Magid’s Iconic Y50 Safety Glasses Are The Best All-around Safety Glasses I’ve Tried in Years

Discovering the magic behind the Magid Iconic Y50 safety glasses.

byMatt Thorson|
Tools photo
Share

0

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›

The first priority for a pair of safety glasses is effective protection. Comfort and appearance are less important. You don’t wear safety glasses for their looks. Yet while many still forgo those lesser priorities, there are finally a few pairs that are stylish and safe.

To understand whether fancier glasses can still protect your eyes, we purchased a set of Magid Icon Y50 safety glasses for about $10 on Amazon. From their classic sunglasses, design and the incredible comfort to the complete protection — including the clear, removable side shields — these safety glasses seem like the complete package. 

The Drive and its partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links. Read more., Matt Thorson

I’ve spent more than a decade in the automotive industry, and it was refreshing to find a PPE product that combines comfort and function. But can Magid’s safety glasses do it in the real world? The Drive’s Guides & Gear department put them to the test. 

Unboxing and Initial Impressions of Magid Iconic Y50 Design Series Safety Glasses

The Magid Icon Y50 safety glasses came packaged in the typical bubble-style envelope from Amazon, but they set themselves apart from most mass-produced glasses. While the cellophane sleeve remains, inside was a black drawstring bag with Magid’s logo on it, reminiscent of high-end sunglasses. I was impressed to discover that the bag is designed to double as a lens wipe. Magid says it prides itself on “partnering with you to keep your workers safe,” and this is evident with the Icon Y50 safety glasses. 

I’ve been required to wear safety glasses throughout my career in the automotive and truck world. I’ve found that most safety glasses are uncomfortable and look, well, like cheap plastic safety glasses. 

These black nylon frames are lightweight. The soft grey pads along both earpieces make for comfortable long-term wearability and help keep the frames from moving around or falling off your face when you sweat. Magid’s lenses are hard-coat polycarbonate and scratch resistant. They also claim to provide 99.9 percent UV protection. 

If you don’t like or can’t use tinted safety glasses, Magid offers several lenses, including clear ones. The clear side shields on these glasses offer fantastic protection, but because of their shape, your peripheral view is distorted, limiting their purpose to protection only.

From wrenching on your project or punching the time clock to the motorcycle ride in between, these things are up for the challenge., Matt Thorson

Using the Magid Iconic Y50 Safety Glasses

  • Good: Comfort, fit, and feel; lightweight; removable side shields; appearance. 
  • Bad: Price tag, only available in two-pack.
  • Check Latest Price

After years of turning wrenches and doing everything from changing oil to building crane trucks, I’ve never come across a pair of safety glasses that don’t fog up when I get hot and sweaty. That changed with the Magid safety glasses.

I wore these glasses while cutting and grinding steel tubing, as well as while I removed U-joint cap bolts from the rear differential of a school bus. They’ve been attached to my head for hours at a time with no fatigue or discomfort from the earpieces, little to no adjustment, and zero removal for fogged-up lenses. While I did end up with sweat running down the inside of the lens at times — more of a me problem — it wasn’t enough to keep me from being able to see through them. 

A benefit to these tinted units is that they’re dark enough to cut down on grinding sparks but not so dark that it makes it difficult to use indoors or in low-light situations. I would even recommend these to motorcyclists, since the lenses are compliant with ANSI Z87.1 standards. A small rock or bug hitting the lens is a lot less scary. (Ed. Note: Please, still wear a helmet with a shield.)

As we’ve done in previous tests of safety glasses, Magid’s durability would be put to the test by my eldest son’s BB gun. The glasses performed flawlessly. I sent four BBs toward the lenses, one on the left lens and the other three on the right. There was no penetration, and apart from four small “dents,” the glasses were undamaged. Those dents slightly obstructed my view. But since it would’ve protected my eyes, I’d call that a win.

Some good looking PPE., Matt Thorson

What’s Good About the Magid Iconic Y50 Safety Glasses

Probably the best thing about these glasses is the comfort. They fit just like your favorite pair of sunglasses and weigh practically nothing. The griplike foam running almost the length of the earpieces adds comfort and capability by keeping them securely on your face, even in sweaty conditions.

Those slightly wonky side shields are also removable, although a tiny Philip’s screwdriver is required. 

Magid’s Icon Y50s also look great. I’ve worn these glasses everywhere because they look and act like sunglasses. Most people probably wouldn’t even know they’re safety glasses. From only a few feet away, the clear side shields seem to disappear, and the tint of the lenses makes them perfect for wearing outside. Couple that with their modern styling and lightweight construction and you have a competent, stylish pair of glasses designed to keep you safe. That’s a win-win.

Multiple shots from a BB gun hardly left a scratch., Matt Thorson

What’s Not Great About the Magid Iconic Y50 Safety Glasses

The price tag could be a bit of a hurdle for some, including employers looking for cost-effective PPE solutions, but even at about $10 each it’s hard to get past the “comfort equals compliance'' aspect of these glasses. 

Magid offers a discount if purchased in bulk, and that could be the encouragement some employers need to spring for the nicer glasses. For those DIY, weekend-warrior types, Magid’s offering is on the pricier side of the likes of 3M and whatever your local hardware store stocks. 

If you’re able to see these glasses as an investment, something you’ll have around for two or three years, it helps soothe the pain of the purchase price. And safety glasses are some of the best investments you can make, so why not splurge a bit and get the good ones?

The Verdict

If you are in the market for what I consider the best-looking, most comfortable pair of safety glasses you can buy, the Magid Iconic Y50 glasses should be the place you start. These glasses provide top-notch performance and protection with excellent comfort and coverage, and they’re quite handsome, too. 

Even at about 10 bucks a pair, they’re the best all-around safety glasses I’ve tried in years. And whether you’re an employer looking for better PPE compliance from your crew or have a project car that needs finishing, I’d highly recommend these. 

Even at about 10 bucks a pair, Magid's Iconic Y50 Safety Glasses are the best all-around safety glasses I’ve tried in years.

FAQs about Magid Iconic Y50 Safety Glasses

The Drive’s editors aren’t psychic, so to answer other frequently asked questions, we scrolled through Google’s People Also Ask section for any other questions that needed answering.

Q. Which safety glasses are best?

A. The best safety glasses are the ones you wear. In this case, the Magid Iconic Y50 safety glasses are comfortable and stylish, which means they are more likely to be worn.

Q. What makes safety glasses safe?

A. Safety glasses are designed to keep things from getting into your eyes, including dust, sparks, splinters, shavings, and bright light, so the more things they keep out of your eyes, the safer a pair of safety glasses are considered to be.

Q. Can I get prescription safety glasses?

A. Yes, but not with Magid. They are, however, roomy enough to wear over prescription glasses.

Our Gear Section

The Drive independently evaluates gear by putting products in the hands of subject-matter experts. The products we test may be purchased by The Drive, our staff, or provided for review by a manufacturer. No matter the source, our testing procedures and our assessments remain free from third-party influence.

Let’s Talk: Comment Below To Talk With The Drive’s Editors

We’re here to be expert guides in everything “how to” and product related. Use us, compliment us, yell at us. Comment below, and let’s talk, y’all. You can also shout at us on Twitter or Instagram. You can also reach us at guidesandgear@thedrive.com.

stripe
Tools