Having trouble with glare, dirt flying around, and eye pokes on the field?
Well, there is one wonderful solution that I would like to propose – football visors or, as they are sometimes called, eyeshields. Football visors are amazing because they not only protect your eyes but also improve your vision by blocking out glare and sunlight.
Some visors even block out UV and blue light, contributing to the long-term health of your eyes!
My goal in today’s guide is to help you choose the best football visor for your needs. I’ll be having a look at 10 great visor options, highlighting what I think are the best use cases for each. Then, I’ll give you a few tips for what to consider when shopping for a visor.
1. Oakley Football Shield - Best Overall Football Visor
- Made from Oakley plutonite, a proprietary...
- Oakley high definition optics (do) technology...
- Blocks 100% of all UVA, UVB, UVC and harmful blue...
- Coated with far lens treatment for anti-fog...
- Injection molded to shape the shield with a unique...
Up first on my top, we have the Oakley football shield, which I think is the best overall football visor on this list. The Oakley visor offers everything you’d want from a visor, and although it’s quite expensive, I think it is certainly worth it.
The Oakley visor is engineered to ensure clarity and eliminate distortion at all angles. Aside from that, the Oakley “plutonite” lens is durable and protects players from 100% of all UVA, UVB, and UVC, as well as from blue light up to 400 nm.
The Oakley football visor is also resistant to fogging and scratches. It is not completely scratch-proof – hard impacts can still damage it, but it will take more beating than unprotected visors for sure.
Fun fact – when shopping for my first few visors, I have neglected scratch resistance, considering it something unimportant and useless. Well, I fairly quickly realized that even tiny scratches on the visor can really distract you from the game and limit your field of vision.
And now, as a coach, I always stress the importance of such little details in visors as scratch resistance. I don’t want my players to make the same mistakes I did or waste time and money on bad gear.
Another thing that I like about this visor is its tinted lens – the tint blocks out 80% of exterior light. This is great if you want to block out light and see better, but keep in mind that some competitions, schools, or leagues may not allow such a strong tint (except for medical reasons).
So all in all, I think that the Oakley football shield is the best visor you are going to find out there thanks to its quality, great optics, and protection levels.
Pros
- Little to no visual distortion.
- Blocks blue light and all UV.
- Resistant to fogging and scratches.
- Heavily tinted.
Cons
- May not be allowed in some competitions due to the tint.
2. Barnett Football Visor - Best Value In A Football Visor
- ✅ QUALITY GUARANTEED. Anti-fog and anti-scratch...
- ✅ FOG & UV COATING: Fog, Scratch Resistant and...
- ✅ UNIVERSAL FIT. Fits both Youth and Adult...
- ✅ APPROVED. This visor is approved by High...
- ❕ HELMET IS NOT INCLUDED (it is only to show the...
Next, we have the Barnett football visor. This one offers the best value for the buck on this list, so it’s a great choice if you want a good middle-ground visor.
The Barnett eyeshield offers all the essentials you would want in a visor. It is resistant to scratching and fogging, allowing you to clearly see what’s going on in front of you. The UV coating blocks out UV as well, protecting your eyes from the sun.
What you may also like about the Barnett visor is that it doesn’t have any tint or color – it’s completely clear and thus should be allowed at most competitions. But if you want it, there also are tinted and polarized versions available.
Needless to say, the Barnett football visor is no match to the Oakley face shield in terms of durability and quality. However, it’s a mid-end visor that offers excellent value for the money and thus should be ideal for most people.
Pros
- Pocket-friendly.
- Resistant to scratching and fogging.
- Blocks out UV.
- Approved for high school, CIF, and youth leagues.
Cons
- Nothing really to complain about.
3. Under Armour Men’s Football Visor - Easiest Installation In Football Visors
- Features patented NXT technology
- Delivers unbreakable performance
- Anti-fog and scratch resistant coatings
- Lightweight, polycarbonate lens material delivers...
The highlight of this football visor from Under Armour is its easy installation.
This visor model features quick-release clamps that don’t need a screwdriver for mounting on a faceguard. Mounting and removing this thing is super-easy, and the clamps could help you save a couple of seconds when removing the visor for cleaning.
