Quick Tip: Choosing the Lens Color of Your Shooting Glasses

Wearing hearing and eye protection are absolute necessities when you're at the range. Shooting glasses come with lenses in a variety of colors, which begs the question: WHAT color lenses should you choose? Fortunately, Brownells Gun Tech™ Caleb Savant is here to give us some guidance. There are two main factors in choosing the tint of your shooting glasses: (1) personal preference and (2) how much contrast you need between the target and the background behind it. Orange and yellow tints work well with bright targets like clay birds or that fluorescent orange sight-in target. Brown and rose tints give good contrast with green (foliage) backdrops. But Caleb prefers the standard gray tint for outdoor shooting - remember, personal preference! Tints are not very helpful indoors, so when you're shooting at an indoor range, clear lenses are typically best.

[@MikeA817]

I just wear a blindfold. somehow I hit what I'm aiming at

[@DrLanceFarr]

I learned a valuable lesson while on the SDPD: While practicing for self-defense, wear what you would wear in the situation. In home practice, maybe clear lenses (i.e., no lens) or your regular glasses. For outdoors, your daily sunglasses, you get the idea. This goes for gloves, clothing and holsters as well. Colored glasses and shooting gloves are great for competition and hunting, but may not apply for self-defense. Just a thought.

[@carlk1183]

Having said that (spot on), train with what you will have. If what you have isn't working, reevaluate, correct and train again. As a 26 yr veteran of my PD, believe me when I say the last place / time you want to find out your "setup" doesn't work is when it counts!

[@DrLanceFarr]

@@carlk1183 Good points. Great marksmanship comes with understanding picture sight, trigger pull and LOTS of practice. This also develops the muscle memory needed for "when it counts".

[@simpledamon]

Just setting up my bed at the range with a hangover

[@Bankable2790]

Really good tip. This is what I’ve been looking for but couldn’t find.

[@ibalrog]

I've always found yellow lenses more comfortable than clear for indoor use, particularly if lighting isn't quite up to spec. Really, though, the most important thing has been having lenses that are clean and not scratched up.

[@jamesshultz8769]

Huge missed opportunity for memes with Caleb wearing the glasses. Probably a conscious decision.

[@frankholub4673]

Red tint makes you shoot faster, everyone knows that.

[@TheEaglekun]

But the black lenses make you more deadly

[@nickdevault5717]

Always wear red glasses so you can figure out what Skynet will see when the fall happens.

[@thesebiscuits1691]

Mornin yall!

[@departed2022]

Mornin' friend.

[@stefa4013]

Good morning Sir

[@CalebSavant]

Mornin!

[@sturisa]

Thanks for the video Caleb, I use Vermillion or reddish colored lens for shooting clay sports. It makes the orange clays pop really well.

[@wormyboot]

I've got a set of red lens eye pro that I wear to the range because I think it makes me look cool. That's the only reason. I don't personally notice much of a benefit to the different colors.

[@donhinkle3693]

Yellow for overcast fall bird hunting.

[@markvillalon9023]

I usually use my Oakley Transition lenses. I like them since I normally use Oakleys for every day wear anyways. So in door range time they stay clear and outdoors they will darken a little bit.

[@timlandis6690]

thanks baron

[@csmphotography]

I live in west central Florida so outdoors its Ray Ban aviators, indoors its SSP Topfocals in clear lens. I am old and near sighted so the Topfocals help me to see the front sight.

[@robotbuster1487]

I like my Roy Orbison shooting glasses

[@mylifeofchaos]

Yellow lens aka blue blockers. Work great for night time driving as well.

[@BertShackleford]

Beretta safety glasses with purple lenses for my wife. She has big blue eyes and they need the overall larger size of the Beretta's to protect those sultry mesmerizers. Plus purple happens to be her favorite color so it's a win-win situation. However, I am still using the same safety glasses that I purchased over twelve years ago. They have saved my eyes on numerous occasions. Every scratch, scar and divot on those lenses has a unique story associated with it. These blemishes on the lenses are enough to make my wife nauseous but for some odd reason, I do not notice them. In fact, they are probably past their prime if I am perfectly honest. Although I do not recall safety glasses having an expiration date(?). Nonetheless, the integrity of my eye-pro has probably been compromised at this point. Especially given the fact that they are also my daily sunglasses and human sweat has been proven to be caustic over time depending on personal chemistry. Hmm, perhaps it is time I consider replacing my safety/sunglasses. Which I might add is no easy task regardless of what you may think. The right pair of sun/safety glasses should compliment your image. The wrong pair of glasses can make you look foolish and irresponsible. Strange how one accessory can make or break your character but I digress. Stay classy my friends.

[@newguy2794]

Good morning gun people Keep your head on a swivel God bless America 🇺🇸

[@cleetismcdougall5425]

Transition lenses are extremely good. No swapping lenses. Don’t cheap out on your eyes.

[@chrisgabbert658]

I look out the conner of my eyes just off my nose so glasses are not good, only wear them to shut the safety Karens up.

