Non-polarized sunglasses for HUD? Post a picture of them in your car!

[SD ///M4]

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By now everyone knows that polarized sunglasses don't work very will with the HUD. This is going to be a problem for me since I've worn Maui Jim sunglasses exclusively for years and Maui Jim doesn't make any sunglasses that aren't polarized. I've driven several M3/M4s with HUD while wearing my Maui Jims, and while I can see the display (dimly), the display is much brighter and more readable without the sunglasses.

I'll be leaving for my May ED in a few weeks and I want to get a new pair of quality sunglasses that offers good optics but aren't polarized. We're going to be covering nearly 2,000 miles in two weeks, mostly in daylight, so going without sunglasses isn't an option.

So what non-polarized sunglasses do you wear and allow you to see the HUD in all its glory?

P.S. I've searched and I can't find any threads that discuss this specifically. Lots of posts indicating where people store their sunglasses, but none that indicate what kind of sunglasses.

Edit: Post a picture of your sunglasses on the dashboard of your M3/M4 along with the make and model of your sunglasses!

[nineofspades]

I have a pair of ray-ban's I love... They have a bit of the ray-ban style, but aren't the classic wayfarer style that may be a bit too fashion forward for you (or may not, idk). Good coverage, and not polarized.

http://www.ray-ban.com/usa/sunglasse...k/805289526575

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

So what non-polarized sunglasses do you wear and allow you to see the HUD in all its glory?

Oakley's.

I am partial to Straight Jacket, and had to order a pair with non-polarized Black Iridium lenses just for the HUD. Take your pick:
http://www.oakley.com/en/mens/sungla...Best-Sellers_1

[Worm25]

Oakley offers different lenses, both polarized and non-polarized. A bunch of frames to choose from as well.

[dinonz]

I've always worn Serengetis. They make both polarized and non-polarized in a range of styles.

[RickFLM4]

I bought a pair of Persol non-polarized last year and really like them.

[myzmak]

I use polarized lenses and the HUD works. You just need to fiddle with the settings.

[joeyb26]

x3 for Oakley's

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by dinonz

I've always worn Serengetis. They make both polarized and non-polarized in a range of styles.

Serengetis used to be my main choice before Mau Jim, and over the years ago I wore several of their models with the rose-colored gradient Drivers lenses. The latest pair that I bought at Costco, the Dexter model, had a combination metal/plastic bow that was riveted together and broke pretty quickly at the rivet. I wasn't impressed.

I just went looking though, and found a pair of old Serengeti Essentials, which is an aviator-style frame with the rose-colored gradient Drivers lenses and they're not polarized! I still have my old Malibu Grand Prix "drivers license" from 1989 with my picture on it and I'm wearing these sunglasses! I think I stopped wearing them when my sister-in-law asked why I wore such big sunglasses.

I may just use these for the trip, but I kind of liked the Ray-Ban New Wayfarers customized in black with the orange flash lens. I think that they'd match my Sakhir Orange M4 pretty well!

[AndyLu]

I use ray bans to tom fords. Just pick a pair that looks great and will have the best protection

[dinonz]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

Serengetis used to be my main choice before Mau Jim, and over the years ago I wore several of their models with the rose-colored gradient Drivers lenses. The latest pair that I bought at Costco, the Dexter model, had a combination metal/plastic bow that was riveted together and broke pretty quickly at the rivet. I wasn't impressed.

I just went looking though, and found a pair of old Serengeti Essentials, which is an aviator-style frame with the rose-colored gradient Drivers lenses and they're not polarized! I still have my old Malibu Grand Prix "drivers license" from 1989 with my picture on it and I'm wearing these sunglasses! I think I stopped wearing them when my sister-in-law asked why I wore such big sunglasses.

I may just use these for the trip, but I kind of liked the Ray-Ban New Wayfarers customized in black with the orange flash lens. I think that they'd match my Sakhir Orange M4 pretty well!

I've also heard that Serengetis have gone down in quality over the years. I always preferred them for flying because they have good visual acuity and the brown/yellow lenses give really good definition in the clouds which helps a lot.

So you're going to do a Tom Cruise "Maveric" impersonation for your trip huh?

[devildog0331]

Nobody's sunglasses come close to the optical clarity of Oakley lenses. Private Pilot magazine used to buy up a bunch of sunglasses off the shelf and send them out to a lab for in depth analysis and Oakley absolutely crushed every other sunglass manufacturer in every optical test they ran. If you google, you might be able to still find the results, but even some of the more highly regarded brands discussed here were absolute junk compared to Oakley.

