Top 5 Best American Football Visors Compared & Reviewed

I got you in my article about American Football gear explained exactly what this sport entails and what kind of protective equipment you need to practice the sport.

In this article I focus on the visor that you can add to your helmet for extra protection. A visor, also called an 'eyeshield' or 'visor', fits in your facemask, which in turn is part of your helmet.

To keep it simple, a visor is really just a curved piece of plastic that you can mount to your facemask to protect your eyes.

American Football helmets in themselves are already protective, but adding a visor to your gear will give you even more benefits from your helmet.

Finding a suitable visor is not always easy, because there is so much choice these days. It depends on a number of things which one is most suitable for your situation.

To make things a little easier for you, I've made a top five for you, which may help you choose your next visor.

My personal favorite visor is the Under Armor Football Visor Clear. It may be the most expensive of the list, but then you also have something. It is of great quality with a stylish look. It fits any helmet and is easy to install.

The visor is lighter in weight than other competing brands and made from durable polycarbonate. In addition, it features an anti-fog, anti-scratch and anti-glare coating.

The visor can even improve your field of vision and will last for a long time. As icing on the cake, you get a number of logo stickers in different colors.

Besides the Under Armor visor, there are a number of other interesting visors that I would like to introduce to you. In the table below you will find my top five.

The Best American Football visors	Image
Best American Football visor overall: Under Armor Football Visor Clear	(view more images)
Best budget American Football visor: Barnett Football Eyeshield	(view more images)
Best colored/tinted American football visor: Elitetek Prizm	(view more images)
Best American Football visor value for money: Oakley Legacy Adult Football Helmet Shield	(view more images)
Best American Football Visor With Intimidating Look: Nike Gridiron Eye Shield 2.0	(view more images)

Why use a visor/visor?

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There's no getting around it: football is a tough sport. In this sport it is therefore about protecting yourself as best as possible.

Just like gloves and mouthguards visors are used to provide extra protection for the American Football player.

By using a visor, players' eyes are protected from outside objects that could potentially get into the eyes or nose.

A visor is certainly not a mandatory part of football equipment, but many athletes choose to wear one anyway.

Without a visor, your eyes can be damaged, for example if the opponent (accidentally) pokes your eyes with his fingers or hits you in the face.

And especially if you use contact lenses, a visor might be a must so you never have to worry about losing your lenses while playing.

In addition to protecting against objects (eg dirt, fingers) from the outside, visors are also used for other purposes.

To prevent an opponent from predicting a player's movements by looking at his eyes.

To protect against UV rays that can damage the eyes and make it more difficult to see the ball or understand where you are throwing.

Because they look very tough and have an intimidation factor. If intimidation is your thing, check out the tinted visors. It will scare off your opponent if they can't see your eyes through the visor.

What do you look for when choosing an American Football visor?

Before you buy a visor, you need to understand the product well.

Visors are an extra accessory in American Football and certainly not mandatory. They are tough and can offer extra protection from the sun, but also protect the eyes from external objects.

In addition, the opponent cannot read your eyes, making it more difficult to predict your movements.

Below you will find a number of important factors to consider when choosing the perfect football visor.

Check the rules first

Before you even buy a visor, you need to know the rules of the league in which you are going to play.

The question to ask yourself is this: is a visor allowed in the league I'm playing in or going to be playing in?

In America, for example, The National Federation of State High School Associations and all NCAA have banned the use of tinted visors.

That's because these visors make it difficult for medical personnel to see a player's eyes, or detect an injury or perhaps even unconsciousness.

This rule regarding tinted visors is a rule that only applies at the amateur level, however. At a professional level, every athlete is of course free to wear whatever he or she wants when it comes to visors.

A tinted facemask can also sometimes make it a bit more difficult for the player to see through. It's a matter of trying it out and finding out what works best for you.

The target

The most common reason for purchasing a visor is to block out sunlight and all other harmful light.

Some athletes use it to keep dirt out of their eyes or prevent opponents from poking.

