[Valan]

I've just received a pair of these through the post.

My first opinion was that they're very light and I was worried about how robust they are. On closer inspection they're pretty tough and the testaments from people whose lives have been saved by these goggles pretty much puts that concern to bed. I've seen the video on the web with them stopping a shotgun blast.

The strap is really slim and and soft so it's comfortable even with various bits of headgear. There is a mechanism at the front to improve the fit for a helmet. The goggles themselves aren't that comfortable around the edges when you first put them on. There isn't an abundance of foam. However you still get a good seal and after a while you don't notice you have them on.

Because they're like flying goggles you don't get the same view as a one piece goggle. You see that bit over your nose, but the side view is unobstructed which makes it superior to some goggles I've worn. Sighting isn't a problem because they're low profile which means they protude somewhere in between a large pair of safety glasses and full on goggles.

The feature that I was most interested in was the way the lens moves forward to improve air flow. The good news is when pulled forward there is still no way you can get a BB in there. They only move forward a fraction. I'm not sure whether this stops fogging completely but a test at home which usually leaves me blind didn't have any affect. Even when the lenses were closed they're an improvement. Due to their small size they don't interfer with face protection much so you get less fogging anyway.

The other feature is that the protective bag is attached to the head strap which I thought may be annoying but I don't notice it and I'm not messing around with a bag in a pocket so thats cool. You just slide it around and your lenses are safe.

You also get spare lenses in little plastic hard shells. I have shaded and high intensity, they're dead easy to change out so you can adapt to most light levels quickly. (in a safe zone of course) My only concern is how the mechanism may wear over time.

As far as value goes I would've been tentative at £65. For £35 form ebay I was well impressed most new pairs are around £40 with £10 postage which is still a reasonable price.

They're good enough for the armed forces I'm sure they will be more than adequate for me.

[Valan]

OK after a couple of games I discovered they do steam up, mainly when you stop after a prolonged activity. When you move around they clear up due to the venting. I tried using demist spray to no avail. What has worked though is removing the foam covering the vents. I expect this is useful to keep on in a desert environment but its just trapping moisture for me.

Clear as a bell now. I took a direct hit Sunday at close range and it didn't even scratch the lense. I've had a couple of rogue branch strikes also and the goggles have stayed in place and haven't scratched.

This post has been edited by Valan: 31 March 2009 - 01:58 PM