"Military Sunglasses" ???

[David]

I have owned a pair of official issue military sunglasses for many years.

In fact, they are the sunglasses I use when shooting at outdoor ranges.

To me, they are excellent shooting sunglasses!

I noticed on TV that almost all the US troops in Iraq are wearing sunglasses that look more like "surfer sunglasses" than the traditional military kind.

Has the military changed their "official" sunglasses?

Or do our troops buy these other sunglasses on their own?

 

[Triad]

Do those sunglasses have the same protective properties as shooting glasses?

 

[COHIBA]

Gargoyles are by far the best. wrap around style impact resistant and very strong frame.
and on sale right now for $60 a pair from
[email protected]
in model 85's carribian blue and steel grey reflective.

 

[Dannyboy]

When you say official military sunglassesa are you referring to BCGs with dark lenses? I didn't think there were any sunglasses made by the military except for prescription types. According to 670-1 you can wear anything that's not faddish, basically anything black or dark colored without mirrored lenses. Except for aviators, of course. They're special.

 

[rebbryan]

i saw something on the today show about oakley makin some glasses that don't distort vision and weren't available to the public. of course they had some dumbass on there sayin you couldn't buy all this stuff and it was strictly military issue when u can buy the same stuff just a diff brand name. there's some glasses called Wiley X or somethin like that in brigade quartermaster's magazine and it SAYS it's standard issue to seals, fbi, dea, etc. and they don't distort your vision. they look nice though, and did some ballistic tests with buckshot and it didn't penetrate at 10 meters i think was the claim

 

[Steve Smith]

"Issue" and "authorized" are two different things.

 

[gun-fucious]

yep, Oakley has an unobtainium anti laser coating for the HS/LD crowd:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/2003-03-19-war-extreme-gear_x.htm

Sports gear marches off to war

By Sal Ruibal, USA TODAY

IRVINE, Calif. — In the world of adventure sports, the Oakley brand is closely associated with avant-garde eyewear and funky, fashionable shoes. But away from the fun and games, the Southern California company also is cranking out optically perfect sniper glasses, silent assault boots for covert operations and laser-proof goggles to protect Special Forces troops calling in smart bomb attacks.

 

[SIGarmed]

I've heard of Oakely being an issue item from credible sources.
Its not widespread though, only unit specific me thinks. Some command can just as easily choose some other brand.

 

[TheLastBoyScout]

Sportsmans' Guide has "USMC Issue Sunglasses" in their new surplus catalog. They look like civilian sunglasses, and cost like $12.

 

[David]

My "official" military sunglasses look like the pair in this photo:

 

[Prodigalshooter]

Oakleys have always been expensive, but have also always been the most optically correct, non-distorted and lightweight lenses available. I've been using them for 15 years w/o complaint, for cycling and shooting. With the vast array of lenses available for the changeable models, you can cover any lighting situation with excellent eye protection. No, I don't work for them, but I do own
multiple frames and lenses from them; just a really good customer!

 

[H Romberg]

Some of the "surfer" looking sunglasses are actually issued. Spectacles, Laser Protective, NSN:8465-01-445-8919. Others are soldier fashion statements

 

[para.2]

Last go 'round in Iraq (1990-91) we (82nd Airborne) were issued Gargoyles w/interchangeable brown and clear lenses. Don't know what, if anything is being issued now.

 

[David]

I finally broke down today, and got a new pair of "name" shooting glasses -- Wiley X.

Here is a photo of what they look like:

 

[Jeff White]

The Wiley X glasses are issue. There are NSNs for several variants of them.

Jeff

 

[TNRonin]

Wiley X and Oakley

I have a pair of the low profile frog skins and a pair of the wiley X military model that has the interchangeable temples (ear or band). I don't like shooting my carbine with the wileys on. Not a comfortable cheak weld, and they fogged up. I like the frogskins a bunch, but they are scratched up a bunch right now. I'm needing some clear lenses, the ones I got had two left lenses.

 

[RifleScopes.com]

Oakley Active Duty Only Glasses

 

[Ed]

We were issued Smith and Wesson Glasses. We were told to scratch off wheer it said S&W. They were cheap plactic things but they worked well and lasted. That was in 1999

 

[Psssniper]

David
I used to wear exactly what you wear until the day when a ricochet in the form of a fragment of some type came back at me and went right between the glasses above the bridge of my nose and hit me in the eyelid. By some freak of reaction, I saw the fragment coming and shut my eyes. It looked like a small shadow coming at me. Real weird. I was bleeding very slightly, but finished the stage. Now I wear Oakleys that wrap around my precious eyeballs.

 

[F4GIB]

The prescription issue for aviators are from Randolph Engineering and they look like the photo David posted. Or try here http://www.hidalgos.com/sunglasses.html

 

[David]

I recently "retired" my "official" military sunglasses.

I now use my Wiley X Suglasses for shooting, and my new Oakley Fives 2.0 for driving, etc.

 

[bigjoegood1]

These aren't military but they sure are cool!

Kenn Blanchard aka BlackManWithAGun has a run of limited edition signature shooting glasses that are not only cool but very tactical. Check them out! Also, check me out in them!

http://www.blackmanwithagun.com/glasses.html

I'm in the center

http://www.blackmanwithagun.com/TCGC.html

 

[nick89302]

We pretty much wear what we want as long as the lens color isn't too crazy, even then it's overlooked, there are more important things to worry about. Wraparounds of various brands are popular due to the bright sun and the reflective sand.