In the frame - July issue

Equipment
In the frame
READER
TESTED!
Mark Harwood-Stone took a range of shooting glasses
to a local club shoot to find out what shooters really
look for and which glasses were our readers’ choice
N
ow compulsory at most grounds and major
who matter, the end user
competitions, modern shooting glasses have
who has to reach into your
become as much of a fashion accessory as a
pocket and shell out your hard
safety item.
earned cash: the megabuck glasses, though desirable, can be
With an almost bewildering selection when it comes to the all
dismissed on cost alone. Some clay shooters can’t tell a great
important lenses – that’ll give you a supposed optical edge – the
deal of difference, a smoked or orange lens by one company
choice has become even more daunting.
very much like another from their point of view. It’s also
So when a box full of new shooting glasses is placed in
interesting to see that when a direct comparison was made, it
front of an enthusiastic group of average Sunday morning clay
was still many of the more economical versions that those who
shooters, it’s their opinion that truly counts. Remember, it’s you
took part preferred.
Lesley Lee
See the facts
Choice: Doyle Sports Top Shot 500:
£59.95 + £15 for prescription inserts
“I wear glasses so for me any pair of
shooting glasses has to have the facility
for a prescription insert. But, I don’t
believe in overspending. Looking at all
the styles on offer the best for me in
both style, value for money and the fact
they have an insert facility are the Doyle
Sports Top Shot 500. For me they look
the best, fit well, are comfortable and
represent value for money even with the
additional cost of the insert lenses.”
Graham Lee
Choice: Wiley-X Saber Advance: £60
“I’ll be perfectly honest and say that for
me it’s down to cost. I won’t spend any
more than £60 on a pair of shooting
glasses, which means I tend to wear
what’s often referred to as the budget
options. So, for me the Wiley-X Saber
Advanced is the perfect pair. The price
is exactly right, there’s the option of
interchangeable lenses, although I tend
to stick to just one and the wraparound
style means they offer excellent
protection, there’s no light or particle
ingress and they’re comfortable to wear
over extended periods. Basically they
tick every box.”
Our vision is responsible for 90 per
cent of all the sensory information
we receive, it shapes every aspect
of our lives and is vital and often
taken for granted.
The increase in sports-related
eye injuries has been exponential
in recent years – sport is now
the biggest source of hospital
admission for serious eye injury.
Shooting-related eye injuries
and accidents can be caused by
falling fragments of clay (or game),
cartridge malfunction and long
exposure to bright sunlight.
A good set of shooting glasses
can help prevent or lessen the
effects of all of the above, whilst
also improving the clarity of the clay
and reducing the effects of glare.
Polycarbonate lenses are
the default choice and have a
UV blocking property within
the material in addition to
being extremely tough – some
manufacturers offer a version of
polycarbonate that has higher levels
of protection from both UV and
impact, whilst others champion the
purity of the optics they create.
Ed Lyons,
Sports Vision Optometrist and
winner of the Sports Vision
Practice of the Year Award
2011
July 2011
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Andi Woods
Martin Powell
Choice: Optilabs Zeiss: £134.95 or
Choice: Wiley-X Saber Advance: £60
£159.95 with prescription lenses
and Wiley-X PT-33CL: £100
and Optilabs Top Gun: £39.95 with
prescription lenses from £99.95 extra
“It doesn’t really matter which ones
– I like both these pairs of Wiley-X
“If I was looking for a pair of traditionally-
shooting glasses. I’d probably have to
styled shooting glasses I’d go for the
wear both styles to make my mind up
Optilabs Zeiss immediately. The price
as to which I’d finally buy, but it would
isn’t bad, they’re extremely comfortable,
definitely be one or the other. I like the
well made and should provide good
style, quality and the comfort factor.
value for money. On the other hand the
And with the right lenses fitted I’d
Optilabs Top Gun also appeals. They’re
also be able to wear them for fishing,
comfortable, modern, offer a choice of
which would be an added bonus.”
lenses and in my opinion offer great value for money. The other thing is I’m a confirmed
biker, which means I could use them with my open-faced helmet and change the lenses
to suit the road conditions then change again once I got to whichever ground I was
shooting at.”
