WRECKED & RATED MINITEST
Get set for dry, dusty trails with a pair of sports sunnies
DBH VECTOR REVO
£70 www.dhbsport.com
SO GOOD… With their Oakley Jawbreaker-inspired design, these glasses provide good coverage and the frame remains out of view when riding. The arms have some flexibility and didn’t catch on our helmet. You can adjust the nose piece, helping the Vectors to stay in place well. The blue lens is good in bright light and doesn’t distort your vision.
NO GOOD… You only get a single lens. Its tint makes it a struggle to see in dark woods and doesn’t make colours ‘pop’ like the best here. The frame shape didn’t work well for us (the top rested on our forehead) and it creaked, too (but we didn’t notice this when riding). The arms aren’t the comfiest.
MELON KINGPIN TRAIL
SO GOOD… Featuring a quality Zeiss lens, these shades are fully customisable, with a choice of seven frame colours and six lens tints plus a photochromic option. An interchangeable low-light lens is also included. Our amber (from the inside) lens worked well in a variety of conditions, provided generous coverage and did a good job of minimising glare. The frame is only faintly noticeable, in peripheral vision.
NO GOOD… It’s difficult to get them to sit well, with their long arms fouling some helmet cradles. Add the skinny temple pads, and they don’t always feel secure. They’re also the only pair here without lens vents.
OAKLEY SUTRO LITE SWEEP (VENTED)
£149 www.oakley.com
SO GOOD… Oakley’s contrastenhancing Prizm Trail Torch lens is impressive at highlighting features on the trail, while still cutting out glare and providing a good tint for use in bright light. The nose piece is exceptionally soft and comfortable, and the glasses don’t rattle or move at all while riding. Plus, the arms didn’t interfere with our helmets. Ventilation is excellent, thanks to the drilled lens, without the Sutro Lites being too breezy.
NO GOOD… Coverage isn’t the best on test and the colourful frame is visible, but not obtrusive, when riding. The distinctive styling divides opinion.
SCOTT PRO SHIELD
£99.99 www.scottsports.com
SO GOOD… The Pro Shields have one of the best fields of view on test, thanks to their tall frame. We tested the orange lens, which performs well in a wide variety of trail conditions, from overcast to dappled light. While lens ventilation is more minimal than most here, the frame sits away from your face, so airflow is still good. The temple tips are short and tuck behind the ears for a secure and comfortable fit that avoids helmet straps. Our testers liked the styling, too.
NO GOOD… This particular lens isn’t best suited to bright direct sunshine, although glare wasn’t a big issue. The Pro Shields don’t fit smaller faces so well.
JULBO FURY
£82.50 www.lyon.co.uk
SO GOOD… Some of the most secure glasses on test, these have short arms that fitted well with all the helmets we tried them with, plus soft rubber temple-tips, which rested comfortably above our ears. The green mirror lens we tested works best in bright sunlight, where it cuts glare very well. The lens has plenty of ventilation, which helps keep it fog-free. We didn’t find the frame distracting when riding.
NO GOOD… They don’t have the most premium feel. Our lens tint didn’t work so well in darker conditions, but lighter options are available. The top of the frame sits quite low down, putting it in your field of view.
RAPHA PRO TEAM FULL FRAME TRAIL
£120 www.rapha.cc
SO GOOD… These wide wraparound shades are very comfortable. There’s silicone gripper and a flexible tip on the shortish arms, which helps them stay in place over bumpy sections. They sat nicely against our faces. Five frame/lens options are available. Our rose tint was versatile in all conditions and reduced glare admirably. The lens has plenty of ventilation, too. An additional clear lens and different nose piece are provided.
NO GOOD… They don’t offer as much coverage as some here. The nose piece isn’t the supplest, either. Smaller testers found they could slip down on rough trails.
ROCKRIDER XC RACE
£39.99 www.decathlon.com
SO GOOD… Despite being a budget option, the Rockrider glasses sat close to our face and remained securely in place even on rough trails. The frame didn’t impinge on our peripheral vision, and the lens has a wide field of view. The arms have flexible temple tips, which sit comfortably with a helmet. We found the dark lens tint worked well in bright light. An interchangeable clear lens is included. The vented lenses perform well considering the glasses’ low price
NO GOOD… We noticed more glare than with the more expensive glasses here. The dark tint we tested isn’t great in variable light.
100% S3
£169.99 www.freewheel.co.uk
SO GOOD… Available in a wide choice of lens tints, our S3s had the HiPER red mirror lens, which is incredibly versatile and covers a wide range of light conditions. With impressive clarity and pop, it’s without doubt the best on test. Coverage is great and the frame remained outside our peripheral vision. These glasses are very comfortable and stay securely in place no matter what you’re riding over. There were no compatibility issues with our helmets. A clear lens is included.
NO GOOD… They don’t have the best lens ventilation (but we didn’t steam them up). The nose piece is flimsily attached. You pay for the performance.