Fit

The fit is very important to take into account, because not all visors are compatible with every helmet. So choose a visor that can be easily mounted on your helmet.

In addition, you should know that not just all visors are allowed for official matches, so it is wise to consult sellers, your coaches or your league before choosing one.

Also check whether the visor you have in mind is on your facemask and helmet fits.

Look straight through the visor and check your side vision: can you see the sides well without turning your head to the left or right?

Type

In general, a distinction is made between two types of visors, namely the clear/transparent and the tinted visors.

Although there are various types of visors available on the market, the transparent visor is usually chosen with the (main) purpose of protecting the eyes.

Clear visors are primarily intended to protect your eyes from damage. They can be shockproof and made of anti-fog/anti-glare material.

In addition to the transparent visor, there is also the tinted version.

Tinted visors protect the eyes from direct sunlight and are often used to appear intimidating. However, tinted visors are not allowed in most amateur leagues.

Because the tinted visors are often considered very tough, many athletes still buy them to use them during training, for example.

Lens

This aspect is very important because it directly affects your vision during the game. Choose one with a lens that won't restrict your vision, such as an anti-glare visor that will help you stay focused and focused.

When it comes to the lens, there are also different levels of visibility. When you find a visor you like, it's important to look through it and see your field of view.

The point is that your entire field of view is clearly visible without having to turn your head to the left or right.

Remember: your sight is one of your strongest weapons on the gridiron!

Ease of installation

This may sound basic to some, but for novice buyers it can sometimes be a challenge to mount such a visor.

Sometimes purchases don't come with instructions or the necessary tools. So keep that in mind.

Pricing

As with other valuable products you buy, it is always wise to stick to a budget when looking for a visor. This way you limit your options, which makes making a choice a lot faster and easier.

However, it is important not to keep your budget too low; you have to go for a visor of good quality. On the other hand, maintaining a budget that is too high is also not necessary.

Fixing Mechanism

There are visors with 2-clip and 3-clip attachment mechanisms. The 2-clip attachment fits most helmets, while the 3-clip attachment really only fits helmets with three attachment points.

If you have found a visor with three clips, you should therefore check in advance whether or not your helmet is suitable for such a type of visor.

In this guide, I've only included 2 clip visors as these are the most popular and are generally much easier to install.

The best visors for your American football helmet

Now that you know just about everything about visors, I'll give you all the details below about the best visors on the market today. Starting with my number 1, the Under Armor Football Visor.

Best American Football visor overall: Under Armor Football Visor Clear

• Clear/Transparent
• Anti-fog
• Approved by American Youth Football
• Comfortable and universal fit
• Polycarbonate
• Durable and lightweight
• Anti-scratch coating
• Quick-release clips for easy installation
• No tools required for installation

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Although Under Armor is relatively new to the American Football market compared to other reputable brands, some would argue that it is one of the best brands today.

With their quality products and fair prices, they do many athletes a great favor.

The clear Under Armor visor is a standard visor of great quality and with a defined look.

Since this visor has a universal fit, you don't have to worry about whether the visor will fit on your helmet or not; the fit will be perfect.

The quick-release clips make installation a lot easier; all you need to do is align the visor on the face mask and then tighten the clips.

No tools are required for mounting, which means you can remove the clips with ease.

The Under Armor visor is made of lightweight and durable polycarbonate, and will protect you optimally on the playing field.

It's 10% lighter than other competing brands, and it shows. The visor will not affect your balance, and you will therefore fly effortlessly over the field.

With this visor you are extra protected without having to suffer from extra weight.

The product also has an anti-fog and anti-scratch coating, so that your view is not hindered by any damage caused during use, so you buy a durable visor.

Finally, the visor reduces glare from the sun and stadium lights.

The visor is made of 'lens' material which means it has the ability to improve the field of view. The brand uses ArmourSight technology which ensures that the visors are both robust and durable.

Design-wise, the UA visor has two logos on the top (one on each side) and a logo on each of the clips.

