You can trust Cyclingnews
Our experts spend countless hours testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.
With the best cycling glasses marketplace dominated by well established brands like Oakley and Smith Optics, SunGod is a relative newcomer having arrived on the scene in 2013, but it has quickly gained traction by offering premium-feeling sunglasses and ski goggles at a more accessible price. You’ll find them perched on the noses of pro athletes including the youngest person to run the length of the UK, and Team Ineos Grenadiers.
Fitting into neither pro athlete category, I’ve been testing the Airas on regular rides on roads, tracks and trails throughout winter around Bristol and South Wales. Conditions have ranged from dense fog to bright, low winter sun – the kind of riding where sunglasses often bounce between your helmet and on your face with rapidly changing conditions, making it quick to get a clear sense of the comfort, coverage and lens performance of the Airas. Ultimately, I was blown away by the performance of the Airas in all weather, making wearing sunglasses a joy not a hassle.
Weight: 27g/0.95oz
Price: £200/$250
Colours: Matte black
Lenses: Photochromic, green, gold, black, blue, red
Design and Aesthetics
After a particularly close-call with a thorn and corneal abrasions from riding gritty trails, I tend to ride with glasses year-round. When I’ve rocked up to group mountain bike rides with my clear lenses, I’ve been told I look a bit like I’m on my way to the lab to run tests. So I was excited to try the SunGod Airas with their 8KO Iris photochromic lenses, which promised to adapt to fast changing light, eliminating the need for multiple pairs.
At 27g, these are relatively lightweight (though you can shave five or six grams with something like the Oakley EVZero Blades, if you’re really picky. With several nose padding options, they sat comfortably on my face with no pinching or slipping. The coverage is substantial, and I found no wind or sunlight getting in around the nosepiece or from the top of the glasses, which I sometimes find with other pairs like my Smith Optics Ruckus sunglasses.
Aesthetically these are a slick-looking pair of glasses with extensive customisation options when it comes to lens type, colour and accessories. As standard with each pair, you’ll find four different sizes of nosepieces, and a full-frame add-on which is simple…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at CyclingNews RSS Feed…