SUNGOD AIRAS
£215
These are Sungod’s lightest riding shades to date, at a featherweight 27g for the frameless option. They look pretty sharp, too, thanks to the retro shield lens shape with its modern silhouette. I’m also impressed that you can choose everything from the frames and lenses to the logo and temple-tip colours. Don’t panic, though, this doesn’t mean months of waiting for your new shades – my pair came within 48 hours of placing my online order.
We all know that decent lenses are the most important thing when you’re flying down a long, dappled descent or puffing your way up a neverending hill in the glaring sun, and the Iris photochromic lens I tried was excellent (easily a match for more established brands such as Oakley or Rudy Project). The 65mm-deep lens offers superb clarity and is rapid to darken and lighten as the ambient light changes.
It’s great to hear that the frames and bag are made from fully recycled materials and the packaging is all recyclable too.
Add in an impressive lifetime guarantee that states if you break your glasses, Sungod will repair them for free, and these glasses are relatively kind to the planet.
Frameless designs, while giving a great field of view, can be a little loose fitting on rough roads, but the Airas are better than most in that regard. While they wouldn’t be my first choice, they do stay put over cobbles and around town, but for gravel I’d reach for something a little stiffer, although you can choose a bottom frame option.
The lens has a lot of spring in its curved wrap that, when combined with the hinged arms and textured temple tips, provides a tensioned grip on your head. The soft nosepiece (choose from four sizes) does most of the work to keep the glasses in place and comfortable, so take your time in getting the right fit before you set out on a serious ride.
My test pair came custom spec with a smoke 8KO Iris photochromic lens and kit to switch from a frameless design to one with lower-frame protection (as pictured), costing £215 (including case, nosepieces, lower frame, nose bridge and cleaning bag). Too pricey? You can snap up a more basic spec from £130.
Lightweight, customisable glasses