What Are Airsoft Glasses Made Of?
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So you’re wondering what’s in your airsoft safety glasses?
We understand…
You just can’t risk your safety in the hands of someone – or something – you don’t know, right? Your eyes are too precious to neglect their protection when you go about your airsoft adventures. And you can’t just grab the nearest paintball mask and pair it with your gear.
No offense to paintball masks – but they’re hard to see in. You can’t trade that even for full-face protection from aggressive plastic bb. Nope, not in airsoft!
What you want…
… is the eyewear that’s going to protect your eyes from pellets, while at the same time, give you full vision. Something that you can wear even when there’s fog or the blinding sun. Not necessarily military-grade, but something that gives more safety than eyeglasses.
The world offers a wide variety of choices. To help you decide, we have gathered information from different reviews, and our own experiences. Now we bring you the following details to know What Are Airsoft Glasses Made Of:
- What makes reliable safety eyewear;
- Where to find the safety rating of your goggles;
- What type of frame is best for you or your glasses;
- The range of lens choices that the best goggles are made of; and
- Lots more!
This is not a shot-in-the-dark type of decision. So…
Get locked and loaded!
And let’s jump in…
Fundamental Characteristics Of Airsoft Safety Glasses:
Eye protection is a very important thing for airsoft players. Either by a direct shot or a ricochet, your eyes are damage targets in this sport. So your safety glasses – or ballistic glasses, if you want to sound cooler – should be reliable enough.
Before we proceed…
Let’s first define what we mean by airsoft goggles. Some might tell you that glasses are different from goggles. They are, in that googles provide full seal because of their curved construction. On the other hand, glasses are made to protect mostly the front area of your eyes.
But for the sake of this article, we mean the same for both. The things we’re going to talk about may apply to both, anyway. Now that it’s out of the way…
What makes reliable safety eyewear?
There are two main parts of airsoft safety glasses – the lens and the frame. Both have very significant purposes, as you might’ve guessed. So it’s important to know what type of material would give you the best protection.
Lens Material
The best airsoft goggles are made of polycarbonate lenses. They’re different from other lenses in their high impact-resistant performance. There’s a reason they’re called “anti-break glasses”.
How does it work?
Upon impact of a bb, the material distributes the energy or power evenly, reducing tension. The pressure brought about by the shock then decreases, preventing breakage.
Additionally…
The particular construction of the lenses is important as well.
First, it must be wide enough to cover not just the front of the eyes, but also the lateral areas. Shots may be fired from your peripheral areas too. At the same time, the lenses must be curved for better impact reduction.
Frame Material:
What’s good in an unbreakable lens if there’s no frame to support it?
Your safety eyewear frame is not only for fashion. It keeps your safety glasses propped up on your face, and at the same time, protects your glasses too. It’s where you can attach foam for more comfortable wear.
We believe that…
The best frame material for airsoft goggles is TPR or Thermoplastic Rubber. They’re very lightweight and flexible that you won’t have to worry about it snapping while you run around with your comrades.
And since it’s lightweight, it’s not bothersome to wear at all.
Plus…
TPR adjusts to your size. You won’t have to get a customized pair of airsoft goggles. This type of frame is made to sort of “remember” the size and shape of your head so it would sit snugly in front of your eyes.
Then, you’ll feel more secure that your eye protection won’t fall off in the heat of the fight.
There are other alternatives too.
You can find safety glasses made of metal or steel frames or normal plastic. These would do, except for the mesh frame that easily gets worn out. It even shatters to pieces when it gets shot. So we really advise against the mesh type of frame.
They’re cheaper most of the time. But they won’t give you the best performance as TPR will.
Related: Best Airsoft Goggles
Full OR Half Frame Safety Glasses
Is there really a choice here?
The answer’s yes.
Half-frame safety glasses are not less protective than full-frame. And just because your frame is full doesn’t mean it gives maximum protection.
So what are you supposed to wear? It depends on what’s most comfortable for you and what’s best for the type of lenses that you choose.
Both have their unique pros.
Full frame safety eyewear allows full lens safety. Since it covers the whole of your glasses, there’s less chance for your safety glasses to fall apart. This is also the more common choice at the shooting range.
There’s a lot of room to put foam in the full-frame too. It gives additional comfort without distorting your vision. It would be just like wearing a mask, but you’ll look cooler.
