Eye protection for shooting seems obvious right?
But believe it or not, not all hunters and shooters are properly equipped or don’t know what the best shooting glasses are for proper gun safety. Many of you will wear proper ear protection, but we often forget how important eye protection is when shooting.
In order to shoot accurately, you obviously need to rely on your eye sight and you won’t last very long as a shooter or hunter without good eyes.
Protecting your eyes from dust, debris, and recoil is important when you are hunting in the forest or at the shooting range.
So, whether you are looking for prescription shooting glasses, trap shooting safety glasses, or polarized shooting glasses, we have dedicated this post for those of you in search of the best shooting glasses in 2017.
Top 5 Best Shooting Glasses
Buying the best eye protection for shooting can be a frustrating process because many of us don’t want to look goofy in those bulky shooting glasses that are advertised today.
With your fashion in mind, we’ve put together a buyer’s guide for choosing the best shooting glasses to save you the time and frustration.
The best part about good solid shooting glasses is that they can be really inexpensive.
You can get a good set of protective eye glasses for under $20.
Whether you are using a pellet gun, rimfire rifle, or a centerfire rifle such as a .308, good shooting protection for your eyes is a must.
Quick Navigation
Best Shooting Glasses in 2024 – Top 5
| Best Shooting Glasses | Price | Rating | |
| Remington T-72 Shooting Glasses | $ | 4.4 / 5 | |
| Howard Leight Genesis Shooting Glasses | $ | 4.5 / 5 | Check Price |
| Radians Revelation Shooting Glasses | $ | 4.5 / 5 | Check Price |
| Allen Company Over-Prescription Shooting Glasses | $ | 4.6 / 5 | Check Price |
| Rothco VenTec Tactical Shooting Goggles | $ | 4.0 / 5 | Check Price |
Shooter Glasses Buying Guide
This guide is meant to provide you with information and specification about shooting and hunting glasses.
We will cover the most important aspects of choosing the best shooting eye protection including the different material used in protective eye wear, impact resistance specifications, benefits of different lens colors in shooting glasses, and other considerations including prescription shooting glasses and shooting goggles.
Finally, this post will end with a review of the best shooting glasses for the money.
Shooting Lens Material
Your first thought when buying proper shooting eye wear should be looking at what the lenses are made out of.
This is the largest difference is between your standard Aviator glasses and a quality set of protective eye wear that you should be using at the range.
The non-tempered glass lenses that your standard glasses most likely use can shatter on impact. You want to avoid this.
You can however buy a good set of aviator shooting glasses if this style is right for you!
Good quality shooting glasses are typically made out of a polycarbonate material, the same material that bullet resistance glass is made from.
Polycarbonate lenses are said to be up to 10 times more impact resistant than plastic or glass lenses and they are lightweight, durable, and often coated with a scratch resistant material.
There are other appropriate safety materials that glasses can be made out of including Trivex or SR-91 however these tend to be less common because of the added cost.
If you are a competition or professional shooter, than you may want to look into a set of Trivex glasses, however it will cost you a lot more.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has developed the American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Personal Eye Protection and Face Protection Devices under ANSI Z87.1. Z87.1 sets forth criteria and standards for protective eye wear, including safety shooting glasses.
Make sure to check out the specifications of the shooting safety glasses that you choose to make sure they either meet or exceed this national standards.
Benefits of Different Lens Colors
If you have done any research on eye protection for hunting or shooting, you will have come across a ton of different colors of lenses.
What is the best lens color for shooting glasses?
To be completely honest, it will most likely be a matter or personal preference but I get this question from time to time so I will provide you with benefits of various lens colors.
Clear Lenses
Clear lenses are the most standard and most popular lenses for shooting.
They won’t offer you the benefit that some of the other colors provide, but if you plan on shooting in low light conditions or just want to have the most common lens, stick with clear. Precision rifle shooters tend to prefer clear lenses for competition or long range shooting.
Amber Yellow Lenses
Amber yellow shooting glasses are also a popular lens choice because they improve contrast by blocking out blue light, albeit maybe not noticeable for the average shooter.
Yellow lenses have the ability to make your environment seem brighter, so use amber yellow if shooting in low light conditions.
Light Smoke Or Grey Lenses
Light smoke or grey shooting glasses are a great option for most shooters because they dim your surroundings with minimal color distortion.
Grey is a neutral color so they are good for all weather conditions and although they don’t improve your vision, they allow you to see all colors as they are and are effective in blocking the sunlight, basically shooting sunglasses.
Vermillion or Purple Lenses
Vermilion of purple lenses are great for enhancing colors when there is poor background light when shooting. Purple lenses are most often when shooting or hunting in a heavily treed area.
The color of the lens in your protective eye wear that will work best for you comes down to personal preference. I know a lot of shooters that stick with light smoke or grey glasses because they are a good all around lens and you won’t look out of place with them on.
Sure, purple lenses might enhance your view when hunting in the bush, but how many of you want to wear them? Luckily for you, most shooting glasses that you will buy may actually come with a few different lenses. There are good glasses that come with grey, clear, and amber yellow lenses that are interchangeable depending upon your needs.
Lens Size for Shooting Safety Glasses
The size of the lens is more important than lens color on your shooting glasses.
The best shooting glasses will need to cover your eye properly.
Proper lens and frame wrap will help add protection from debris that enters from the side in addition to head on.
