11 Riding Glasses Ridden & Rated

Table of Contents
• About This Review
• POC Aspire Clarity
• Smith Attack MTB
• 100% Speedcraft
• Oakley Radar EV Advanced
• Bliz Matrix Small
• Rudy Project Defender
• Melon Optics Alleycat
• Ryders Roam Frye
• Pit Viper 2000's
• Julbo Fury
• 3M Protective Glasses

About This Review
It happens to all of us. You’re pinballing through a technical section of trail way too fast but feeling perfect when out of nowhere a little pebble flies up and smacks you in the eye. In an instant you’ve gone from a single track assassin to a blind man without a cane; you’re adrift and shutting it down in an effort to keep the rubber side down. After you come to a screeching halt, you immediately grab your water bottle and flush the little [insert bad word] out with what remaining water you have available. That is the moment you curse yourself for not wearing proper eye protection.

Choosing the perfect pair of performance eyewear for mountain biking is a lot like choosing a saddle: everyone has a different opinion on what works best for them and why. In shopping for "the perfect pair," the most important factors to consider are (not in any particular order) cost, performance, quality (frame and lens), protection, and fit/comfort. I like to squeeze my pennies as much as most dirtbags, and I hate to admit it, but in general, the better the performance, the higher the price tag. Yes, you can rock some 3M safety glasses for under $10 USD, but the tech invested in even the most basic "real" riding glass reviewed here, the Bliz Matrix ($85 USD) far outstrips the performance of the bargain bin 3M glasses. Think of it as buying a suspension fork that's a decade old vs one of Fox's new 38 beauties for your bike. They'll both get the job done, but which one do you really want to have on your bike?

Some things to think about: we all have different shaped faces, we all have different riding environments, and (admit it!) we all want to look rockstar fabulous. Do you have a narrow face? Do you have a wide face? Do you ride in the desert? Do you ride in the deep dark woods? Does it rain 99% of the time where you live? Will that frame color match my handlebars?!?! These are just a few of the factors to take into consideration on eyewear, and realize too, that while you will find an awesome selection of some of the highest performance riding glasses currently available in this review, some of them just might not work for you.

(Note that all the product testing and photo work for this piece was done prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. All our local mountain bike trails have been closed since Friday, April 3rd. Respect the closures. Stay home, stay healthy.)

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Born in a restaurant on a napkin with the goal of making outdoor sports safer, POC has come far. In addition to their helmets, protective pads, lids, and apparel, now you can add eyewear.

The Aspire Clarity rings in at the cash register for a hefty $220 USD. For that hard-earned money, you get a distinctly Euro look framed up with a lightweight Grilamid TR90 frame topped off with a durable polycarbonate lens from Carl Zeiss, a legend in the optics world. The frames feature hydrophilic grip rubber on the nose and temples for a secure fit. Lens construction provides ventilation to evacuate sweat vapor. Each Lens is “Ripel” treated to help keep vapor, dirt, and your grimy fingers from soiling the lens. The Aspire Clarity has been designed to match seamlessly with POC’s Tectal and Tectal Race helmets. For safety, it features a snap-in hinge designed to give way in the event of an impact to save the frame while still protecting your baby blues. The Aspire Clarity lenses are available in several activity-specific tints; each one has been designed to intensify color and contrast specific to different riding environments from deep woods to high alpine. And make no mistake: the lenses are the gold in these distinctly shaped performance specs: Carl Zeiss Visions is no joke in the optic world.

While I struggled to like the look of these frames, I was pretty impressed with the performance of the Aspire Clarity glasses. They had one of the best anti-fog performance of the group, provide ample coverage/protection, and the lens worked phenomenally well in the low light conditions with a very clear and clean perspective. While the glasses are reasonably lightweight and comfortable, I (unfortunately) also couldn't get around the fact that, particularly for my smaller face, they are big. Maybe too big. I tried every helmet I have, and even with the POC branded helmet on, the glasses pushed the helmet up off my forehead. So not the best fit for me ( big glasses and small face 101). Aside from the not so perfect fit, the lens coverage provided excellent protection from debris yet at the same time the glasses also had enough ventilation that they fogged up only under extreme efforts. Other than the fact I felt like an extra in a "Zoolander" movie, these are in excellent pair of riding optics with options to swap out lenses for a mere $80 USD.

