No matter your discipline or occupation, if there are hazards to your eyes present, you must take the proper steps to protect them. There’s a ton of options on the market for eye protection and it can be daunting to figure out what’s for you. From budget models to high end optics, there are certain things you should be looking for in eyewear. We had a chance to spend a good deal of time with WarBird Enfilade safety glasses and have been impressed.
Who’s WarBird?
WarBird Protection is a company that produces lines of protective equipment. WarBird currently offers products in the hearing, eye, and body protection arena.
Founder/CEO Matt Davis notes in a statement on the “About Us” page that, “While WarBird is a new company, our roots run deep.” Davis continued, “For over 50 years the Davis name has pioneered the armor industry, having built a legacy of trust and expertise along the way.”
Body Armor was a principal focus based on former experiences, then in February and March of 2024, WarBird released the Intrepid line of hearing protection and eight different eyewear options. Also in February of 2024, WarBird launched their direct to consumer website.
A press release further expanded on this dynamic:
WarBird Protection Group is a forward-thinking company backed by decades of experience in the use and design of protective equipment. First to market from WarBird is a line of soft, concealable body armor intended for use by the law enforcement, first responder, private security, and civilian markets. This soft armor line is just the beginning of top-notch, comfortable protection gear coming from WarBird.
High quality, high end glasses
The WarBird lines of protective eyewear are not just functional, they’re also comfortable and sporty. There are few lines of high end glasses that are both trendy enough to wear as traditional sunglasses but also meet the protective qualities of high impact glasses.
Impact resistant
In a world of regulation, what’s almost as important as the quality and makeup of protective eyewear, are the markings on the lenses and frame arms. WarBird’s glasses are all marked with their appropriate ratings.
Looking at the line they offer, at the time of publication, the only line that does not meet “ANSI Z87.1 Safety Rating for Impact Resistance for safety,” is the Easy Day line. The product page conspicuously points out that the Easy Day line “DOES NOT meet ANSI Z87.1 standard due to lack of side coverage. However, lenses still provide impact protection.”
In a WarBird announcement, they discuss the impact resistance of their lenses and frames.
Personal protection is always top of mind with WarBird, which is why a wide range of eye protection offerings meet the rigorous ANSI Z87.1+ standard for impact protection. WarBird eye protection has been tested to withstand high-velocity projectiles, flying debris, and other hazards that could cause severe harm to an individual’s vision.
Wearing ANSI-approved eye protection not only safeguards your eyes at the range, but it also provides crucial protection when working with heavy machinery, or in the event of a car accident while driving or during other various types of work where eye protection is essential.
- Drop Ball Impact Resistance
- High Mass Impact
- High-Velocity Impact Test
- Penetration Test
- Minimum Coverage
- Polarized
Frame material
The frames of the Enfilade are made of a lightweight polymer material. Kainwall™ is the name of the TR 90 bio-based thermoplastic. Handling the glasses, users will observe that they are very light. Pulling on the frame arms, the flexibility of the material can be tested.
“Kaiwall™ offers sustainable strength with uncompromising performance, while providing maximum comfort and a soft-to-touch finish frame,” WarBird said in their product release announcement. “Kaiwall frames seamlessly blend modern technology with eco-conscious sustainability. Increased strength and resiliency, impact resistant and lightweight material are among the many advantages when wearing WarBird eye protection.”
Lenses
There are a number of different lens options that WarBird makes available for the Enfilade and their other models. One of the trademarked technologies WarBird uses in their lenses is 4SHADOW™.
4SHADOW™ technology excel in low-light conditions, offering sharper vision, reduced glare, and improved contrast sensitivity. Whether navigating through dimly lit environments or facing challenging lighting conditions, WarBird’s lenses ensure uncompromised clarity and protection.
WarBird 4SHADOW lenses absorb 100% of all harmful UVA and UVB light rays, protecting eyes and defending vision year-round from damaging ultraviolet radiation up to 400 Nanometers.
What’s in the box?
