ESS ICE Kit & RX Insert Review
At the SHOT Show, I stopped by the ESS booth and picked up one of their ICE Tactical Kits. I have been wearing glasses since I was three years old. During my military and law enforcement careers, wearing prescription eyewear presented some problems with protective masks, but the idea of wearing contacts and leaving my eyes unprotected never appealed to me. Not to mention seeing the effects that OC has on contacts.
Because of having very photosensitive eyes, I switch off between my regular glasses and a pair of RX Oakley sunglasses. A few months ago, during some horseplay with my kids, I snapped my regular glasses in half and had to spend two days wearing my sunglasses for everything until my replacements came in. I wanted to have another pair of regular glasses on hand in the event that I broke either my regular glasses or Oakley’s. What I couldn’t justify was spending a few hundred dollars on something I “might” need.
The majority of MCS classes involve force on force and we require eye protection. I usually wear goggles to save my glasses. After checking out the ICE Tactical Kit and finding that it accepted RX inserts, I decided to give it a shot. In the past, I had my reservations about using any kind of a RX insert or having a prescription filled by mail, but I conceded. The Tactical Kit retails for $85 and includes the following-
Rose Copper Lens with Foliage Green Frames
Clear Lens with Black Frames
Hi-Def Yellow lens with black nose piece
Op-Drops Anti-Fog Solution
Microfiber Storage pouch / Cleaning Cloth
Elastic Retention Strap
Protective Hard Case
The next step was getting a copy of my current prescription and going to the ESS website to order my RX insert. The format was user friendly. Within minutes, I had ordered my insert. In about 10 days, a small package showed up at my PO Box containing my RX insert, nosepiece, and case. Everything, including shipping, was around $135.
Unlike some other eyewear, the first thing that struck me about the construction of the ICE glasses was that they felt pliable and “unbreakable” even though there is no such thing. Snapping the RX insert into the RX nosepiece adaptor and then into the frame of your choice is easy for anyone that is familiar with Legos. It really is that easy. Same thing goes for the adjustable frames. We were getting ready for a holiday road trip, so I chose the Rose Copper lens since they provided the best sun protection. Over the years, I have probably had around 50 prescriptions and this is the clearest one ever. The clearness of the prescription coupled with the crispness of the Rose Copper lenses was amazing. I wore them during the three-hour drive and even as the sun went down things were still amazingly clear. The rubber of the one-piece nosepiece and the adjustable / flexible temples make them super comfortable.
Everyone has had buyer’s remorse when it comes to buying gear. The quality of the ICE Kit and its added value made me feel like I got more for my money. In one small kit I have the ability to pop my prescription into three different color frames allowing me to easily adapt to my environment. With the clear lens if another unfortunate accident should fall upon my regular glasses I have a back up pair with my current prescription. The glasses have an admittedly low CDI (Chicks Dig It) factor compared to my slim Oakley’s, but provide unraveled wrap around eye protection. I also like the idea that there is a ballistic resistant lens covering my prescription. Even if I drop them on the deck, it would do little damage, unlike regular glasses. And if the lens does get scratched, I pop another one and replace that color for $16.
My final opinion is that when it comes to tactical eye protection the ICE Tactical Kit offers the best bang for the buck. If you also happen to wear prescription glasses, I would be at a loss to recommend a better option for you.
At the SHOT Show, I stopped by the ESS booth and picked up one of their ICE Tactical Kits. I have been wearing glasses since I was three years old. During my military and law enforcement careers, wearing prescription eyewear presented some problems with protective masks, but the idea of wearing contacts and leaving my eyes unprotected never appealed to me. Not to mention seeing the effects that OC has on contacts.
Because of having very photosensitive eyes, I switch off between my regular glasses and a pair of RX Oakley sunglasses. A few months ago, during some horseplay with my kids, I snapped my regular glasses in half and had to spend two days wearing my sunglasses for everything until my replacements came in. I wanted to have another pair of regular glasses on hand in the event that I broke either my regular glasses or Oakley’s. What I couldn’t justify was spending a few hundred dollars on something I “might” need.
The majority of MCS classes involve force on force and we require eye protection. I usually wear goggles to save my glasses. After checking out the ICE Tactical Kit and finding that it accepted RX inserts, I decided to give it a shot. In the past, I had my reservations about using any kind of a RX insert or having a prescription filled by mail, but I conceded. The Tactical Kit retails for $85 and includes the following-
Rose Copper Lens with Foliage Green Frames
Clear Lens with Black Frames
Hi-Def Yellow lens with black nose piece
Op-Drops Anti-Fog Solution
Microfiber Storage pouch / Cleaning Cloth
Elastic Retention Strap
Protective Hard Case
The next step was getting a copy of my current prescription and going to the ESS website to order my RX insert. The format was user friendly. Within minutes, I had ordered my insert. In about 10 days, a small package showed up at my PO Box containing my RX insert, nosepiece, and case. Everything, including shipping, was around $135.
Unlike some other eyewear, the first thing that struck me about the construction of the ICE glasses was that they felt pliable and “unbreakable” even though there is no such thing. Snapping the RX insert into the RX nosepiece adaptor and then into the frame of your choice is easy for anyone that is familiar with Legos. It really is that easy. Same thing goes for the adjustable frames. We were getting ready for a holiday road trip, so I chose the Rose Copper lens since they provided the best sun protection. Over the years, I have probably had around 50 prescriptions and this is the clearest one ever. The clearness of the prescription coupled with the crispness of the Rose Copper lenses was amazing. I wore them during the three-hour drive and even as the sun went down things were still amazingly clear. The rubber of the one-piece nosepiece and the adjustable / flexible temples make them super comfortable.
Everyone has had buyer’s remorse when it comes to buying gear. The quality of the ICE Kit and its added value made me feel like I got more for my money. In one small kit I have the ability to pop my prescription into three different color frames allowing me to easily adapt to my environment. With the clear lens if another unfortunate accident should fall upon my regular glasses I have a back up pair with my current prescription. The glasses have an admittedly low CDI (Chicks Dig It) factor compared to my slim Oakley’s, but provide unraveled wrap around eye protection. I also like the idea that there is a ballistic resistant lens covering my prescription. Even if I drop them on the deck, it would do little damage, unlike regular glasses. And if the lens does get scratched, I pop another one and replace that color for $16.
My final opinion is that when it comes to tactical eye protection the ICE Tactical Kit offers the best bang for the buck. If you also happen to wear prescription glasses, I would be at a loss to recommend a better option for you.
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