Costa Del Mar – King Tide 8

The Costa King Tide 8 frames are purpose built for fishermen (or dogs) with full wrap frames and top notch polarization.

These sunglasses fully cover your face and block out all light from the top, bottom, and sides, making them excellent for flats or open water fishing. When it comes to eyewear designed for fishermen, Costa has always had its roots in the water. It is a brand that stands out for professional anglers, charter captains, and average fisherman like myself because they produce high quality, durable, and superior sunglasses. You know that you’re getting your money’s worth which is especially important in today’s market when everything has jumped up in price. The Costa Del Mar King Tide 8 frames are a welcome addition that is geared toward pure fishermen specifically because of the full wrap frames with the addition of removable side shields to reduce any glare. These are performance shades and feature added ventilation and only glass lens offerings.

One of my tests for these frames happened to be taking the kids to a trout pond for fishing. It was a cold windy day yet still very bright out. The polarized lenses were perfect for blocking the glare on the water and letting me see right through to the schooling trout. Furthermore the side shields were incredibly effective at reduce eye strain from the excessive wind. I could see where the fish were and I was comfortable doing it.

I wish I could say these sunglasses landed me this monster trout, but this one was caught entirely by my son without high end polarize Costas. I suppose that proves you don’t need incredibly nice sunglasses to go fishing, but it does make you more comfortable and adds to the experience. There were times when I could see fish very clearly but he was unable to determine where to cast. Ultimately as a fisherman locating the fish is more than half the battle, so there is never a case where you’ll catch me out fishing without a pair of polarized shades.

Comfort is paramount when choosing sunglasses for extended wear, and the King Tide 8 Sunglasses deliver on this front. The adjustable nose pads and temple tips ensure a customizable fit, allowing for a snug and secure grip without any uncomfortable pressure points. For most of the Costa Pro models I haven’t been as much of a fan of the squared off frame legs, however these are thinner and less obtrusive, so they don’t dig in very much.

The fit on these is listed as large, and while I will say that is true, they fit my face well and I tend to gravitate toward medium sized frames. They do have a larger vertical lens size than I’m used to. One funny side note, Apple FaceID does not recognize me when I’m wearing my King Tide 8 sunglasses. This kind of does make sense because the lenses and frames come down further on my face than other pairs of sunglasses, however this is the first pair of sunglasses that I couldn’t get my phone open with. Not a dealbreaker but somewhat inconvenient for me while fishing. I’m sure other people with larger faces won’t have a problem.

The King Tides are designed with a full wrap lightweight yet robust castor oil bio resin frame. These sunglasses provide the perfect balance of comfort and durability for extended wear. They also integrate a rubber anti skid coating that is hydrophobic and very thoroughly tested to ensure resistance to water and sweat. I for one have seen that this newer material tends to fare longer term much better than the rubber on old school Costas that well get sticky and start peeling.

One of the standout features of the King Tide 8 Sunglasses is their exceptional optical clarity, thanks to Costa Del Mar’s cutting-edge lens technology. These sunglasses feature polarized lenses constructed from premium materials, offering unparalleled visual acuity while reducing glare and enhancing contrast. The 580G lenses are better than ever, with thinner glass for lighter weight, accomplished by contouring the lenses for better clarity. Costa lenses continue to let you see what’s out there.

Costa has historically had one of the best warranties in the business for their sunglasses. That being said, with a change-up in ownership and manufacturing the warranty seems to have changed a bit based on users’ comments lately. However, it can be hard to tell what real vs what someone is saying to get a free pair of sunglasses when they sit on their current pair. The official word is that Costa’s warranty has not changed.

If Costa eyewear has a defect in materials or workmanship, Costa will fix or replace the frames as soon as they can to get them back to the customer. In an effort to get customers back on the water as soon as possible and limit the time they’re without their glasses, Costa has moved to a digital warranty process. With the new digital warranty process, Costa assesses the damage from the pictures a customer provides and lets them know if they are covered under warranty, or would need to be repaired for a fee. The customer then decides if they would like to send in the frames. Costa will also cover all expenses for warranty claims including shipping. If a customer just needs a replacement part, they can visit https://customersupport.luxottica.com/wcsstore/costadelmar.html to purchase lenses, nose pads, and other parts.

I have never typically opted for a full wrap pair of sunglasses in the past, mainly because I’ve had the perception that full wrap frames were kind of nerdy. However I’m sold on these King Tide 8 frames because even though they are a full wrap frame they somehow still come out looking awesome and the removable side pieces with a newly designed storage case help make that happen. Overall a great design that is comfortable, stylish, and functional. What more could you ask for?

Well there is one more thing. When these were released there was a limited gold edition that came with gold mirrored lenses and a gold Costa logo on the side. Suffice it to say that they look awesome but were quickly allocated. Now I have been made aware that these are being released with over 20 different styles as a lens option.

If you are a fan of Costa sunglasses check out our other reivews of the most popular models!

• Costa Fantail Review
• Costa Zane Review
• Costa Jose Review
• Costa Rincondo Review