Aside from that, the quick-install clamps will come in handy if you have multiple helmets.
In terms of visibility, the Under Armour football visor is resistant to fogging and scratching, which is very nice. On the other hand, it doesn’t seem to have UV or blue light protection.
This visor seems very durable as well, and its polycarbonate construction keeps it light too.
Under Armour also includes a few branded stickers with this visor, which is pretty cool.
All in all, the Under Armour football visor is a great choice if you want a quick-install visor. This visor is great in other regards as well, but I wish it had UV and blue light protection – these are nice to have for long-term eye health.
Pros
- The quick-release clips make installation super-easy.
- Doesn’t fog.
- Resistant to scratching.
- Includes a few cool stickers.
Cons
- Seems not to have UV or blue light protection.
4. Barnett Revo Blue Polarized Visor - Best Polarized Football Visor
- ✅ QUALITY GUARANTEED. Anti-fog and anti-scratch...
- ✅ FOG & UV COATING: Fog, Scratch Resistant and...
- ✅ UNIVERSAL FIT. Fits both Youth and Adult...
- ❕ HELMET IS NOT INCLUDED (it is only to show the...
- ✅ AMERICAN COMPANY: Barnett sports has their...
If you are interested in polarized football visors, then the Barnett Revo Blue polarized visor might be the best option for you.
Thanks to its polarized lens, this visor is going to do a great job at reducing glare on the field. Not only that, but this Barnett visor is rather inexpensive, so it’s a great buy for the buck.
Polarized visors can make a big difference on the field – I actually had to learn this the hard way. I’ve mentioned earlier that my first visors had little to no scratch resistance – well, they did a very poor job at reducing glare as well. The result was poor visibility on the field and perhaps even eye damage, though my vision is as sharp today as it has been back then.
Anyway, to reduce glare, you should buy a football visor with a polarized lens – like this Barnett visor. Most high-end visors have anti-glare capabilities as well.
The glare aside, the Barnett polarized visor offers scratch and fog resistance, protection from UV and blue light, and pretty nice quality. With that, the polarized lens isn’t the only benefit of the Barnett visor, though it’s certainly its highlight.
Pros
- Wallet-friendly.
- The polarized lens is great at minimizing glare.
- Resistant to fogging and scratching.
- Blocks out UV and blue light.
Cons
- Might be prohibited in some competitions due to the colored tint.
5. Sleefs Borealis Visor - Best Color-Tinted Visor
![SLEEFS Football Helmet Visor [Borealis Rainbow] - Tinted...](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/410sQN6w6hL.jpg)
- Professional Quality at An Affordable Price - When...
- No Fog, No Scratches, No Distortion - Whether...
- Perfect For Sunny Days, Cloudy Days and Nights...
- Universal Fit For Nearly All Helmets, Youth and...
- Easy To Install - Our football helmet eye shield...
The Sleefs Borealis visor is a great pick if you want a color-tinted visor. The name “Borealis” is very fitting for this visor since it sparkles with different colors under varying angles.
Despite the colored tint, the face of the wearer is visible when the visor is on. With that said, you should check with your coach to see whether this kind of visor will be allowed during competition.
The cool tint aside, the Borealis visor is also one of the higher-quality eyeshields on this list. The lens offers minimum distortion and glare, and it also protects the wearer from UV and blue light. Resistance to fogging and scratching is here as well.
In terms of fit, the Borealis visor is designed for youth and adult helmets, and it should work fine for most people.
In conclusion, if you want something not only high-quality but also eye-catching, the Sleefs Borealis visor is an excellent choice.
Pros
- Really cool color-tinted look.
- Blocks UV and blue light.
- Resistant to scratches and fog.
- Reduces glare.
Cons
- May not be allowed in some competitions.
6. Sleefs Black Diamond Tinted Visor - Best Tinted Football Visor
![SLEEFS Football Helmet Visor [Black Diamond] - Tinted...](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41kESQXvuNL.jpg)
- Professional Quality at An Affordable Price - When...
- No Fog, No Scratches, No Distortion - Whether...
- Perfect For Sunny Days, Cloudy Days and Nights...
- Universal Fit For Nearly All Helmets, Youth and...
