The Rayth and the Vise sit next to each other in the Heat Wave lineup, both Z87.1+, both under a hundred bucks, and both built for someone who wants safety glasses that do not look like safety glasses. So which one you grab comes down to a narrower question than the rating: how much frame do you want on your face, and what do you want it to look like when you catch yourself in a mirror.
The short answer
Buy the Heat Wave Rayth if you want the lowest-profile frame Heat Wave makes, something that reads as a regular pair of sunglasses and disappears under ear pro. Buy the Heat Wave Vise if you want the flat-top rectangular shape that has become the default Z87 pick on tire bay floors, with more lens colors and a polarized option. Both clear ANSI Z87.1+ for high-velocity and high-mass impact. Neither one is the safer choice; they are the same protection in two different shapes.
Profile and shape
The Rayth runs low-profile and lean, a performance fit built to sit close and stay out of the way, which is why it is the pick for anyone who has skipped safety glasses for years because every pair felt bulky. The Vise is a flat-top rectangle, a squared-off silhouette with more presence on the face. Neither is oversized. The difference is closer to "sport sunglass" versus "workwear icon" than narrow versus wide.
Lens options
This is where the Vise pulls ahead on choice. It ships in black, tortoise, or vapor clear frames, with lens colors running from black and clear to polarized black, Galaxy Blue, Gold Rush, brown, and Sunblast, both plain and polarized. The polarized versions run $80; the rest sit at $55. The Rayth keeps it simpler: one low-profile shape, priced at $70, built for the buyer who wants one clean pair rather than a shelf of colorways.
Price and where each one earns its money
Both land in Heat Wave's budget Z87 tier, under $85 either way. The Rayth's $70 gets you the lean, forgettable fit. The Vise's $55 base price undercuts it for the plain black or clear lens, and only climbs to $80 once you add polarization. If price is the only variable, the Vise in a non-polarized lens is the cheaper of the two; if fit and profile are what you are optimizing for, the Rayth's $70 is a fixed cost for a specific shape.
Who wears which
The Rayth is the easier recommendation for someone who has never liked safety glasses: low profile, one shape, done. It is also the one that sits cleanest under ear protection at the range, which is worth knowing if hearing protection is part of the kit. The Vise is the one to reach for if you want the shape that shows up most often on a crew, in more finishes, with a polarized option for outdoor glare. Neither wins on protection. The Rayth wins on disappearing; the Vise wins on options.
See both next to the rest of the lineup in the Heat Wave collection, or read the full Heat Wave Visual buyer's guide for how they stack up against the rest of the frames in the line.
Common questions
Is the Rayth or the Vise more protective?
Neither. Both are ANSI Z87.1+ rated for high-velocity and high-mass impact, the same standard. The difference between them is fit and lens choice, not protection level.
Which one is cheaper?
The Vise starts at $55 for a non-polarized lens, cheaper than the Rayth's $70. Add polarization to the Vise and it runs $80, which puts it above the Rayth.
Which fits better under ear protection?
The Rayth's low-profile build sits cleaner under ear pro at the range. The Vise's flat-top shape has more presence and can crowd tighter earmuffs.
Does the Vise come in a polarized option?
Yes, several lens colors are available polarized on the Vise for $80. The Rayth does not currently offer a polarized lens.
