There’s a number of hazards that we may encounter which could negatively affect the safety of our eyes. Luckily we have options to use in attempting to protect them. The Bollé Platinum line of glasses does a great job of protecting eyes. They come in comfortable offerings with a multitude of shades/hues available. The Sentinel model has a couple of configurations to meet a myriad of needs.
They’re real safety glasses
First and foremost, the Bollé Sentinel glasses are true safety glasses, part of their “SI” line. The entire Platinum line is advertised to have “ANSI Z87.1 protection.” Bollé further notes that most models also meet the “ballistic standard MIL-PRF 32432A.” The Sentinels I received came in copper colored lenses. The set was stamped on the lens with the Bollé safety “crown” mark with a “+” for the Z87+ standard. There is also a “U6” for UV filtering and “L1.5” denoting the light filtering level.
What’s with the Z87+?
In my opinion, the most vitally important part of those markings is the “+” for Z87+. The Z87+ standard identifies the glasses as being an “impact protector.” This is part of the Z87.1-2010 standard which states, “to be considered an impact protector, the device must meet the high velocity and high mass tests.”
Copper colored tint helped make clays pop a bit
I picked out copper colored glasses for the Sentinels because I thought they’d be fairly versatile. The Sentinels are also offered in “Smoke,” aka sunglasses. Both the copper and smoke lenses have the “Platinum anti-fog and anti-scratch coating.” The copper glasses have a blue light filtering element to them and the smoke lenses have anti-glare protection. The copper hued lenses are described as being for both indoor and outdoor use.
When selecting the glasses, I had shooting clays in mind and figured that the copper hue would make the orange pop more in the overcast. I also thought they’d have enough of a tint to offer the needed protection should the clouds move on. Sure, if it got sunny I’d be having to change out the glasses altogether. But, short of being photochromatic, this was a good middle of the road option over the more aggressive yellow or amber I’d normally wear for a cloudy day.
How’d they perform?
The Sentinel glasses I found to be comfortable and lightweight. I didn’t have the feeling that they were digging into my face any while using them. The rubber padding on the interior of the arms acts as a small buffer between the plastic and the wearer’s face. Inlaid into the arm material, just breaking the surface of the surrounding plastic, the rubber keeps the glasses from moving on one’s face.
As far as visual acuity goes, I felt that things seemed more crisp and the orange clays seemed more perceptible during the fall afternoons I tested them during. Normally I’d select an amber or yellow lens, depending on the overcast, but these copper tinted glasses offer further versatility by lending themselves to being useful when the sun is really limited or for use indoors.
The price is consistent with other high end eyewear
The Bollé line ranges in price, with the Sentinels towards the top end of the ask. There are plenty of other glasses out there with different quality and price points, but Bollé has been around for awhile. Bollé is a trusted name associated with quality, so there’s some reputation that you’re buying into and some of the branding, as well as the product itself. That being said, they’re comparable to other higher end safety eyewear that I’ve seen on the market.
What’s in the box?
The Sentinel glasses that I received came with a few things. Most notable, a nice flip top, hook-and-loop closure case was included with the glasses. Bollé also distributed the glasses with a microfiber drawstring bag that’s suitable for putting the glasses in as well as using it to wipe the lenses if needed.
The quick and dirty
Pluses: Fashionable and comfortable. True safety glasses with Z87+ standard of impact protection. Glasses come with a case and microfiber storage bag. Available in different shades and have the “Platinum anti-fog and anti-scratch coating.” Perfect for use as shooting glasses or for occupational settings.
Minuses: They are a little costly for safety glasses, however they’re at the low end of the spectrum if they’re being looked at as conventional sunglasses – which they can fulfill that need if one wanted to use them as such.
If someone gave me a pair of the Bollé Sentinel Platinum Safety Glasses, I’d be pretty happy with such a great gift. I don’t know if I’d spend this kind of money on myself for safety glasses. As much as I’d love to receive Bollé Sentinel Platinum Safety Glasses, I’d be just as ready to get a pair for someone on my gift list. These are comfortable, well made, lightweight, and crisp.
The Bollé Sentinel Platinum Safety Glasses can be purchased in smoke or copper tints over at Amazon.