The Aspire Clarity have all the tech you want with unique style but at a hefty price tag. I give them a solid 8 out of 10 in my book of performance eyewear.

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The Sun Valley brand is enjoying the move to the heart of the Pacific NW, and now calls Portland, OR home. That move takes nothing away from Smith’s focus on top-notch gear for bikes. With sixteen different performance glasses available in their line, it was a tough call to pick which one to test but eventually, we settled on the Attack MTB.

The Attack MTB comes in eight different flavors, each with a low light ChromaPop™ replacement lens, lens bag/wipe, and a performance zip case. The frames feature Smith’s MAG™ technologies for easy lens swaps and are made from Grilamid TR90 for durability. They have hydrophilic, two-position adjustable nose pads for a secure fit. On the optic side, they feature a hydrophobic lens coating to protect from dirt and grime, as well as prevent vapor build-up, and make use of Smith’s ChromaPop™ technology for optimized vision. There’s also a ventilation channel in the brow for superior moisture management. It’s designed for a medium fit and offers generous coverage.

The Attack MTB looks a lot like the Attack or Attack Max models of performance glasses that have been around the past couple years with a couple minor design changes, including brow and lower lens framing features. The glasses offer a large and wide wrapped coverage area and fit well with a variety of helmet brands, including Smith, Giro and TLD. Swapping out lenses is as easy as advertised thanks to the Smith MAG™ technology: the arms just pull away from the lens for quick swaps, yet remain firmly locked in place when riding even the most bone-shaking trail. ChromaPop™ continues to impress me, offering, a clean, crisp perspective on the world, regardless of how much or how little light was available. My grimy fingers still left smudges on the lenses during swaps, but they wiped away cleanly with no residue vs. just smearing. The glasses do fog up a bit when climbing in damp humid conditions, but I didn't notice any sweat dripping down the inner lens and once I had some speed, the glasses had good airflow and cleared up pretty fast.

All in all I was pretty happy with the performance and features that the Smith Attack MTB glasses offer. I give them a solid 8.5 out of 10 and next time I have an opportunity I plan to grab the photochromic clear to grey lens for these and see how they hold up against the competition.

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100%’s lineup of performance eyewear has a lot to choose from. Each model exhibits similar DNA, but we opted to try the Speedcraft® Soft Tact Midnight Mauve with a Purple lens for $155 USD (there are twelve different flavors of Speedcraft available ranging in price from $155 to $220 USD). In the box, you get a microfiber cleaning cloth, a hard case, and a clear replacement lens.

100% have done their homework. The polycarbonate lenses are high impact resistant, have a five base cylindrical shield lens for increased peripheral vision and side debris protection without compromising clarity. The scratch-resistant lenses are interchangeable and feature a HYDROILO lens treatment to repel water, dirt, and oil. The Grilamid TR90 frame has air scoops to manage moisture on the temples and increase ventilation around the eyes to reducing fogging. The Lenz has a filter category of three and blocks up to 88% of light transmission. The clear lens that comes with the purchase of these glasses is a category zero and transmits 93% of visible light. Last, the ultra grip rubber nose pads and temple tips are hydrophilic and provide a secure fit even if you’re sweating buckets.

Fit for me is always a bit of a struggle: I have somewhat high cheekbones but a smaller, rather flat face, so a lot of wrap or shield style optics contact my face such that when I sweat, there's no escape for that moisture which results in condensation/sweat pooled up against the inner lens (or dripping down my nose). Despite the best anti-fog lens treatments out there, unless I am moving faster than a cheetah, uphill sections almost always result in my glasses fogging up. With the Speedcraft, the glasses fit fairly comfortably and had enough curvature that there was minimal contact with my face (it was close, though; the lower lens just barely sat off my cheekbones). The design does provide good airflow through both the top and side of the glasses, and there are two slots between the lens and bottom framing for a bit more ventilation. Much like the POC Clarity shades, these have a large coverage area and probably are just a tiny bit too big for my small-ish face which means they push my helmet up off my forehead—less than ideal compatibility for me. Aside from the slightly too big for my face gripe, these are solid glasses. The lenses stayed surprisingly clean, despite my sweaty, dirty hands clumsily grasping them when I swapped lenses. The clear lenses were perfect for most of our forested trails and the dark purple lenses were perfect for the open, sunlit trails across the river. The increased peripheral vision was nice, but I noticed some drop off on clarity in the peripheral zones. Overall, good performance for the price.

