If you want to look like a boss, then the Smith Deckboss polarized sunglasses might be just the ticket.
The Smith Deckboss sunglasses provide a flexible and customizable fit that is comfortable for medium to large-sized faces. While they might not rest snugly on your nose if improperly adjusted, it’s easy to fix and they have a unique style and lens shape compared to alternatives.
Benefits
- Great fit for larger faces
- Large lenses that wrap provide excellent coverage
- Earpieces are adjustable for a custom fit and are leash-ready
- Funky lens shape and color options
Drawbacks
- A little too large for medium to small faces
- Can bobble on your nose if not adjusted
Hands-on Review of Smith Deckboss Polarized Sunglasses
In preparation for this Smith Deckboss review, I’ve worn these sunglasses to do a lot of things over the past few months.
From backpacking through the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho to tenkara fishing alpine lakes, I’ve done outdoorsy things with them. Besides that, they’ve accompanied me on many a bike ride, commute, and neighborhood walk with the kids.
When we evaluate fishing sunglasses at Outdoor Empire we look at five different categories of criteria. These are listed below along with our analysis of the Smith Deckboss shades. For each category, we give the sunglasses a score between 1 and 5 where 5 is among the best relative to its peers. Those scores are averaged to give the overall Outdoor Empire score.
Comfort
Outdoor Empire Score: 4
Notwithstanding their larger size, the Smith Deckboss sunglasses feel good on the face and are not too heavy. At least with the polycarbonate lenses, they are pretty lightweight and the sidearms grip snugly against your temples.
When I wore them on a backpacking trip they seemed to bounce a bit on my nose, like they are a little off balance and weigh too much on the back of the ear pieces.
However, I should have read about them a bit more because as it turns out the frames have super flexible temples that can be adjusted for a more comfortable fit. That solved most of the issues.
I do wish they had spring hinges for the temples, but instead, they have autolock hinges. That works fine, I just like the flexible fit of spring hinges.
Design
Outdoor Empire Score: 4
The design of the Deckbosses is noticeably different than other Smith fishing glasses. The lens shape is a slightly irregular, funky shape as opposed to a classic oval or rectangle.
Despite the lack of spring hinges in the ear pieces, they do have holes in the ends to accommodate just about any leash or neck strap you might want to use.
The most unique feature is the flexible QuickFit temples that I discovered a little too late. These do indeed enable a more customized fit than other Smiths. You can bend them down and around your ears or inward for a sung hug of your head.
As with all Smith fishing sunglasses, the ChromaPop lenses are amazing. They provide excellent color contrast that you will definitely notice if you switch between your old sunglasses and these.
There is a decent variety of color options for frames and lenses, but not as many as other models like the Guide’s Choice. I have the matte gravy frames with ChromaPop polarized bronze mirror lenses. These definitely stand out and are pretty unique. Though this color scheme is not quite as versatile as others. It makes you look like you’re trying a little too hard to be cool if you’re just wearing them to the theater.
Coverage
Outdoor Empire Score: 4
The Deckbosses are made to fit larger faces and provide large coverage. I have a medium-sized face and they definitely felt a tad wide for me, but the sun protection was great.
While they let a little more glare in from beneath your eyes compared to others like the Castaway, they provide sufficient coverage.
Though if you have a small or medium-sized face, other options like the Redding or Guide’s Choice might be a better fit.
Function
Outdoor Empire Score: 4
As previously mentioned, it took me a while to figure out the flexible temple thing. It’s not entirely intuitive, but it is functional. It can certainly reduce the nose bobble.
Besides that, the design is pretty straightforward and does the job that sunglasses are designed to do.
Value
Outdoor Empire Score: 4
Smith Deckboss sunglasses are not cheap, but they are on par with other Smiths. You can save some money going with the regular ChromaPop lenses as I did. They are made of polycarbonate instead of glass and they help cut down on weight too.
These shades only come with a basic soft case. I’d like to see at least a hard case included at that price point.
If they fit your budget and your face, they’re a decent buy.
Bottom Line
Outdoor Empire Total Score: 4.0
The Smith Deckboss is a nice pair of shades with a unique look to them. While they’re not my favorite, they might be yours. They are certainly high quality.
I recommend them for guys with larger faces or those who want a dedicated pair of fishing sunglasses. But if you’re looking for one pair that does it all, or you’ve got a smaller face, I’d recommend the Smith Redding or Guide’s Choice.
We reviewed several pairs of Smiths and you can get the whole scoop in our roundup review on Smith Fishing Sunglasses.
If you’re interested in something besides Smith shades, check out our Best Polarized Fishing Sunglasses comparison article.
