Training & Rx Shooting Glasses

[Len-2A Training]

Oh well, gotta make this quick and pack for Gabe Suarez's class starting on Friday!

ESS ICE 2.4 shooting glasses came highly recommended and they make an Rx insert for us old blind folks! [lol]

I ordered them from Gunnersalley.com (HIGHLY recommended) and got them 2 days later (that is their standard delivery!). It's been a week since I ordered the Rx lenses for them.

Murphy's Law set in . . . the lab making the lenses had problems and my Optician (also a shooter and friend) made the drive down to the lab to pick them up tonight so I'd have them for the class tomorrow. Well, no dice . . . the anti-glare coating cracked and the lenses won't be ready until at least tomorrow night.

So my shooting will suck again tomorrow, as I can't hold a sight picture for very long by hyper-extending my neck (progressive bifocals don't cut it for Far Sighted folks to focus on the front sight!).

I hope to get the glasses back tomorrow night and hope they work out as "advertised" for Saturday thru Monday.

More on the glasses when I get some range time with them. [They are the same system that our military is using in the sandbox. Cost is $36.00 with 3 lenses and about $25.00 for the Rx frame if needed. The claim is that they are as good as the Oakleys which cost a great deal more.]

 

[weerwolv]

Hi LenS,

I was interested in picking up a pair of these as well. How did they work out for you?

I'm probably going ot get the Nylon frame insert for my prescription.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Well, they came in late, the optician messed up the Rx so that I felt like a drunk while walking (was supposed to be mono-vision . . . right lens focused on front sight, left for distance). I struggled with them for a bit and then "hung it up" for the rest of the class. The following week I brought them back to my optician and questioned the left Rx . . . he immediately apologized all over the place and admitted the mistake.

Bottom line is that I got them back last Thursday. Mono-vision takes some serious "getting used to" time. They seem better, but I haven't had time to get to the range to try them out again.

Will report back after some experience with them.

 

[C-pher]

Yea, after you posted about these, I've been thinking about getting me a pair. I've been wondering what I'm going to do, the wireless or the nylon frames for the Rx inserts.

And, I have all my glasses at LensCrafters. I don't know if they can make the lenses. I need to call them and find out.

Let me ask you this, do you get all three lenses when you order them?

 

[Len-2A Training]

Yes the ICE system comes with three interchangeable lenses, clear, amber and smoke (IIRC . . . too lazy to get up and look ). It takes only a few seconds to remove and replace the outer lenses, but doing it without getting fingerprints on Rx lenses or inside of the ICE lenses will take some serious practice.

The rimless are best if you qualify (Rx up to +/- 6 diopters). Price is the same for both types ($25 for Rx carriers).

 

[C-pher]

I think that when I get paid again, I might order a set. I've been saying that I need new safety glasses. The ones that I have now are about three or four scripts behind what I'm wearing now. So it's weird when I put them on at the range.

I'm assuming that it's just standard lens charges to have them made? Do they need to made with safey material as well, or are they just standard lenses?

 

[Len-2A Training]

For size and weight, the Rx lenses are made with polycarbonate (expensive).

The ICE lenses are polycarbonate. Check the following website for detailed info on these lenses straight from the mfr.

http://www.essgoggles.com/ICE-Eyeshield_6_detail.html

Whenever your script changes, you just need to change out the lenses that fit in the rimless attachment. The rest of the system is reusable ($61 IIRC for the system + Rx frame).

 

[Len-2A Training]

ESS/ICE Review

Well, today was my first opportunity to shoot with the correct Rx in my new ESS/ICE shooting glasses.

Indoors at 33' they worked great! I could only focus on the front sight when I closed my non-shooting eye. Even though the target was moving (air handler blowing the target back and forth maybe 2" or so. Groups weren't too bad. No way I could see where my shots were going (something that the professional trainers tell us to NOT do while shooting . . . must keep focus on front sight).

With both eyes open I could walk and see where I was going (Rx was cut wrong the first time), so I'm happy with them.

 

[gail-s]

Hey Len, those glasses sound alot like something I had made up several years ago. They looked like the Oakley Blades sunglasses, but, they were made my Reebok and had a piece that slipped into the nosepiece that had my perscription. Dr. Adele San Clemente on Washington St in Braintree across from St. Francis of Asissi had the glasses made for me. (they were for skiing) She might be able to help if you find you need to replace the perscription part of the glasses, or, if someone else was looking for a pair. Adele is a tad eccentric in the way she dresses, but, a fabulous eye doctor.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Gail,

I'm all set thanks. The Rx was a rush job as I got the glasses exactly 1 week prior to the Gabe Suarez course, then had to get them to my Optician and he had to calculate the proper Rx (different from normal walking/talking/reading Rx) and send it off to the lab.

The lab botched the anti-glare coating and the Optician botched the calculation of the Rx, plus they arrived late anyway.

After it was all over (the courses) as soon as I saw my Optician he went "oh, oh, I goofed on the calculation". He took them and had the lenses re-cut properly and ate the extra expense.

This weekend was the first time I had the opportunity to try them out since I got them back in July . . . I hadn't had the time to go shooting since the courses ended, been too busy.

 

[Len-2A Training]

For those that don't need a special prescription for shooting (focus on front sight) . . .

My eye doctor recommended something that has worked out great for my Wife (near sighted).

Cocoons Sunwear made by Live Eyewear. They feature polarized UV400, flex2fit temples, have side shields, are scratch resistant and fit over your Rx glasses. They cost $45 from BassPro, Cabelas and numerous Internet sites (all seem to be the same price). www.cocoonseyewear.com

I'm planning on buying a pair for myself to fit over my normal graduated bifocals (may not work as well for pistols, but should work fine for rifles/shotguns).

 

[robmcd]

Dr. Richard Colo in Suffield, CT (860-668-0266) is one of the top eye doctors for shooters. One day a week his waiting room is full of shooters from all over the U.S. with their gun cases. An accomplished skeet shooter himself, he has helped many firearm and archery competitors, and has published articles on the subject. He carries 2 or 3 different brands of shooting glasses. I have Randolph Rangers set up with the right eye focused on the front sight and left eye for distance. After I get over the "fish bowl" effect when I first put them on, they work great. I also have a pair of clip-ons that convert the right eye back to distance that I use for trap shooting.

 

[Chrisg67]

LenS,

how have the ESS glasses held up? i am looking to possibly getting a pair in Rx

 

[Len-2A Training]

LenS,

how have the ESS glasses held up? i am looking to possibly getting a pair in Rx

They have done very well, especially after I had my 2nd pair of Rx inserts that allow me to shoot, walk, reload etc. w/o everything going fuzzy on me. I am far-sighted.

According to my eye doctor and staff, if you are near-sighted, the Over The Glasses (OTG) solution noted above is great and a whole lot cheaper. Cheaper yet, I fond that the OTG glasses sold by Opticsplanet.com for <$10.00 (same as sold by NRA for $20.00) are almost as good as the Cocoons. I've been using them the last few times shooting and they work well.

Get anti-fog stuff (for plastic . . . be careful as Rain-X may/may not damage plastic lenses . . . I sent them Email asking about it and got no response). BassPro and Dicks sell it for hockey masks for $5 and $6 respectively.