A 7.5 out of 10. These glasses offer a lot of bang for your buck, and although they were a little big for my face, they are stylish, and offer excellent coverage and protection.

Bonus: this is the same frame as the one for the Speedcraft SL. The only difference is the SL has a smaller lens and uses a different nose piece. Want to change your look? For $40 to $80 bucks you can grab a SL replacement lens, and while I can’t find replacement nose pieces on their site, I’m sure they’re available.

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California based Oakley has come a long way since decking out Greg LeMond in a garish, day-glow look back in the day. Although perusing today’s offerings, you have to ask, was it garish, or just forward-thinking?

The Radar EV Advanced is just one of Oakley’s go-fast performance optical pieces of modern art. The aerodynamic design and taller lens shape makes this a “go-to” for cycling. It uses Oakley's "Advancer" technology, a unique nose bridge which allows one to instantly open airflow to combat fogging and overheating. Plus the Unobtainium nose and temples make sure your Radars stay in place on even the roughest trails. On the optics side, the “Prizm” lenses enhance color, contrast, and detail and are designed to meet or exceed the ANSI Z80.3 rating for optical standards and impact resistance.

At first glance, I really didn't think I would like these glasses. From a "how do I look" standpoint, the lens shape is smaller than the current trends and the Advancer nosepiece looked a little out of place. However, once I slid them on and got out on the trails, they quickly exceeded my expectations. The lens did a phenomenal job of adjusting to the varying light conditions on the trails, and I had no issues with fogging or sweat inside the lens on any of my climbs. The Radar EVs fit snugly on my face but offered enough airflow I was able to forego using the nose bridge adjuster, yet at the same time, they were also big enough to protect my eyes from any mud or grit thrown off my tires or other trail features. I was worried the lens would be too dark to ride at dusk since most of my testing was done in the evening after work, but again, Oakley did their homework and these Prizm lenses seemed to adjust better than most other photochromatic options I reviewed. I did give the advancer nose bridge a test run on a mid-ride climb: flipping the switch essentially just pushes the glasses off the brow for more airflow, and while some people might enjoy this feature, I didn't adjust well to the feel. More importantly, I found that having the top brow of the glasses framing my view was distracting. In certain climate conditions, I could see this being an amazing feature and likely I would eventually adjust, but for the conditions I tested in it seemed unnecessary.

I give these glasses an 8.5 out of 10 in my book: high-performance design and lens technology with a couple lost points in the style category.

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Bliz is the technical sport personality of the Future Eyewear Group, a Swedish based eyewear consortium established in 1984 that makes everything from Rx eyewear to lifestyle sunglasses to goggles. Additionally, Bliz and Future Eyewear strive for as small an environmental foot print as possible in production, packaging, and shipping and is a member of BSCI (business social compliance initiative).

The Matrix is a no holds barred fast forward sport-oriented wrap-around eye glass design. It’s available in five different frame colors with eight different lens tints available. In the box, however, there’s only the case and a microfiber wipe, no spare lens. The frame is made from Grilamid TR90 for durability and features a featherweight 34gram total frame and lens weight. Nose and temples are sheathed in adjustable hydrophobic rubber for a secure, customizable fit. The lenses are easy to swap, are shatterproof polycarbonate, and are optically correct despite the curvature. They provide max UV protection and are hydrophobic as well as scratch-resistant.

For the price, these are one of the best bang for your buck options in this review. They tick all the boxes well enough to overlook any shortcomings. Out of the box, they had an awesome fit for my facial features and offered loads of style; the variety of frame and lens colors was also a plus. On the trail, they had great lens tech and quality: my vision was clear and sharp from edge to edge, and the lens tint I tested was perfect for both bright and low light conditions. Nor did I have any issues with fogging when climbing—even when it was both cool and wet out—thanks to the ample airflow from the vents. The featherweight design and comfy fit quickly let me forget about the glasses and simply focus on the ride. While the cost of replacement lenses is almost half the cost of the glasses themselves, you can purchase a spare clear, dark or rose-colored lens, and changing them out was easier than my 4th grader's common core math homework.

