£179.99 Shades with style and substance?
The Good
Stylish; great fit; super lenses
The Bad
Pricey and no prescription options
THE LATEST GLASSES from 100% move away from the future-retro one-piece shield lenses the brand is famous for and towards another 1980s staple classic: aviator-style shades (think Tom Cruise in Top Gun). As in true 100% style, however, it’s more of a full reimagining than a simple homage.
A single-piece, curved, tinted lens fits within the frame via 100%’s secure V-latch system. The glasses also come with a set of two-piece clear lenses which work well in lower light and fit via the same V latch using the included tool.
On inferior lenses, a curved lens usually means distortion at the peripheries, but 100% has avoided that by adding a subtle vertical curvature and variance in the lens thickness. Excellent treatment on both faces of the lens helps to prevent misting on the inner while repelling muck and grime on the outer.
The rigid, boxy frame shape grips superbly well, even in the rough and, though the nosepiece is non-adjustable, its supple material shapes well and holds firm, even when wet (you can use the inserts provided to reduce the nosepiece width if necessary). The stiffly sprung arms slid into the ports on my helmet well, too.
Lens clarity is excellent and the soft-gold mirror tint offers good contrast despite the lens being quite dark. The frames also come fitted with removable, rubber-like side shields. I initially thought these were more style than substance, but I found they did give extra protection when I was riding in driving rain and strong crosswinds.
Riding glasses are expensive, and the downside with oversized shield styles is that they’re often designed for ‘on the bike’ only – unless you’re a fan of looking like a member of a 1980s hair metal band, an action hero or a WWE wrestler. The Eastcrafts look good off the bike, though.
The glasses come with a hard case, soft cleaning bag, alternate nose piece and second clear lens set.
A closer look…
Who is 100%?
Compared to established brands such as Oakley and Rudy Project, 100% is a relative upstart in cycling, but it has a long history on two wheels of a different kind. It formed in 1982 in Los Angeles, specialising in making motocross kit and specialist upgrade parts while sponsoring multiple legendary motocross riders.
Fast forward to 2011 and, under new ownership, 100% launched a range of highly regarded motocross goggles, which plenty of downhill mountain bikers started to use, leading to the brand deciding to expand into bike-specific goggles, helmets, gloves and protection.
Finally, it moved into performance glasses, making the frames in Italy and lenses in France. Its growth in cycling was in no doubt fuelled by its long-term support of Peter Sagan, a rider with plenty of personality beyond his immense talent on the bike.