Bajío Zapata Fishing Sunglasses Review

Sunglasses are one of the most critical pieces of equipment I use while fishing. They are my underwater eyes. If I make it to a boat ramp and realize I forgot my sunglasses, I’ll drive all the way back home to get them. For me, forgetting my shades is the same as forgetting my rods. This spring, I’ve been relying on Bajío Zapata sunglasses.

Even though I heavily emphasize details in sunglasses, I don’t think other anglers do. Many people get them wrong and end up with cool-looking lenses or ones designed for saltwater environments. They think a polarized lens is a polarized lens.

But, you wouldn’t use an offshore rod to target brown trout, right? Likewise, you shouldn’t use lenses designed for saltwater on a river or lake.

Because of that, I’ve been testing the Bajío Zapata with copper lenses when fishing for trout, bass, and musky. This review will sometimes focus on the copper lens performance in freshwater scenarios. But, I’ll also go over features that are important to those looking at the Zapata in the available saltwater lens colors.

In short: The Bajío Zapatas are the best sunglasses I’ve worn. The copper lenses specifically provide excellent color separation in freshwater fishing scenarios, allowing me to see more fish, track lures underwater better, and identify structure. They’re lightweight, stay clean, and breathe well in humidity. While they’re labeled as extra large, I think they’re more on the large size. You’ll look good in them both on the water and at the marina bar with a style that works for both men and women.

Want to see how the Zapata stacks up to the competition? Check out our best fishing sunglasses buyer’s guide.

Fit of the Bajío Zapata

Bajío labels the Zapata as an XL/Large frame. I would label it as a large frame. I don’t have an overly large head, and they fit great. Usually, XL sunglasses are too big for me, but these fit comfortably and stay glued to my face.

If you’re wondering if these will fit you, I can provide some references of other sunglasses that you may have experience with. For those familiar with Smith Optics sunglasses, these will fit similarly to the Guide’s Choice and are a touch bigger than the Redding. Costa guys will find that these fit similarly to the Reefton.

I think these are a one-size-fits-most set of sunglasses. I’m fortunate to have numerous sets of premium sunglasses and often loan a set out when someone hops on my boat with bad shades. My wife and two other buddies have worn these, and they fit all of us great.

Weight

I’ve been testing the Zapata with glass lenses, which are heavier than polycarbonate lenses. Somehow, Bajío has kept these sunglasses lighter than other glass shades I’ve used.

I own other glass sunglasses that have an annoying habit of slipping down my nose anytime I look down to tie knots or mess with tackle. I can feel the weight dragging them down. But no matter what I do with the Zapata on my face, they stay put. I attribute that to their being lighter than other glass lenses.

Breathability/Anti-Fogging of the Bajío Zapata

Things are starting to get humid in the South, and for me, that usually means foggy sunglasses. As it hits the middle part of the day, it isn’t uncommon for me to have to take my sunglasses off and wipe them down. Once it starts to happen, it’s a battle that continues for the rest of the day.

Fortunately, Bajío built innovative features into the Zapata to combat that without removing your sunglasses. The nosepiece has large holes built into it. Those holes allow heat and humidity to transfer from the area between the lenses and your face.

To be sure this feature worked, I swapped sunglasses throughout the day. One day, while rowing my raft on a bass river, some of my other sunglasses were intermittently fogging. When I put on the Zapata, I experienced zero fogging.

Lens Clarity and Seeing Underwater

The optical clarity I found with the Bajío Zapata was every bit as good as any lens on the market. Really, all of the high-end glass lenses on the market provide a similar optical clarity, and the Zapata lenses hold their own. However, since the Zapata is available in both glass and polycarbonate, here are some of the differences so you can select which is best for you.

Glass Lenses

Glass lenses provide the best optical clarity. They are also more scratch-resistant than polycarbonate lenses. However, they are not as impact-resistant. Just last month, I watched a guy’s glass lenses get shattered when a split shot hit them on an errant cast. No, I am not the guilty party.

A glass lens is inherently heavier and costs a little more money. I think it’s worth it, which is why I tested the glass model.

Polycarbonate

Lenses made out of polycarbonate are lighter and will stand up to impact better than glass. So, if you’re clumsy and drop your sunglasses a lot, or fish with people like my dad, who may throw a cast in your face, the extra protection can be nice. They lose out on some clarity and scratch more easily, but you will save some money with them.

Seeing Underwater With the Bajío Zapata

As you can see from the photos above, the Bajío Zapatas give you a drastically more detailed view of what’s going on underwater. This is where the copper lens comes in. If you are a freshwater angler, buy a copper lens — not green or gray. Not blue. Copper. They will separate colors better than other lenses.

To illustrate the difference, here’s a story that played out recently while I wore the Bajío Zapatas. I was musky fishing with a guy, chasing a fish I had moved the prior week. The fish was in the same spot I left it and was following our fly all the way back to the boat.

This happened numerous times, and time and time again, the guy couldn’t see the fish. On the final follow, I said, “He’s right there!” while pointing at the fish sitting below my oar.

“Where?” he asked, frantically looking at where I was pointing. The fish was done at that point, so I told him to switch glasses with me. He looked in the water and his face lit up as he exclaimed, “Dude, that thing is huge!”

That angler was not wearing bad sunglasses. He was wearing sunglasses made by another premium brand with a blue finish. That musky was in dirty water and blended in perfectly. The Zapatas were what made that fish visible.

These sunglasses let me see everything in freshwater environments. I can track my lures underwater from a far distance, identify fish, and locate prime fish-holding structures. If you’re a freshwater angler, grab a set and be amazed.

What I Don’t Like

It is extremely rare for me to have a product in which I find no flaws. In fact, I don’t think I’ve written a review yet without some negative comments. This is the first one.

That isn’t because sunglasses are tough to differentiate. I’ve worn over 15 sunglasses in the last 7 years and complained about performance plenty. As I said earlier, I have a pair that falls down on my face. Some fog up. There are shades that scratch noticeably easier than others. And I own sunglasses that cost a bunch of money that have delaminated and fallen apart.

Yes, the Bajío Zapatas are expensive. However, they aren’t any more expensive than other brands’ premium sunglasses. Unfortunately, $250 has become standard for anglers looking for the best, so I can’t complain about that. I guess the only complaint I have is that my wife keeps stealing them.

Final Thoughts

I am currently running four sets of sunglasses from different manufacturers. When I’m fishing in freshwater, these are the ones I reach for. Some of my other sunglasses also have copper lenses, but Zapatas are better.

Bajío has built-in side shields and a sun ledge on top to keep light from getting into the glasses around the edges of the frame. It works great, and the large-style lenses provide coverage that makes it feel close to wearing goggles. I notice minimal light on the edges when wearing them.

Not only are they functional, but they look good too. Some sunglasses are technical pieces of equipment that I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing out in public. Bajío managed to make technical sunglasses that are also fashionable. Based on my wife’s obsession with stealing them, they’re clearly a style that works for everyone.