- Best Shooting Safety Glasses Reviews (Updated List)
- 1. Smith Optics Elite Aegis Arc Compact Eyeshield Field Kit, Gray/Tan
- 2. ESS Eyewear Crossbow Suppressor 2X Deluxe Kit, Black
- 3. Wiley-X Saber Advanced Shooting Glasses
- 4. Oakley Radar Path Sunglasses
- 5. Smith Optics Hudson Tactical Sunglasses
- 6. Revision Military Hellfly Ballistic Sunglasses
- 7. Torege Polarized Sports Shooting Glasses
- 8. Venture Gear Scratch-Resistant Glasses
- 9. RIVBOS Polarized Sports Safety Glasses
- 10. BLUPOND Sports Shooting Sunglasses
- 11. Wiley X Saber Advanced Shooting Glasses
- 12. VooDoo Tactical Military Sunglasses
- The Importance of Eye Protection
- What Makes Shooting Glasses Effective?
- Understanding Eye Protection Standards
- Tips for Buying the Best Shooting Glasses
- Best Shooting Glasses Comparison Chart
- Bottom Line
Protective eyewear options for gun enthusiasts and shooters of all levels exist in abundance. Taking into account what makes the best shooting glasses, however, acceptable options become considerably narrowed down to just a few good ones. You obviously know that you need to protect your eyes while out on your shooting excursions, but where do you start with all the shooting glasses available at a very wide range of prices? What features are important and how do you know whether a certain pair of shooting glasses or brand will be effective? Will the pair you settle on and potentially spend a healthy sum on actually do its job of protecting you if and when it matters most? Below is a carefully selected collection of shooting glasses reviews by Shooting & Safety that aim to point you in the right direction in recommending premium protective eyewear that will give you the peace of mind you need.
- 5.0 Customer Rating
- Smith Optics Elite Aegis Arc Compact Eyeshield Field Kit, Gray/Tan
- PRICE $$$$
- GLARE PROTECTION : Tapered Lens
- IMPACT PROTECTION : Uncompromising optics and coverage per ANSI Z87.1

- 4.8 Customer Rating
- ESS Eyewear Crossbow Suppressor 2X Deluxe Kit, Black
- PRICE $$$$
- GLARE PROTECTION : 100% UVA/UVB protection
- IMPACT PROTECTION : Complies with ANSI Impact Standards

- 4.6 Customer Rating
- Wiley-X Saber Advanced Shooting Glasses
- PRICE $$$
- GLARE PROTECTION : Block 400 nanometers or 100% of the suns harmful UV rays
- IMPACT PROTECTION : N/A

- 4.5 Customer Rating
- Oakley Radar Path Sunglasses
- PRICE $$$$$
- GLARE PROTECTION : 100% UV protection coating
- IMPACT PROTECTION : It meets ANSI Z87. 1 standard

- 4.8 Customer Rating
- Smith Optics Hudson Tactical Sunglasses
- PRICE $$$$
- GLARE PROTECTION : 100% protection from harmful UVA/UVB/UVC
- IMPACT PROTECTION : Meet US Military Spec MIL-PRF-31013,ANSI Z87.1

- 4.0 Customer Rating
- Revision Military Hellfly Ballistic Sunglasses
- PRICE $$$
- GLARE PROTECTION : 100% protection from harmful UV-A, UV-B and UV-C rays
- IMPACT PROTECTION : Exceeds ANSI Z87.1-2010 and meet U.S. military ballistic impact requirements
Best Shooting Safety Glasses Reviews (Updated List)
1. Smith Optics Elite Aegis Arc Compact Eyeshield Field Kit, Gray/Tan

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2. ESS Eyewear Crossbow Suppressor 2X Deluxe Kit, Black

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3. Wiley-X Saber Advanced Shooting Glasses

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4. Oakley Radar Path Sunglasses

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5. Smith Optics Hudson Tactical Sunglasses

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6. Revision Military Hellfly Ballistic Sunglasses

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- 4.3 Customer Rating
- Torege Polarized Sports Shooting Glasses
- PRICE $$
- GLARE PROTECTION : 100% UV400 protection coating
- IMPACT PROTECTION : Frames are made out of polycarbonate and they’re impact and scratch-resistant.

