Sunglasses that double as eye protection recommendations

[Field Tester]

Hello All,

I wanted to know a few companies and styles of sunglasses that double as eye protection. I would also like them to be somewhat stylish. Something I can use as my regular sunglasses for everyday wear, but not have to worry about changing out when shooting, doing yard work, etc...

So do you know of any such companies? The more suggestions the better!

 

[Jeff White]

Oakley.

 

[gamboolman]

Wiley-X

 

[fletcher]

ESS Eyewear

 

[Edster12]

Any eye wear that has the Z87 designation on them is safety eyewear.

 

[Robert]

Rudi Project.

 

[WestKentucky]

Hit your local hardware stores. They very often have a display full of z87 glasses that fit the bill. Walmart also carries a few, typically in the tools or fishing section. Just make sure it has z87 stamped into the frame or lens somewhere.

 

[ClemsonAl]

Welding supply stores usually have an assortment of safety/sunglasses. Some even have built-in readers like bifocals.

 

[hso]

Edster and WestKentucky hit the nail on the head. Z87 and Z87+ are the industrial standard for impact resistance. In addition to the ANSI Z87.1 standard, U.S. military standards (MIL-PRF-31013, MIL-DTL-43511D), and the European standards (EN166, 169, 170 & 172) are acceptable.



I will add that for shooters using plugs and muffs it is important to think about how much the ear pieces gap the pads for the muffs and to look for the protective eyewear that has the least impact on reducing hearing protection.

 

[ohioshooter]

i second the Oakley

 

[JSH1]

www.safetyglassesusa.com

I use the Pyramex Alair for shooting and riding motorcycles / bicycles. Not the most stylish but they only cost $2 and are optically correct.

 

[taliv]

my favorite by far are Bolle
second are some $4 ones I got at a gun store but they stopped carrying them (i think i went through about 4 pair; kept losing them)

i own oakley and ESS and neither fit me well.

 

[Defc0n]

Oakley Flak jacket glasses with their new(ish) prizm lenses. Meets military specifications for impact resistance and you can always just switch lenses out for a more casual look. The prizm lenses actually do work pretty well at increasing contrast, which is somewhat helpful when shooting at long ranges.

 

[oneounceload]

Personally, I tend to go the other way using shooting glasses as sunglasses depending on the conditions. Randolph, Pilla, Decot all make glasses with a variety of colored lenses for different shooting (and driving) conditions

 

[doubleg]

Oakley M or N frame. I've tried at least ten different kinds of eyepro and nothing even comes close.

 

[Rusty Luck]

Oakley!!

Here is a link to testimonials from military personnel about their products.
https://www.oakleysi.com/Page.cfm?id=5

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Elvex makes good safety glasses. They have a couple styles that are bifocal readers which are nice for those of us who are far sighted.

 

[stonecutter2]

I bought some safety glasses from Lowe's in yellow, clear, and smoke colored lenses.

Even if my everyday wear sunglasses could take an impact, i'd prefer to set them aside when shooting and just use something easily replaceable.

I also find the safety glasses to be pretty low profile along the ear, for use with muffs.

 

[Nom de Forum]

I have a pair of the these with multiple interchangeable lens. They are great for different lighting conditions. Be aware that the polarized lens can cause problems when using electronic sights.

https://www.revisionmilitary.com/

For years I used Dycot Hy-wides for low light conditions and Gargoyles for bright conditions.

 

[WestKentucky]

I have 4 pair (don't judge) of under armour sunglasses. All have been bought secondhand (cheap) and although they are not ANSI z87 sets amped they should be. First pair went through hell and back until the sweat are the rubber off the earpieces, then through heat shrink until I got pair #2. They have caught multiple shells out of several handguns, the occasional fishing lure, and they took a glancing blow from a 22 while sitting on a stump (the glasses were, not me). The only damage done was the ear and nosepiece rubber wearing out over time. Very high quality eyewear and also very good at seeing fish through glare. I don't wear them when shooting scoped rifle, but on shotgun and handgun I recommend them highly.

With that said, the ANSI standard is a sure thing. Companies have to submit samples for testing and if approved they can pay a fee to use the ANSI name on the product. It's an expense many will not take unless marketing them as safety eyewear. It's kinda gimmicky, but not as bad as most things that carry this type of certification. At least this does actually mean something.

 

[hso]

UA Igniter, Power, and Surge sunglasses are Z87 compliant.

 

[Havok7416]

www.safetyglassesusa.com

I use the Pyramex Alair for shooting and riding motorcycles / bicycles. Not the most stylish but they only cost $2 and are optically correct.

Any glasses on that website work well and are usually worth the money. I have used some version of the Pyramex sunglasses for years and they last awhile if you don't drop them repeatedly!

 

[rodregier]

Any of the Smith "Tactical" sunglasses line. Even available in polarized
Of course, the polarized cost more :-(

 

[gunlaw]

Gargoyle

 

[herrwalther]

I use a website called SportRx for my ballistic eyewear, as I need a prescription. Very reasonable rates as they carry brands such as Wiley-X and a few others.