Shooting Glasses: 3 Tips On Selecting Best One

September 2009

Shooting glasses from manufacturers like Smith & Wesson, Remington, Allen, Oakley, Beretta, Browning, etc and prescription shooting glasses are not only designed to protect your eyes, but also help improve your shooting performance.

Here are 3 tips to consider before buying shooting glasses.

Lens Material

Lens material is the number one consideration when it comes to shooting glasses. The preferred lens material for shooting glasses is polycarbonate. It is the same material used for bullet-resistant glass and is the best on the market.

Ask if the shooting glasses you are interested in purchasing have been certified by ANSI (American National Standards Institute). Shooting glasses with this certification must have undergone stringent testing to ensure the glasses protect the eyes and face.

Different Color Lenses

Different colored lenses offer different advantages under certain conditions and this can help improve your shooting.

Smoke, Gray and Gray-Green tints: Most common lens color. Great for blocking glare in bright sunlight and all-weather use.

Amber-Brown lens tints: Perfect for cloudy days. Good choice for shooting or hunting because this tint can enhance both contrast and depth perception.

Yellow or Orange tints – Good at improving contrast, blocking haze, blue light and enhance orange color of target. Choose the brightest yellow lens you can find if most of your shooting is done under low-light conditions.

Clear tint: Offers no advantages other than eye protection. Best for shooting at night because it won't affect your vision but still offers protection.

If you anticipate shooting under a variety of conditions, purchase shooting glasses that come standard with a set of colored lenses. Such a set would allow you to customize your shooting glasses for any lighting conditions encountered.

Lens Coverage, Frames and Fit

Do the shooting glasses you intend using cover your eyes properly? This is important because it will protect your eyes from flying debris. Lenses that wrap past the sides of the eyes are even better for obvious reasons.

Uncomfortable shooting glasses won't help you shoot better. You must try several different shooting glasses in a gunshop to ensure proper fit and comfort. Some frames are flexible while some are rigid. Try both to see which one is right for you.

Often overlooked is the frame's nose piece. They are made of either soft plastic or rubber. Try either one and use whatever is comfortable for you.

Shooting glasses must be comfortable to wear for many hours, so always try as many as possible before deciding to buy.

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