If you have ever sat at a bunch at the shooting range with others, you most likely have been showered with your buddies bullets from his AR-15.
Although you might be tempted to purchase a pair of those really cool aviator style safety glasses, I would caution this decision and stick with at least a mild wrap.
They can look cool and provide added protection against shrapnel.
Frames For Shooting Glasses
Let’s face it, if your shooting glasses aren’t comfortable or don’t fit right, you probably aren’t going to want to wear them.
The frames on your glasses are important not only for protection but they have a big impact on the overall fit of your shooting eye wear.
If you have tried on shooting safety glasses, you probably have noticed that all frames fit very differently.
Some are made out of hard or rigid material where as others are meant to bend and are made out of a softer material.
I can’t suggest they type of frame material that will work best for you unfortunately.
Some shooting safety glasses have an added feature in that the frames are adjustable.
Although it sounds like a great benefit, I often find that adjustable frames are more of a hassle than anything but there are some good brands out there that have great custom adjustments.
Prescription Shooting Glasses
Buying shooting prescription glasses can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be! In order to buy prescription shooting glasses, I would recommend that you visit your optometrist to get properly fitted for a good pair.
If you don’t want to do this, there is a solution!
You can get good over-prescription shooting glasses that essentially allow you to wear safety glasses over your regular prescription glasses.
I know this doesn’t sound great, but a lot of guys purchase them.
Over prescription shooting glasses come with varying lens colors and with different frames. Some are more compact than others, so it is important to do some research.
Alan company makes a great set of over prescription shooting glasses that look good and provide solid eye protection.
Shooting Goggles and Tactical Shooting Glasses
Tactical shooting goggles that don’t fog up are hard to find but there are a number of good brands that are of high enough quality out there.
Shooting goggles are typically used my the military because you can do a ton of movement and they won’t fall off however some indoor shooters prefer shooting goggles over safety glasses for shooting.
Trap Shooting Glasses
Safety glasses for trap or skeet shooting are really no different than other eye protection however a lot of guys that trap shoot seem to wear Randolph shooting glasses. Don’t ask me why Randolph seems to be a favorite, however, it is. They will cost you much more than your standard protective eye wear, so I don’t recommend them if you don’t have the budget.
Best Shooting Glasses Reviews
1. Remington T-72 Shooting Glasses
Alright, for those of you that trust Remington (I do!), the Remington T-72 shooting glasses are hands down one of the best on the market today and they look cool.
They are available in a grey or smoke lens as well as a clear anti-fog option and provide 99.9% UV protection with a wraparound lens that won’t get in your way.
They have a scratch resistant coating, non-slip temple pads, soft rubber nose piece, and are adjustable. Some find that due to the frame size they interfere with ear protection, but my ear muffs aren’t affected.
2. Howard Leight Genesis Glasses Black Frame
The Howard Leight Genesis shooting eye protection comes in 3 different lens colors; clear, amber, and vermilion.
The Gensis safety glasses meet ANSI Z87.1 and with the adjustable frames they are very comfortable and won’t interfere with ear muffs.
They are lightweight and flexible and great for target shooting or hunting. For the money, these shooting glasses area a solid buy.
3. Radians Revelation Protective Shooting Glasses
The Radians Revelation shooting glasses come with all sorts of different lens colors whether it be amber yellow, clear, or grey to name a few.
They have impact resistant polycarbonate lenses that meet the ANSI Z87.1 standards and protect against UV rays.
What’s great about the Revelation shooting glasses is that they have a decent adjustment on the frame so they will fit most faces comfortably and won’t interfere with you ear protection.
4. Allen Company Over-Prescription Shooting Glasses
For those of you that require prescription glasses for shooting, here is another option.
The Allen Company Over-Prescription shooting glasses provide a great alternative for going and buying an expensive pair of prescription shooting glasses, without looking like a complete dork.
These over-prescription glasses come in both amber yellow as well as a clear lens and have a 1mm polycarbonate lens for safety and durability.
These Allen safety glasses simply fit over most regular size prescription glasses for your convenience and comfort at a fraction of the cost.
These are one of the most popular and best alternatives for prescription shooting glasses.
5. Rothco Black VenTec Tactical Goggle
The Rothco VenTec Tactical shooting goggles were designed for military and tactical applications and are one of the toughest and durable shooting goggles out there.
They are lightweight, anti-fog, anti-scratch, and come with padded frames and shatter proof polycarbonate lenses that meet national standards for shooting safety.
The band is fully adjustable so you will be able to wear them comfortable without them slipping around in tactical scenarios.
Final Thoughts – Best Shooting Glasses
Protective glasses for shooting is important as your eyes do the work whether you are skeet shooting, trap shooting, long range shooting or hunting.
Proper shooting glasses are one of the cheapest and best ways of protecting your eyes from damage caused by debris, recoil, or any other object that could scratch your eyes.
The all-around best shooting glasses goes the Remington T-72 shooting glasses.
They are comfortable, durable, safety approved, lightweight, and fully adjustable. If you are looking for the best shooting glasses, these won’t let you down and for the money, they are almost a steal!
If you need or require prescription glasses for shooting but don’t want to spend a whole lot of money, buy the Allen Company Over-Prescription shooting glasses first.
Try them out because a lot of guys find that they work just fine.
Stay safe and happy shooting!