- Easy To Install - Our football helmet eye shield...
The Black Diamond visor is essentially the black version of the Borealis visor I’ve just reviewed.
I really like the look of the Black Diamond visor – if I saw someone on the field with this thing, I’d probably get creeped out. The black tint has a menacing vibe, and I absolutely love this trait.
Other than the tint, this visor is pretty much identical to the Borealis. This is again a high-quality eyeshield that offers resistance to scratching and fogging, glare reduction, as well as UV and blue light protection. And the black tint is the cherry on top.
Pros
- Menacingly dark tint.
- Blocks out UV and blue light.
- Scratch- and fog-resistant.
- Minimizes glare.
Cons
- May be prohibited in some competitions.
7. EliteTek Football Eye-Shield Visor - Best Reflective Football Visor
If you’ve always wanted a reflective visor, then this eyeshield from EliteTek might be a perfect choice.
Under certain lighting conditions, you may still be able to see through this visor. And all in all, you probably won’t find a visor that looks like your bathroom mirror – even if you find one, visibility in it will probably be garbage.
Now, remember that reflective visors may be prohibited in some competitions, so make sure to find out whether you can wear this visor before buying it. If reflective visors are allowed, then you’ll get the chance to stand out on the field!
Other than the reflective finish, the EliteTek visor also features a tint with 38% light transmittance. Additionally, the visor is scratch- and fog-resistant, and it also blocks out UV.
The EliteTek visor is quite wallet-friendly too, so I feel it’s a good choice for many buyers.
EliteTek also offers a money-back guarantee for this visor, so you should be able to return it without issues if you don’t like it.
In the end, the EliteTek football eyeshield offers all-around great quality and has everything you’d want from a visor. On top of that, its reflective finish may particularly interest some of you.
Pros
- Mirrored and tinted.
- Looks really cool when mounted on a helmet.
- Resistant to fog and scratches.
- Blocks out UV rays.
Cons
- The tint and reflective coating may be prohibited in some competitions.
8. Bangerz Provu Football Eyeshield - Best Football Visor For Low Budgets
If your budget is really limited, then I suggest the Provu football visor from Bangerz. This is a very cheap visor and is great if you can’t afford to spend a lot on an eyeshield right now.
Needless to say, this visor won’t serve you nearly as long as more expensive visors will. It will take less effort to scratch, and it also is pretty thin and feels flimsy. For getting started though, it should be completely fine.
Anyway, what I like about the Bangerz visor is that it’s easy to mount, and it should also work with most football facemasks out there. This visor is mounted via zip ties, and there are a bunch of zip tie holes throughout the mask too. So no matter the faceguard, this thing should fit fairly seamlessly.
When it comes to visibility, the Bangerz visor offers scratch and fog resistance. It’s completely clear and untinted as well, so it’s a good pick if you want max visibility.
In conclusion, the Bangerz eyeshield is a good option if you want something cheap. This visor won’t take as much abuse as more expensive visors, but it should be adequate for getting started.
Pros
- Very inexpensive.
- Resistant to scratching and fogging.
- Really easy to install.
- Should work with most masks out there.
Cons
- Probably won’t serve you long.
9. Nike Gridiron Eye Shield 2.0 - Best Football Visor For Riddell Facemasks
- Nike Max Optics wrapped lens provides precise...
- Unique beveled edge minimizes glare and distortion
- Constructed from 100% Polycarbonate
- Designed to fit all 8 of Riddell's current and...
- Multi-color decal pack included
The Nike Gridiron Eye Shield 2.0 is an excellent choice if you have a Riddell facemask. This visor is specifically designed for 8 Riddell facemasks:
- S2EG-II-SP.
- S2BDC-SP.
- S2EG-LW-V.
- S2BDC-LW-V.
- SpeedFlex.
- SF-2BD.
- SF-2EG-II.
- SF-2BDC.
- SF-3BD.
Eye Shield 2.0 should fit many other facemasks as well, but it’s ideal for these 8 models.
