re: Costa Del Mar sells out to Luxottica “Update”

Smith Optics offers glass lenses

I bought my first pair around 1990 when a buddy of mine told me they were warrantied for life. I nearly died when I saw the price tag but I took a chance and was never more satisfied with a product. The glass lens is the ONLY sunglass that will hold up to an offshore environment that I have found. All other brands that I have tried would be permanently fogged with scratches within a couple of 4-6 trips...I have had Costas on a boat....left on the console for days on end...and one wipe with an alcohol pad and they are as clear as the day they came out of the box. I have bought myself bunches over the years and so many for gifts for other people I can't begin to count them.

I had a Costa lanyard break about 5 years ago duck hunting and my glasses fell under the boat I was dragging across a mud flat....I didn't realize it until my dog brought them to me and I wiped off the mud and saw the logo and thought "somebody lost their Costas...poor bastard"...it wasn't until I needed my glasses when the sun started to get up that I realized I was the poor bastard LOL. I washed them off and one lens was cracked and one ear piece was broken but still functional...again, washed the mud off, one alcohol pad per lens and as clear as they day I got them, only one is cracked...still functional though. The lens eventually fell out of them.

I call Costa and knew immediately something had changed with the company. No one answered the phone....they asked for my call back number. Used to be that someone would pick up immediately and you would find yourself in a conversation about fishing or boats or the topic of the day...now they wanted to call me back. They did, 2 days later...second warning sign that it wasn't the same....and then informed me that the glasses were no longer warrantied, that they had changed their policy. I told them that was all good and well but the pair in question was purchased prior to any policy change...did not matter...they wanted $175 for the lens and frame repair....when a new pair of the same glasses were on Amazon at the time for $189. Prior to this I would either send them glasses or drop them off and they'd mail 'em back repaired free of charge! I again told them that their policy change was all fine and well but the deal we made when I purchased this pair was unconditional repair or replacement...that is why I paid $300 for them because I knew they came with that kind of insurance and the company had proven it numerous times....but not this time. I did manage to get Costa to replace these glasses through alternative means that I ain't proud of but I wouldn't have done it if they had merely honored our original agreement as they had done numerous times in the past with several of their products.

Product is still great and I'll continue to use them until there is an equal alternative that will stay frog free but I ain't found them yet....all others, RayBan, Oakley, name them, I have tried them....and within a couple of trips offshore they are permanently hazy...but the company has been double barreled shitty, compared to what they were 10 years ago, for about 6 years now. I don't blame them for making as much money as is possible but if you sold an item 30 years ago with an unlimited lifetime warranty guaranteeing them against anything other than loss (I have been told they would replace lost ones but I never tried that and I have lost Costas) the stand behind that pair of glasses. If you change your policy going forward that's fine....their price point has dropped substantially making them more competitive with lesser brands....but honor the commitment you made 30 years ago.

I will bet they'll be no better than RayBans and Oakleys in a few years....its a shame. I am going to buy 5 pairs of the real Costas and put them in my safe because they are the only sun glass that I have found that is equal to the offshore environment. Hopefully someone will see the market that Costa saw in the early 80's and make a truly quality product again....

Helluva post

When was this warranty claim?

I can only talk to Rx lenses, but my MJ are better for driving, and my Costa's are better for outdoor activities. the MJ lenses are a smoke/charcoal color, and my Costa's are more of a brown.

I've had MJ's for years. I used to get Costa at cost, so I have had several pairs of them as well. I have always preferred MJ over Costa on the water. I think that Costa has some better looking frames though.

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I actually switched back to the 580p from the 580g. Just way more comfortable.

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In my experience they will be permanently hazy in a month of use offshore. I think it is a combination of high humidity, stuff on the surface, spray, ballyhoo slime, fish blood and gas / diesel fumes but something happens to the best of plastic lenses offshore in s very short period of time. It may be the Stoly in the bloody Mary's on the way from the hill or the Wasabi for the first King or snapper swung over the transom but something causes plastic lenses to become permanent hazy....the Costa glass lens doesn't do it in my experience...

Smith Chromapop lenses are pretty damn good. I've got some glass, some poly, and I prefer the lighter lenses when I'm wearing them all day.

Plastic scuffs too easily IMO.

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They now want pictures of the glasses before they will even give you a return authorization.

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Wow. I had 2 pairs of Costas and 1 pair of Maui Jims that all were sent out for repairs the same day.

Costas replaced 1 three yr-old pair with an exact brand-new pair. The second model was about 5 years old and discontinued, so they told me to find a model that I liked and they'd swap it out at no additional charge. Glad I took care of this last year. The only charged me a $15 shipping charge and shipped both pairs together to save me on shipping.

Maui Jim's required a $75 service charge because they were no longer under warranty period, plus $10 shipping. I won't buy MJ's again.