Costa Fantail PRO Review 1080 486 BassGrab

Costa Fantail PRO Review

Are sunglasses important for fishing? How about for kayak fishing when you’re even closer to the water and reflected light? I would venture to guess that hardly anyone goes out on a fishing trip without a good pair of polarized sunglasses. The main goal of sunglasses is to cut the glare on the surface so you can see through the water and ultimately catch more fish. Secondary goals are looking cool, reducing the likelihood of a hook in the eye, and getting that sweet raccoon sunburn that results when you forget to put sunscreen on your face.

Costa teamed up with us to review one of their newest frames, the Fantail PRO. You may already be familiar with the original Fantail frames, we actually reviewed them when they were released 11 years ago. Keep reading to compare and check out all of the improvements!

Fantail PRO Frame

Fantail PRO

Sunglasses frames are the mechanism that connects the lenses to your eyes and just like a seat on a kayak if it doesn’t feel right then everything will be all wrong.  Not every pair of frames will work for everyone – face size, nose width, eye width all play a role. The best way to get a pair that works for you is to go into a store and try them on. That being said I have found that the Fantail PRO frames fit my medium-sized face perfectly, and they are some of the most comfortable frames I have worn to date from Costa – with the exception of maybe the Brines. They are officially listed as a regular fit with a large frame.

Fantail PRO Fit

The Fantail frames are comfortable and put support in all the right places. The best part of these frames is the new nose pad. It is adjustable and removable and works very well. One part of these frames that I didn’t particularly like was that the straighter arms make the sunglasses difficult to wear with a hat – but try them on before deciding as I more than likely just have an oddly shaped head.

FANTAIL PRO VS ORIGINAL FANTAIL FRAMES

Fantail PRO

  • FRAME – has a straight square arm
  • LENS – options for 580 glass or poly
  • NOSE PIECE – all rubber and adjustable for much better fit and feel
  • FRAME CURVE – straight across with less curve across the eyes
  • RUBBER – lining integrated into the plastic very well and seems like it will last much longer
  • RETAINER – holes in the end of the arms to attach any retainer

OG Fantail

  • FRAME – has a more rounded and curved arm
  • LENS – options for 580 glass or poly
  • NOSE PIECE – rubber pads set into frame
  • FRAME CURVE – wraps around eyes with a slight curve at the front
  • RUBBER – great at first but can peel and become sticky over time
  • RETAINER – can use slide of end retainers

Costa Glass Lenses

Costa Fantail PRO

One thing that makes Costa stand out from other sunglass manufacturers is that they utilize glass lenses in their premium offerings. I have always chosen glass over polycarbonate lenses due to its clarity and scratch resistance. I hate when a pair of sunglasses get scratches on the lens which is why I always chose the Costa 580G glass lenses. They are the most durable lenses that Costa makes. For those long days out on the water, these lenses are perfect because you won’t have to worry about getting any scratches on them when you wipe the saltwater off, especially while kayaking. The mirrored options are also quite nice and actually don’t discolor your vision. The blue and green are more of a mirror than a filter so you’re not seeing everything in blue or green colors, more of an amber with a blue tint.

Costa Protect - Sustainability

Costa has always been deeply rooted in fishing, and they are a company committed to protecting what we love. Check out their Protect Report outlining conservation initiatives Costa has been involved in for the past three decades:

  • Cleaned 85 beaches across the U.S.

  • Educated 100,000 youth on ethical angling and conservation

  • Recycled 2.2 million pounds of fishing nets

  • Removed 90 tons of trash from beaches and coastlines

  • Eliminated 3 million-plus single-use water bottles

  • Revitalized 2 villages and ecosystems

  • Donated $125,000 to rebuilding coastal communities impacted by natural disasters and COVID-19

  • Supported all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The Costa Warranty

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.

Costa Sunglasses Limited Lifetime Warranty

We warrant Costa sunglasses against defects in materials or workmanship for the lifetime of the product.

Costa will repair or replace (with an identical or reasonably equivalent style), at our option, any product determined by Costa to have a manufacturer’s defect. For additional limited warranty information, please chat with us https://www.luxotticacustomercare.com/aftersalescostachat.

Costa’s Sunglasses Limited Lifetime Warranty does not cover normal wear and tear, scratched lenses, broken hinges, accidental damage, misuse or any other problems determined by Costa not to be defects in materials or workmanship (“Out of Warranty Damage”).

Certain Costa sunglasses (including Prescription, Limited Edition and Special Collection) have differing warranty durations and limitations. Please visit https://www.costadelmar.com/en-us/repair-program or please chat with us https://www.luxotticacustomercare.com/aftersalescostachat for further information.

The Verdict

Costa always has made excellent frames, and the Fantail PROs are no exception. They look and feel great and are excellent to cut the glare and help any fisherman out on the water. Check out the price and pick up a pair!

    Heath Anderson

    Heath lives in North Carolina and has been an avid fisherman and all around outdoorsman for the past three decades. In addition to enjoying the outdoors, Heath has been active in the online fishing industry since 2010, teaching and sharing reviews of fishing products on BassGrab.com to help anglers catch more and look good while doing it.

    All stories by: Heath Anderson
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