Ro Grobman and John Wayne Taylor wearing GATORZ Magnum Z ballistic sunglasses (courtesy

GATORZ wants the world to know that their Magnum condoms sunglasses are favored by operators operating operationally (shown). Maybe that’s because their shades not reflective. You know: like sharks’ eyes. Even so, GATORZ weren’t the best solution for ballistic eye protection. And now . . .

they are! The Magnum Z is an enhanced ANSI Z87+ rated version. So you can wear your sunglasses confident that spall and small fragments of lead won’t break the glass of the windows to your soul. Or something like that.

From their website:


Expect maximum lens coverage and a typical Gatorz wrap look. They are also extremely popular with the US Navy SEALs, SWAT teams and elite military special forces units.

The Magnum Z is the enhanced ANSI Z87+ rated version of our Magnum style blackout sunglasses. The frame features our matte black logo with no reflective colors and surfaces on the frame. The Magnum Z meets or exceeds all ANSI Z87.1 – 2015 requirements.


  1. Badass Cobra T-Shirt.

    Also, pretty reasonable prices for their eye-bling. Never tried them myself because I’ve never seen ’em on sale anywhere where I could actually try them on.

    I’d like to see what the lens clarity is like.

  2. Just out of curiosity what do most of you all use for range eye pro/ every day wear?

    I use Wiley X at work and while shooting/instructing, and Oakley Flak XlJ is Gascans the rest of the time

    • I got a pair of safety glasses from Wal*mart for less than $4.00. They have really flexible earpieces that won’t dig into my skull when I put earmuffs over them. If they get scratched up I can throw them away and buy another pair.

      I buy my sunglasses at the same place. They need to be polarized. Sometimes I splurge and pay over $10.00.

      • Same here, I buy the cheap stuff, usually from Wal-Mart ……I lose most of my glasses anyway.i know I left a pair at my girlfeinds house, my mom called and said I had a pair there, my son said he’d found my glasses by his brbq grill. And I still haven’t found the ones on my head

    • I use Ruger eye protection with interchangeable lenses. I got them so I could have clear for indoor ranges or cloudy days, tinted for shooting steel in the summer and amber for outdoor use in the winter. I also like the zippered soft case that let’s me throw my earplugs in there and have everything ready to grab and go. I think they were about 20 bucks.

    • Maui Jim’s pretty much exclusively. Their warranty program is worth it and I got sick and tired of constantly replacing cheapo sunglasses/eye pro. Got a few pairs of Peahi’s in various lenses and a pair of really dark semi-aviator glasses similar to their current “Freight Trains” that I use for driving in really bright conditions like snow on the ground but full sun.

      People say the prices are ridiculous but in college alone I went through enough pairs of cheapo sun/eye pro to pay for at least three pairs of Maui Jim sunglasses. So, it’s like buying cheap shit from Wal-Mart. You usually end up paying more for it when it has to be replaced again and again, the price is just spread out over time so you don’t notice it.

    • I wear glasses so as to not run into things, so my options are more limited.

      Generally lab safety type glasses that fit over my regular ones, or goggles.

  3. I will not put anything on my face that says GATORZ Magum Z. What is this, Xtreme Xtended, Xun and Gun Protexion. Its like some frat boy branding.

  4. Wal-Mart SafetyVu – $5-7 with or without bifocals in various styles and lens colors. Z87+ rated. I once compared them to a pair of $300 Oakley and there was minimal difference in clarity. They last a year or two in everyday use and longer for the ones I only use for the range or golfing. The bifocal option is fabulous!

  5. I hope this spring TTGA does a sister site, The Truth About Fishing, that’d be a hoot, arguing about fishing lines, and rods and reels. Lying about the fish we caught. Catfish are better then trout, bass don’t fight as hard as carp.That would be fun

  6. I’ve been wearing the same pair of Bucci Denali glacier glasses for almost 13 years now. Ballistic rated, fog resistant, etc. I got them when my 3rd pair of Cebe glacier glasses broke, and didn’t want to spend hundreds again. The Cebes have (had?) metal frames that will break, while the Buccis have flexible polymer frames and were worn on Stargate: SG1, so there’s that. For clears, I have some Browning Bone Collectors I snagged for $1 at the dollar general (not even kidding) and they’re pretty great, also ansi rated etc.


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