In 2014 one of my officers, who was also on the SWAT Team with me, showed me a pair of Edge Tactical glasses (eye protection) that he had purchased on his own. The product was from their Tactical series. He swore they were the best eye pro he had ever worn, especially for tactical applications. This guy is a great operator, and is typically cautious to give out praise on operational products without firsthand knowledge, so I was intrigued.
From the first observation of his Edge eye pro I was impressed with their general construction, fit, and appearance. However, the more important consideration was the ballistic ratings that came standard with the Edge Tactical eye pro. Fancy looking sunglasses are nice, but in the professional world the actual protection the eye pro provides is the most importance feature in my opinion. The Edge Tactical line fully meet or exceed the ANSI Z87.1+2010 (high impact), and the U.S. Military standard MCEPS GL-PD 10-12 for impact resistance. As impressive as the Edge Tactical protection and appearance are, those qualities are not the most outstanding feature of Edge Tactical eye pro.
Edge Tactical Vapor Shield Lenses
There are many eye pro products on the market that offer ANSI and Military ballistic protection ratings. Some of the other options are really outstanding products too. However, the Edge Tactical series eye pro also come with patented “Vapor Shield” technology lenses. The Edge Tactical series eye pro are designed to be nearly impervious to lens fogging that occurs with a significant temperature difference between the user and the surrounding environment. Whether leaving an air-conditioned vehicle for the summer heat, or working hard to generate body heat and heavy breathing in a cooler area, most eye pro will suffer from fogging, rendering the eye pro nearly useless. Edge Tactical eye pro do not fog over.
Despite the cheesy video, these lenses are absolutely amazing, and I can attest to the validity of the claims from witnessing their performance first hand. The officer who introduced me to Edge Tactical has shown me time and again after a hard day of training, or a mission, that his Edge Tactical eye pro remain free of fog and good to go. Our team has issued a very nice (and expensive) competitor eye pro for many years now. Though the competitor’s eye pro do well with UVA/UVB protection, and ballistic impact ratings, they suffer as most other options with fogging.
Edge Tactical has developed a proprietary lens manufacturing process and coating that eliminates the fog problem. There are Standard and Vapor Shield lenses. Both offer fogging protection, but the Vapor Shield is a higher standard that helps defeat even harsher testing and conditions. I would highly recommend selecting the Vapor Shield lenses for professional users who rely on their eye pro for protection, and clarity of vision.
Edge Tactical Acid Gambit Features
- 99.9% UVA/UVB/UVC protection
- Patented matte black nylon frame
- Folding temple arms for compact carry
- Lightweight but very sturdy
- Soft TPR temple tips for comfortable fit
- Vapor Shield Light Transmission – G15 shaded lens (15%); Tiger’s eye (50%); Clear (85%)
- Polarized Light Transmission – G716 lens (14%)
- 3x anti-scratch coating
- MSRP – $49.95 (Includes hard carrying case, gummy leash, and lens cleaning bag).
The Edge Tactical Acid Gambit glasses have an open frame design. This design, that does not have a frame around the bottom of the lenses, is the preferred design for professional users in my opinion. This design allows the user the most clear vision possible, without blind spots built-in by a full frame design.
Here is an outline of the other high quality features of Edge Tactical eye pro:
High Impact Resistant Lenses
When talking about ballistic ratings on eye pro, there are two standards generally used. In the civilian market that is ANSI Z87.1+2010. For the U.S. Military the standards are very similar, and covered under MCEPS GL-PD 10-12. Edge Tactical series eye pro meet or exceed both of these sets of standards.
The Edge Tactical lenses are incredibly resistant to impacts, and this should provide confidence for officers in a wide variety of required tasks. The polycarbonate injection molded lenses are made from ionized crystals. These ionized crystals are tiny particles that form an incredibly strong bond. They filter light in a manner very similar to polarized lenses, but maintain thick enough lenses to ensure the Edge lenses satisfy ANSI and MCEPS requirements.
High Mass Impact Test – Lenses withstand a 500 gram spike being dropped from a height of 50 inches.
Penetration Test – Lenses withstand penetration by a weighted needle of 44 grams from 50 inches.
High Velocity Impact Test – Lenses withstand impact of a .25″ steel ball traveling at 150 ft/sec.
The last test is the equivalent of a shotgun blast at 33 feet (11 yards). That’s a pretty impressive protection level, that should leave officers and professional users at ease and confident that their eye pro will withstand a high level of abuse.
