New Authorized Protective Eyewear List (APEL) for 2015, (Including New Oakley Additions)

[LT0844]

PEO Soldier | Approved Eyewear
Army releases new, longer list of approved eye pro

Came across this today. I'm glad to see more ballistic options out there, especially for my buddies that are still active duty. Not surprisingly the more recent ballistic Oakley and ESS products like the M Frame 3.0 and Rollbar were added. However I'm surprised that the Racing Jacket made it on the list. I never knew they made a ballistic version of it, not even available at Standard Issue.

 

[Rustpot]

They may be making a new Racing Jacket? Either way it has an NSN number assigned, so it should be available through supply chain.

Most of the Oakley frames would likely pass ballistic testing. Weaker wire frames like the Crosshair would not, so they made a new version to give wire frame options for uniform wear (which I don't see on the APEL list, all of which have interchangeable lenses though). Aviators/Pilot glasses don't pass muster. The Ballistic M Frame included the third gen frame, requirements stipulate the lenses cannot come free of the frame during impact and the normal M Frame friction fit would, so they added the clip. The 2.0 and 3.0 were iterations on the frame design to better mesh with helmets, earpro, comms, NODs, NVG, etc.

 

[LT0844]

Interesting, the "SI" Racing Jacket was introduced at the 2013 SHOT show SI Ballistic Racing Jacket - ADS, Inc.

The Det Cord isn't on there, along with ESS' other "spectacles" (Credence, CDI, CDI Max and 5B). They all meet MIL-PRF-32432 and ANSI Z87.1 (2010), I wonder if they also got tested or not.

 

[Rustpot]

As I mentioned, all of those pairs listed have interchangeable lenses. And while normal frames may be able to, they're not designed for it.

 

[LT0844]

Got it. The CDI and CDI Max does feature quick lens change capability though.

 

[OakleyGuru379]

Can a civilian buy the ballisticc goggle?

 

[LT0844]

Not from SI. I do see some legit 1.0 and a few 2.0 Ballistic goggles on Ebay however.

 

[Nortika]

That's awesome, to bad they didn't have this when I was in

 

[Ventruck]

Interesting, the "SI" Racing Jacket was introduced at the 2013 SHOT show SI Ballistic Racing Jacket - ADS, Inc.
.

I think I need one of those. Straight up apocalypse asset.

Stem styling looks so much cooler too imo:

2013 Shot Show Coverage | ADS, Inc. TV | Oakley - YouTube

 

[Rustpot]

Just for funsies, SMGLee wearing a pair of SI RJs with jaw swaps