Revision New Version Wolfspider Goggles Review by Booligan
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Table of Contents:
Introduction
Ordering
Packaging
Goggle Details
Performance
Comparison with V1
Pros/Cons
Overall
Introduction:
I've been a fan of Revision Military's goggle systems for the last few years, and I previously reviewed their V1 Wolfspider and Bullet Ant goggles HERE. Since I wrote that review, I fell head over heels in love with the Wolfspider design, and have ended up using them as my go-to Airsoft goggles, as well as for skiing and motorcycling. The low profile design and ease of use with a helmet made them great for everything I tested them with, and I'm glad to report that they've tweaked the design and made a few improvements to them. Today, we'll be reviewing the latest model, specifically the Deluxe pack which comes complete with carrying case, anti-fog cloth, microfiber cleaning cloth, anti-glare sleeve, and three different lenses.
Ordering:
I was sent this goggle system directly through Revision Military, who is in the process of ramping up their presence in the airsoft market. This set is available HERE, priced between $99.99 and $129.99 for the set, depending on which pack you get. The Essential kit includes the system, carrying case, cleaning/defogging cloth, and two lenses, the clear and smoke, while this system, the Deluxe kit, includes all the above as well as a third yellow lens. This set is basically the same as the kit I reviewed previously, however, there are some changes to pretty much everything, from the goggles to the case they are stored in.
Packaging:
The Wolfspider comes packaged in a nicely decorated box with a retail ready hanging tag. On the box, you will find a ton of information about the certifications that they've received, as well as some information on the tests performed on this goggle system. They even put the picture showing the results of their famous "shotgun test", which I'll talk about in a bit. Inside this pack, you'll find everything that the set includes, namely the goggles themselves, the extra lenses, soft carrying bag, microfiber cleaning cloth, anti-fog cloth, and the anti-glare sleeve which is pre-installed on the strap. You'll also find an instruction sheet which shows you the finer details about swapping out lenses, care and maintenance, and detailed info about the technical specs and warranty info.
From this point on, click all thumbnails to enlarge the pictures.
Box art
Shotgun test results
Back panel info
Pretty much everything included
Spare lenses in the microfiber cleaning pouch
Carrying pouch
Single loop to mount it
Instruction sheet
Goggle Details:
The Wolfspider system is famous for its low profile design, and thankfully, they haven't strayed far from this original goal. The biggest change with this system is the compatibility with Revision's Rx carrier for users that require corrective lenses. The previous model was too low profile and didn't have any mounting options for the Rx carrier, and because of the design, you couldn't easily fit normal glasses underneath. Basically, if you needed corrective lenses, you were screwed. The new model has a few slight design tweaks to allow use of the Rx carrier, however, it still keeps the low profile design intact.
Front view
The frame still uses the dual compound polymer frame as the original model, however, it is a single color finish now, either in black or tan, depending on the kit you order. The dual compound design allows for flexibility in the "gasket" that seals up against your face, while keeping the necessary rigidness in the front portion that holds the lens. The two parts of the frame are manufactured together, basically as one solid piece, but made up of these two different materials. It's a novel design and manufacturing method, and it works great in this application.
The goggles are fully vented with vents located around the entire perimeter of the lens, aside from the nose piece. The vents are covered with a foam material to keep small debris from entering behind the lens. On the older model, I actually removed the foam, since it blocked the vents just enough that I had fogging issues in some situations. The new design has much larger vents, which is pretty impressive given that you really have to examine the frames of these things to see any appreciable size difference. I don't think ventilation will be an issue with the revised model, even with the foam in place.
Foam covered vents
The nose piece is a flexible single piece, however, it has slits in it that give it flexibility to seal up with different facial structures. At the top of the nose, you'll find the Rx carrier attachment point, which is not present on the older model.
Nose piece, note the vents and Rx carrier attachment point
The strap is attached in a very streamlined manner, with the strap itself being permanently molded onto the clips that lock it onto the frame. The clips can be removed from the frame in order to mount or remove the anti-glare sleeve, and they are out far enough from the frame to allow for easy use with a helmet. The right clip has Revision marked on it for easy reference when reinstalling it.
Strap attachment point
The strap itself seems to be made of a slightly rougher textured elastic material compared to the old model, and it appears to be thicker as well. It no longer says Revision on the sides, which is a bit of a visual bummer, but it does make it lower visibility. The dual adjustment sliders appear to be a bit beefier as well, so you should have no issues with them breaking.
Strap, showing the two sliders, note the anti-glare sleeve
One of the beefier sliders
The anti-glare sleeve is a nice inclusion to the set, as it allows you to cover up your goggles to keep them clean when not in use and to prevent glare, which might give up your position. When not in use, you can slide it around the back onto the strap so it won't get lost. If you want, you can remove it by popping one of the strap clips off and pulling it off the strap.
