They help protect the eyes from shrapnel, powder residue and other projections during shooting sessions.
counterattactics.com offers you its complete guide to help you choose your ballistic glasses.
What are the standards?
When making your choice, make sure that the equipment you want meets the safety standards in force.
For eye protection, several standards are used: American civil standards, American military standards, NATO standards and European standards.
• EN166: This European standard aims to verify that the glass can withstand the impact of a 22 mm steel ball fired at 5.1 m/s.
• STANAG 2920 and STANAG 4296 (NATO codification): According to this NATO standard, 22-caliber projectiles fired between 190 and 205 m/s and 240 and 250 m/s must not pass glass.
• ANSI Z87.162010: This American certification imposes resistance against the projection of a steel ball 25 mm in diameter fired at a speed of 45 m/s.
• MIL-PRF-31013 or MIL-DTL-43511D (American military standards): The glass must resist a 15 gauge projectile launched at a speed of 195 and 201 m/s. For the MIL-DTL-43511D standard, the screen must withstand the impact of a 22 caliber projectile projected at 167 and 170 m/s.
WARNING :
• If the lenses must meet the standards, the same goes for the frames, especially for the glasses!
Just like the glasses, or the screen, the standard used must appear on the temples.
How to choose your ballistic glasses?
To choose your goggles or your ballistic mask, here are the elements to take into account.
Fogging
. With goggles, there is little chance of fogging up.
However, the phenomenon can occur:
If you wear a choker / scarf,
So heavy sweating
In particular weather conditions (high percentage of humidity – Large temperature difference between the surface of the skin and the bottom of the air).
. With a mask, by construction, the phenomenon is much more present. Because the humidity that is inside is “trapped” and will tend to stay inside!
In order to limit the formation of fog, a very frequent problem on the ground, you must imperatively favor a mask equipped with natural ventilation (lower and upper gills), see mechanical (fan), or a mask offering a double-thickness screen (sometimes called “thermal screen).
. An undeniable plus: factory-treated lenses and screens against fogging.
Optimum eye protection
. To ensure optimal protection, it is important to favor equipment that offers wide lateral coverage.
The worst enemy is the “tunnel effect” which risks depriving you of part of your peripheral vision.
Tip: you spread both arms as far as possible, you keep your gaze straight ahead. An optimal field of vision should allow you, thanks to peripheral vision, to see your hands at an angle of 90 degrees to the right and left!
Therefore, it is necessary to move towards glasses or a mask with a wide screen (height and width) in order to ensure good panoramic vision. Some ballistic goggles provide inferior peripheral vision compared to ballistic goggles.
To note :
. With less weight, goggles will be easier to wear.
. The masks provide good eye protection in dusty environments, especially during missions in desert areas.
What types of glass are available?
For better visibility, there are different types of glass.
Ballistic glasses are usually equipped with polycarbonate lenses. This material is very resistant and provides protection against splinters.
To adapt to different conditions, Tac Store recommends that you choose a frame with interchangeable lenses.
What are the glass colors?
Regarding the colors of the glasses, or the screen, the choice is varied.
It is up to you to choose the type of lens that suits your needs and that will guarantee good vision in the field.
• Transparencies: White glass is used for those who do not wish to clearly distinguish “true” colors. These transparent lenses can be used indoors, in shooting ranges… To maintain normal vision without reducing brightness, light gray is also recommended.
• Smoked: For outdoor operations, smoked lenses provide better vision in strong sunlight conditions. Smoked lenses help filter out UVA or UVB rays.
• Orange / Yellow: Orange or yellow colored lenses are used to reduce glare. These colors increase the contrast when the light is low. For the color yellow, its interest consists in dilating the pupil and helping you to better discern colors.
Yellow lenses are not recommended in strong light. Not to be worn, for example, on a superb summer day!
• Copper: Glasses with Copper lenses are also useful for improving contrast. They are recommended for use on cloudy days and in urban areas. The copper glass makes it possible to clearly perceive the nuances of the green and blue colors.
Comment entretenir ses lunettes tactiques ?
Les verres en polycarbonate si ils sont résistants aux chocs le sont moins aux rayures.
Leur nettoyage oblige, pour une longévité maximale, l’emploi d’un chiffon optique.
A proscrire chiffon, « papier cuisine absorbant» ou autres papiers toilettes qui, à la longue, vont former des micro-rayures et détériorer la qualité de vision.
Voilà, maintenant vous savez tout sur les lunettes balistiques. Il ne vous reste qu’à choisir le modèle qui convient à vos besoins et à votre mission. Si vous souhaitez des conseils personnalisés, vous pouvez contacter l’équipe commerciale Tac Store.