Phil Old
Choice: Optilabs Zeiss:
£134.95 or £159.95
with prescription lenses
“For me it’s got to be the
Optilabs Zeiss. I wear
prescription glasses and I
always have Zeiss lenses
fitted so without question
it’s these I’d go for. Apart
from the traditional and
comfortable style and
shape that I like, as soon
as you see the Zeiss name
on anything you know
you’re getting quality and
value for money given
how many years’ service
you’ll get from them.”
John Roberts
Choice: Pilla Sport Outlaw Pro3: £550
“It’s not so much a case of money no object, but as someone who shoots as much as I do at Sporting
and various trap disciplines, the Pilla Sport Outlaw Pro3, fitted with MaxOrange lenses and the deep
soft rubber side guards, are in my opinion as good as it gets. I currently wear Oakleys but after
trying these today it won’t be long before I’m off to my nearest dealer to buy a full set for myself.
Although others might disagree for whatever reason, for me these are the best there are.”
Find out more and get your own
Doyle Sports
Optilabs:
Pilla Sport
Randolph
Sunglasses for Sport
WileyX:
80
T: 07940 841494
T: 02086 865708
T: 01202 880300
T: 01217 721119
T: 01256 472064
T: 07917 360855
W: www.doylesports.net
W: www.optilabs.com
W: www.pillasport.co.uk
W: www.randolphglasses.co.uk
W: www.sunglassesforsport.co.uk
W: www.wileyx.com
www.clay-shooting.com
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Equipment
Trevor Stanley
Karen Graham
Choice: Optilabs Top Gun: £39.95
Choice: Pilla Sport Hornet Pro2: £295
with prescription lenses from
£99.95 extra or any of the Pilla
“I wear contact lenses so the Hornets would
Sport models
give me ideal protection from dust and other
irritants that can get round the sides of
“I already wear a pair of Optilabs Top
more traditional shaped glasses. The shape
Gun shooting glasses which I have had
and design of the frame is comfortable and
for a while and really like. The price is
modern without having to use the one-
right for me and they do everything
piece design that I personally don’t like. I
I need and ask of shooting eye
know the Hornets aren’t cheap and that the
protection. I must admit though that if
additional lenses are quite expensive but
money were no object I’d have a pair of
the good thing is I’d also be able to wear
Pilla Sport with MaxOrange lenses. The
the Hornets for a variety of other activities.
style wouldn’t matter a great deal I’d
I play golf and enjoy walking in the Alps
just love to own and shoot in a pair of
so I could use them for that as well, which
what I regard as the best there is.”
means the cost isn’t so bad when divided
three ways.”
Peter Muirhead
Choice: Randolf Ranger XL: £149.50
“I’ve been a confirmed Oakley wearer
for years but after trying the Randolf
Ranger XLs I could well be changing.
Although they’re not cheap, they seem
to be of an average price for this type
of shooting accessory and for the few
minutes I’ve worn them they’re without
doubt the most comfortable I’ve ever
tried. They fit well, the soft bridge
distributes what little weight there
is – the shafts seem hardly to touch
the side of my face, yet they seem to
have smaller lenses than others, they
wrap round nicely and take in every
aspect of my vision and eye movement.
Excellent!”
Ryan Easington
Face the facts
Choice: Sunglasses for
It was interesting to
Sport Mission: £39.95
see that not everyone
went straight for the
WIN!
“I found these really
high-end products and for
comfortable, which is great
many, value for money was
for the budget end of the
as important as style and comfort. It was
market. In terms of style I
also interesting to see that several of our
really like them and they
testers look at shooting glasses as multi-
are really practical with the
purpose and wanted a model that could
interchangeable lenses and
be used for other hobbies and activities.
shock-absorbing frame. I’m
What do you use? Write in to the usual
actually looking to invest in
address and let us know, and if you fancy
a pair of shooting glasses at
trying out some of these glasses for
the moment – having tried
yourself, turn to our competition pages
these out, I think I’ve decided
(page 68) where you can win some of
which I’ll choose!”
these models and more!
July 2011
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