I see a lot of posts for safety glasses and wanted to do a writeup about what I’ve seen/learned as I bought my second round. This is a long post, so sorry about that. I want people to be as informed as possible when they make a decision, especially because advertising on these glasses can be deceptive by insinuating you’re well protected when you may not be.
I started wearing NoCry glasses, then quickly went to Tifosi Intense several months back and also picked up a pair of Bolle Tryon as a backup. I just figured safety glasses were pretty much all the same. I’ve taken two shots to the eye area off of the Tifosi, and they did their job.
As my Tifosi became scratched I decided to invest a bit more money. I bought CRBN Pivot and Tifosi Crit to test out. But as I was testing, I started looking at protection ratings. I noticed some are Z87.1, ATSM F803, etc. What I found is interesting.
Z80.3 is a very basic standard for glasses that does include a very basic impact test. The lens, out of the frame, has a steel ball weighing 2.4oz dropped from a height of 50 inches and must not crack/chip/break. The ball is traveling around 9mph at impact.
Z87.1 has the same test as Z80.3, but the lens is attached to the frame, and it must not pop out of the frame at impact.
Z87.1+ or Z.87.1 Impact adds additional tests of a 17.6oz ball dropped from 50 inches on the lens, in the frame, and on a head form. The lenses cannot crack/shatter/chip/come out of the frame, and the lens cannot impact the face. There’s also a test of shooting a 1/4″ ball at 102 mph from 10 inches away. Same standards.
ATSM F803-11 is a sport-specific standard. They test fire projectiles from 40mm to 65.1mm at speeds up to 90mph at the lenses. The frame or lens should not break or crack or touch the face.
ATSM F3164-19 is the latest standard that has replaced F803-11 for racquet sports. I haven’t been able to find the exact tests since they hide a lot behind paywalls, but I imagine they’re tougher than F803.
So for pickleball, what does this mean? The better the rating, the more likely your eyes will be protected. Does it mean lower rated glasses won’t protect you? Probably not. I survived a few shots in the eye wearing Tifosi’s, which you’ll see aren’t rated high. But if you’re going to purchase something, I think you should be informed.
I see a lot of people recommending things like popping out lenses of cheap frames. Those cheap frames generally aren’t rated in any way. I’ve tried this and found that with the frames I had around, including some Oakleys that I could make the ball touch my eye by pressing hard against the frame on my face. Will this provide some protection? Sure, but there’s still a decent risk.
I also see a crop of new glasses, like the CRBN Pivot that claim to be able to pass Z87.1. However, when I bought the CRBN, there is a note in the package that literally “This is not manufactured as a safety product. It offers protection from UV rays, wind, and moisture only. This product will not protect the wearer from an impact with hard objects”. That’s scary. Returned it right away.
We also have Tifosi, which is popular and recommended. Their FAQ specifically says “Tifosi eyewear that is not listed as Z87.1 does not meet the ANSI Z 87.1 industrial safety standards and should not be considered a permanent shield against injury or in the event of impact with a hard surface. All lenses do pass the ANSI 80.3 standards for general-purpose usage. This means that they will provide excellent protection for general active lifestyle conditions such as biking, running, golfing, rafting, climbing, hiking, sailing, walking.” So this means that while they market glasses as for pickleball, the lenses pass the bare minimum impact test, and their lenses can’t be guaranteed to pop out of the frame on impact. Also scary and decided to return the Crit.
Oakley is another heavy recommendation. Some of their models are rated the basic Z87.1, but others are not. The Flak Beta carries the rating. But the Flak 2.0 does not. Oakley does sell some specific safety glasses.
Many basic safety glasses you’d buy from Lowes or Home Depot will pass Z87.1. Getting Z87.1+ will give you much better protection.
So it seems that most glasses offer a very basic certification, if anything. There are some brands/models that offer the higher-end protection.
The first is the Gearbox Vision. They pass ATSM F803 testing. They are $40, cheaper than most of the stuff above. They have clear, amber, blue, and smoke tints. The downside here is that the lenses aren’t interchangeable, so you may end up with several pairs. The overall investment will still not be bad. I use the Vision now and find them quite good. They are light and don’t have fog issues. The clear has good optics, and they come with a nice case. I’ll be picking up the smoke and probably one of the mid-tint lens options.
Racquetball and squash glasses tend to carry the high rating. Head has several pairs of racquetball glasses that are F803 certified, including one for $12, which is the cheapest I’ve seen. Python is another one that makes inexpensive glasses that carry the rating. The downside with these is they all tend to be clear, so not a lot of help to people that mainly play outside. Still great options for indoors.
Another is recspecs. Their Impact model is rated F803, and all their models may be. These are pricier at $175, and the only options are clear or a single tint.
And then there is RIA. Their Reflex glasses are rated ATSM F3164! The highest and most current rating that replaced F803. They are a pricey option, but you can get them for around $200, and if you want a second lens, like clear, it’s another $65. But it’s important to note that the Reflex are the only glasses on their site that carry a published safety rating. Nothing else has safety ratings mentioned. So be careful there.
I know this list of options isn’t exhaustive. I did reach out to other companies, like the Rudy Project. They have one version of their Rydon that is Z87+, but most lens combos carry no rating.
Again, I know that cheap glasses very well could protect you just fine. And you could have a freak accident with a highly rated pair. At the end of the day, we only have one set of eyes, so make the best call that works for you!