While I had never heard of Bliz before this review, these $85 glasses get a solid 9 out of 10 in my book. They come in multiple sizes for different shaped faces, they are affordable, stylish, and offer excellent coverage.

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Arising in Northern Italy in 1985, Rudy Project is squarely focused on being a leader in sports eyewear. It now produces a huge variety of sports sunglasses, prescription glasses, goggles, and other sport accessories.

The Rudy Project Defender comes in some eleven different frame and lens combinations. As per the norm for most glasses tested here, the frames feature adjustable nose pads and temple tips for a customizable fit. The lens frame bumpers are designed to provide a soft buffer between the edge of the lens and the skin in the event of a fall but also double as a ventilation system—pretty trick. Lens swaps are designed to be quick and efficient. From a coverage standpoint, the Defender offers a full wrap, keeping dust, water, and debris away from your eyes. Last, they are Rx compatible with an insert (sold separately). In the box, you get a microfiber cloth and a hard case to protect your shades.

These glasses had one of the best fits for my face of any of the glasses tested. They didn't hug my face so tightly that sweaty climbs overpowered the vent system, but at the same time the venting wasn't so much that my eyes teared up at speed. Nor were there any gaps significant enough for trail debris to be an issue. Excellent lens technology, too: that Goldilocks fine line of being not too dark/not too light. And lens swaps were ridiculously easy but...kinda pricey. However, if you read into the technology of the lens you'll see how complicated they are, and that complexity directly adds to the cost. The Defender also played nicely with ever helmet I tried them with.

While I didn't find these to be the most stylish glasses of the review, given the fit and the performance, I'll happily dole out a solid 8.5 out of 10 and offer up that these had one of top photochromic lens designs of the bunch.

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UK based Melon Optics was founded on the core principle that “quality eyewear shouldn’t break the bank”. They are dedicated to offering an exceptional, customizable product that enhances whatever adventure you choose to undertake, but have a focus on surf, snow, and two-wheel adventures.

The Alleycat is their one and only cycling glass. It’s available in six different frame colors, with a choice of five different lens hues, five different colored nose pieces, and six different colors of Melon icons. The purchase comes with a hard case box, a microfiber bag, a carrying case, and an extra low light lens.

The frames are made from everyone’s favorite material, the super-tough Grilamid TR90. They have a hydrophilic rubberized nose piece and temples for comfort and security while riding. They utilize Zeiss Optics' “Trail” glass for the lenses. They’re interchangeable, shatterproof and there is a lens tint suitable for any condition you want to ride in. These beauties are made in Italy and receive a premium anti-fog treatment that—along with the cutout ventilation slits—should keep your vision fog-free.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the Melon Alleycats. The fit for my face was quite good—I had no issues with frame contact on my cheeks trapping moisture and steaming up the view and they fit with all my helmets. Plus I had good airflow due to the side vent slits to help disperse any vapor. My Melons came with the violet chrome lens tint, which I found suitable for the more open sunlit trails. I found that the Zeiss generated "Trail" optics worked like a charm, offering clarity and just the right amount of contrast, even in flat light. I also appreciated their unique, "choose your own adventure" color and style options, which offered some ability to customize not just the look but also the fit. The nosepiece is a little tight and cheap feeling and pulls off fairly easy, so people with big noses might want to do a fit test on these before they push go.

A solid 7.5 out of 10. The glasses come with a clear lens for a wicked price, they look good, feel good, and offer the full coverage and UV protection I expect all my riding glasses to provide.

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Like me, Ryders is another child of the '80s. Founded in the shadow of mountain biking’s infamous North Shore, Ryders still calls North Vancouver home. Today they’re known as an offbeat but gritty brand with authentic roots and an appetite for adventure.

