Wear your Oakleys....

[SOTB]

Article of an IED. Interesting comment is that of the 9 Marines injured, 8 had their eyesight saved by wearing glasses.

So, "use 'em or lose 'em"....

article (http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/7A39C8B27B51C0C985256EA0006200A9?opendocument)

[Frog]

When I was in the Corps, we were not allowed to wear sunglasses on patrol. I guess it's changed for the better. Oh yeah, no drinking from the canteen while force marching either.


when you're dumb, you gotta be tuff

[SOTB]

Originally posted by Frog
....when you're dumb, you gotta be tuff Yup.

"Easy to be hard, and all that...." ;)

[CREWSAFE]

Used to be a sign in Camp Foster PX about EOD tech who had his eyesight saved by Oakleys.

Still would not allow them on patrol in the bush, but in an urban/sandbox environment, hell yea!

Too bad U.S. mil. never teamed up with Oakley to come up with a really cool pair of tactical sunglasses that would pass mil. uniform specs.

"Another out-of-pocket expense for the guys."

[BlackDragonUSMC]

out here in Iraq, i find that not only are sunglasses needed because of the bright, sometimes blindingness of the desert sun, but i agree on the oakley statment.

i wear mine always when out on patrol (i won't go into details as to where i am or who i'm with for opsec, just that i'm with 3/7), and while i'll definatly need new ones considering the lenses are scratched to hell, the cheap oakley rip off ones they gave us are not only ugly, but bulky for me to wear under my kevlar. and while i do like my wileyx goggles, the strap does pull down onto my ears when wearing my kevlar so i save those for when sand storms occur.

[CREWSAFE]

and while i do like my wileyx goggles, the strap does pull down onto my ears when wearing my kevlar so i save those for when sand storms occur

How do the Wileyx perform overall?

[Max Power]

I can say that I wasn't too impressed with our WileyX's. They fogged up really bad and most guys cut out a lot of the foam around the edges to create more airflow. Kind of negates the purpose. I actually liked the issue SWD goggles or the ESS goggles the guys with glasses got (of course, the ESS goggles don't fit over the MAG glasses). I paid out of pocket to get the prescription inserts for the ESS goggles, about a month before we left we finally got prescription WileyX's. Nothings perfect, but I thought the SWDs worked the best.

[CREWSAFE]

I can say that I wasn't too impressed with our WileyX's. They fogged up really bad and most guys cut out a lot of the foam around the edges to create more airflow. Kind of negates the purpose. I actually liked the issue SWD goggles or the ESS goggles the guys with glasses got (of course, the ESS goggles don't fit over the MAG glasses). I paid out of pocket to get the prescription inserts for the ESS goggles, about a month before we left we finally got prescription WileyX's. Nothings perfect, but I thought the SWDs worked the best.

Anybody else got any input on the best sunglasses to wear for a tactical environment?

[Footmobile]

I'd stay away from Wiley X's. There is a thread here about them. To each his own of course, but a guy in my team had them in Iraq and hated them 'cause of the fogging issue, and they scratch very easily.

I shelled out the cash for Oakley XX's with titanium frames. Guaranteed to stop .22 sized fragmentation in it's tracks. Your eye sight is worth every penny fellas....

[BlackDragonUSMC]

i would agree that the wileyx's are not perfect, but aside from pulling down on the back of my ears when wearing my kevlar i don't have any real complaints about them, though i'm sure i'd prefer something different if given the chance to pay out of pocket.

when on patrol, i wear my oakley half wire frames, which i have found work excellent and are comfortable to wear, and despite the $160 price tag and how everyone said to not bring em as they'd just get ruined, i see lots of guys here wear oakley's regardless.

[Finger]

I like the Wily Xs For convoys because they seal well, although I do understand the fogging problems some have.

Does anybody remember back in the mid 80s when the Marine Corps tested Gargoyals? We were issued clear and tinted models in 2/6 just before I retired. It was al suppose to be about preventing eye injuries. I figured it died on the vine because of Corps purists having a fit over Marines in sunglasses.

[SOTB]

Originally posted by Finger
....Does anybody remember back in the mid 80s when the Marine Corps tested Gargoyals?....I remember....

[robert5454]

On a similar note while on a trip down to South Africa they could tell who the Americans were by the way we put our sunglasses on the tops of our heads while not needed. The best cover sometimes still needs work. Something to think about huh???

[Xdeth]

Wiley-X do fog up nicely, I cut mine as well. My hat forces that damn strap on my ears also, maybe I'll cut that some too. But they filled my Rx and sent me the pop outs for both day AND night in 10 days. I can't find anyone making Z rated lenses that can beat that, Rx for Oakley is a pain in the ass to get, but I'm still shelling out the ducks for Rx A-Frames as soon as I can.

[Trojancd]

I am doing pretty good with my Bolle's and or everyone's favorite Oakley shooting glasses. I just stick with the sunglasses, but I'm not out doing Convoy Security, so I don't have a need for the big stuff. In the past I just pulled my Bolle goggles down over my sunglasses and that worked just dandy.

[szymon75]

Marines,

Oakley makes glasses with non-reflective lenses and subdued logos that are authorized with wear in uniform.

I just organized a purchase through their gov't sales branch (substantial discount on almost all styles) for my IOC class. They are pretty good about getting what you need to you ASAP, but the minimum order is 200 USD; not hard to break.

I have the contact info back in Quantico, but I'm still in the Stumps until next week.

PM me if you want the contact info; I'll even send the excel order form to a gov't account.

S/F

Lt Ski

[lavbo0321]

Originally posted by Finger
I like the Wily Xs For convoys because they seal well, although I do understand the fogging problems some have.

Does anybody remember back in the mid 80s when the Marine Corps tested Gargoyals? We were issued clear and tinted models in 2/6 just before I retired. It was al suppose to be about preventing eye injuries. I figured it died on the vine because of Corps purists having a fit over Marines in sunglasses.

I got a pair but since I was four eye's I never could use them, I gave them to a boot. I thought it was only for us MEU (SOC) Ninja's, didn't realize they went to other units.

[Invisible J]

To add on to Lt. Ski's scoop on Oakley Gov't sales, I've got the second part of the price list that includes their boots if anyone wants it.