Range / Head to head
Wiley X vs ESS: the Saber Advanced against the Crossbow and the ICE, on the pages themselves
Two makers that both state MIL-PRF-32432A. One of them also states an APEL listing, names its coating and documents three inserts. The other seals the brow, warranties the frame for life, and costs less.
By Mike M.Updated Spec-page researched, not worn by us
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The contenders
Side by side
Stock photoWiley X: the range-bag pair
Wiley X Saber Advanced
MIL-PRF-32432A8.1 /10MIL-PRF-32432A and Z87.1+, foam brow insert, changeable lenses, lifetime warranty; no APEL, no insert on the page.
Check price · Amazon#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Wiley X Saber Advanced
- Stock photo
ESS: the APEL kit
ESS Crossbow 2LS Kit
APEL8.6 /10APEL and MIL-PRF-32432A on the APEL kit page, two lenses in the box, named coating, three inserts.
Check price · Amazon#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to ESS Crossbow 2LS Kit
- Stock photo
ESS: the muff pair
ESS ICE-3LS Kit
MIL-PRF-32432A8.2 /10Three lenses, telescoping temples for headborne gear, MIL-PRF-32432A, two inserts.
Check price · Amazon#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to ESS ICE-3LS Kit
Side by side
Same tier, different paperwork
Both makers write "MIL-PRF-32432A" on the page. ESS adds "APEL (Authorized Protective Eyewear List) approved" on the Crossbow APEL kit, which means the Army ran the fragmentation test on that configuration; Wiley X's Saber Advanced page makes no APEL claim. On the ANSI side, ESS cites the edition ("Z87.1+ 2015 Edition" on the APEL kit, "Z87+ 2020" on the 2LS kit) and Wiley X does not. If the independence of the test matters to you, that is the whole comparison; what an APEL listing proves is on the APEL guide.
What ships in the box
The Crossbow 2LS ships an assembled frame with smoke plus a clear lens; the APEL kit ships two assembled eyeshields, a hard case and a pouch; the ICE-3LS ships clear, smoke and Hi-Def yellow with a strap, cloth and case. The Saber Advanced ships one lens and a changeable-lens system — you buy the second tint. That is the price gap explained: ESS sells the kit, Wiley X sells the frame.
Brow seal vs universal fit
Wiley X puts a foam insert on the Saber's lens and builds a 50 mm tall high-wrap frame around it; the result closes the brow against falling brass and sweat. ESS builds the Crossbow as a "Tri-Tech Fit" universal shield with no foam and the ICE as a frameless shield with telescoping, bend-to-fit temples. On an indoor bay the foam is the feature; under a helmet or muffs, the ESS temples are. The ranking is on shooting glasses for ear muffs.
Inserts
ESS: U-Rx, Vice and UPLC on the Crossbow; U-Rx and Vice on the ICE. Wiley X: nothing stated on the Saber Advanced page (the Vapor has the documented insert). If you wear glasses, ESS is the answer within this matchup; the wider field is on best shooting glasses with Rx inserts.
Warranty and cost
Wiley X states a lifetime warranty on the product page; ESS links to a warranty page rather than stating terms on the product page. On list price at the time we checked, the Saber Advanced sat below the Crossbow 2LS, which sat below the ICE-3LS and the APEL kit — we do not print the figures because they change; the buttons check Amazon live.
Verdicts by use
In detail
The contenders, in full
Stock photoWiley X: the range-bag pair
Wiley X Saber Advanced
MIL-PRF-32432A and Z87.1+, foam brow insert, changeable lenses, lifetime warranty; no APEL, no insert on the page.