As a rather advanced visor, Nike Eye Shield 2.0 offers the high-quality Nike Max Optics lens as well. The lens is engineered to minimize glare and distortion from any angle, and it also doesn’t fog up or scratch. Nike doesn’t explicitly advertise resistance to fogging and scratching, but Eye Shield 2.0 seems to indeed have these qualities.
On the other hand, Eye Shield 2.0 seems not to provide any UV or blue light protection, so keep that in mind.
Interestingly, the Eye Shield 2.0 visor comes with shock-dampening clamps. These should make the visor more resistant to shock, although I wouldn’t say that modern visors are fragile in the first place. Still, you could expect Eye Shield 2.0 to be tougher than many other visors on the market.
All in all, if you have one of the listed Riddell facemasks, then Eye Shield 2.0 might be your best bet.
Pros
- Designed to fit popular Riddell facemasks.
- Shock-dampening clamps to protect the visor from impact.
- Minimizes glare and distortion.
- Doesn’t fog up or scratch.
Cons
- Doesn’t seem to block out UV.
10. Nike Gridiron Youth Eyeshield - Best Football Visor For Youth
- Nike Max Optics / Wrapped lens accounts precisely...
- Exclusive curved shape / Fits helmets better with...
- Shock-dampening attachments / Soft rubber washers...
- Molded polycarbonate / Shatter and...
- Fits most helmets / Mounting hardware and assembly...
The Nike Gridiron youth eyeshield is essentially the youth version of the Eye Shield 2.0 we’ve just had a look at. In fact, I think that it’s the best youth football visor you can find out there.
When it comes to the features, this visor is nearly exactly the same as Eye Shield 2.0. It once again comes with shock-absorbing attachments, and its Nike Max Optics lens is designed to minimize glare and distortion. The lens is also resistant to scratching, shattering, and fogging.
There is one crucial difference between the two Nike visors though – this one isn’t specifically designed for Riddell facemasks. With that said, it’s designed to fit most youth helmets out there, so you should be fine.
Pros
- Reduces distortion and glare.
- Shock-dampening attachments.
- Doesn’t fog up.
- Resistant to scratching and shattering.
Cons
- Nothing to complain about.
The Only Buying Guide You’ll Ever Need For The Best Football Visors
Now, let’s have a brief look at the important features of football visors. Shopping for a helmet isn’t as difficult as, for example, shopping for back plates, but there still are a few details that you should consider.
Helmet & faceguard compatibility
First up, check out helmet & faceguard compatibility. Usually, brands make visors for specific helmets or faceguards from their own lineup, but some visors have generic mounting points, allowing you to use them with most helmets and faceguards out there.
Make sure that you get a visor that’s compatible with your faceguard and helmet. Otherwise, you’ll either have to return the visor or do some DIY to fit it.
Tint
- Tint blocks out some of the sunlight, relieving your eyes.
- In some leagues, tinted visors may not be allowed.
In football visors, tint is measured with a percentage, e.g. 20% or 30%. This number shows how much light the visor lets through. So 20% means that the visor blocks out 80% of the light.
With that, the lower the number, the darker the visor is.
If you have a medical condition that requires tinting, then a tinted visor is a must for you. But keep in mind that you may need to obtain official permission from your league or school to wear a tinted visor.
Tinted visors also provide players with a competitive advantage because opponents cannot see where you are looking. However, some may argue that keeping your eyes visible is actually more beneficial because you may deceive opponents with your eye movement.
To each their own – if you think that a tinted visor will work better for you, then go for it! Just make sure that your school or league allows them.
If I were to point you to a specific visor in terms of tint, I’d choose the Sleefs Black Diamond Tinted Visor. This visor is dark and looks super-cool, and it’s also an all in all great piece of football equipment.
Vision improvement and protection features
Next, pay attention to what kind of protection and vision improvement features the visor has. Among the things that a visor should have are:
- Polarized lens. Visors with a polarized lens minimize glare, keeping your field of view clear. Glare can be a big problem on the field since light may reflect from the equipment of other players or objects outside the field.
- Minimum distortion. Since visors are curved, their lens may introduce distortion to your field of view. Most visors don’t have this problem, but if yours does, you may get really disoriented during the game.
Distortion is easy to check in a store but not when shopping online. If shopping online, read buyer reviews – if anyone complains about distortions, then perhaps you should look for something else.
