Best Reasonably Priced Clear Glasses?

[boo radley]

I have two sets of eye protection (I don't yet need glasses for vision protection) -- sunglasses with your basic dark blue or dark brown lens, and some clear shooting glasses; the sort sold by indoor ranges for $6.95 a pop.

I'm thinking sun or no sun, I'm almost better off with clear lenses, once my eyes get adjusted to the sunlight. I've done a few searches here, and a lot of people are swearing by Oakley's and Rudy Project, but I wonder if there is a light clear set that isn't $1**, but doesn't have the distortion, scratch and fog problem of the cheapo's I'm using?

Thx

[EricW]

www.post4optics.com

www.decot.com

Both sell CR39 glasses for around the $100 to $120 + ship range. CR39 and PC aren't even in the same universe as far as optical quality. I'm still getting used to my Post4's - because they are so clear and sharp it freaks you out.

[warpspeed]

Any of the UVEX saftey glasses will work nicely.

I like the Skyper X2. Available at your local industrial supply or through several internet retailers like Cooper Saftey.

At <$ 8.00, buy a couple

Edited April 28, 2006 by warpspeed

[boo radley]

Now I'm even more confused.

Surely the $8.00 glass will be similar to the plastic one I have now, no? Serious distortion. But if no, I'm game. Eric -- those CR49 glasses look cool, but...are they better than clear Oakleys or something?

What if I just go to an eyeglasses shop, and get some clear, non-perscription frames and lenses?

[Flexmoney]

You can get various makes of clear safety glasses (like the S&W glasses at Wal-mart) for around $10. Sure, they are going to scratch some, but they are ten bucks. They are like brass...good until you lose them.

I can't speak to their clarity if you are looking through the top edge of them while having your cheek welded to a rifle stock, but in pistol shooting we are looking a bit more through the middle of the lense. Good enough to win and shoot at the Master level or better.

[EricW]

boo,

This is my *opinion* so take it for what it's worth. I think that CR39 is the most optically clear thing after glass and bare eyeballs. There are downsides. CR39 is not as impact resistant as PC. It is also much more expensive than cheap PC glasses and needs pampering to preserve one's investment.

I also have never looked through Oakleys much less compared them to anything else side by side. Lot's of people using them, so they must be OK.

[Derek45]

these are cheap, I have some at work, because I can't convice My boss to buy me some $100 clear OAKLEY's

clicky CK2

They are OK, but suck compared to my very clear OAKLEY M-Frames.

They also cut into the side of My noggin when I wear Peltors.

They used to be on yahoo shopping for less than $2.00 each.

Edited April 28, 2006 by Derek45

[Vlad]

I think you need to check out someones expensive set and decide if they are worth the money to you. If not, then buy the cheap ones at your local sporting goods store, they'll save your eyes just fine and they won't hold you back. Personally, the expensive ones are worth it, specially when you need RX.

[eric nielsen]

What EricW is saying is correct.

CR39 plastic is not shatterproof like polycarbonate but it has a much higher Abbe value which is an indicator of off-center clarity of image as seen thru the lens of your glasses. It's a bigger deal with prescriptions which all put some amount of sphere power on the image and - if you have astigmatism - some cylinder power as well.

The Abbe value of polycarb is 30. The Abbe value of CR39 and glass [both] is 59. The way they overcome the shatter hazard on cr39 is to just make the lens thicker. Like 2mm instead of 1.5 or 1.2 or whatever the FDA is allowing now for polycarb. You will have a clearer image of all the NEXT targets that you have not yet put your hard focus on. And CR39 passes more % of the light than poly, although this is made up for if you go Crizal.

I can notice the difference. One guy asked if you should try getting no-power "plano" glasses made at Lencrafters or whoever is near you & running a sale. YES. If your health insurance covers glasses for say a $50 co-pay, frames & lenses both, do it. If that low co-pay will cover the added expense of Crizal or Reflection Free then your REALLY ahead of the cheap poly clear wraps as far as clarity. With smallish [but not tiny] frames you'll get little or no fogging either - again, especially with Crizal or the newest, slickest, Frenchy-est coating which is Crizal Alize.

No I'm not getting a kicker from Essilor for saying this, in fact I'm leaving the company on May 12th but I really think they have good stuff. If you need multi-focus progressive lenses the Physio is just so far ahead it's crazy. see: http://www.varilux.com/

[boo radley]

Man.

So I just got back from LensCrafters, and my "cheap clear plastic shooting glasses" morphed into CR-39 lenses in a custom-fitted frame for $139 and that's AFTER my Vision Plan discount with my health insurance.

Hopefully, I can reimburse myself from my health savings account, so I'll pay for 'em with pre-tax $, but...Ouch.

Thanks, Eric(s). I guess!

Better start hitting some Alpha's....

[EricW]

Boo,

I hope they work for ya & you feel like it was a good investment.

E