Your future’s bright, and it’s time to get some shades to sport on the trail. We’ve put together a list of excellent sunglasses that will not only protect your eyes, but will also earn you style points as well.
Open Frame Glasses
The Binder Sunglasses weigh in at 26 grams. This open-bottom frame design is lightweight and low-profile, and would feel right at home on the face of an XC or endurance racer. The frames are made of durable, lightweight TR90 thermoplastic from Switzerland and feature hydrophilic nose and temple pads.
Out on the trail wearing the Smith Approaches, the rubber nose and temple pads do their thing: the glasses stay put regardless of how much sweat leaks out of your face on a hot day of desert riding. Optically, they are as clear and distortion-free as any prescription spectacles I have ever worn.
The Tifosi Slope sunglasses are made of a material called Grilamid TR 90. Grilamid TR 90 also has high resistance to UV, so the sun will have a harder time melting them or making the frames brittle over time. Out of the box, they feel strong, but slightly bendy.
The Smith Optics Pivlock v2 sunglasses are performance-oriented shades that offer excellent coverage in a simple and adjustable package worthy of any mountain biker’s trail kit.
Full Frame Sunglasses
The Duro glasses, weighing in at 32 grams, are a squarish, full-framed pair of glasses that feature casual styling, yet quality performance features. The frames are made of Grilamid TR-90, a homopolyamide nylon characterized by an extremely high alternative bending strength, low density, and high resistance to chemical and UV damage.
The Shimano CE-S50X shades were designed with performance, comfort, and style in mind. The adjustable nose and temple pads allow the owner to tailor the glasses’ fit to their specific needs, and the feathery-light weight makes them feel like they’re hardly there.
The S70X shades have what Shimano calls SMFD, or Shimano Metal Fit Design. The metal is called “Beta-titanium.” The glasses have a really nice springy quality that fits the face nicely. The metal rod pieces also let a lot of air vent away, which helps keep the fog down.
Kaenon’s Trade sunglasses feature excellent coverage and superior optics in a murdered out, black matte finish as part of the company’s new Black Label Collection. At first glance, the Kaenon Trades are larger and darker than most sunglasses you’ll find, and there’s a reason beyond just looking cool.
Any one of these pairs of glasses will serve you well for thousands of miles of singletrack riding!
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Jul 22, 2014