Skip to content 
Costa is one of the top manufacturers of polarized sunglasses in the world. When you’re choosing your next pair of Costa glasses, you want the lenses that are right for you. We’ve taken a look at three popular choices and laid out the most important facts about them.
| Feature | Water | Harsh Sun | Outdoor Activities |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1. 400g Our Best Pick  Check Price | Yes | No | No |
#2. 580g Check Price | Yes | Yes | No |
#3. 580p Check Price | Yes | Yes | Yes |
#1. 400g
The 400g lens is made out of glass that utilizes patented lightWave technology. When compared to similar polarized glass, this lens tends to be twenty percent thinner and twenty-two percent more lightweight. Even though the glass is less bulky and more portable, it still has the clarity and durability that you’d want from glass lenses.
You can purchase the 400g lens in a few different colors. One is a green mirror configuration, which uses an amber base. The other is a blue mirror configuration, which uses a grey base. Each pair of glasses is designed with TR-90 co-injected frame material, which is durable enough to prevent corrosion.
The temples of the glasses use an integrated wire and hinge core. They can be easily adjusted to fit a person’s unique face shape, and they offer increased stability and durability.
#2. 580g
The 580g lens is another glass lens, but it uses significantly more integrated technology when compared to the 400g. There are multiple different patented technologies working together to reduce the amount of yellow light that enters the spectrum, which lets the eye pick out more red, green, and blue.
The material of the glass offers high clarity and scratch resistance. In addition, the lens is capable of protecting your vision by absorbing damaging blue light and keeping it from reaching your eye. Not only will this make it easier to see on bright days, but it will keep your eyes from getting strained and potentially damaged.
These polarized lenses perform admirably. They have been treated with water-repelling and anti-reflective coatings to keep glare from bothering you in any environmental conditions. In addition, they’re available in more configurations than the 400g. You can get them in mirrored green with a copper base, mirrored silver with a copper base, mirrored blue with a grey base, sunrise, grey, and standard copper.
The lenses have encapsulated mirrors, and they offer one hundred percent protection against potentially damaging UV rays. Though you can’t get these lenses in every Costa frame style, they are available in about 75 percent of the existing market styles.
#3. 580p
The 580p lenses are made of plastic rather than glass. You can tell what material a sunglass lens is made from by the letter accompanying the number. “P” stands for plastic and “g” stands for glass.
The 580p lens is able to repel both water and oil, making it ideal to use in a variety of different scenarios. It also blocks out yellow light, which reduces the overall glare and allows you to see colors with sharper contrast. Though plastic is known for being more snappable than glass, this lens is engineered with a high level of impact resistance.
The 580p lenses tend to be more lightweight than glass lenses of similar make. They use the same polarization technology as glass lenses and provide the highest quality light filtration for plastic lenses on the market.
Another advantage to the 580p lenses is that you can get it in any Costa frame style. You don’t have to do exhaustive research to find out whether your favorite frames are compatible, because all of them can use these plastic lenses. The plastic material is also more durable and shatter-resistant than the glass, able to survive stronger impacts and pressure.
Differences
Some of the biggest differences are in the lens construction. The 400g and 580g are both created with polarized glass, while the 580p uses plastic. The plastic is much more lightweight and durable than the glass, but it still offers the same polarization quality. With that said, some people might prefer the clarity and aesthetic of glass lenses.
The 400 and 580 levels of lenses are both polarized, but both 580 models use more intensive light filtering. By eliminating or reducing yellow light, they prevent harsh glare and allow you to see color contrasts more easily. They also provide total protection from UV rays and from potentially harmful blue light, so they have the same qualities as a normal pair of sunglasses.
The number of frame styles available varies between the three lenses. Of the three, the 580p are the only lenses that can be used with every existing Costa frame style. If you want a versatile lens that you know will work with your favorite design, those are the best choice. The 580g can work with around three-fourths of the existing styles.
The colors available also vary. For the 400 lens, there are just two available colors: mirrored green and blue. However, the 580 lenses have mirrored green and silver and blue, standard gray, sunrise, and standard copper. The 580 lenses have also been treated with an extra water repelling coating and anti-reflective coating that keeps the lenses clear in wet or rough conditions.
Final Thoughts
The right lens for you mainly depends on your needs and personal style. If you want an affordable option that does a good job of polarizing your vision, the 400g is an inexpensive choice that does the job. However, if you want the highest quality polarizing lens on the market, the 580g integrates significantly more technologies to bring you a clear picture.
If you like polarized lenses but are concerned about the potential damage to glass, the 580p lenses are created with durable plastic instead. The plastic coating is shatterproof and made to withstand high impacts, and it’s some of the highest quality construction on the market.