EvidenceResearched · not worn by us
| Rating tier | MIL-PRF-32432A. The maker states a MIL-PRF-32432 (or MIL-PRF-31013 / military V0) ballistic pass: a fragment simulator at several times the energy of the ANSI high-velocity test. Not on the Army list. |
|---|---|
| Impact rating | ANSI Z87.1+ ("optical clarity and high mass/high velocity impact standards") |
| Ballistic standard | "MIL-PRF-32432A Ballistic safety standards" |
| Lens system | Changeable / interchangeable lens system; "foam insert on changeable lens" |
| Fit / size | High-wrap frame; flexible adjustable nose piece |
| Frame width | Lens width 138 mm; lens height 50 mm; bridge 25 mm; temple 114 mm |
| UV | 100% UVA/UVB |
| Warranty | Lifetime warranty |
How the 8.1 score breaks down
- Protection rating (30%)
- 9
- Optical clarity & tint options (20%)
- 8
- Fit & ear-pro compatibility (20%)
- 7
- Fog & scratch resistance (15%)
- 7
- Value (15%)
- 9
What the spec page supports
- MIL-PRF-32432A and ANSI Z87.1+ both stated on the product page
- Lens swaps without tools; clear, smoke and other tints sold as changeable lenses
- Foam brow insert closes the gap above the lens that sweat and casings find
- Lifetime warranty
Where it falls short
- Weight and lens material are not published on the product page
- Rx insert availability is not stated on the product page
- 138 mm lens width runs large on narrow faces
Skip this if…
…you need an Rx insert route the maker documents on the product page, or you have a narrow face — the 138 mm lens is a full-size frame.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Wiley X Saber Advanced
Stock photoESS: the APEL kit
ESS Crossbow 2LS Kit
APEL and MIL-PRF-32432A on the APEL kit page, two lenses in the box, named coating, three inserts.
EvidenceResearched · not worn by us
| Rating tier | APEL. Listed on the U.S. Army's Authorized Protective Eyewear List. The Army tested this configuration to MIL-PRF-32432 ballistic fragmentation and approved it for issue. |
|---|---|
| Impact rating | "ANSI Z87+ 2020" (2LS kit page); "ANSI Z87.1+ 2015 Edition" (APEL kit page) |
| Ballistic standard | "U.S. MIL-PRF-32432A" (APEL kit page, SKU 740-0386) |
| APEL | "APEL (Authorized Protective Eyewear List) approved" — the Black 2x w/Clear & Smoke Gray APEL kit |
| Lens system | "Patented DedBolt Lens Lock" for quick exchange |
| Lenses included | Fully assembled frame with Smoke Gray lens plus a Clear lens (2LS); the APEL kit ships two assembled eyeshields, hard case and pouch |
| Rx insert | "Prescription compatible with the ESS U-Rx Insert, ESS Vice Insert, and UPLC" |
| Fit / size | "Tri-Tech Fit ergonomics offer universal comfort and stability. Universal Fit." |
| Coatings | "ClearZone FlowCoat technology minimizes scratches and provides unmatched anti-fog capability" |
How the 8.6 score breaks down
- Protection rating (30%)
- 10
- Optical clarity & tint options (20%)
- 8
- Fit & ear-pro compatibility (20%)
- 8
- Fog & scratch resistance (15%)
- 8
- Value (15%)
- 8
What the spec page supports
- APEL listing and MIL-PRF-32432A stated by the maker on the APEL kit page
- Clear and smoke lenses in the box; tool-free DedBolt swap
- Three documented Rx-insert options (U-Rx, Vice, UPLC)
- Named anti-fog / anti-scratch coating (ClearZone FlowCoat)
Where it falls short
- Lens material, thickness, weight and warranty are not stated on the product pages
- The plain 2LS kit page lists ANSI Z87+ and OSHA but not the MIL-PRF wording — buy the APEL SKU if the Army listing matters to you
- Universal fit only; no small or large size
Skip this if…
…you have a narrow face — the Crossbow comes in one universal size, and the Sawfly's Small or a youth frame will seal better.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to ESS Crossbow 2LS Kit
Stock photoESS: the muff pair
ESS ICE-3LS Kit
Three lenses, telescoping temples for headborne gear, MIL-PRF-32432A, two inserts.
EvidenceResearched · not worn by us
| Rating tier | MIL-PRF-32432A. The maker states a MIL-PRF-32432 (or MIL-PRF-31013 / military V0) ballistic pass: a fragment simulator at several times the energy of the ANSI high-velocity test. Not on the Army list. |
|---|---|
| Impact rating | ANSI Z87.1 |
| Ballistic standard | MIL-PRF-32432A |
| Lens material | Polycarbonate |
| Lenses included | Clear, Smoke Gray, Hi-Def Yellow; elastic strap; anti-fog cloth; case |
| Rx insert | U-Rx Insert and Vice Rx Insert ("compatible with all eyeshields") |
| Temples | "Adjustable earbends with telescoping temples featuring bend-to-fit inner-wire ear tabs and snap-on leash system for improved fit with headborne equipment" |
| UV | 100% UVA/UVB |
How the 8.2 score breaks down
- Protection rating (30%)
- 9
- Optical clarity & tint options (20%)
- 8
- Fit & ear-pro compatibility (20%)
- 9
- Fog & scratch resistance (15%)
- 6
- Value (15%)
- 8
What the spec page supports
- Three-lens kit covers indoor, bright and flat light out of the box
- Thin telescoping temples the maker designs for headborne equipment — the reason it sits under muffs
- MIL-PRF-32432A and Rx-insert compatibility both stated
- Strap included for a goggle-style hold
Where it falls short
- Frameless lens edge is exposed; lens scratches show more than on a framed pair
- No named anti-fog coating on the page — a cloth is supplied instead
- Weight not published
Skip this if…
…you want a named anti-fog coating for a humid indoor range — the Crossbow's ClearZone FlowCoat is documented, the ICE's is not.
#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to ESS ICE-3LS Kit
How Lens & Lead rates eyewear
Pairs we claim to have worn or tested: 0
Plenty of sites say they shot every pair on the list. We didn't, and we say so. What we do instead: read the certification the maker actually publishes and repeat its wording ("meets", "certified", "tested to", "APEL"), check the lens system and the tints in the box, note whether the temples are described for ear muffs and whether an Rx route exists, and score every pick on a public rubric that weights protection first. Every figure links to where it came from; where the maker's page would not load we cite the retailer and say so. The standards themselves are explained on ANSI Z87.1 vs MIL-PRF-32432.
Scores are editorial judgments from that documented research, not test results. Commissions never set a score or decide a pick. The rubric and its weights are published.
Questions
Frequently asked
Is ESS better than Wiley X?
For documentation — APEL listing, named coating, three inserts — ESS's Crossbow. For a sealed-brow range pair with a lifetime warranty at a lower price, Wiley X's Saber Advanced. Both state MIL-PRF-32432A.
Which is better for ear muffs, Wiley X or ESS?
The ESS ICE-3LS: its telescoping temples with bend-to-fit ear tabs are designed for headborne equipment. The Wiley X Vapor is the thin-temple Wiley X.
Do both brands make APEL glasses?
ESS states an APEL listing on its Crossbow APEL kit. Wiley X holds APEL listings on some models, but the Saber Advanced page does not claim one and we do not mark it.
Keep reading
Related on Lens & Lead
Receipts
Sources
- Wiley X — Saber Advanced product page (ratings, frame measurements, warranty) (checked 2026-09-21)
- Wiley X — WX Vapor product page (ratings, Rx insert, frame measurements) (checked 2026-09-21)
- ESS EyePro — Crossbow Black 2x w/Clear & Smoke Gray APEL page (ANSI Z87.1+ 2015, MIL-PRF-32432A, APEL) (checked 2026-09-21)
- ESS EyePro — Crossbow 2LS Kit page (ANSI Z87+ 2020, ClearZone FlowCoat, U-Rx / Vice inserts, Tri-Tech Fit) (checked 2026-09-21)
- ESS EyePro — ICE-3LS Kit page (ANSI Z87.1, MIL-PRF-32432A, kit contents, Rx inserts, temples) (checked 2026-09-21)
- U.S. Army — Effective Eye Protection Preserves Sight to Fight (APEL managed by PEO Soldier / MCEP; the APEL logo marks authorized eyewear) (checked 2026-09-21)
We don't own or wear-test these glasses and we don't pretend to. Ratings, lens systems, fit notes and coatings come from the maker's own product pages (linked on every product) or, where the maker's page would not load, from a retailer or press page we label as such. Where a figure isn't published we say so. Prices are set by Amazon and change often, so we don't print them. Read the full method.