Spektrum Eco glasses
£119.99 Performance shades with eco credentials
HIGHS
Great fit; superb lens; sustainable manufacturing
LOWS
Limited range
As cyclists our choice of transport is as green as it gets, yet the kit we wear is mainly polyester and our helmets, shoes and glasses are all made from fossil-fuel derivatives. Spektrum is joining brands, such as Giro, Isadore and Alé in making moves towards using recycled materials and greener manufacturing methods. This Swedish-based eyewear brand uses a new bio-plastic in place of the usual Grilamid material found in high-end cycling shades. Bio-Grilamid is made from castor oil – a vegetable oil made from castor beans. Spektrum claims that this material offers the same benefits as Grilamid with light weight, flexibility and strength. Our test pair weighs in at 29.7g bearing out the weight claim.
The Blankster’s shape follows the current trend for retroinspired single-shield lens shapes and the 60mm deep lens is well supported by the angular frame. The frame has great spring to it meaning it holds your head with a vice-like grip. The rubberised tips and nosepiece ensure the glasses stay put, even when you’re soaked with moisture. To tune the fit two sizes of rubber nosepiece inserts are included.
The lens clarity is superb, as good as we’d expect from market-leading brands. That’s not surprising when you consider the lens is made for Spektrum by Carl Zeiss, one of the most respected companies in the world when it comes to optics. The spherical curvature of the lens, along with the variance in thickness means that there’s no distortion at all, even at the edges of your vision. The lenses are treated with a hydrophobic coating, so fogging of the lens just doesn’t happen. The lens is also scratch-resistant and shatterproof.
There are many options of lens for the Blankster. We went for a brown tint that works well across bright sunshine and lower light conditions, while the understated, moss-green frame is a welcome alternative to the bright neon that seems to be the go-to colourway trend.
The Blanksters offer the performance of leading brands but with a more sustainable production method. In addition, they’re not as pricy as the best-known brands. We reckon Spektrum is onto a winner with the Blankster.