[///Mongo]

Originally Posted by myzmak

I use polarized lenses and the HUD works. You just need to fiddle with the settings.

+1

Turn the brightness all the way up.

[myzmak]

Originally Posted by ///Mongo

+1

Turn the brightness all the way up.

Yup, and adjust the angle so the projection hits the windshield more 'sideways' - play around with it OP and you'll see it works.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by myzmak

Yup, and adjust the angle so the projection hits the windshield more 'sideways' - play around with it OP and you'll see it works.

HUD will work with polarized but not nearly as well as with non-polarized no matter how much you adjust the settings. I've tried both and there is a big difference.

[dinonz]

Originally Posted by devildog0331

Nobody's sunglasses come close to the optical clarity of Oakley lenses. Private Pilot magazine used to buy up a bunch of sunglasses off the shelf and send them out to a lab for in depth analysis and Oakley absolutely crushed every other sunglass manufacturer in every optical test they ran. If you google, you might be able to still find the results, but even some of the more highly regarded brands discussed here were absolute junk compared to Oakley.

I used to wear Oakleys for skiing and they were fantastic, but the arm bands were too large for aviation - they caused the ear seals on the headphones to be pulled away from my head allowing noise in which wasn't ideal. I switched to Serengetis and the Serengetis (at the time) were way better. Serengeti may have declined and Oakley improved since then (and this was before the Private Pilot article) but Oakley just don't seem to make anything that I like the look of that's not polarized.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by myzmak

I use polarized lenses and the HUD works. You just need to fiddle with the settings.

Originally Posted by ///Mongo

+1

Turn the brightness all the way up.

Originally Posted by myzmak

Yup, and adjust the angle so the projection hits the windshield more 'sideways' - play around with it OP and you'll see it works.

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

HUD will work with polarized but not nearly as well as with non-polarized no matter how much you adjust the settings. I've tried both and there is a big difference.

Thanks for the feedback on polarized sunglasses with the HUD.

The most extended time I've had in the M3/M4 was at the 2-day M School and I really didn't have the time to fiddle with the HUD.

Since I just realized that my really old pair of Serengetis is non-polarized I think that my plan will be to take my regular Maui Jims along with the Serengetis and wear whichever one works best with the HUD while I'm driving.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by devildog0331

Nobody's sunglasses come close to the optical clarity of Oakley lenses. Private Pilot magazine used to buy up a bunch of sunglasses off the shelf and send them out to a lab for in depth analysis and Oakley absolutely crushed every other sunglass manufacturer in every optical test they ran. If you google, you might be able to still find the results, but even some of the more highly regarded brands discussed here were absolute junk compared to Oakley.

I searched for the article, couldn't find it, so I searched for "private pilot magazine" only to find out that they ceased publication in November 2005! They were apparently bought by or merged with Plane & Pilot magazine. I searched their website but couldn't find the article. Given the age of that article I would speculate that things may have changed in the last 10+ years so I wouldn't necessarily take that dated article as proof of Oakley's optical superiority.

[Sleeper]

Is the main problem exclusive wearing of Maui Jim's?

I have a few sets of polarized sunglasses and don't have issues with the HUD display after tweaking the settings a bit.

[SD ///M4]

Has anyone seen that thread where owners post a picture of their watch while sitting in the car? How about some pictures of your sunglasses on the dash of your M3/M4 along with the make and model? That might be fun!

Obviously, I don't have my M4 yet, but I can post a picture of my sunglasses in my Z4 M Roadster, except that I just realized that my wife drove it today so I can change the oil in her car! Tomorrow.

[dinonz]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

Has anyone seen that thread where owners post a picture of their watch while sitting in the car? How about some pictures of your sunglasses on the dash of your M3/M4 along with the make and model? That might be fun!

Obviously, I don't have my M4 yet, but I can post a picture of my sunglasses in my Z4 M Roadster, except that I just realized that my wife drove it today so I can change the oil in her car! Tomorrow.

I'd have to take a pic of them in my 335i. Still have 2 months to wait for my M3.

[RobbyMack]

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

Has anyone seen that thread where owners post a picture of their watch while sitting in the car? How about some pictures of your sunglasses on the dash of your M3/M4 along with the make and model? That might be fun!

Obviously, I don't have my M4 yet, but I can post a picture of my sunglasses in my Z4 M Roadster, except that I just realized that my wife drove it today so I can change the oil in her car! Tomorrow.

Yes and let's all agree not to do that. That thread takes the DB quotient of the forum to a high level. And this coming from a guy who proudly displays his DB status driving an orange M3