In addition, the visor comes with logo stickers in different colors so you can match your visor with your team's colors and personalize it with your jersey number.

[Warning: Some buyers report that they have not received the stickers].

The visor should be able to last at least one or two seasons, even in the case of the most committed player.

Keep in mind, however, that this visor is not the best option for aggressive applications and situations and so cannot be used if you are playing ultra-competitive football.

In addition, you should know that this visor is the most expensive of the list, but that you will not regret your choice.

Check prices and availability here

Best Budget American Football Visor: Barnett Football Eyeshield Visor

• Clear and durable
• Eliminates glare, controls light intensity
• Anti-fog
• Scratch resistant
• Fair price
• Filters UV and blue light
• For youth and adults
• 2 clips for easy mounting
• Approved by both youth and high school leagues
• 3 mm that

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While this may not be the most popular brand on the market, Barnett makes a quality product that doesn't disappoint. Barnett is a brand that continues to grow and become more and more famous.

With many positive reviews from buyers who came before you, this best-selling visor is one of the brightest on the market.

There are even reviews that say that this visor is less likely to fog up than visors from major brands such as Nike. And that for less than three bucks!

The visor fits both youth helmets and adult helmets, and in general you can expect easy attachment via the 2-clip construction.

Also, the product is approved for high school / CIF and youth competitions. Furthermore, it is able to block UV rays and harmful blue light and control the light intensity.

The SHOC visor has a sturdy construction. It is made of materials that are anti-fog and scratch-resistant. This keeps the visor clean and sturdy in all weather conditions.

Thanks to the 3 mm thick plastic, the product is extremely durable and will certainly last several seasons. You can get the Barnett visor in five different 'hue' options.

This visor from Barnett is one of the most appreciated products on the American football market, fitting players of all ages thanks to its universal fit.

However, it's not all roses and roses. For example, there are complaints about Barnett's inability to fit these to certain helmets.

Depending on your helmet (especially that of players in youth leagues), fitting can be a bit tricky at first. You may need to adjust the visor a few times for the best fit.

I therefore advise you to inform yourself well in advance. But for the price, this visor is well worth it.

Check the latest prices here

Best Colored/Tinted American Football Visor: Elitetek Prizm

• Universal fit
• Anti-fog
• Blocks UV rays and blue light
• Anti-glare
• Easy attachment and removal via 2-clip system
• Impact and scratch resistant coating
• Light intensity control: 60% light transmittance
• Tinted
• Made of optical polycarbonate
• Sustainability

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What you probably first notice about this product is the remarkable color pattern. The visor has also received a plethora of positive reviews.

The 2-clip installation will make both mounting and removal of this visor easy and once fitted a perfect fit is guaranteed. The product is durable enough to withstand the toughest battles on the pitch.

The universal fit makes this visor suitable for both youth and adult helmets.

Another key feature of this optical polycarbonate visor is the anti-fog, impact and scratch resistant coating that also effectively blocks blue light and the harshest UV rays that are harmful to the eyes.

So you don't have to worry about your vision and you can focus 100% on what's happening on the pitch. You are also protected against disturbing glare and you will not be blinded by the sun.

The light intensity can be easily controlled with this visor; it has a 60% light transmittance rate.

If you are looking for a nice visor, one that is durable and therefore for the long term, you can count on EliteTek.

Another big advantage of the visor is that it has a great price and you can even make use of the money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied.

Check the latest prices here

Best American Football visor value for money: Oakley Legacy Adult Football Helmet Shield

• Durable and protective
• Prevents distortion
• Able to block harmful blue light and UVA, UVB and UVC rays
• Clear view from all angles
• Scratch-resistant and anti-fog coating
• Adapts to any helmet
• Stylish design
• Oakley technology provides superior shade and visibility
• Transparent

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Oakley is a name trusted by many people around the world. This is also the case in the American Football industry.

The brand is known for making excellent eyewear, so purchasing a visor from this brand can be a perfect investment for you in the long run

This Oakley visor is highly recommended. In addition to receiving high ratings, it has excellent durability due to the use of a patented synthetic material called plutonite.

