7 September 2009
It's not uncommon today to see law enforcement professionals from the average patrol officer to the most highly skilled SWAT cop wearing eye protection. Said eye protection can take the form of the cheapest bulkiest (and ugliest) "goggles" you can find in any convenience store. Luckily for us, they can also take the form of high-speed stream-lined high-performance eyewear produced for our military. Thankfully, such eyewear has as much application in the field for recreational purposes as it does for military or law enforcement work. In this week's review we're going to take a look at the new photochromic Hellfly sunglasses from Revision Military Eyewear. These sunglasses are highly serviceable for hunting, fishing, hiking, etc - where we sometimes completely neglect our eye protection.
Now as cool and high speed looking as that picture is above (to the right) with its flames in the lenses, etc, that's not really how these sunglasses look. The picture immediately to the left is a more realistic look. The photochromic Hellfly sunglasses (at least my test pair) have black frames and clear lenses. In the sunlight they darken to about the equivalent of the standard "smoke" Hellfly lenses. Prior to my testing the photochromic Hellfly glasses, my common Hellfly wear was:
- silver frame, ocean mirror lenses, and
- khaki (looks more OD green to me), flame mirror lenses
While those frame and lens color combinations LOOK cool, I HAD to take them off to come into the house. Going into a dark room or hallway with a pair of them on would have been bad news for my vision. I wouldn't have been able to see squat. The photochromic lenses however change so that I could wear them either way. The change to clear faster than they do to smoke (in my experience) but both changes happen fast enough that you can plan your behavior for it.
Now, take that consideration and put yourself out in the field. It's a bright, beautiful sunny day and you are out hunting. Since you are shooting, you want full wrap around protection - which the Hellfly design offers. You want comfort - which the Hellfly design offers. BUT, you want to be able to see clearly whether the sun is out, it goes behind clouds, or you're tracking a deer through thick underbrush under heavy tree cover. The safety glasses you're wearing - to meet all those needs - must have adjustable (photochromic) lenses - which the Hellfly design now offers.
Now, the last item about this design that can really make a difference in your world: the Hellfly sunglasses can be made with prescription lenses with corrections available from +1 through -4. The limit on correction is more a function of the shape of the lens rather than the thickness of the frame. The full wrap design restricts how high of a prescription can be accommodated.
As I've previously reported, I've tested the Hellfly sunglasses by shooting them with a standard 2.75" 8-shot 12g load from a distance of 15 yards (45 feet). Placed on a thickness of three cardboard targets pasted together, I cut two holes and put the Hellfly glasses on the target's "head". At the specified distance I fired the round and no penetration occurred through the Hellfly glasses. The target's "face" was liberally peppered and certainly would have been hurt / damaged, but the eyes were intact.
I can't emphasize enough the need to protect our vision in the field - whether we're at work OR PLAY. As Murphy's Laws of Combat say - and is equally applicable to recreational outdoor activities - all sharp branches are either at eye or groin height. You don't really want to be jabbed in either one... do ya'?
For more information or to order your pair, visit the Revision Eyewear website.
Happy Trails!
