Late in 2024, the R.L. Winston Rod Company announced the release of their Pure 2 rod series. But that wasn’t the only new product to hit the shelves bearing Winston logos. The Twin Bridges, Montana-based rod company also launched a new line of polarized sunglasses.
I’ll be completely honest—when the folks at Winston mentioned they were launching sunglasses, I was skeptical. How well could a fly rod company do at building eyewear? Especially the kind of sunglasses fly anglers need—ones with exceptionally clear lenses, fantastic contrast, and durability.
Well, when my review models of the Pure 2 showed up, Winston also sent along a few pairs of their new sunglasses. I took a pair with me to test out the rods that afternoon, and I didn’t expect much. I thought they’d be overpriced, middle-of-the-road sunglasses that wouldn’t hold a candle to my favorite Smith lenses.
Winston proved me completely wrong.
Of the ones Winston sent me, the Montana frames with gray lenses are my favorite.
These things are lightweight, and most importantly, comfortable. I’ve got a fat face (I always think of this John Pinette clip whenever this comes up) but the Montana frames fit perfectly, and I can wear them all day without getting sore. I often prefer larger frames with more coverage, but I was surprised at just how well these smaller sunglasses worked for me. As a bonus, my wife has commented on two separate occasions how much she likes these frames on me. So, thanks for the assist, Winston.
Of paramount importance here are the lenses. You can have the best frames in the world, but if you stick subpar lenses in them, it won’t matter.
These lenses are all polarized nylon, so they’re lightweight and shatter-resistant. When fishing in various light conditions, and on various different rivers, these gray lenses worked well at cutting the glare and helping me spot fish in the water. The amber lenses are probably better for all-around fishing, but I found I preferred the gray lenses. They seemed to give me the best balance of glare-reduction without adding too much brightness.
Winston also added an oleophobic coating to reduce smudging, and an anti-reflective coating to aid in light transmission.
These lenses haven’t scratched yet, and I’m notorious for beating up sunglasses. They ride around in my truck and still look as great as they did they day I got them.
Speaking of looking great, Winston sends these sunglasses in a nice case, with an included carry pouch and microfiber cloth. The packaging is top-notch and makes the sunglasses feel more expensive than they are.
At $225 for the Montana and LVF frames, and $175 for the classic, these are a premium-level product, but that’s a bit lower of a price than you’ll find in top-of-the-line sunglasses from other manufacturers.
I’m impressed with the product Winston put together here, and I feel foolish for doubting them. After all, Winston hasn’t let me down before. If you’re in the market for a new pair of sunglasses, I’d highly recommend trying out a pair.
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