You don't have to worry about this product breaking. It is made of robust and strong material and therefore also offers a high degree of protection.

The visor blocks 100% of all UV light across the spectrum (UVA, UVB and UVC rays) while maintaining superior clarity and visibility from all angles.

In addition, Oakley technology – which has been applied to the visor – ensures that your vision remains clear so that you can play and perform without any distractions.

Your eyes and skin remain optimally protected with this visor. Another impressive aspect is the AFR lens treatment coating, which makes the visor very resistant to scratches and fog.

What Oakley has done here has been trying by every means possible to maximize optical clarity. The shape of the visor is vertically much more curved than most other options on the market.

As a result, you can see more clearly at any angle, and the mask is much more durable because objects simply bounce off it.

If you're looking for one of the coolest visors, Oakley is definitely an option.

The product is extremely durable, and the Oakley visors eliminate any distortion, which is often a problem with other visors made of polycarbonate.

However, some will find the Oakley's installation instructions a little difficult to follow, making mounting the visor a little time consuming.

In addition, this is not a cheap visor, but certainly not the most expensive. Its high quality anti-scratch coating and clarity make it worth considering. You really get value for money with this visor.

Choosing between the EliteTek Prizm and the Oakley Shield, for example, comes down to personal preference, as they are roughly in the same price range.

The Prizm has 60% light transmission, which means that it transmits less light than the transparent version of the Oakley Shield.

If you regularly play or train at night, this wouldn't be as beneficial as visors that don't let much light through can make it difficult to see in the dark.

However, if you live in a place with a lot of sun and you are tired of being blinded by the sunlight, a visor with a lower light transmission (such as one of Oakley's gray visors with a transmission factor of 20%, 45% or 60 %) or the EliteTek Prizm above probably your best bet

Check prices and availability here

Best American Football Visor With Intimidating Look: Nike Gridiron Eye Shield 2.0

• Light weight (1,8 kg)
• Clear view game after game
• Anti-glare
• Accurate view from any angle
• 100% polycarbonate
• Unique beveled edges minimize glare and distortion
• Impact protection
• Tinted
• Fits most helmets and all 2019 Riddell models

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Starting with the build, Nike Max is made entirely of polycarbonate. Optical technology has been used for the lens, which means that you can see clearly from every angle on the field.

Thanks to the chamfered edges, you won't be bothered by distortion and glare. You will also notice that the assembly is easy.

The shock-absorbing technology will provide you with the best protection, whether you take a hit or deliver one. The visor is black in color and actually has an intimidating look.

Finally, this is one of the few visors that comes with cool stickers so you can completely personalize the product.

For example, you can have the visor match that of the rest of your uniform.

Nike is a big brand and has been popular in the football world for a long time. If you are 'team Nike' and want to have everything from this fantastic brand, this could be the perfect visor for your helmet.

The visor is designed to fit most football helmets. It is a bit on the expensive side and can get scratched over time. All in all a much sold visor.

Check the latest prices here

Conclusion

Wearing a visor has become a phenomenon in football, especially in the NFL.

Whether you're looking for a cool look, eye protection from injuries or the sun, or better vision; a visor is something that can give you those benefits.

Now it's all up to you! Do your homework and make sure you choose the right visor.

Think carefully in advance about all the factors that you would like to see in your new visor and don't settle for less.

When you've found the right one, you'll be glad you took the time and effort to find the perfect model.

Regardless of color or design, make sure you're happy with your purchase. Nothing is less fun than buying a product that you don't want to use in the long term.

Either way, wearing a visor will improve your image, your vision and your eye protection, so it's an accessory you don't want to miss out on.

Keep your condition up even during the colder months with a good fitness running band for home, this is my top 9

Joost Nusselder, the founder of referees.eu is a content marketer, father and loves to write about all kinds of sports, and has also played a lot of sports himself for most of his life. Now since 2016, he and his team have been creating helpful blog articles to help loyal readers with their sports activities.