Swallowed the Pill(a)

[Luke_(NL)]

I was dragging my feet on getting 'proper' eyewear, as I  didn't think that there could be that much difference between my Decathlon three lens kit that cost a tenner and the flashy glasses that shooters lug around in miniature vaults. 

Until I tried a mate's pair of Pilla's in low light, facing a setting sun. It felt like cheating in comparison. I could pick up the clays sooner and clearer. I'll take every edge I can reasonably lay my hands on  so I bit the bullet and ordered a kit, which was surprisingly (lots) cheaper to ship over from the UK than if sourced locally.

I went with 10CED, 30CED and 67CWN (similar to my mates setup which suited well) and now I am eager for some varying light conditions to try each one out. All rain today and most of the weekend (my luck) by the looks of it, but will be happy to report on my experience with them. 

 

[JoostB]

Looking to buy a set as well. But how do you determine what frame you will need?

 

[Salopian]

Try Randolphs .

Cheaper , better .

With Pilla you are being financially ripped off by everyone with their fingers in the pot . Their advertising isn't free you know , you are paying for it .

 

[Jan Powell]

Try Randolphs .

Cheaper , better .

With Pilla you are being financially ripped off by everyone with their fingers in the pot . Their advertising isn't free you know , you are paying for it .

Cheaper, yes. Better, no.

There’s a lot of silly hype surrounding Pilla frames and lenses. The adverts would have you believe you’ll magically hit target you’d have otherwise missed. Obviously nonsense. Having used all the major brands over the years including Pilla though, I’d say they’re probably better than the equivalent Randolph, Castellani or Decot. Not £350 better though.

 

[westley]

" I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW, THE CLAYS CAN COME. I CAN SEE NO OBSTACLES IN MY WAY.  GONE ARE THE SHADOWS NOW THAT HAD ME BLIND, GONNA BE A BRIGHT, BRIGHT, PILLA DAY "   Then  ???

" I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW, THE CLAYS CAN COME. I CAN SEE NO OBSTACLES IN MY WAY.  GONE ARE THE SHADOWS NOW THAT HAD ME BLIND, GONNA BE A BRIGHT, BRIGHT, PILLA DAY "   Then  ???

PS.

This lockdown has not affected me in any way  !

 

[Martinj]

Is your real name Johnny Nash?

 

[chippy]

I thought about buying a set, but then I thought that I don't mind missing those one or two that good glasses give you.

 

[Paul120]

I made a leap from cheap to Re and pilla around 10 years ago. 

It came after shooting ABT into the sun which sat right in the line of the straight target with the glare making it difficult to see angled target as well as straight ones. One guy was hitting targets that I couldn't even see when watching.

I asked to have a look through his pilla glasses and the sun glare shrank to next to nothing outside the sun and the clays were visible. 

The other thing is that the are robust and not easily scratched. The pair I use most are the original ones and unmarked. Before I was going through at least a pair of cheap ones per year.

 

[El Spavo]

Lenses I get, that's the bit at the coalface, but at face value and as an example of what is utterly ridiculous about the cost of these glasses is that on Facebook at the moment, someone is selling a pair of X7 arms, just the arms, at £135.

£135! :fool:

 

[westley]

Is your real name Johnny Nash?

No he's my Dentist   ! 

 

[ColinD]

Picked mine up on Ebay when someone was selling by auction what must have been really old clearance stock as they were Pilla Hawk (Panthers) with 3 lenses and a case.

I bid and got a set and was a bit worried they were copies but they seem to be genuine older Pillas going by the research I did on line, may have come from the USA

The listing was going on for quite sometime as when they sold one set another set appeared, if you got in early they were going cheapish but word soon got around and they were going for silly money sometimes

 

[El Spavo]

How much was cheapish?

 

[ColinD]

Mine cost me £150, some went for less then they went silly prices over £230

 

[El Spavo]

For pilla, that sounds pretty good. 

 

[ColinD]

Just fell luckey, they are very good, no distortion and really clear.Ok not the very latest coloured lenses, Pilla use some really daft names, these are not marked with colours but light transmision on the center fixing, but to me they look Yellow a light Vermillion and medium brown

 

[El Spavo]

Think I'd have to try a pair to convince me Pilla are any better than what I already own, but well played sir.

 

[Luke_(NL)]

Looking to buy a set as well. But how do you determine what frame you will need?

I asked to try a fellow shooters pair, which happened to be X7's and fit me snugly. There was another with a pair of X6's, which is the wider type (i think the difference is about half an inch). Those were clearly not for my face / head. 

I don't know if the Panthers and other models are available in varying sizes, but the Outlaws only come in X7 (regular / slim) and X6 (wide) as far as I know. The lenses are not interchangeable between the two, so be sure to pick well. 

Price wise they are indeed mad expensive, but then with all things it comes down to paying peanuts and expecting monkeys. I made do with a really cheap set before (also on indoor ranges) and this is sort of a reward to myself for unrelated work things, and having bought them I haven't cried over the price but will be enjoying them for years to come. Now if they only did get you all those extra clays....   

 

[JoostB]

Luke, I asked Pilla directly.

This is what they answered (swiftly):

---Joost:

 If you are 5’9” tall and 180 pounds you will fit well in the Outlaw X7… If you are 230 pounds and 6’2” the outlaw X6 is a must…

 The difference between the 2 is about 4mm per side…

 

Let us know if we can help.

 Thank you

 Philip---

I will see if there are people at the range that have X6 and X7 that I can try.

 

[JoostB]

Luke, I asked Pilla directly.

This is what they answered (swiftly):

---Joost:

 If you are 5’9” tall and 180 pounds you will fit well in the Outlaw X7… If you are 230 pounds and 6’2” the outlaw X6 is a must…

 The difference between the 2 is about 4mm per side…

 

Let us know if we can help.

 Thank you

 Philip---

I will see if there are people at the range that have X6 and X7 that I can try.

So I answered with my height, weight and included a photo. They advised me to take the X6. So speedy answers from Pilla