- 4.3 Customer Rating
- Venture Gear Scratch-Resistant Glasses
- PRICE $
- GLARE PROTECTION : 99% UVA/B/C protection
- IMPACT PROTECTION : MIL-PRF 32432 High Velocity Impact Standards

- 4.3 Customer Rating
- RIVBOS Polarized Sports Safety Glasses
- PRICE $$
- GLARE PROTECTION : 100% of all UVA/UVB/UVC and Harmful Blue Light Up to 400nm
- IMPACT PROTECTION : Anti-reflective sunglasses

- 4.6 Customer Rating
- BLUPOND Sports Shooting Sunglasses
- PRICE $$
- GLARE PROTECTION : 100% UV400 Titans.
- IMPACT PROTECTION : Made special compound of magnesium and aluminum

- 4.7 Customer Rating
- Wiley X Saber Advanced Shooting Glasses
- PRICE $$
- GLARE PROTECTION : 100% UVA/UVB Protection
- IMPACT PROTECTION : Meet and exceed ANSI Z87.1-2003 Standart

- 4.5 Customer Rating
- VooDoo Tactical Military Sunglasses
- PRICE $
- GLARE PROTECTION : UV400 filter
- IMPACT PROTECTION : Meets ANSI Z871.1 and OSHA standards
7. Torege Polarized Sports Shooting Glasses

One of the things we enjoyed about these glasses is that they fit really well. The top of the frame rests close to your brow without rubbing it, and the bottom of the lens sits close enough to your face to protect against debris and insects but far enough to provide a good ventilation.
The glasses are not extremely wide, but they will protect your peripheral vision against glares. The nose piece provides a soft yet firm grip that will keep the glasses stable while you move.
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8. Venture Gear Scratch-Resistant Glasses

We were impressed by the glasses’ design. This model comes with a soft nosepiece that will keep the glasses stable as you move, but it also relies on the non-slip rubber moldings on its sides to keep the glasses from slipping and to provide a reliable protection to your eyes.
The glasses are lightweight and the lenses are not too dark. In fact, the lenses are dark enough to protect your eyes from the sunlight, yet light enough to offer a clear view of each object in front of you.
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9. RIVBOS Polarized Sports Safety Glasses

One of the best things about this glasses is that they have very clear lenses. The lenses’ coating restores true color and eliminates all of the reflected light to protect your eyes from the damaging effects of the sunlight.
Another good thing about this model is that they are very comfortable. The glasses fit really well, and they won’t slip off your nose when you bend over or when you move.
Moreover, these glasses come with a case, a cleaning cloth, and lanyard, which is impressive considering the glasses’ low price.
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10. BLUPOND Sports Shooting Sunglasses

We were impressed by the glasses’ well-thought design. This model uses a semi-rimless frame that offers a large field of view without distorting the image, and the blue-tinted lenses neutralize the light and eliminate the glares, allowing you to take aim with precision in bright light shooting conditions.
Another advantage of using these glasses is that they come with flexible frames that will fit most sizes. Not only will the frame fit properly on your face, but it’s also so lightweight you’ll hardly notice wearing them.
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11. Wiley X Saber Advanced Shooting Glasses

One of the things we liked about this glasses was the high-quality image they provide. These glasses will stop all the UV rays from reaching your eyes, and the differently colored lenses will highlight the objects in your field of view in different environments.
Even though the glasses’ lenses might seem thick at a first glance, this is actually an advantage. The increased thickness will allow the lenses to take a hit, improving the protection they offer.
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12. VooDoo Tactical Military Sunglasses