On the other hand…
Half-frame glasses give you a better lower field of view than full-frame. There’d be less blockage to your sight, and that’s protection in itself. And if you have interchangeable lenses, it’s a lot easier to switch with this type of frame.
Another advantage of a half-frame is that you can wear it over a mesh mask, or under a helmet. Other designs also make it comfortable even if you’re wearing your prescription eyeglasses.
Lens Coloring for Airsoft Goggles
Now…
We come to the artsy part. Well, not really. Because coloring is more than just about how cute or cool airsoft players look when they wear them.
There are different types of lenses, even for goggles. One is better for cold weather, one is best for nighttime. They serve different purposes, have their advantages and disadvantages.
The most common ones are as follows.
Transparent lens
The transparent lens is the safest option for most because it’s conducive for a lot of battleground types. It can be used in areas without much light, during rainy or cloudy – even foggy – days.
Not that it can’t be used indoors, but this lens is most recommended in woodlands or in the nighttime, or both. Those conditions are low on visibility, especially when fogging is inevitable. They require as much clarity as your goggles can give you.
Orange Lens:
We recommend the orange lens also in low-lighted, cloudy, or woody areas.
Why is that?
They look like they’d distort a bit of your vision, but no. Orange glasses actually provide high contrast so they’d help you navigate better in shaded conditions. Especially in woodlands, for they’re not going to alter the contrast of natural colors.
It’s like the middle ground of the transparent and the smoke types. It’s for conditions that are neither too dark nor too light.
Smoke Lens:
You’ll easily spot a smoke lens when you see one. It’s as dark as sunglasses and works like one too.
Needless to say…
The smoke type is for when the conditions are too lighted. When there’s not a cloud in sight, not even a thin canopy to hide under… Like in the desert, or a simulation of one. Bring your smoke goggles with you to that battleground for your eye protection, not just against the plastic bb, but also the sun.
Interchangeable lenses
There are brands of airsoft goggles that offer interchangeable lenses. As mentioned earlier, they usually come in half-frame designs. Make sure, when you buy goggles like this, that you steer clear of the mesh frame.
As the name suggests…
They’re removable so you can interchange the lenses to suit your needs. There are times when you won’t know what you’ll need. Weather is very unpredictable – even with all the forecasts – so it’s best to be prepared.
Interchangeable lenses will make sure you have all the eye protection that you need when you need it. So this is a highly recommended one.
Photochromic Lenses
But even more, recommended…
… is the photochromic type. It caters to the same problem as what the interchangeable type solves. But, this type won’t require you to remove and replace lenses. It’s the most convenient one.
If you wear prescription glasses, you’re probably familiar with this type of lens. Your eye care provider might have suggested that you get glasses like these.
In essence…
The photochromic lens lightens or darkens in response to the lighting of the place you’re in. So when you go out in your gear under the scorching heat, and suddenly the clouds appear out of nowhere, your airsoft goggles would adjust automatically.
They cost a little more than all the other types, but they give good value for your money. Especially because you’ll only need one pair of this type and you’re good to go.
Anti Fog
There are brands of airsoft goggles that offer anti-fog features. It’s all about the construction of the lenses that reduces condensation. But if you can’t find one like this, there are a lot of anti-fog sprays on the market that might help.
Is it necessary?
It depends on the climate of the place where you usually go-to for your airsoft adventures. If the weather is prone to fogging, then an anti-fog spray is required.
Safety Rating
It’s easy to find your pair of goggles’ safety rating. It’s usually printed on the legs of the frame. But sometimes the manufacturer puts it on the lens. Either way, it’s important to get this information.
The most recommended rating is EN 166 F. It means that it can withstand a 0.86g steel bb moving at 45m/s, or a 0.2g plastic bb at 306 FPS.
CONCLUSION: What Are Airsoft Glasses Made Of
Now you may trade your full-seal paintball masks for airsoft goggles!
The protection that airsoft goggles and glasses give is more than just against bb coming at your face at full speed. There’s a lot of stuff to consider too. There’s the fog, the lighting, the fashion, etc.
So, what do you think you should get?
Just remember…
Whether you do airsoft for military training or for fun, protection is the priority. Goggles and glasses only do so much. Full-seal protection still comes from the safety precautions you apply before, during, and after the airsoft adventure.