[@ryand2529]

Nice video, thanks for the info.

[@alexiswarden5022]

What about folks who need prescription lenses? Besides wearing contacts are there any recommendations for that as well?

[@YellowHammer26]

I wear prescription glasses and use shooting glasses that fit over my glasses. Have used them for years. They are called over glasses shooting glasses.

[@thomasnielsen5151]

When I played paintball I used to wear yellow glass feeling it brighten up everything in dim light without much drawback...

[@CaveWyatt]

I have found that cherry lenses, as is used in ESS Crossbows, to be a terrific enhancement in foggy or heavily overcast weather. That may just be me. For sunny days I go with the standard gray. And we’re talking competition or range here.

[@taylorbokshowan5713]

Purple for sporting clays. Seems to brighten the clays but provides a bit of protection from bright sun.

[@disturbedmaynard3873]

Basically haven't settled on any particular color for anything. Just use a standard gray tint for outdoors, clear indoors. But, each pair has a bi-focal with a cheater magnification so I can see what I am doing if adjusting a scope, or any other issue with the firearm.

[@onenikkione]

I see everything in the World better thru my Rose-Colored glasses

[@Mark-lm1oq]

Same as you-clear inside and regular tint outside. If you change it up outside to a tinted version for “more” clarity-if you do get engaged in a gun battle - you want to practice with what you would be wearing in the real world not worrying about a proper colored lens…the exception might be while hunting.

[@maxhorner2409]

I wear amber lens qll the time. Mine do the same as the yeller blue eliminaters

[@nyc10021]

I prefer to see the world through rose-colored glasses.

[@1SmokeyRider]

When I shoot trap it depends on the color of the bird.

[@steveb855]

Any suggestions for prescription safety/shooting glasses?

[@arthurmiceli4426]

If you are farsighted but need readers(like I do after cataract surgery), I recommend sspeyewear. I purchased one set each of their “Top Focal”, “Bi-Focal”, and “Chelan” models. All three types of lenses are interchangeable. These fulfill all my needs, including shooting.

[@versoarmamentcompany]

Good video

[@S1L3NTG4M3R]

THANKS

[@frankhinkle5772]

Thanks.

[@philliplatham4256]

👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸☕️☕️💯🛎

[@buckshot4428]

I have seen folks shoot with sunglasses. I don't see how they do it.

[@gregstudeny1680]

Practice for low-light

[@frankholub4673]

Outdoor shooting in the summer or winter can get insanely bright, sunglasses help.

[@ryanwilson5936]

I do. I wear Costa’s with the copper lenses. Works out very well for me.

[@mariorossi9300]

I still use my 12 years old Oakley M-frames with VR28 iridium vented lens, better contrast on targets for me since I suffer from partial deuteranopy, but at the same time not too bright to use outdoors in full sunny conditions.

[@timrobinson6573]

I've been using my $8 walmart lenses for the past 7 years

[@mariorossi9300]

@@timrobinson6573 hope they're as good for "ballistic" fragments protection, mine saved my eyes from ricochets a few times (too close to metal poppers, still got a scar on my cheek)

[@Redacted-Information]

Regular Tint sunglasses are the worst choice. Light transition is your best friend! Small pupils gives you depth of field or Depth of Focus. You can see more, you can see better with clear or lightly tinted lenses. Yellow and Orange increase contrast and reduce glare without significant loss of transmission. (Calebs knows about guns, I know about light and eyes!)

[@whiskeykilmer1866]

That's why dope fiends are such good shots.

[@Redacted-Information]

@@whiskeykilmer1866 dope fiends have Large pupils! (Come on, Pay Attention!)

[@whiskeykilmer1866]

@@Redacted-Information Not sure where you get your information, a dope fiend is a heroin addict. Opiates constrict your pupils "his eyes are pinned". Meth-head's eyes are dilated. You should try to know what you're talking about before responding, and quit believing Hollywood movies. (Requiem for a Dream maybe)

[@Redacted-Information]

@@whiskeykilmer1866 come on man! You brought up the stupid Non-sequitur! We were talking about glasses for shooting.

[@Redacted-Information]

@@whiskeykilmer1866 And you are Wrong about "Dope Fiend." The majority of definitions state " a person addicted to drugs."

[@T20-c8f]

‘Sko Brandon

[@malekodesouza7255]

I used to wear yellow Oakleys on patrol at night. They “brightened” up the darkness and gave me lots of eye protection from spit and blood etc. I’d even wear them on overcast days here in the PNW. Of course that was when I was younger and didn’t need prescription glasses. That changed in my late 40s.😫

[@stefa4013]

Very useful info and I personally use the same as you clear for indoor (or dim lit outdoors) and regular black tinted for outdoors in the sun :)

[@damianthaomen]

Since Brandon wears Aviators all the time, and he told me to just buy a shotgun.....I'm going to go with that.

[@tbjtbj4786]

I am red/ green colorblind. And the yellow to me makes everything pop out. I have used the old remington shooting glasses as night driving glasses for years. I wish someone else would start making them again.