Anti-glare sleeve
The most important components of this system are the lenses. The kit includes a clear, smoked, and yellow lens, and all three have their special purpose on the field. The clear lens is for low light, general purpose use. The smoked lens is for high light use, and the yellow lens is for high contrast. In my experience, I normally leave the smoked lens installed unless I'm doing a night op, when I'll throw in the clear lens. If I'm playing in foggy or hazy conditions, the yellow lens does an amazing job at tweaking the contrast enough to give you great visibility. The durability and strength of these lenses are really incredible, as evidenced by Revision's rigorous testing procedures. Their famous "Shotgun test" really demonstrates this, as they shot them from 16' away with a 12 gauge, 1 1/4 oz #7 shot load out of a Remington 870 and had 36 strikes on the lens with no penetration. You're not going to get penetration on these goggles on the airsoft field. The actual ratings are, as taken from the Revision website: "ANSI Z87.1-2010, EN 166 and U.S. military ballistic impact requirements for goggles (MIL-DTL-43511D, clause 3.5.10)”
Certification markings on lens
Swapping out the lens for a different unit is a piece of cake due to the flexible frame. You simple pull the frame apart a bit to release the locking bits on the lens, pop it out, and put the new one in, ensuring that you pop all of the locking bits around the lens back in place.
Performance:
So, the goggles look good and are strong as hell, but that's all useless if they fog up the second you use them. Thankfully, Revision kept their great anti-fog capabilities intact with the newest version. The older version had issues after a few months of use in my testing, mainly because the foam blocked up the relatively tiny vents and didn't allow enough airflow when stationary, like when stacking at a door or bracing behind an obstacle. When you weren't moving in funky temperature swings, you would get some condensation inside the lens. The new model has larger vents, especially on the sides, so you get a lot better air-flow even with the foam in place, preventing fogging.
The other perk is that Revision included one of their awesome reusable anti-fog cloths in the kit, as well as a small sealed back to store it when not in use. I've tested these out before after my anti-fog coating wore out on my old Wolfspiders, and it works really well. The best part is that if you pop it in the sealing bag when you're done, you can reuse it up to 25 times before needing to buy another one.
Anti-fog cloth
I'm also pleased to report that they still work great with a helmet, due to the staggered strap mounting clips. The clips hold the strap far enough out from the goggle frame that it can easily fit over helmets without pulling the goggles off your face. I've personally tested the old system with a wide variety of helmets, including tactical models, ski helmets, and even a motorcycle helmet. I use my Wolfspiders in a wide variety of scenarios off the airsoft field including skiing and riding motorcycles, and if you take care of your lenses, you won't have any fogging issues.
In use with a Giro Bevel ski helmet and Black Bear Airsoft V4 mesh mask
Comparison with V1:
The new version and the old version are very similar in their layout and design, and you can even swap lenses between the two of them. The noticeable differences are mainly in the details, such as the slightly thicker frame to accommodate the Rx carrier, the much larger vents on the new version, the change in strap material, and the carrying case. Honestly, the new version is improved enough in every way that I'm really pleased with how they turned out, except for one small thing. The carrying case that the old version came in was a really nice neoprene like material with belt loops for mounting on your gear, but the new one is a simple fabric pouch with an inner pocket to hold your spare lenses. I wish they still included the awesome old pouch, but it is what it is.
New on left, old on right
Subtle size difference, new model on top
Size difference from the bottom
Strap difference
No Rx carrier mounting on the old model
Pros:
They managed to improve on the Wolfspider model that I already was VERY impressed with
Low profile design
Great field of view
Dual material frame gives strength and flexibility
Incredibly strong lens rating, you're not going to break these things
Rx carrier ready
Multiple lenses for different environments
Cons:
It's still a little pricey, but Revision runs frequent specials through their website
If you don't get the Rx carrier, but wear glasses, you will still have some difficulty wearing these over glasses (which isn't recommended anyways)
Limited color availability (black and tan, if you want green or another color, you'll need to crack out the paint)
The new case is a little chintzy compared to the awesome old one
Overall:
I have had a lot of use, especially use off the airsoft field, with my old Revision Wolfspider system, and couldn't be happier. I couldn't really think of a way to improve them, until I tried out this new version. Revision took the only real flaws of the old system (mediocre venting, no Rx support) and improved them, without compromising the sleek, low profile design of the original. I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of new ideas Revision is working on, because they've done a great job not just making a great product, but also looking at the flaws with their product and improving them and making them more accessible to a wider audience. I feel safe with these things on my face, and I know they'll outlast anything I can throw at them.
Many thanks again to Revision Military, and of course, Airsoft Retreat!