Aura Lens or Phillips?

**PyroChixRock** · 01-25-2013, 09:59 AM

I thought we could use a current poll on shades now that we've had two companies providing shades for awhile now.

What's your brand?

Have you tried both Aura and Phillips for extended sessions?

Do you feel any eye fatigue after long torching sessions?

If you've tried both and have a good feel for each brand, (based on the lens protection alone) what company would you purchase from today?

**Boozeclues** · 01-25-2013, 10:23 AM

I just got a pair of the Phillips Model 208R (Red) Plastic Safety Glasses with the prescription lens in shade-3 and have to say I am extremely happy with them.

They are a little bit on the brighter side and at some point I might need to go darker but for the work I do now they are great. The prescription grinding means the lens is slighty brighter in the center, to me it was like looking through 3-d glasses and took a day or two to adjust to.

They took 10 days to arrive and came in really nice case with a soft pouch and lanyard. I have a astigmatism and these at $265, cost less than my daily glasses

**2wheeler** · 01-25-2013, 10:57 AM

Shade 5 for life. Only used Phillips with no fatigue. I'm curious about aura though and what others think.

**menty666** · 01-25-2013, 10:58 AM

I have shade 5 aura goggles I use normally, but I have a pair of Phillips ACE I keep on hand for guests.

I prefer my 5's, but the Phillips weren't bad (I have my kids use the darker ones when they want to torch and I wear the Phillips)

**misled youth** · 01-25-2013, 11:19 AM

I rock 10-13 year old aura splits. On 3rd set of frames. The nose piece secretes some weird oily shit.
Looking forward to lots of reviews, as I may want some new shades.

**mer** · 01-25-2013, 11:21 AM

i have a pair of aura 3's and a pair of 5's. i find the 5's a touch too dark unless the bench is super well lit. are aura lenses available in any dependable fashion? i had thought that they were becoming as elusive as the yeti...

**hashmasta-kut** · 01-25-2013, 01:50 PM

i have a pair of aura but the frames had some troubles so i cant use them anymore. i preferred them slightly to my phillips shades, which i have in three shades of darkness. even though they were heavy glass i still liked the way my eyes felt after using them a slight bit better . the light shade three are very close to my aura shade three. in my phillips there is a bit of variance i find in the darkness. i have 2 shade threes and one pair is lighter for sure. my eyes feel fine with phillips too, but the aura just seemed more velvety somehow.

**Icarus** · 01-25-2013, 01:50 PM

On a purely customer service level, Phillips all day every day. Mike A's laziness and (is dishonesty too harsh of a word?) almost cost me $500 that I had saved through a flex plan to pay for prescription glasses. Luckily I caught it right before the end of the year (after the 31st of December, any money left in a flex plan is forfeited to the IRS), and was able to cancel the order. Called Phillips later that day, they hooked it up and did it slightly cheaper (this was after they warned me how expensive an Ace/5 split would be for a prescription with astigmatism). Couldn't be happier with the glasses. I've also got a pair of fit over shade 3's and a pair of fit over safety glasses from them. Price is right, service is great. Phillips for this guy.

**PyroChixRock** · 01-25-2013, 02:33 PM

Hey Icky, on a lenses level...have you used Aura? Do you feel a difference? Which one do you prefer?

**VertigoGlass** · 01-25-2013, 03:22 PM

I have 4 pairs of glasses 2 auras and 2 philips. I have a aura lense 3/5 split that has a gap of diddy showing threw between the 3/5 lense grinds the frames broke within months and are quite heavy due to the laminated lens' mike was of ZERO help when it came to this issue. I picked up a used shade 3 pair of auras and the frames took a shit. I moved to philips and they are cheaper lighter the customer service is better BUT I do feel that the auras let me work longer without getting the tired burning eye syndrome. If mikes bullshit business antics were different i would be AURA all day. Instead I fuck my eyes up to save my sanity.

**Icarus** · 01-25-2013, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by PyroChixRock

Hey Icky, on a lenses level...have you used Aura? Do you feel a difference? Which one do you prefer?

No, like I said, this is purely on a customer service level. Even after all of Mike's craziness on here, I wanted to give him a chance, as I feel like I learned a lot from his safety advice and thought he couldn't be THAT bad. But he had 45 days or so that he sat on the order and gave me various excuses and it was only when I realized that if I didn't get this order charged within the next few days or so that I would have to forfeit the money to the IRS if it wasn't spent that I cancelled the order and called Phillips.

After that, Phillips really took care of me. I wish I could give a side by side comparison of the glasses, but I've never gotten to use Aura's (though not for lack of trying). So yeah, I can't compare them for fit or eye strain or what not. I would consider purchasing a pair of Aura's from a different vendor who already had what I needed in stock, but since I either have to go with prescription or fit over if I want a split, for now, if I need another pair of glasses, I would just go through Phillips.

**Icarus** · 01-25-2013, 03:47 PM

If you've tried both and have a good feel for each brand, (based on the lens protection alone) what company would you purchase from today?

Oh shit Meesh, I guess I didn't fully read your post. You can pull my posts if you want, as they don't speak the the lenses, just the experience involved in getting them.

**PyroChixRock** · 01-25-2013, 04:12 PM

Oh no it's cool hun. It's good to have any feedback.

But on that note...Aura isn't the only one out there with spotty customer service. Tons of people wait for torches, concentrators, and kilns much longer than we think we should have to wait. Granted not all of them are out there online behaving disgracefully like some do and have in the past, but people still wait either way. I've been staring at a torch daily for so many years, and plan to for so many to come, that the eye fatigue is what I'm mostly worried about. The last time I looked through a pair of Phillips lenses the sodium glare was not filtered sufficiently. That was before they reformulated or whatnot, and it's been quite a few years since they offer satisfactory coverage for glass workers. I wanted to wait long enough that people would really know how they felt about Phillips before I asked. And I never asked before because I had thought I had good communication with Mike, but he seems to have lost interest in communicating with me. I probably would have never asked if not for the lack of communication, I'm more than happy with every pair of Aura lenses I've had.

