Although Wiley X sunglasses are now widely available and growing in popularity they have only been on the open market for about twenty years since they were made available for purchase by civilian customers in 1987.
Prior to this date they were designed and manufactured initially for the United States Military Special Forces and for a number of law enforcement agencies. They were also, and remain, standard issue for the FBI, DEA, Army Rangers and Navy Seal teams.
Today the virtually unbreakable Wiley X sunglasses are marketed widely and in particular to motorcyclist, hunters, fishermen and people engaging in any form of high impact activity for which excellent eye protection is required.
The lenses for Wiley X sunglasses are designed using the very latest computer generated 3-D design technology and are made from a shatterproof selenite polycarbonate. Indeed some models have been tested to withstand a 12-guage shotgun blast from as little as ten yards away.
For the motorcyclist lenses include LA™ lenses which darken automatically on bright sunny days to shield the eyes from harmful ultraviolet radiation, while on overcast days and at night they are clear to provide for perfect optical clarity. Manufactured using shatterproof polycarbonate, these lenses are very different to older photochromic lens technology which uses glass and CR-39 and which produces lenses that can shatter if struck while riding. Wiley X has also incorporated their own new Emerald 4™ anti-reflective coatings to eliminate back-glare from the sun or car headlights.
Also for the motorcyclist Willey X provides Filter 3™ lenses which combine a new crystal gradient lens with a flash silver mirror enabling them to be worn during the day and at night. The silver mirror surface absorbs glare from the sun and oncoming headlights while riding and the crystal gray gradient lens underneath gently shades the eyes to provide perfect optical clarity at any time of the day.
The fisherman is also well served by Wiley X's mirror lens technology. Priding themselves on introducing new technology while at the same time keeping prices within reach, Wiley X have developed Z-Oxide™ multi-coat mirrors which produce clean and crisp vision and which are smudge and smear resistant.
The blue lunar mirror increases visual contrast and enhances clarity making it ideal for fishing while the underlying neutral slate lenses provide for heightened detail in a range of light conditions.
The emerald green mirror, which is the darkest color in the Wiley X range, had been specifically designed for bright light conditions and is excellent for all forms of water sport and is also an excellent choice for the offshore fisherman. In particular, the emerald green mirror provides a tint that is soft on the eyes and makes full use of polarization technology which is so useful when working on the water.
Another excellent choice for the fisherman is the silver steel mirror which was again designed for use in bright light conditions and especially for use on the water.
As with many other companies one of the great strengths of Wiley X lies in their technology which, like that of Ray-Ban, was first developed to serve the stringent demands of the United States military. It's a great credit to Wiley X that they have continued to develop their product range and to push the boundaries forward to provide an excellent range of products to the general public.