One of the good things about this model is that the lenses come with a UV400 filter that will protect your eyes against the harmful effects of the sun, as well as allow you to shoot accurately in bright light conditions.
Even though these glasses are advertised as fog proof, they will at times get foggy when the lenses are cooler than your body temperature. However, the lenses will not be foggy for long, allowing you to take accurate shots within moments of putting them on.
The glasses’ frame is lightweight yet durable, but their color doesn’t match the ones you see in the pictures.
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The Importance of Eye Protection
There is no doubt about it, protecting your eyes while you’re out on your shooting excursions is crucial to preserving one of the most precious gifts of life, the gift of sight. At the very least you’d wear shooting glasses to prevent the slightest of eye injuries or irritations, but the best shooting glasses could go as far as saving your life, let alone your precious eye functionality. In the most extreme of shooting accident cases, good eyeglasses can act as the last line of defense between something like a big metal chunk and its sharp edge penetrating your brains through your eye-sockets and very likely killing you. It’s a bit of a morbid picture to paint, but a very necessary one nonetheless because this highlights the sheer importance of eye protection. You need to protect your eyes at all times when handling firearms because accidents are often unexpected with dire, often irreversible consequences.
What Makes Shooting Glasses Effective?
Basically, there are three things which come together to make any pair of shooting glasses effective and it all comes down to the protection they offer you, which include:
- Ballistics (Physical/Impact Protection)
- Elements (Environmental Factors)
- Fit & Comfort (Adequate Coverage)
The types of shooting accidents your protective glasses might have to protect you from typically include hazards such as blunt, sharp or fragmented objects flying at your face at velocities too high for your reflexes and instincts to protect you and so your shooting glasses should ultimately be effective in protecting you from the associated harm, or at the very least minimizing the injury and damage potentially suffered.
Physical (Ballistic) Protection
Ballistic protection is perhaps the most important aspect of what makes shooting glasses effective and it basically entails protection against the effects of the impact. As mentioned earlier, shooting accidents or normal shooting events may result in a high-velocity impact to the eye area, featuring hazardous objects such as fragmented flying pieces, solid pieces or a combination of both. So effective shooting glasses should be able to offer protection against such objects or at the very least limit, the injury you might have suffered had you not have been wearing protective shooting glasses.
Elemental Protection (Environmental Conditions)
Good shooting glasses should go beyond ballistic protection and also offer your eyes and the surrounding eye area protection against the elements. Such environmental factors typically include harmful Ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun and perhaps the strain your eyes might take when required to see through the lenses of protective shooting glasses. Even if you’re merely shooting at an indoor shooting range, your eyes would still need adequate protection from environmental factors such as dust particles, invisible and often overlooked and underestimated gun-powder residue, and perhaps even some liquid that could unexpectedly get sprayed in your eyes.
Fit & Comfort
Eye protection is only as good as when you actually have it on and so fit and comfort form a very important part of what makes shooting glasses effective. Comfortable-fitting shooting glasses are often a sign of shooting glasses which offer great cover and protection, so too ones that actually fit you properly and stay on in a situation where you might have to run, jump, crawl, roll or move at higher speeds than someone who is shooting statically. Depending on the caliber of the gun you’re handling, the protection that comes with your shooting glasses can be compromised by the recoil, so you have to make sure they fit you well and stay on. Shooting glasses that are too tight might cause discomfort, skin irritation or even induce skin reactions, which isn’t a very pleasant forced reality to have to submit to in the name of ballistic and elemental protection.
Understanding Eye Protection Standards
Any gun enthusiast or shooter seeking protective shooting glasses can purchase them, but they have to be effective in actually providing the required protection. Ballistic protection is undoubtedly the most important consideration that goes into gauging the effectiveness of shooting glasses, as attested to by the standards required of shooting glasses used by the U.S. military. The need for effective shooting glasses probably doesn’t get better highlighted than through the practical deployment as per the U.S. military and other professional law enforcement fields. For this reason, certain standards have come into existence, which governs the type of quality required of shooting glasses to be considered for use by the military. This has resulted in the Army Authorized Protective Eyewear List (APEL), which simply lists eye protection products that have been tested to meet the ballistic protection requirements for use in the U.S. military. If you’re just a civilian gun enthusiast and want to make sure you get adequate and effective eye protection from any shooting glasses you’re considering buying, the APEL is a good place to start, but is by no means the be all and end all. There are essentially three quality standards which are used for the testing of the effectiveness of ballistic shooting glasses, namely:
- The S. MIL-PRF-31013 (Military Ballistic Impact) Standard
- ANSI Z87.1-2010 (U.S Civilian Standard), and
- EN166, 169, 170 & 172 (European) Standard
A lot of manufacturers of shooting glasses enthusiastically highlight their product’s compliance with the ANSI Z87.1 standard, but that’s not really a requirement for shooting glasses which offer adequate ballistic protection. Military standards (MIL-PRF-31013) are what’s required for what is effectively a good pair of shooting glasses that will give you the ballistic (physical) protection you’ll need.
Check out this manufacturer-specific video explaining the difference between standard ratings:
ANSI Z87.1 Standards
Shooting glasses that comply with ANSI 287.1 standards simply means they’ve been tested to offer impact or non-impact protection against hazardous objects such as fine dust particles, mist, optic radiation, liquid droplets, and splashing. If the product is marked as being compliant with Z87+ ANSI standards, it has passed all the high-impact test requirements while “non-impact” ANSI tested products are marked only with the Z87 code (without the addition sign). So you can see why shooting glasses with only an ANSI rating may not be adequate to offer the required protection for your eyes.
U.S. MIL-PRF-31013 Standards
The minimum requirements of shooting glasses that meet U.S. military standards are such that the protective glasses must always be able to withstand a 5.8 grain, 0.15 caliber, projectile with a T37 shape, traveling at a velocity of between 639 and 661 feet per second. Additionally, for shooting glasses to satisfy the requirements of this standard they must offer adequate protection from the harmful UV rays of the sun and they must offer a good fit, be resistant to chemical wear and must maintain their protective properties in the event that they’re exposed to varying temperatures and humidity levels. So MIL-PRF-31013 standards are essentially what you’ll be looking for in a decent pair of shooting glasses that will give you the required amount of physical, elemental and comfort protection.
EN166 Standards
For products aimed at the European market or indeed if the shooting glasses you’re thinking of buying were manufactured in Europe, EN166 Standards are a decent indicator of a good pair of shooting glasses that provide adequate cover and protection. EN166 standards test shooting glasses according to ballistic protection levels, including Increased Robustness, Low Energy Impact, Medium Energy Impact, and High Energy Impact. The highest protection levels under these EN166 standards are those against High Energy Impact and products which comply with these standards are marked with the letter “A.” This translates into the shooting glasses showing the ability to offer protection from a 0.86gram, 6mm steel ball hitting the glasses at a velocity of 190m/s, adequate protection by any stretch of the imagination.
Tips for Buying the Best Shooting Glasses
Physically testing the quality of any pair of shooting glasses you’re considering buying presents us with a conundrum because who is willing to be a guinea pig and risk injury or potential permanent damage, testing the glasses on themselves? Even if you were to put the shooting glasses on a mannequin or make-shift human head prop, putting them through their paces and pushing them to their limits might actually damage your expensive pair of shooting glasses to the point where you can’t use them further. The only attribute you can physically test before buying is the fit and comfort. Make sure the shooting glasses give you adequate cover and subsequent protection; there must be no opening which would allow any fragments or bigger-sized objects to reach your eyes unobstructed. Also, make sure that the shooting glasses are comfortable and don’t irritate the surface of your skin. If your shooting glasses fit you and are comfortable, you’ll never be discouraged to wear them at all times when you need protection. If you’re also planning on wearing ear protection, make sure the shooting glasses are designed in such a way that the simultaneous use of earmuffs doesn’t cause discomfort.
Keep in mind that your decision to buy a certain pair of shooting glasses must be based on practical considerations. Think about how they’d perform in a real shooting environment. Are you perhaps a rifle gun enthusiast and so would spend a lot of time out in the sun hunting? In this case, you’d have to consider how your prospective pair of shooting glasses fit in with other factors and gun accessories, like:
- How they handle the recoil of a high-caliber rifle (do they stay on properly)
- How they affect your view of the target if you also have look through a rifle scope or a red dot sight
- How (and if) they can be used over prescription glasses or contact lenses, or if perhaps they can adequately replace your prescription glasses while shooting