When we got our set of Enfilade glasses, they came in a box with the glasses, a microfiber cloth pouch, and a rugged ballistic nylon zippered case. WarBird took the extra steps to make sure their glasses get to their respective owners in good condition. Further, by providing both a microfiber bag and durable glasses case, users are set up for success in ensuring they keep their glasses protected when not in use.
What were the specifications of the glasses we received?
The glasses that we ended up putting in for were the Enfilades. WarBird has a handsome line of other models, and the Enfilades and Easy Days spoke to us the most. Since we wanted fully certified Z87+ glasses, we selected the Enfilades over the Easy Days.
These are high end glasses and the look is just as important as the functionality. We wanted a pair of glasses that would look good on the range and the field, as much as they’d be sharp in social settings. We selected a timeless color for the frames, the navy matte option. To contrast the blue of the frame, the glasses come in the green shield color.
Right from the product page, here are the exact specifications:
Features
- 4SHADOW lens technology
- High-Contrast lenses create a vivid sight picture. Objects are more easily distinguished from their background, which can improve reaction time and performance
- Meets ANSI Z87.1 Safety Rating for Impact Resistance for safety
- Kainwall™ Bio-based TR90 Frame Material for environmentally friendly durability, light weight, comfort
- Water and UV resistant soft touch finish frame
- Thin temple design increases comfort, when used with headphones and ear protection
- Co-injected non-toxic rubber nose pad for comfort and stability
- Co-injected temple pieces for enhanced comfort and fit
- Includes zippered protective case w/morale patch, quick-release clip, microfiber drawstring bag
How’d the Enfilades perform?
Construction
The first thing that really stood out when getting our hands on the WarBird Enfilades was the composition of materials of the glasses. As mentioned earlier, these are lightweight glasses. They did not feel cheap in the hand, but they felt alien-like due to their overall weight in comparison to similar glasses.
Putting the glasses on for the first go, I noticed that the arms did not put undue pressure on the sides of my face or temples. Also, the glasses did not interfere with the wearing of a hat or over-the-ear muffs at the range.
Clarity and sun blocking
The clarity of the lenses really is evident when putting on the Enfilades. If you’ve ever taken the time to compare off-the-rack gas station sunglasses to high end glasses with quality lenses, you’ve witnessed the difference in how everything looks.
In picking the glasses, we wanted lenses that would offer the most sun-blocking properties. The green shields offer 11% of light transmittance, they don’t completely block out the world around you. In fact, they made everything pop and added to visual acuity. I would be interested in seeing what some of their high contrast lens options are like.
First outing
The first time that the glasses were put to full use was on a day trip during the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. To get to our destination we were required to drive about five hours. We also spent the entire day at a zoo during the event. After the first day of wear, there were no complaints. The two areas of comfort I really focused on were eye strain and contact with the face/head/ears.
Overall
In the four months of testing the Enfilades, I’ve had them out to the range, trap field, sporting clays course, out on some day trips, and just wore them for general purposes. The Enfilades are comfortable and offer superior protection from the sun.
The quick and dirty
Pluses: High quality and lightweight Z87+ protection. Comfortable. Durable and flexible. Good clarity and visual acuity from lenses. Comes with a case and microfiber storage bag.
Minuses: Price point from $139.00 to $149.00. While that’s steep for run-of-the-mill glasses, that’s actually a steal in comparison to like-luxury models that lack the Z87+ classification.
The WarBird line of glasses are handsome and made from good materials. The Enfilades that we tested are great, comfortable, and protective. Would I buy these glasses? Yes. While they are pricey, the Enfilades, when going toe-to-toe with similar styles, have the advantage that they’re designed as safety glasses. The Enfilades have the added benefit of being certified Z87+ and the markings to prove it. I’d recommend these glasses to a friend that’s looking for glasses like these.
If you use the code THESQUAREREVIEWS at checkout, you’ll receive 10% off your order of glasses or hearing protection, and we’ll get a commission! (Discount code can be applied in the cart on all products except the HOSS armor)