- UV and blue light protection. Most football visors out there block out UV and blue light to protect the player’s eyes and reduce fatigue. This isn’t a must-have in cloudy areas, but if you are going to play in the sun, do make sure that your visor has UV and blue light protection.
- Fogging resistance. I think that you should avoid visors that aren’t resistant to fogging. These are going to limit your vision as you breathe. Fortunately, virtually all visors are fog-resistant, so you should be safe here.
- Scratch resistance. Scratch resistance can be easily underestimated. It’s super important in reality – even the smallest scratch is going to really disturb your vision. I personally get really annoyed by scratches – they tend to pop up and go away as light falls on them from different angles.
No visor is 100% scratch-resistant – heavy impacts are certainly going to leave marks on the visor. But any bit of resistance helps a lot.
If you want to uncover your full potential on the field, I think that all of these features are a must in a football visor. For competitive players, the smallest of scratches or even the lightest fogging are going to noticeably impair performance.
In terms of overall visibility and durability, I think that the Oakley Football Shield is the best – the only thing that it doesn’t have is polarized glass, but it seems to deal with glare pretty well even without it.
Mounting
Finally, some people may be interested in how the visor mounts to the helmet. Nearly all visors are intended to be clamped onto football faceguards, so you should also buy yourself a faceguard.
Most models have a pair of clamps that need to be tightened with a screwdriver. A handful of visors have quick-mount clamps that don’t require you to use a screwdriver for installation.
If you’ll be moving the visor from helmet to helmet, then perhaps quick-mounting clamps will be better. Aside from that, quick-mount clamps make removing the visor for maintenance slightly easier. However, this feature isn’t that critical, in my opinion, and you should give priority to other things I talked about earlier.
When it comes to the easiness of mounting, the Under Armour Men’s Football Visor is the best on the list. It’s really easy to mount and remove from the faceguard, which will be a big benefit for some people.
Best Football Visors - Frequently Asked Questions
And finally, let’s have a look at a few FAQs – this may make it easier for you to shop for visors.
Are visors good for football?
Visors protect the face and eyes of players from dirt and small objects that cannot be blocked out by faceguards.
Besides, originally, it is believed that a protective visor was first worn by Minnesota Vikings’ Mark Mullaney in 1984. Mullaney wore a visor to protect a healing eye injury, so this is another possible use case for a football visor.
Why are tinted visors illegal in football?
Tinted visors are illegal in high school football to allow coaches to determine if the player is conscious without having to take the helmet off.
With that said, even in leagues or schools where tinted visors are illegal, they may be allowed for players who have medical conditions that mandate tinting. But you’ll have to check with your coach to see if tinted or colored visors are allowed.
Can QBs wear visors?
Any football player may wear a visor – he just needs to make sure that they aren’t wearing tinted visors in leagues that don’t allow them.
No matter the position, wearing a visor is a good idea for added protection. Many players don’t think they need a visor until the first eye poke – don’t let this happen and start wearing a visor right away.
What visor fits Speedflex?
Nike Gridiron Eye Shield 2.0 is a good option for most Riddell facemasks and helmets, including SpeedFlex. The Barnett clear visor and Oakley football shield also work with SpeedFlex.
Other helmets from the list above should also work with Riddell SpeedFlex, but do more research to make sure before buying.
What is the best football visor?
This is really subjective, but I think that the Oakley football shield is an excellent option for most football players. The Oakley shield is a little pricey, but it is resistant to fogging, scratching, is tinted, and eliminates visual distortions.
But before investing your money in this visor, make sure that it is legal in your school or league – the tint may be a problem.
Best Football Visors - 4th & 10
When looking for a football visor, make sure that:
- The visor is legal in your school or league.
- The visor is scratch- and fog-resistant.
- The visor fits your helmet.
Don’t forget about the other details I’ve talked about above, but these 3 points are the most important of them all.
Now, I would like to hear your opinion and personal experience with football visors. Have you ever tried any of the visors I’ve reviewed? Or maybe you’ve had great success with some other eye shield model? Share your thoughts below!
And as always, you are also welcome to ask questions if there’s anything left unclear to you.
