Being a member of the genetically defective, it’s hard to find eyewear that both offers protection and allows me to see. Products from ESS, Wiley-X, and other top brands don’t fit my prescription. Frames from Oakley would kill my budget before even ordering the prescription. Most everything else in the big-wide-world-of-eyewear is concerned only with looks, not with that inevitable situation of a projectile flying at 1300 feet per second straight at you with intent to gorge your cornea.
This dilemma led me, after some time, to choosing the Revision Sawfly Military Eyewear System.
At first, I thought the glasses had a definite I’m-going-to-kill-your-family look to them, but now I’m telling my self it’s just cyberpunk. (No word yet if Revision is planning to make mirror-shades.)
On top of the usual ANSI Z87.1 certification, the Sawflys are able to withstand a shotgun blast from 16 feet. Sure, if someone is firing a shotgun at your face from 16 feet, you’ve got other problems to worry about, but that’s quality.
There are three lenses for the system: smoke, “high contrast” (yellow), and clear. (Polarized smoke lenses, pictured above, can also be purchased). High contrast lenses, while certainly frightening the masses and screaming “shoot me first!” to the corpoliticals, are an important form of protection, from advertising, mind-control, and other-world-entities.
The prescription insert is available for just $20 more. After hearing about Revision’s great customer service, I decided to take a chance and have Revision also fill my prescription. It took about 4 weeks for them to get it to me, and I’m just as happy with them as I have been with any lenses purchased from a local optometrist.
It’s too early for a review, but my first impressions are positive. The “regular” size, with the adjustable arms, is a perfect fit for my face. The coverage is excellent — my eyes no longer tear from cold air when screaming down hill at warp speed on my bike. As of yet, my only complaint is the large, plastic nosepad. It takes a little getting used to and, when sweating, I’ve found the glasses slip ever so slightly down my nose. Snapping on the included retention lanyard would fix this, but I would like to see Revision take the same rubber padding from the inside of the arms and adding this to the nosepad. I think this would increase both comfort and traction.
Those are some badass lookin’ shades.
I have been waring mine almost daily for the last year or so and I consider them essential daily carry gear. The soft case is a compromise between durability and convenience of having it slip into places a hard case may not. If you think the regulars have a weird look to them, you should see the large model. The regulars don’t fit my head or face well and don’t offer near complete coverage like the larges do.
I am looking for something cheap that will be similar to these for daily use that will offer similar protection and coverage without the same look from safteyglassesusa.com
I use these in the military. The Sawfly (regular) fits nicely, and the adjustable aspect is great. I have had no problems with these lenses, when I usually do scratch lenses often, the Sawfly is rather resilient. I also use the Oakley S.I. M Frame eye pro, and I believe them to be comparable with exception only to the added comfort that the Oakley’s grant with the nose piece. Comparing the Military Sawfly to the ESS CDI brand eye wear, I believe the Sawfly to be superior in every way except appearance. I can wear my ESS CDI’s in public and still not look out of place, but if I had to trade appearance for function, I wouldn’t pass up the Sawfly for anything.
Good to hear that they’re comparable with the Oakleys. I’ve wondered about that.