WHAT IS IT?
Costa Grand Catalina
WHAT SETS IT APART?
Why would Costa reintroduce a 1980s-era frame when its current lineup of sunglasses are light years ahead in performance, technology and style? The answer is to make a legend even better.
Fact is only Costa could pull it off, keeping the Grand Catalina’s beloved retro design and adding cutting-edge refinements defining the brand for 40 years and counting.
Sporting the beloved heritage aviator shape and removable side shields that led to its initial fame, Grand Catalina’s updated construction embodies the DNA of Costa’s Pathfinder Series: sweat management channels, vented adjustable nose pads, removable side shields (for two different looks) and seamless surfacing.
HOW DO I USE IT?
Like all of Costa’s advanced performance sunglasses you get a wide range of colors and lens options, depending on the light conditions where you will spend most of your time outdoors.
The Grand Catalina is available in Gray Polarized Polycarbonate and six Polarized 580G Glass lens colors. Lens choices are specific to your choice of the three frame color options.
The return of Grand Catalina comes with the introduction of Costa’s new Gold Mirror 580 Lens designed with a lighter Visible Light Transmission. Enhanced versatility across a spectrum of light conditions is the advantage of VLT. You get optimal clarity whether out on the water in the bright sun or in overcast conditions. The scratch-resistant lenses effectively reduce haze and blur, while boosting essential colors for superior definition.
Costa defines the truth that one frame design does not fit all face shapes and sizes. Ideally, you can choose from a wide selection of frames that make for the perfect fit, which is essential to take full advantage of the sun protection and performance features of the lens colors you choose.
Grand Catalina is a size XL. You can see how they fit using Costa’s online virtual fit tool. Just click on the link below and find the tool in the “Try Them On” button to see if they are the right size for you. Prescription lenses are also available with Grand Catalina.
HOW MUCH?
Starting at $204
MORE INFORMATION:
ANGLER’S INSIGHT:
I’m of age to have owned an original pair of Grand Catalina and looking ahead four decades they were before their time, as an epiphany in what would set Costa apart.
Even then, the hybrid design crossed a fine line between wearing goggles and sunglasses, with the side shields allowing zero sunlight to penetrate within. Those design qualities made the Grand Catalina the universal frame of choice worn by serious saltwater anglers like Flip Pallot and Jose Wejebe, pictured above, wearing the originals.
The Gold 580G lenses are worth serious consideration if you seek a lens that provides optimal clarity in both sunny and overcast conditions. I immediately noticed remarkable clarity at either end of the light spectrum, and that it seems to be amplified by the 580G lens technology.
Nostalgia got the best of me after the news came out that my beloved Grand Cats returned with a much-deserved facelift. I can’t go back to Bimini just yet, but at least I can relive stalking the flats for bonefish wearing my trusty Grand Cats.
And if you weren’t of age when they first came out, now is your chance to add Grand Catalina to your collection. You can wear them with the shields on while on the water, or snap them off for the beach bar. You’ll be covered either way, wearing a legend that laid the foundation for what Costa is today.
