My problem is that I have a big head – not just that its shaped funny as well. This poses a problem when buying headgear, crap hat, caps and boonie hats all look pretty stupid on me. When I go skirmishing the problems worst, because I have to wear goggles with them. I had owned a pair of JT Spectras but found the far to bulky to use with any headgear except when I would wear a crap hat gangsta stylee. Considering eye protection is the most important piece of kit every airsofter owns I thought it important to try to find the ideal set of goggles for me. After trying just several types of airsoft and paintball protective eyewear I was left unimpressed with most of them them. Mesh masks are useless at low light with details and movement being hard to pick out. Something I suspect to do with the light refraction around the wires or the close focal length to the mesh – either way I study rocks not physics or optometry so both are purely conjectures on my part. Shooting glasses are not the best option safety wise since most offerings don’t totally enclose the eyes, leaving them open to possible damage from BB’s. There is also the problem of non-replaceable lenses. Paintball masks are on the whole ugly and too cumbersome. I owned a JT Spectra mask and goggle set, I never used the mask (teeth can be replaced – eyes can’t) and found the goggles too big to use with 'crap hats' comfortably. So what next? Well the USMC catalogue advertises Bolle Tactical eyewear, 3 types: the T-500’s, Commando’s and the T-800’s. All are tactically certified (up to necessary safety regulations for projectile impact on the lens), and designed not to fog up. Bolle are renown for their eyewear, their more common civilian product lines include ski goggles and sunglasses. With this assurance of quality, albeit it French, and a leap of faith I purchased a set of T-800’s while I was on a trip to Hong Kong for HK$ 380.
The goggles themselves measure about 7cm high (maximum) and 22cm wide with a depth of 1.5 cm, the goggles have a very low profile. They cover only your eves and the skin immediately around them. The lenses are made from lexan (polycarbonate) whilst the frame appears to be ABS with a silicon or rubber lining to keep the goggles firmly in place. There is a 1” thick elastic headband to keep the goggles on. Judging by the length of it these goggles are designed to be worn OVER a helmet, but the still fit comfortably and tightly without one. These goggles really have a low profile – on a par with some shooting goggles, this in theory makes them compatible with all sort of head wear. Features Like most other tactical goggles the T-800’s are advertised having anti-fog qualities, meaning they should not fog up during use. For those not in the know if they were not treated to resist fogging the temperature difference between the environment inside the goggles and that outside will cause water vapour to condense on the inside of the goggles lenses. Fogged up lenses is the last thing you need in the middle of a firefight or creeping through woodland! One of the design features that help counter fogging of the lenses is the lens mountings themselves. The lens is held in place at 4 contact points; at the very left, right edges and across the bridge of the nose. Everywhere else the lenses are approximately 3mm away from the frame – allowing for unobstructed air circulation, which keeps the thermal difference to a minimum. Testing I took the Bolle’s to Combat South on an average winters day – low temperature and low humidity. Everything went smoothly, no fogging and no immediate comfort issues. Towards the end of the day though the skin under the frames began to get a bit uncomfortable, and when I got home I noticed I had a clear imprint of the frame on my face. The neoprene or silicone covering the face side of the frames does not do a good a job at padding the frame as the JT’s foam does. On further days out at Combat South I have experienced a dull headache across the bridge of my nose after wearing the Bolle’s for a whole day, again probably due to the insufficient padding. As for fogging, the Bolle’s remained, on the whole fog free. The design of the goggles appears to work very efficiently at containing the fog problem. On the days when fog has been a problem, the weather has been the main contributing factor – wet and humid. On days like that I switch to the JT’s, simply because they are better at handing these conditions – most likely due to the increase distance between my hot face and the lenses.
The low profile design of the goggles is not such a bonus as I thought. I can wear the Bolle’s in conjunction with a PASGT helmet, unlike the JT Spectra’s, but If I use them with a crap hat worn properly or a boonie hat the goggles soon fog up. This is probably because the hat cuts off the air circulation, allowing the thermal difference between the inside of the goggles and the air outside build up. Durability After having these goggles for 2 years now I have yet to change the lenses, simply because I have not needed to yet. The lenses on my pair have become fairly scratched, but despite multiple BB impacts the lenses have remained very much intact. I have seen 2 other sets of goggles that have had their lenses cracked by high energy rounds – usually fired from sniper rifles. In both occasions the cause was associated more with the velocity of the rounds coming out of the rifles (over 550fps and hence illegal) than a defect with the lenses. I have been looking out for replacement lenses for my set of Bolle’s because parts made from polycarbonate (especially impact resistant polycarbonate) deteriorate through exposure to natural sunlight. JT advise changing lenses every 12 months so it’s a logical step to assume Bolle would encourage the same. Conclusion The Bolle’s are comparably priced to the JT Spectra range of goggles, except that with the Bolle’s you don’t get a facemask. The Bolle’s have performed beyond my expectations; and judging by the number of people who have bought them since I first showed them at Combat South a lot of people agree. . The lenses are modular and can be replaced, something I am looking to do at the moment. Considering I have been using the T800 for 2 years they are in remarkable good shape. An intelligent and safe investment for the most important piece of kit you will wear at a skirmish. by Permian External Links: Bolle Site
links: Comment on this review in the forums Last modified: Sunday, March 9, 2003 7:00 PM Copyright 2003 ArniesAirsoft
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