For the most important form of protection, however, which is ballistic (physical protection), you’d have to rely on practical user reviews and you also have to know how to interpret the information given by the manufacturers about the shooting glasses’ features and the standards they comply with. As mentioned before, the Army Authorized Protective Eyewear List (APEL) is a great place to start if you want to make sure you get ballistic protection deemed to be good enough for the U.S. military, but some protective eyewear products haven’t yet made the list and yet but still offer adequate protection. Be sure to check for either a MIL-PRF-31013 certification standard or an EN166 B or (preferably) “A” certification standard and you’re generally covered as far as adequate ballistic protection goes. That said, most (if not all) shooting glasses that meet these standards and subsequently offer good protection have a one-piece lens as opposed to two (co-detached) lenses. The impact protection extends to better impact force distribution (shock-absorption), as injury could otherwise also be caused by the force of impact to the areas surrounding the eyes (where the glasses make contact with your face). Try to avoid those shooting glasses (even one-piece glasses) that have a small or thin bridge (the area connecting the two lenses).
As far as elemental protection goes, this is another feature which you can’t really test physically before buying. Again, you’d have to rely on user reviews, but if you know how to interpret the manufacturer’s feature list you can ensure you get the required protection from environmental factors. UV protection is important if you’re going to be shooting outdoors, in the sun. Protection against fogging isn’t all that important because you can simply wipe down the shooting glasses when the need arises, but the glasses must be resistant to possible moisture damage or chemical damage, within reason.
To give yourself the best chance of choosing the safety glasses that will give you adequate protection, try and see if the protective eyewear product you’re considering can tick off as many requirements in this checklist as possible:
- Has a single-piece lens which covers both eyes (as opposed to two unattached lenses)
- Either meets U.S. MIL-PRF-31013 or European EN166 (A or B) standards, or both (if it doesn’t meet ANSI Z87 standards then it won’t meet MIL-PRF or EN standards)
- Has a thick lens-connector bridge (over the nose) or one which has been covered by a rubber piece
- Fits the contours of your eye-area comfortably and offers adequate cover for all areas which need protection
- Stays on when you make sudden movements
- Is classified to offer UV ray protection (UV-A and UV-B: UV-C is a bonus)
The following features can be considered as a bonus:
- Makes the U.S. Army APEL list
- Offers glare protection
- Interchangeable lenses (for indoor and outdoor use)
- Shooting glasses come as part of a protective eyewear kit
Remember that shooting glasses, like anything else in life, don’t last forever. People usually consider investing more money in hunting binoculars. Their usefulness in offering protection declines with time, even in the case of the most expensive shooting glasses used by the military. Prolonged exposure to heat (such as direct sunlight) inevitably wears them down and so you should replace your shooting glasses as often as possible. Some manufacturers indicate their shooting glasses’ lifespan to be in the region of 6-12 months, but depending on how often you use yours and under what conditions, you can stretch this (in some cases) up to 18-24 months, but never longer than that. An older pair of shooting glasses would make a great way to test the strength of that product, but be sure to keep in mind that the effectiveness inevitably decreases with time and continuous use.
Best Shooting Glasses Comparison Chart
PRODUCT | PRICE | GLARE PROTECTION | IMPACT PROTECTION |
---|---|---|---|
Smith Optics Elite Aegis Arc Compact Eyeshield Field Kit | $$ | Tapered Lens | Uncompromising optics and coverage per ANSI Z87.1 |
ESS Eyewear Crossbow Suppressor 2X Deluxe Kit | $$$ | 100% UVA/UVB protection | Complies with ANSI Impact Standards |
Wiley-X Saber Advanced Shooting Glasses | $ | Block 400 nanometers or 100% of the suns harmful UV rays | N/A |
Oakley Radar Path Sunglasses | $$$ | 100% UV protection coating | It meets ANSI Z87. 1 standard |
Smith Optics Hudson Tactical Sunglasses | $$ | 100% protection from harmful UVA/UVB/UVC | Meet US Military Spec MIL-PRF-31013,ANSI Z87.1 |
Revision Military Hellfly Ballistic Sunglasses | $$ | 100% protection from harmful UV-A, UV-B and UV-C rays | Exceeds ANSI Z87.1-2010 and meet U.S. military ballistic impact requirements |
Bottom Line
Unlike with many other firearm accessories and even firearms themselves, choosing the best shooting glasses is not a matter of personal preference, unless its design and style is your only consideration. You want protective eyewear that will do a good job of protecting your eyes from the very real dangers associated with shooting and hopefully, these featured shooting glasses reviews will have served to highlight exactly what you need to consider when choosing your protective eye gear. Remember that you might have to spend a little time to effectively ensure your safety, but ultimately there is no price for protecting your vision.
What are the best choices for shooting glasses that fit over regular prescription lenses? Or, is it possible to get prescription shooting glasses?
You need an insert, e.g. ESS Vice Rx for ESS Crossbow/Suppressor glasses – a little device that holds prescription lenses behind the shooting glasses.
Are polarised lenses recommended for shooting glasses? I did not see in the description of any of the different models that were talked about. If polarized shooting glasses are superior should I look for for the companies that you wrote about to see if they carry polarized versions of shooting glasses ? OR is that not necessary? Any advice or knowledge you have would be great. Ty. John Fleming