I need new shades and I have two kids who blow glass as much as some of you out there that also need professional shades. I'm up for dealing with spotty customer service if the protection isn't comparable to Aura, just like I would wait forever for a GTT. Hell, if it takes sending Mike gift baskets of glass goodies, then that's what I'd do to protect my babies eyes. I know some of you don't feel that way, but personally I've never had a problem with him until recently.

However, if the product Phillips is offering now is as protective as Aura, then who wouldn't take the faster, cheaper, easier path!

**VertigoGlass** · 01-25-2013, 05:50 PM

Like I said Misha, IF i could get aura lens without the bullshit drama I would rock them instead, this is the same exact reason i will never buy a new gtt again their customer service sucks as well they just do it with a smile. atleast mike let you know upfront he was gonna give it to you long hard and deep with no lube and talk shit to you the whole way along lol

**Emmett's Glass** · 01-25-2013, 06:21 PM

I got my pair of Aura's when Bob ran the company, I sent in a set of titanium frames and had them cut the lenses to fit those frames, I really don't want to have to replace them so I care for them. Too much craziness to want to try dealing with stories I've heard.
E

**The Glass Fish** · 01-25-2013, 06:56 PM

My wife and I both have used both for extended periods. I loved my Aura Lenses. They felt a little heavier than I wanted, but I got used to that. The clarity of them was great. Not split lenses, though. I like that the Philips (shade 5) are a lot lighter, and are also good quality, I would recommend them. I like Philips frame choices a lot more. My wife was able to get a smaller frame she loved, which was a huge problem with the Aura lenses. My final opinion is this: both pairs of our Aura lenses sit in a drawer with destroyed/worn frames and are unusable because I couldn't get Mike to take my money and replace them. He never responded to my emails or messages. And I was a paying customer who wanted to pay some more. So go with philips, as they are a great product and superior (to Aura) customer service, which matters.

If you've tried both and have a good feel for each brand, (based on the lens protection alone) what company would you purchase from today?

I don't think this is fair, because I don't think it is really possible to talk about a product as crucial as this to people like us and[I] not[/ take into consideration things like wait time, customer service, and overall personal experience. Based solely on that criteria I would be forced to concede that I like Aura lenses better. A little. But I would not recommend them. Ever.

**smolder holder** · 01-25-2013, 08:04 PM

I tried to get some auras knowing their history but i figured i'd give them a chance. I was lied to and jerked around so much after i prepaid for the glasses i eventually got my bank to take action and get my funds back. I got Phillips shade 5s and have been happy with my choice. I feel they offer good protection but i'd still like to try some aura's. Who stocks them because i WONT deal with Mike again.

**misled youth** · 01-25-2013, 08:07 PM

When I need new frames I just bring my recspecs to one of the glasses places by me and they order me some frames.
Usually takes them a bit to find what is needed but they always come through

Wanted to add that when I talked to mike 2 of the 3 times I needed new frames, he advised me to stop being cheap and just buy new glasses.

**Emmett's Glass** · 01-25-2013, 08:32 PM

I will say something good about Mike, I ran into him at the GAS 2003 conference and showed him a pair of glasses I got from him with messed up frames and an old script, He took them tossed them in a box and handed me a new pair with no script which was really cool because now I have a good pair of glasses for guests or watching demos. I really like the split lens for working but it happens to be on the horizon line when I view distance. I guess that was before the transformers constantly blowing caused him to go insane.
I used to tell students & friends to get Auras but with all the horror stories I heard, it became a 'used to.'
I'm sure his dad is pissed about him trashing the company he took yrs to build.
E

**PyroChixRock** · 01-25-2013, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by The Glass Fish

My wife and I both have used both for extended periods. I loved my Aura Lenses. They felt a little heavier than I wanted, but I got used to that. The clarity of them was great. Not split lenses, though. I like that the Philips (shade 5) are a lot lighter, and are also good quality, I would recommend them. I like Philips frame choices a lot more. My wife was able to get a smaller frame she loved, which was a huge problem with the Aura lenses. My final opinion is this: both pairs of our Aura lenses sit in a drawer with destroyed/worn frames and are unusable because I couldn't get Mike to take my money and replace them. He never responded to my emails or messages. And I was a paying customer who wanted to pay some more. So go with philips, as they are a great product and superior (to Aura) customer service, which matters.

I don't think this is fair, because I don't think it is really possible to talk about a product as crucial as this to people like us and[I] not[/ take into consideration things like wait time, customer service, and overall personal experience. Based solely on that criteria I would be forced to concede that I like Aura lenses better. A little. But I would not recommend them. Ever.

You two are a pair I'd love to hear about the clarity of each brand's lenses on and the eye fatigue or strain, if any, you feel with Phillips. is the Aura lens still such a superior lens that your eyes can feel a difference? After how long....6 hours, 12 hours, 18 hours? This is my main question, fair or not. When I first tried Phillips, there was such a difference in just the clarity alone that I wouldn't have been caught torching in them.

But that is to each it's own. If Mike were the only one in the game and he would not get back to me for long enough, I would fly out and have lunch. I wouldn't be asking, but I'm really biased. If Phillips has stepped up its lenses and this fatigue people mention over and over about them isn't an issue, count me in! But until then I'm an Aura stalker if need be.