624 | Finding the Perfect Fishing Sunglasses with Allie Flake and Michael Simboski of Smith Optics – ChromaPop, Sun Valley
Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast
Dave Stewart
4.7 • 531 Ratings
🗓️ 26 June 2024
⏱️ 67 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/624
Presented By: FishHound Expeditions, Guide Book, Stonefly Nets, Drifthook Fly Fishing
Today, we've got Mike Simboski and Allie Flake from Smith Optics to tell us all about choosing the right glasses for fishing. Hear about the history of Smith Optics, tips for picking the best lenses, and some affordable options.
Plus, we'll dive into ChromaPop lenses and discover which glasses are the all-time best sellers.
Episode Chapters with Allie Flake and Michael Simboski on Smith Optics
2:46 – Allie has been in the eyewear industry for over 15 years. She worked for various brands like Oliver Peoples, ROKA, and Costa Del Mar. She's been with Smith as their eyewear category manager for four years.
4:44 – Mike always wanted to work in the outdoor industry. During college, he interned for a sales agency in Utah that repped Smith Optics and other brands. He worked with them for about six years. Smith restructured their sales force two years ago, and Mike got the dream job.
9:40 – Smith Optics started with Dr. Bob Smith in 1965 in Sun Valley, Idaho. He wanted better ski goggles to stay on the slopes longer., so he used his dentistry tools to create a thermal lens with breathable vent foam.
The idea was inspired by double-paned windows that didn't fog up. Smith started with snow gear and later expanded to eyewear in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
13:15 – For 2025, they will focus on creating new and exciting styles while staying affordable. They're adding more budget-friendly water activity options without compromising quality.
Finding the Perfect Glasses
17:32 – Mike explains that you can easily find where to try on Smith Optics glasses by using the dealer locator on their website.
19:00 – Allie explains how to pick the best lenses for your fishing needs. The choice depends on factors like the type of fish, environment, and weather.
Smith Optics also offers polycarbonate lenses for those who prefer lighter options or have different budget needs.
21:42 – Mike suggests matching the lens color to your surroundings, like using brown or green for places with lots of browns and greens. He also notes that blue mirror lenses are great for saltwater fishing.
ChromaPop Technology
25:41 – ChromaPop filters out specific colors to enhance clarity, depth perception, and true color. Allie mentions that by next year, all their lenses will feature ChromaPop. This technology has been around since 2014, and they're now expanding it to all their products, not just sports gear.
Core Line: Sunglasses Made from Recycled Bottles
35:00 – Smith's Core Line is a range of sunglasses made from recycled water bottles. Each pair uses about three or four bottles. The lenses are also eco-friendly and made from bio resin nylon.
Tips for Choosing the Right Fishing Sunglasses
40:00 – Mike mentions the importance of choosing the right size of glasses. He also highlights the benefits of using an integrated leash to prevent losing your glasses.
Glass lenses are available in various styles for those looking for the best clarity. Mike and Allie both recommend the Lowdown XL 2 as a versatile, everyday option.
Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/624
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Think of the last time you had a fly whizzin by your face, maybe just barely missing snagging the side of your head. |
| 0:08.4 | Or maybe you've even had a fly lodged into the side of your head face or maybe even close to your eye. |
| 0:14.9 | And what about spotting fish? |
| 0:16.3 | Has being able to see into the water to check out fish been an important part of your success. |
| 0:22.3 | I know I've had glasses protect my eyes over the years, and I know we're on a recent trip where |
| 0:28.7 | spotting fish was a key to success. And today you're going to find out which are the best |
| 0:33.7 | glasses and lens styles to use so you're able to see more fish next time you're |
| 0:38.4 | on the water this year. This is the wetfly swing podcast where I show you the best places to |
| 0:43.1 | travel to for fly fishing. I'll define the best tools and resources to prepare for that big trip |
| 0:47.9 | and what you can do to give back to the fish species you love. Hey, I'm Dave, host the wetfly swing |
| 0:53.0 | podcast. I've been fly fishing since I was a little kid. |
| 0:55.9 | I grew up around a fly shop and have created one of the largest fly fishing podcasts in this country. |
| 1:00.6 | I've also interviewed more of the greatest fly anglers than just about any show out there right now. |
| 1:06.6 | Mike Simboski and Ali Flake are here from Smith Optics to share the history of how Smith first got started, |
| 1:13.6 | and we're going to dig into it all today. |
| 1:15.5 | We're going to talk about what you need to know about getting the right pair of glasses while on the water. |
| 1:20.1 | We're going to find out which are some low-cost options that Smith has in their lineup. |
| 1:25.7 | And we're also going to get into a few tips on matching the |
| 1:29.4 | lens color to your surroundings and how to easily pick the right shades for this. And chromopopop, |
| 1:35.2 | if you haven't heard of chromop, we're going to talk about why you need to know what |
| 1:38.4 | promo pop's all about. Plus, you're going to find out which glasses have been the best all-time |
| 1:43.2 | sellers over the years. We're going to talk about that today. So let's jump into it. We've got a big one, Smithoptics. You can head over to smithoptics.com and check in with Allie or Mike. And you can listen to them right now. Here we go. How are you guys doing? Doing great. How are you guys? Oh, feeling so good. Beautiful out here in Colorado. Sweet. It's great to have you both on here today. We are going to talk about Smith Optics today. I think this is really excited for this conversation because Smith is such a big brand out there. You know, I know you do a lot of things in the outdoor space. And I'm sure fly fishing is a small chunk of it. But, you know, we see a lot of in fly shops. I was just in a fly shop yesterday in Virginia. And they had a nice Smith display at a shout out to Masa Creek fly fishing. And so I feel like Smith is huge out there. There's a few big brands, but you're one of the big one. So I'm excited to hear about that, maybe help some people on choosing glasses. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Dave Stewart, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Dave Stewart and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.