resistance.   I can’t give a plastic lens as high of scratch resistance as compared to a glass lens.   My sunglasses scratched after 4 days of gentle handling….

Price and Value

As for the price, I paid $223 for my Tuna Alley sunglasses. While they’re not the cheapest option out there, I found the performance and quality to be worth the investment. Plus, with a 4.7-star rating at the time of my purchase, it seems like other users agree.

Costa Del Mar Tuna Alley Sunglasses
Costa Del Mar Tuna Alley Sunglasses

Wrap Curvature: Excellent Coverage

The wrap curvature of these sunglasses is base-8, which provided excellent coverage and peripheral vision while I was out on the water. It’s a feature that I’ve come to appreciate, especially on windy days when I need that extra protection.

Warranty

I struggled to find the warranty information on the Costa Del Mar website.  The written material that came with the sunglasses stated – “to read more about the warranty go to the website”?

I’m going to assume they have a 30-day warranty because I purchased them from Amazon. 

Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Impressive polarization for excellent glare reduction
  • Top-notch UV protection to safeguard your eyes
  • High customer satisfaction with a 4.7-star rating
  • Mirror green lenses with gray tint enhance colors and contrast
  • VLT of 10% suitable for bright, sunny days
  • Wrap curvature (8) offers excellent coverage and peripheral vision

Cons:

  • Lacking in comfort due to the absence of a proper nose pad and the presence of bumps on the nose area
  • No spring hinges, which could potentially impact long-term durability
  • On the pricier side, with a cost of $223

Guide Recommendation: If everything you’ve heard sounds good, check out what others are saying with this shortcut link to Amazon 👉 Costa Del Mar Tuna Alley

Conclusion

So, there you have it. My adventure with the Costa Del Mar Tuna Alley fishing sunglasses was a mixed bag of very good polarization and UV protection, coupled with a few comfort issues. Despite the minor drawbacks, I find these sunglasses to be a worthy companion for my fishing expeditions.

If you can look past the comfort quirks and value top-notch performance, then the Tuna Alley sunglasses just might be the perfect catch for you.

Hi David Humphries Owner of Guide Recommended. I love everything to do with fly fishing. Casting, Tying, YouTube, writing about it and even teaching. I’ve got a FREE video workshop teaching how to dry fly fish at this link How to Fly Fish

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