Wiley X WX Alpha Review: Rugged sunglasses that are LITERALLY SHATTERPROOF 🔫

Please support my channel by purchasing through my affiliate links:

Wiley x WX alpha ,$196
https://amzn.to/4e6jBcs

For transparency sake, I was gifted a pair of WX Alpha sunglasses. I developed my own talking points based on my own research. I reached out to the company because I was intrigued by the product. Wiley did not see my review before it debuted, nor did they influence me in any way whatsoever. 


While I've seen durable sunglasses described as bullet proof, the WX Alpha is literally bulletproof since they are certified as ANSI Z87.1 which is the same safety standard as the protective glasses people wear on the shooting range. ANSI Z87.1 is another way of saying impact resistant protection, and is also found on Mack’s High Clarity Shooter's Protection ($14.99). While writing this piece, I struggled to identify one word to describe the limits of performance that Wiley X insists on pushing with their WX Alpha. The WX Alpha is the most nuts, insane, hardcore, bananas, pedal to the metal, die-hard, all-out, fanatical sunglass available on the market. They've made sunglasses that you can fish in, boat in, marathon in but also shoot in. It comes with two plastic sets of side guards, one removable, one permanent. While I have no military experience, the WX Alpha will appeal to current service members as well as veterans, and Wiley X was founded by the veteran, Myles Freeman, Sr (correction). 

For purposes of complete accuracy and transparency, nothing out there is "bulletproof".  We noticed there is a company or two like Stryker that says this occasionally in their advertising, but, it's totally misleading.  With that said, you'd still be hard pressed to find a sunglass that meets the shatterproof standard that we meet.  Wiley X, Oakley, ESS and Revision are about the only brands that supply this type of ballistic eyewear to all branches of the armed forces as standard issue.  You can shoot a .15 caliber jagged steel projectile at most of our tactical eyewear at speeds of roughly 750 fps and the lens won't shatter, the frame won't break. 

Since the WX Alpha can be ordered as prescription sunglasses, Wiley X has placed themselves as a serious contender within the sports sunglasses sphere–alliteration at its finest. 

Wiley’s Captivate lenses would be comparable to Oakley's Prism lenses, Smith's Chroma Pop lenses, Bajio’s Lapis lenses, Costa Del Mar’s 580 lenses. Sean McCoy of Gear Junkie wrote “WX Founder sunglasses are a pleasant surprise” and the WX Alpha is no different. McCoy mentioned that the quality and performance of Costa Del Mar sunglasses are the standard by which other expensive sunglasses are judged. I agree with McCoy’s evaluation, and think the optical quality that the WX Alpha delivers is on par with Costa Del Mar. In short, for $196, you get a stunning lens that enhances your experiences in nature but also cuts the glare effectively on your daily commute. With Wiley X giving you a lens that is on par with Oakley, Smith, Bajio, and Costa Del Mar that is also bulletproof, it makes the idea of buying from anyone but Wiley X less unappealing or even absurd. The only room for improvement is that the packaging for the WX Alpha is plain, and no hard-case is included. To be fair, the $314 Oakley Sutro Titanium arrives without a hard case, just a flimsy cloth bag, like the WX Alpha. I would make the packaging more exciting and flashy such as the Lucyd Nitrous which arrives with a bright red box, and contains a vibrant red hard case. 


The gloss crystal light olive  frame of the model I tested looks radiant. While I was out walking on a trail in Miami, I noticed the sun poring through the translucent green frame and it's a unique phenomenon to behold. While the frame is made in Taiwan but assembled in Frisco, Texas, the build quality feels solid. I'm sure I'll be using the WX Alpha to protect my fair blke eyes on  my outdoor pursuits for years to come. 

labels: Wiley X WX Alpha, WX Alpha sunglasses, Wiley X Alpha review, Wiley X tactical sunglasses, Wiley X ANSI Z87.1 sunglasses, Wiley X ballistic eyewear, WX Alpha ballistic sunglasses, Wiley X safety sunglasses, Wiley X military sunglasses, Polarized tactical sunglasses, Prescription-ready safety glasses, Wiley X UV protection glasses, Durable sunglasses for work, Military-grade sunglasses Wiley X, Wiley X ANSI rated eyewear, Best tactical sunglasses 2025, Sunglasses for shooting and outdoor use