Shooting glasses: lens colour

ebruder

ebruder

CGN Regular
Rating - 99.5%
217   1   1
Location
Kingston
Hello team.

I think I’d like to buy some tinted shooting glasses to help the targets stand out a bit better

I shoot at one club where the targets are flying above the tree line horizon so the background is just clear skies. It not hard to pick out the target so it’s not a huge deal and I usually just wear my sunglasses.

My other club has green trees as the background for most of the target flight and I’m starting to have trouble picking out the bird.

What colour(s) of lenses should I get?

Can you recommend a brand? I wear prescription eyeglasses so I would consider a company that can incorporate prescriptions into the lenses. Or I can just wear contacts.

Thanks for your insight
EB
 
I have a set of ranger's that have 4 different color lens with my prescription, amber, dark brown, light purple and vermillion, I find myself using the light purple or vermillion the most, amber on a really dull day and I've never had the dark brown in for shooting yet
 
Preferring realism, I've always gone for clear lenses. I know there are colours that are supposed to light up the clays for shooting skeet, but I don't shoot that and the only colour I might go for if I really had to would be amber. Having grown tired of contact lenses, something I tumbled onto recently are CSA-approved safety frames and prescription lenses. Most major opticians can get them made, but I found a huge difference in frames and prices by shopping around. Nice to be retired so as to have time for that kind of stuff. I can provide advice about the Ottawa region.
 
Try different colors if you can. Everybody's eyes are different and the color that works for me might not work for you.

I was at a large shoot in the U.S. where they had a wooden wheel with different colored lenses embedded in the rim behind the firing line. You looked at the targets through the lenses and spun the wheel until you found the color that worked for you. Three of my friends and I tried it and each of us had slightly different preferences.

I've owned Decot HyWyd and more recently Ranger. I liked Decot better. You can order prescription glasses directly from them. Avoid the tacticool wrap around glasses that require prescription inserts. The inserts reduce your peripheral vision which is not helpful in clay target shooting.
 
I use a light brown for clear and sunny days and kind of a light rose sort of color for cloudy days as those seem to define the target best for me under those conditions but a lot of people use yellow under cloudy skies. I only use the two colors and I don't think more selection is really necessary.
The biggest mistake I see people making is using dark glasses in among the trees in the shade and they can't find the targets.
I've had a set of Post 4 glasses for a number of years and if I were buying a new pair then I'm not certain what brand I'd chose however I'd make sure they have wire temples so that ear muffs can seal, those heavy plastic temples don't allow the muff to seal tight against your cheek and let a lot of noise in. They're fine if you only use plugs but I often use plugs and/or muffs.
 
I am not proficient enough to even suggest that the reason I'm missing is glasses. I tend to wear clear if it's not too bright, and regular tinted if it's really sunny. But, here is a great YouTube channel when it comes to clay shooting and not long ago they did a video on when/where/why to choose different coloured lenses on your glasses

 
If I had to choose one it would be vermillion. Sunglasses as well. The habit started years ago with Serengeti drivers before Dow Corning sold them off and the quality dropped.
 
A few years back, I bought DtechRX lenses in 6 colors. Long story short, I eventually used only the Amber lenses. Still do, but with RE Rangers now. Hoping for cataract surgery soon and I suspect I'll have to start the experimenting all over again since color perception is said to change.

If yours aren't Rx, it might make sense to borrow some to evaluate. The good ones can be expensive!
 
Go to a big sporting clay, fitasc or the olympics and you’ll see about 90% wearing one brand of shooting glasses. They’re called Pilla and owned by Zeiss optics. They’re very expensive but obviously worth the money. The best in the world use them and they can use whatever they like and the majority use Pilla. It’s not just a fad. I use Randolph with two frames and about ten different lenses. There are four that I use 90% of the time. IMG_0981.jpeg
 
I was under the impression Zeiss supply’s lenses to Pilla. They are certainly good quality and offer an incredible selection of frames and lenses. But if you require prescription glasses, it’s hard to beat Rangers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom