Z87 vs Z87+ Safety Glasses: What's the Difference?
Z87 vs Z87+ Safety Glasses: What's the Difference?
If you've been shopping for safety glasses, you've seen both Z87 and Z87+ on the label. Most people assume the plus just means better. It does, but it's worth understanding exactly what the difference is so you buy the right pair for your job.
What Does Z87 Mean?
Z87 is the ANSI standard for safety eyewear in the United States. It covers impact resistance, optical quality, and UV protection. If a frame is Z87 rated, it's been tested and certified to protect your eyes from basic impact hazards on the job.
Z87 is a solid standard. For most work environments it's more than enough.
What Does Z87+ Mean?
Z87+ means the frame passed the high impact test on top of the standard Z87 certification. The plus designation requires the frame and lens to withstand a much higher velocity impact. A steel ball at 150 feet per second. A quarter-inch steel rod dropped from 50 inches.
If your job involves flying debris, power tools, or any environment where a high-force impact to the face is a real possibility, Z87+ is what you want.
What's the Same
Both ratings require:
- Impact resistant lenses and frames
- Optical clarity standards
- UV protection
- Marking on the frame and lens so you can verify the rating
What's Different
Z87+ adds:
- High velocity impact testing
- High mass impact testing
- Stricter lens retention requirements
The frame has to stay on your face and the lens has to stay in the frame even after a significant impact. That matters when you're working around equipment, on a job site, or anywhere debris is a real hazard.
Which One Do You Need?
Z87 is right for you if: You work in a lower-risk environment, need basic eye protection, or are looking for an everyday frame that meets safety standards.
Z87+ is right for you if: You work in construction, utilities, line work, manufacturing, or any trade where high-speed debris or impact is a real possibility. If you're a lineman, Z87+ is the standard you should be at.
What About Dielectric and Induction Rated?
If you work around electricity, the Z87 or Z87+ rating covers impact but not electrical hazards. Dielectric and induction rated frames are made from non-conductive materials. That's a separate certification and one you should look for if your work involves energized equipment.
All of Co Eyewear's Z87+ frames are dielectric and induction rated.
Our Z87+ Frames
Every frame in our Z87+ lineup is high impact rated, dielectric and induction safe, and built to hold up on the job. Our top picks for trade work are the A Phase Z87+, Outrigger Z87+, Surge Z87+, and Hard Money Z87+. All available in polarized and photochromic options.
Shop the full Z87+ collection at coewear.com.
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