Antifreeze is the loudest colorway Heat Wave Visual makes. The frame is a translucent neon green, the color of the stuff in the jug on the bottom shelf of every tire shop, and the lenses are a purple mirror that throws back violet and blue depending on where the light hits. It looks like a pair of rave glasses. It is also a real Z87+ safety frame, which is why people keep searching for it by name and why we get asked whether it holds up on a job site. Below is what the colorway is and how to choose a frame for it.
What Antifreeze is
Antifreeze is a colorway, meaning a frame color and lens pairing, rather than a separate model. Heat Wave puts it on several of its existing frames, so the shape, fit and safety rating come from the frame you choose, and Antifreeze changes how it looks. On our listings it shows up as two options: Antifreeze UV Lens, the standard mirrored lens, and Antifreeze Polarized UV, the same look with a polarized lens behind the mirror.
The mirror finish matters for more than looks. A mirror coating bounces a share of incoming light off the front of the lens before it reaches your eyes, which cuts squint on bright concrete and white truck hoods. Polarization does a different job: it blocks the flat, horizontal glare that comes off wet pavement, water and windshields. If you are unsure which of those two problems you actually have, our breakdown of mirrored vs polarized safety lenses walks through it.
Which frames come in Antifreeze
As of this week, five Heat Wave frames on our site carry the Antifreeze colorway. Each one is a different shape, so start with your face and your work, then pick the color.
Performance Vise. The squared-off frame most people picture when they think of Heat Wave, and the most-ordered safety frame in our employer program history. In Antifreeze it comes with the neon green frame, purple mirror lenses and purple accents on the temples. Offered in both the standard and polarized Antifreeze lens. Our Vise buyer's guide covers fit in detail.
Performance XL Vise. The same idea scaled up for wider faces and bigger heads. If a standard Vise pinches at the temples by lunch, this is the one. Standard and polarized Antifreeze are both available.
Performance Quatro. A single shield lens instead of two, which gives you a wide, uninterrupted view and the most purple per square inch of anything in this lineup. Standard and polarized Antifreeze are both offered.
Future Tech. The fastest-rising frame in our program, and the frame with the longest colorway list on our site. Antifreeze is offered in standard and polarized. The Future Tech buyer's guide has the full rundown on fit.
Performance Rayth. The Rayth carries Antifreeze in the standard mirrored lens only. There is no polarized Antifreeze Rayth on our site, so if polarization is the point, choose one of the other four.
The color is the fun part. The frame underneath it is the part that has to fit your face for a ten-hour shift.
Is Antifreeze actually safety rated
The rating belongs to the frame and lens build, and the colorway has no effect on it. The Performance Vise, XL Vise, Quatro and Future Tech are Heat Wave's performance builds, rated Z87+ for high impact under ANSI Z87.1. That is the standard OSHA points to in 29 CFR 1910.133 for eye and face protection at work. For the Rayth, check the product page for its current marking before you buy it for a site that requires one. If the difference between Z87 and Z87+ is fuzzy, our explainer on the plus sign clears it up in a few minutes.
One practical note: a safety rating covers impact, and it says nothing about whether a lens is right for the light you work in. Antifreeze is a dark mirrored sun lens. It belongs outdoors, on a lot, a roof, a boat or a range day. Inside a dim shop bay it will make everything darker than it needs to be, and that is when people start pushing glasses up on their foreheads, which defeats the whole purpose. For indoor work, a clear or light lens is the better call.
Standard or polarized
The polarized version costs more on every frame that offers it, so it is worth knowing whether you need it. Go polarized if you spend your day around water, wet pavement, glass or shiny paint, or if you drive a lot between jobs, since windshield glare is exactly what polarization is built to kill. Stick with the standard mirrored lens if you need to read LCD screens, phone displays or equipment panels, because polarized lenses can make some screens look dim or patchy at certain angles. Plenty of people own one of each.
Who Antifreeze is for
The person who wants Antifreeze usually knows it the second they see it. Antifreeze is a colorway people buy because they like it, and there is nothing wrong with that. Safety glasses that you enjoy wearing are safety glasses that stay on your face. The neon frame is also easy to spot when you set your glasses down on a cluttered bench or drop them in the gravel, which is a small thing until it is the only thing that matters.
If you want the same frames in something quieter, every one of these models comes in plain black or other colorways, and our Heat Wave Visual buyer's guide covers the whole line.
Common questions
What color are Heat Wave Antifreeze sunglasses?
Antifreeze pairs a translucent neon green frame with purple mirrored lenses. On the Vise, the temples also carry purple accents.
Are Heat Wave Antifreeze glasses Z87 rated?
The rating comes from the frame. The Performance Vise, XL Vise, Quatro and Future Tech in Antifreeze are Z87+ performance builds. Check the Rayth product page for its current marking.
Do Antifreeze lenses come polarized?
Yes, on the Vise, XL Vise, Quatro and Future Tech. The Rayth comes in the standard mirrored Antifreeze lens only.
Can I wear Antifreeze lenses indoors?
You can, but you probably should not for work. It is a dark mirrored sun lens, and in a dim shop it cuts more light than you want. A clear or light-tint lens is the better indoor choice.
Which Antifreeze frame fits a big head?
The Performance XL Vise. It is the scaled-up version of the Vise, built for wider faces.
Every frame in this colorway is in one place on our Heat Wave Antifreeze collection, and the rest of the line lives under Heat Wave Visual frames. Pick the shape that fits, then decide how much purple you can handle.
