Introduction: Costa has established itself as a leader in optics and has always done a great job catering to the unique needs and challenges that anglers face. This ICAST, the brand celebrated their 40th Anniversary with the launch of their most technical frame to date, the feature-rich King Tide.

This ICAST Costa celebrated 40 Years on the water with the launch of the King Tide Series

40 Years in the Making: Over the last four decades, Costa has continued to develop technologies and frames that make them a powerhouse in the fishing industry. Loved by anglers both on and off the water, this ICAST, the company wanted to introduce a statement piece that celebrated their 40-year milestone while highlighting their latest technologies.

The King Tide is Costa's most advanced pair of sunglasses yet and was designed with input from anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. Here Captain Chris Wittman uses King Tide with Blue Mirror lenses for fishing offshore

The King Tide will be available in two layouts, the King Tide 8 (left) is a full wrap design and the King Tide 6 (right) is a medium wrap

The King Tide design utilizes the research and innovation from every frame that came before it and is available in two styles. The King Tide 6 is a medium wrap six-base frame for those who require performance in all of their watery pursuits, while the King Tide 8 is a full wrap eight-base version for anglers that prioritize performance above all.

Both King Tide frames feature removable side shields for optimal viewing on and off the water

One of the most interesting features of the King Tide is that they are modular. Both frames include removable side shields for optimal use on and off the water. Other notable features include shark-inspired venting to minimize fogging to near-zero levels, sweat management and eye-wire drains to direct sweat away from the lenses, and the introduction of non-skid hooding to keep your frames firmly planted on consoles when the water gets rough.

The King Tide 8 features large shields with venting

The frames feature Costa's proven 580 G lenses, adjustable vented nosepads and non-skid hooding that stay in place on any surface, wet or dry

The King Tide is a major launch for Costa and signifies the culmination of every innovation and lesson the company has learned over the last four decades. John Sanchez, VP of Global Product Strategy, talked about the design process, stating:

“King Tide started with a mission to deliver a sunglass packed with technology unrivaled on the water. We started five years ago with an internal challenge to study form, fit, aesthetics, and so much more. Using our research lab, user insights, and our pro community - who challenged us to push our limits - we delivered King Tide, opening the doors for a true appreciation of functional superiority. Our goal is to build the highest quality product, which is why King Tide is hand-assembled and crafted in the U.S., just like we've done for the past four decades.

Each King Tide comes with a special protective case

The King Tide frames are equipped with Costa's popular polarized 580® glass lens technology, which provides anglers with exceptional clarity and color enhancement. These scratch-resistant lenses effectively reduce haze and blur while boosting essential colors for superior definition.

Pro Surfer Mark Healey using the King Tide 6 on the water

The frames are built with Costa's proprietary Bio-Resin material process designed to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. The bio-resin frames use bio-based resin from the seeds of castor plants versus petroleum-based resin and reduce emissions while still offering a durable and lightweight frame that holds its shape over the long term.

Shark inspired venting minimizes fogging to near zero

John Acosta, VP of Marketing NA at Costa show us the new King Tide 6 frames

“Costa was born on the water in 1983, and today, we’re still doing what we do best - protecting the waters we love, inspiring our community, and making the best damn sunglasses out there,” says John Acosta, Costa Sunglasses Vice President of Marketing NA. “We’re celebrating 40 years of bearing witness to life’s best moments on the water, while looking forward to what is coming next. King Tide is the biggest energy point around our anniversary year. It’s the result of 40 years of product innovation and the first time we’ve launched a frame in a six and eight base option. Cheers to another 40 years and to doing what we love most.”

The first Costa King Tide sunglasses sold were the Limited Edition frames with black and gold frames and gold lenses. These were made available in extremely limited quantities direct from Costa and are already considered collectibles by enthusiasts

The King Tide will hit the market in three waves, starting with the King Tide 6 and 8 becoming available at select retailers right at ICAST. Following the first wave, Costa is dropping a 40th Anniversary Limited Edition collector's frame in black gold and a never-before-seen 580G gold lens. With just 40 frames available each, Limited Edition King Tide 6 and Limited Edition King Tide 8, the frames were made available online at CostaSunglasses.com on July 11th and sold out in minutes. Most anglers will be able to purchase the King Tide at the global release date of September 15, 2023, when the frames will be available in larger quantities online, and at retail partners worldwide.

Remove the side shields on the frames and they look completely different

The King Tide 6 looks much more casual without the side shields, and have a beach vibe

A look at the King Tide 6 with the no side shield configuration. The King Tide can easily transition from a highly technical frame to a lifestyle frame in seconds

Our Quick Take: The Costa King Tide is an extremely feature-rich pair of optics, and the modular design offers anglers both style and performance. When the shields are fitted, the optics have a little bit of a futuristic cyber-punk look to them, and I’m here for it. I personally really like the style of the King Tide 6, in particular, as they offer a ton of tactical features and performance, and with the shields removed, they instantly look much more relaxed, making the transition from boat to beach seamless.

The configuration that I am most excited about for bass fishing applications is the King Tide 6 with the 580G Copper Silver Mirror lens which is great for sight fishing in variable light conditions

If you jumped on the gold-lens Limited Edition drop, you already own a collector’s piece. For most anglers, the King Tide will be available this Fall, retailing for $349, making them the most expensive frames from Costa yet, but the robust features and unique styling do a great job speaking directly to anglers who are looking for the best that the brand has to offer. As the name implies, the King Tide is a halo product for Costa, a celebration of 40 years on the water, and angling enthusiasts will want in on this party.