G15 Lens Technology
This light transmission lens technology was actually developed by the U.S. Air Force for aviator’s sunglasses back in the 1950’s. It was quickly realized during WWII and the Korean Conflict that aviators would need to have superior eye pro to not only protect from the incredibly bright sun and reflections, but to also hone the light spectrum to bring clarity far above what the naked eye can produce.
It was found that the human eye naturally perceives the green and yellow spectrum the best, and that the visual image could be maximized at 550 nanometers. By using this research, the Edge Tactical series line of eye pro can provide a visual picture that cools the users visual perception by reducing brightness and maximizing color clarity. This reduces eye strain, and relaxes the eye and facial muscles allowing an officer longer sight without muscle fatigue.
Polarized Lenses
Edge Tactical eye pro offers polarized lenses in several eye pro series. The Acid Gambit line is one of those. The benefits of polarized lenses is that they block reflected light from above and below, only allowing in direct light. This can be particularly beneficial in areas where there is a lot of sunlight from open skies, or reflections off buildings, glass, metal, or objects on the ground including snow or water.
Tiger’s Eye Lenses
The Edge Tactical Tigers’ Eye lenses offer blue light filter technology in safety rated lenses. Blue light has a much shorter wavelength than the brighter colors, and causes the eye to focus too far in front of the retina. This can cause a “blue blur” making the visual picture appear blurry and causing the eye to strain to focus. Like the classic, “Blue Blocker” T.V. add, the Tiger’s Eye lenses block these blue light rays, enabling the user to have a crisp, albeit yellow appearing picture.
Frame Technology
The Edge Acid Gambit frames are made from flexible and durable TR90 Nylon. The wrap-around design does not have shield distortion, providing a clear visual reference. The straight temple design provides a comfortable fit that does not pinch, especially with helmets or communications head sets. There is an optional Bladerunner XL frame to ensure that larger heads don’t suffer from the confinement of smaller frames.
The frames and nose fittings are made of TPR technology, that actually increases grip as it becomes wet or warm. This is particularly beneficial to officers that are often required to work in harsh conditions, both from weather and from personal exertion in the field. Foam gaskets are available on several options to protect the user from dust and debris.
SHOT Show 2015
While at SHOT Show this year I was able to visit the Edge Tactical booth, and see first hand the fog testing success. The ladies there did an outstanding job of explaining the features of Edge Tactical eye pro, but what was more impressive was their fog demonstration. Right there on the table was a humidifier producing a respectable amount of foggy mist.
Several competitor’s eye pro lenses were placed into the fog cloud. The eye pro would be removed after a few seconds, and as expected, they were coated in condensation. The competitor brands took as long as 10-30 seconds to clear up – and that was in the dry desert air at the Media Day at the Range outside of Las Vegas, Nevada! However, when the Edge Tactical lenses were held under the fog cloud for even 10-15 seconds (or longer), they were completely condensation free upon being removed. No condensation, no fogging, just dry lenses that allowed as clear a view as before the test.
As a patrol officer and tactical team member I can say that this feature of the Edge Tactical series eye pro really impressed me. And I knew this was no gimmick test, because the officer on my department had been using his pair for months (both on patrol and tactical operations) with absolutely no fogging.
History of Wolf Peak International and Edge Tactical
Wolf Peak International markets the Edge Tactical brand, and claims to be the first eye pro company to have offered polarized safety glasses back in 1998. They also claim to be the first company offering “designer quality safety rated eyewear”. Regardless of who was first, I can attest that Edge Tactical eye pro are outstanding selections for a wide range of professional uses.
What I learned from the Edge Tactical representatives was that the home company has been manufacturing safety rated goggles and glasses for decades. Their products are widely used throughout the industrial world, and are considered to be some of the best on the market. It was actually employees and customers demands for more stylish shooting eye pro that led to the development of the Edge Tactical series. The first offerings were so successful the company officially expanded into an entire division dedicated to shooting eye pro.
Final Thoughts
The Edge Tactical series eye pro are excellent options for duty use. They provide outstanding ballistic, and UVA/UVB protection. However, perhaps their most incredible feature is the fog-proof design that makes selecting the Edge Tactical eye pro particularly beneficial for law enforcement purposes. I have had the opportunity to test out the Acid Gambit eye pro and have found them very comfortable to wear, and incredibly beneficial due to the fog-proof design.
With a price tag nearly half of several major competitors I would recommend the Edge Tactical series eye pro to any law enforcement officer looking for a serious pair of eye pro for sun and ballistic protection.