The number one reason why most hunters wear sunglasses or goggles is safety. A good pair of hunting glasses will protect your eyes from potential hazards like ejected shells, dirt, and other debris. But not all eye protection is created equal!
You need optimal color and vision variability when hunting. And regular sunglasses can be a handicap since they don’t offer the same clarity or visual advantages as hunting glasses and lenses.
The best lens colors for hunting provide color correction, offer UV protection, increase visual acuity, enhance depth perception, and improve your accuracy. Keep reading as we cover the best lens colors to consider for your next hunting trip.
The Best Lens Colors for Hunting
The best lens colors for hunting are Yellow, Orange, Persimmon, Purple, Gray, and Clear. But picking one lens will depend on your lighting conditions. For instance, the best tint for clay shooting in strong sunshine doesn’t work quite as well for nighttime deer hunting in wooded areas.
Check out our quick guide below outlining the best lens colors by lighting and hunting environment:
Yellow
One of the most popular tints for hunting sunglasses, yellow help contrast your environment and block blue light, which occurs during cloudy, foggy, or diffused haze conditions. We recommend looking for a visible light transmission (VLT) of around 85%, that’s perfect for low-light conditions when you need maximum light entering your eyes.
Yellow lenses also enhance your depth perception, improve contrast, and increase definition. These are great qualities for enhancing your overall visual acuity when hunting. Yellow and orange glasses are also perfect for spotting targets against the environment, such as an orange practice target against a natural background. We recommend Yellow lenses for dawn, dusk, and indoor shooting and hunting, where there is low natural light.
Persimmon / Orange
Persimmon and orange hunting-specific lenses are an orange-reddish color that’s great as an all-around hunting lens. Thanks to its orange tint, these lenses will help brighten your vision in darker lenses while still providing enough tint when the sun comes out. We recommend a 60% VLT for orange hunting lenses. Permission is also ideal for changing light conditions, such as when passing through forests or mountains blocking direct sunlight.
Purple / Pink
Purple / Pink tint is perfect for target shooting when you need bright-colored objects to pop. Specifically, purple lenses make orange clay targets stand out while earth tones like dirt, grass, and tree canopies merge into the background. In addition, purple lenses are very good at improving contrast and accuracy.
Gray
Gray is the best all-around color for sunny daytime hunting, thanks to its dark tint. And it’s perfect for reducing glare from bright sunlight. Gray is also suitable for enhancing contrast and depth perception while balancing color tones.
Clear
Clear lenses are the best option for indoor target practice and nighttime hunting. We also love clear lenses for when you can’t predict light conditions. They offer a clean and natural view and reduce glare in dark or low-light conditions. Clear lenses won’t distort colors so they are perfect for maintaining natural color recognition.
Our Tips for Buying Hunting Sunglasses
Now that you’ve found the best lenses for hunting, it’s time to find the right sunglasses! Keep reading for our top tips for buying hunting sunglasses.
ANSI Rated
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) sets the guidelines for impact protection in sunglasses. And in hunting, this should be at the top of your list!
Regular sunglasses aren’t usually rated for the impact resistance required for shooting. For example, shooting sunglasses should withstand an average ricochet, which can be accurately compared to a 0.25 steel projectile moving at 150 feet per second. Normal sunglasses will shatter during this impact and could damage your eye. In comparison ANSI Z87.1 rated glasses will protect your eyes and deflect the object.
Frame Material
ANSI Z87 lenses are the minimum safety requirement for shooting glasses. You’ll also want a strong frame that can withstand bounce-back and recoil.
We recommend lightweight but durable Nylon frames like Oakley O-Matter. These frames are comfortable all day thanks to their lightweight and are sweat and chemical resistant.
Lens Features
Many hunting sunglasses offer a variety of lens features, but not all are created equal. For hunting, we’d recommend looking at the below options:
- Scratch-resistant – This coating will help your lenses last longer in the woods and water, no water how clumsy you are
- Anti-reflective coating – For bright and sunny environments an anti-reflective coating adds an extra layer of protection
- Interchangeable lenses – If you want to get the most out of your sunglasses, we’d recommend a pair with interchangeable lenses, so you can swap colors between activities (hunting, fishing, baseball, etc.)
- Polarization – For duck or marsh hunting around water, we’d recommend polarized lenses to prevent glare from reflecting off surfaces like a pond or lake
Harmful UV Light Protection
Most hunting-specific glasses come with built-in UV protection, but it’s always good to check. Any quality pair of sunglasses should offer 100% protection against UVA, UVB, and UVC rays. Protecting your eyes is always worth a little extra money.
Prescription Lenses
Most hunting glasses and sunglasses are compatible with prescription lenses, even name brands. And this even includes all of the best hunting lens colors mentioned above. We’d recommend browsing online or talking to your local eye doctor about the best options based on your eyesight and prescription.
If you’re wondering about prices, check out our guide to how much prescription sunglasses cost.
Comfort Features
Shooting glasses come with various comfort features. But our favorite must-have features include:
- Adjustable nose pad and temples for a custom fit
- Foam padding around the eyes to protect against recoil, wind, dust, and debris
- Anti-fog lenses
- Spring hinges on the temple that adjusts to recoil and prevents the frame from breaking
- Frames with multiple locking positions to adjust for the optimal shooting position
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Polarized Lenses Good for Hunting?
Yes, polarized lenses are great for hunting, since they help prevent glare from water and other surfaces. Polarization also helps reduce eye strain and reflection during long sunny days. And these lenses can help enhance your visual clarity, increase contrast, and reduces color distortion.
What are the Best Lenses for Duck Hunting?
We’d recommend polarized persimmon or gray lenses for duck hunting, to prevent glare from water and marshes.
Glasses with an anti-glare coating also work well for duck hunting, but polarized lenses provide maximum protection. For most duck hunting environments you’ll want a low VLT (high tint) lens to block as much light and glare as possible. However, avoid mirrored lenses which can scare off the fowl.
Want More?
Have a question about the best lens color for hunting? Or want to know more? Let us know in the comments below!