The Roam Fyre features a semi-rim frame that can quickly convert to a rimless road frame. Like just about every other frame in this view, the Roam Fyre is made from Grilamid TR90 material. It also features the usual hydrophilic nose pads and temple tips for—big surprise—a comfortable and secure grip no matter how sweaty you are.

The lens tech was developed in partnership with Essilor Sun Solution. They utilize VARIA photochromatic tech that darkens or lightens the lenses depending on available light, are scratch-resistant, have ‘Colourboost’ to enhance color recognition, NXT advanced impact protection, and a military-grade anti-fog coating. That may seem like a lot but it's the same options found with nearly every lens here, just different mouse traps, nothing earth-shattering

The Roam Fyre is another one of those glasses that have a unique, "out of the box" clear lens look. Again, with my face shape, when I was exerting a lot of effort I noticed sweat pooling on the lower frame and dripping down my nose due to the tight fit on my cheekbones, creating a mini sauna between the lenses and my eyes. But that's my face, not yours. From a technical performance standpoint... OMG! The transition lens technology was phenomenal. The Essilor photochromatic style lenses work great out on open slopes where they easily dial back the bright glare of sunlight when you need them to, but also (and more importantly) effortlessly lightened up when I ducked back into loam country under deeply forested canopy. And it wasn't just the lens tech—although that was exceptional. But the Fyres also had good airflow and offered fog-free vision despite the mini sauna created by my cheek/frame interface, even under heavy pedaling in fairly humid conditions. A bonus on post-spring rain rides when the air literally feels as if you can cut it with a knife.

The technology of the Ryders lens was by far one of the best. Aside from fit, these were up there with the Julbo as my favorite all-around pair deserving a solid 9 out of 10. Stylish, comfortably, excellent tech and performance. The only missing point is the steep price tag, and not purely because of my genetics.

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The company that prides itself on not taking itself too seriously (an understatement) was born out of necessity in 2012 when founder Chuck Mumford’s expensive, high-end sunglasses broke while ski touring. In seeking a replacement, he determined that he needed to develop something better. Something that could be “shot, sat on, shoved in pockets, run over, and mostly maintain their sun and wind bucking ability.”

Pit Vipers come in a myriad of frame and lens combos, and range in price from $69 to $99. The 2000 line features a dozen different frame/lens combos, all priced at $99. The Playmate is a bubble gum blue framed number, with a mirrored lens that goes from sky blue to yellow to orange. The lenses themselves have a blue tint and offer 100% UV protection. They transmit 17.9% of available light and are made from polycarbonate with an impact rating of ANSI Z87+. The frames feature a roomier fit vs. the original Pit Viper, with redesigned nose and temple pieces. The temples are adjustable for a semi-custom fit. In the box, you get a firm case and a limp cloth.

I really wanted to love these glasses. They speak volumes of steeze, and when you see them out on the trail you kinda just want a pair. However, in my case, I had a hard time getting a comfortable fit despite the fact that they have multiple adjustment points. I found that the brow bar pushed them off my slightly flat face a little further than I like, leaving a fairly big gap between my cheekbones and the lower lens. Despite the brow bar issues, the glasses fit snug enough that I was happy to put them through the ringer testing in a variety of weather conditions. The big gap along the bottom did offer nice airflow so I didn't have any issues with condensation pooling on the inside or the glasses fogging up, but that gap would be perfect for trail debris to potentially crash my party on a muddy or loose and dusty trail. One cool feature aside from the multiple adjustable points is that the glasses have a slight wrap around the sides that offers a little extra sun and debris protection. An important factor to note is that you can't change the lens on these so if you want multiple lens colors for different conditions, you will have to purchase multiple pairs (they do offer a couple of options with clear lenses). The pair I tested had a fairly dark tint that worked well on the open trails but not so much once in the deep, dark woods. I tend to think the 2000's would be happiest in Virgin, Utah surrounded by half-naked millennials gawking at the Red Bull Rampage insanity.

These glasses get a 6.5 out of 10 and most of those points come from style and affordability.

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French-based Julbo Is the old man of this selection of optical manufacturers. They were founded in 1888, initially for making sunglasses for crystal hunters in Chamonix. From there, Julbo continued to innovate protective sunglasses for all kinds of alpine activities, from climbing to skiing to cycling.

