PMCI - April 2018

pmcimagazine.com
EYE PROTECTION | WILEY X
“fog resistance” test easily; a deep breath and exhale into the
goggle yields no noticeable fogging. Top marks. There are ducts
on the frame brow to promote airflow, and a foam covering
to retard dust ingress. I would advise resisting the temptation
to pull off the foam for better airflow. Dusty lenses will fog up
much quicker than clean ones, so this modification is usually
counterproductive.
WILEY X SPEAR GOGGLE.
The Spear is a solid goggle designed for performance at the
expense of a little bulkier fit than the Nerve, but don’t let that
put you off; it still gives a surprisingly unobtrusive fit. This is to
a great extent due to the customisable Facial Cavity seal that
is proprietary to Wiley X eye protection. This takes the form of
an extra foam & rubber gasket which attaches securely to the
goggle frame. This gives a greater stand off from the face as
well as a hydrophilic foam which wicks sweat away from the
wearer’s face. Additionally, the seal is very effective at keeping
dust and fine contaminants from the inner lens surface and the
wearer’s eyes. As with the Nerve goggle, the strap articulates
easily, the adjustment range is wide enough to accommodate
headgear, and the interchangeable lenses are easy to switch
out. This particular Spear goggle comes with dark, clear and
yellow lenses (all Z87.1+ marked), and an excellent ripstop
waterproof belt pouch that contains the extra lenses and a
microfibre cloth. Despite a bulkier fit than the Nerve, both these
goggles fit comfortably under Night Vision equipment, and the
lenses resist any attempt to fog them by breathing on them.
Impressive.
against the wearer’s face, but this won’t wick moisture away;
saying that, I couldn’t fog the lenses with my breath at all.
The frame is Z87 marked, with a smaller Wiley X engraving on
each lens; important to ensure that the lenses are original and
certified. The frame has an extreme wrap around with helps
it provide good all round protection despite not being a true
goggle. Of course, there is often an element of compromise
in the execution of a hybrid system, and I found that the fit
across the wearer’s nose to be that for me. In the interests of
a lightweight execution, there is no padding around the nose
as the SG-1 is designed to be close fitting. For my somewhat
“Romanesque” nose, I found it a touch uncomfortable. For users
with a more normal nasal profile, I suspect these will fit very
nicely without gaps.
WILEY X SG-1
The SG-1 is a hybrid product; half eye shield, half goggle. It
is easily switched between the two modes by removing the
arms of the frame and substituting them for a goggle strap.
This is a clever bit of lateral thinking, which gives the user two
wear modes. The individual lenses are also easily swapped; this
particular model came with clear and dark ones. Each lens unit
has closed cell foam backing for comfort where it will rest
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