The Julbo Fury is another wrap-around shield type of sports optic. It’s available in six different frame colors and four different tinted polycarbonate lenses (called “Spectron”) or a photochromatic polycarbonate lens (called “Reactiv”). The frames are exceptionally lightweight (25g) and are designed with venting in mind to eliminate fogging in cool, wet weather. The hingeless design features elastomer grips on the nose and temples for security and comfort (bonus, the material doesn’t grab one’s hair). The wrap-around lens is designed for perfect clarity from edge to edge. The Spectron lenses are available in C1 and C3, which offer different amounts of light transmission depending on your needs, or you can select the photochromatic lens for no lens swap hassles.

I tested the Dark Gray/ Orange Fury with the REACTIV Performance 0-3 lens. Out of the box, without knowing what Julbo sent me, I thought maybe they had mistakenly sent me their Olympic Racquetball athlete glasses... the lens looked clear and the frame above the nose bridge was not only 100% visible, but looked, well... slightly awkward. However, there is a saying that first looks can be deceiving—and why yes, these glasses deceived me. Starting with fit, the glasses have a nice tall profile but a slightly flat design such that they were just kissing my upper cheekbone. Climbing, while the glasses have some slots for airflow, I did notice a little condensation on the inside that was a result of fit, not performance. However, there was zero fogging—even with the sweat droplets accumulating on the lower frame. That nearly won me over right there. But what sealed the deal was the lens performance: the Fury optical quality was nearly the best of the group—edge to edge I had clear, razor-sharp vision. And don't let that out of the box clear lens deceive you: once you're out on the trail, the transition lens darkens or lightens as conditions shift. As a bonus, when the lens gets darker, the internal frame disappears and that racquetball championship look evaporates, leaving one with a fairly stylish appearance.

These glasses were my top pick and easily deserve a 9.5 out of 10. They hit all the points—performance, coverage, price tag, and the pretty awesome transitional lens technology—easily making them my favorite pair of the group. And to top it off, my 12-year-old son absconded with them so they must be somewhat stylish in his book.

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In a nod to the budget-minded, we opted to test the typical over-the-counter, department store, Canadian Tire, Walmart, Home Depot, safety glasses—in this case, a low budget pair made by 3M. 3M (originally the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company) is a global powerhouse aimed at making products "to improve the daily lives of people around the world." Anyone reading this article would be hard-pressed to not find something made by 3M in their home. They make a ton of useful products, from adhesives to bandages to—in this case—a budget pair of amber lensed safety glasses.

These safety glasses feature 3M’s proprietary “pressure diffusion temple technology” to provide a comfortable, secure fit even with ear protection (or a helmet) on. The lenses are anti-scratch and have a Scotchgard anti-fog coating for working in wet and humid environments. The amber lenses not only block 99% of UV rays but also increase the contrast, making them ideal for working in low light and riding in the woods. As for safety, they meet ANSI Z87.1 rating for impact resistance.

These glasses fit fairly tight against my face leaving almost no gap except a small slot on the brow line and peripheral edges. While the supposed anti-fog coating is a nice thought and will likely work in most garage settings, pedaling uphill in slightly humid PNW winter weather was a no go. As is the case with lots of glasses, pedaling in humid damp sticky weather will fog up just about everything in sight regardless of the price tag or technology. For us on the fringe of Eastern Oregon (the dry side vs. the fog-shrouded western half of the state), it's fairly rare to have humid damp conditions, so it's less of an issue; but for those of you who struggle with it every day, these lenses are no better than anything else available. Despite the tight fit on my face, once moving and mostly descending, there was enough airflow that the glasses stayed clear and kept wind and debris from irritating my eyes. The low profile shape and smaller lens fit well with the various helmets I tested in and the yellow lens adds a degree of brightness to everything within sight. This might be a nice offering for a foggy dark day, but when you exit the woods into the sunshine, the squint factor is real.

These bad boys get a solid 5 out of 10. The price is right, the look is early-2000's doable, and the glasses get the job done without any bells or whistles.

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Reviews and Tech Ridden And Rated Sunglasses 100percent Bliz Julbo Melon Oakley Pit Viper POC Rudy Project Ryders Smith