Eye protection while on the ski slopes is crucial. Your eyes can be damaged by the snow, wind, cold, sun and glare. Unexpected circumstances, such as whipping tree branches, falling ice and thrown snowballs can also injure eyes. Because your eyes require a high level of protection, what are some of the things you should consider when looking for the proper protective eye gear?

Protection in a Variety of Lights

Your eyes are not safe from ultraviolet (UV) rays on an overcast or cloudy day. Because of elevation and glare from snow, eye damage can be severe. Not all sports eye wear offers protection on ski slopes. Light, whether natural or sunlight, is comprised of violet, green, blue, orange, red and yellow light in various wavelengths. Understanding the way sunglasses protect the eyes through colored lenses is important. You are safer while you are maneuvering down a slope that is easy to see and analyze. Colored lenses filter out specific colors to augment vision. For instance, shadows, dips or mounds — terrain characteristics — are emphasized with rose or amber colored lenses. Furthermore, the three most common types of skiing days require different colored lenses:

• Sunny: to increase visual perception and contrast, brown, grey or copper lenses are recommended
• Overcast or hazy: The blue light within shadows is filtered out with yellow or orange lenses
• Partly Cloudy: Red, amber or rose colored lenses are best

If you often ski under numerous sky conditions, you may consider purchasing a pair of sunglasses that have interchangeable colored lenses. Be aware that removing your goggles and sunglasses to exchange lenses may result in the fogging up of your lenses. Perhaps you would prefer sunglasses with lenses in a general color range of brown, amber, orange and yellow which works well in lights of low to moderate intensity.

About Polarized Sunglasses

Glare distorts the color of objects, which makes them more difficult to detect. Polarized sunglasses block the glare from the surface of water, glass and snow instead of merely dimming the entire field of vision as standard sunglasses do. Purchasing sunglasses with polarization will reduce glare, prevent eyestrain and enable a skier to "read" the terrain. However, ice on the slopes may not be obvious through polarized glasses.

Why Polarized Sunglasses Are Effective

Sunlight can be reflected from various angles. Glare is usually reflected horizontally from surfaces such as water, shiny objects and snow. Polarized lenses are laminated with a filter that permits only vertically-directed light to pass through. Since the horizontally angled light is blocked, glare is nearly eliminated. Brown and grey are the best colors for polarized lenses.

About Goggles

Goggles protect the eyes of skiers from flying ice and snow, wind, small branches and debris. They also offer more protection to the face than sunglasses do. Goggles are worn over sunglasses and are available in two shapes:

• Spherical: These lenses curve vertically and horizontally, somewhat like a fish bowl. They furnish more protection from glare and distortion than flat goggles, since the surface of the lenses is curved, preventing the sun from striking them consistently in one place. The thinner frames permit a wider peripheral vision. Spherical lenses are more expensive than goggles with flat lenses.
• Flat: Flat lenses fit the face because they curve horizontally, although the lens surface is a flat, vertical plane. Glare is more common in flat-lens goggles, and peripheral vision is somewhat reduced. Although they cost less than spherical goggles, they are still quite effective.

Fogging Up

Body heat and cold air create the moist phenomenon that reduces visibility through your goggles. Many features prevent the buildup of condensation or fog in your goggles:

• Anti-fogging preparations that can be sprayed on as needed. Also, anti-fog coatings are incorporated into nearly all expensive goggle lenses.
• Nearly all goggles have double lenses and do not fog up as quickly as single lenses, due to the seal that creates a thermal barrier.
• Vents are strategically placed at the sides, top and bottom of goggles to prevent a moisture build-up.
• More costly goggles may have battery-operated fans that disperse moisture by several settings than can be adjusted.

Safety

Look for sports goggles and sunglasses with hardy frames, shatterproof lenses, and polarized to avoid harmful UV rays. Goggles should fit comfortably on your face with the wide strap circling the entire helmet. Since skiing involves great speed on a slope, clear vision is crucial in the prevention of snow blindness, accidents or death. Goggles and sunglasses are available in many styles and protective features. Don’t take chances with your vision. Eye damage can be prevented if you make quality sunglasses and goggles the most important part of eye protection.

Author Bio: CoriAnne M. works online answering questions about car insurance requirements. When she has free time, she loves to ride horses and also hit the slopes in her home state of Wyoming.

British racing driver Dan Wheldon was tragically killed in the final race of the IndyCar series yesterday in Las Vegas.  Dan Wheldon was one of Britain's finest and most talented of racing drivers having won the IndyCar Series in 2005 and the greatest race of them all – The Indianapolis 500 in 2005 and again in 2011 with a thrilling finish in which he took the lead coming out of the final turn of the final lap.

Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton sent tributes to Dan Wheldon on his twitter page:

"This is an extremely sad day.
Dan was a racer I’d followed throughout my career, as I often followed in his footsteps as we climbed the motorsport ladder in the UK
He was an extremely talented driver. As a British guy, who not only went over to the States but who twice won the Indy 500,
This is a tragic loss at such a young age. My heart goes out to his family and friends during this extremely difficult time"

McLaren teammate Jenson Button also sent tributes on his twitter page:

"Just woken up to the most horrific news.. Dan Wheldon RIP…
I have so many good memories of racing with Dan in the early 90's, a true fighter. We've lost a legend in our sport but also a great guy…
I can't begin to imagine what his family are going through and my thoughts are with them at this very difficult time"

All our thoughts go out to his wife and two young sons. Rest In Peace Dan Wheldon – a great Champion and double Indy 500 winner, you will be missed.

More photos of Dan Wheldon.

The drivers paid an emotional 5 lap salute to Dan Wheldon with the scoreboard being wiped, displaying only the number 77 – Dan Wheldon's car number.

Oakley star Sam Stosur dominated Serena Williams to win the US Open Tennis Grand Slam Tournament in the American's back yard in New York on Sunday.  The Australian underdog Sam Stosur beat the 13-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams in two sets 6-2, 6-3 to win her first-ever Grand Slam tournament (the last of the year) and become the first Australian woman to win a major since Evonne Goolagong at Wimbledon in 1980.

Sam Stosur is one of the few top-level tennis players on the tour who can often be seen wearing sunglasses on court; Sam tends to wear the sporty Oakley Ladies Enduring Edge model as seen in these images.  Sam sometimes changes the colour of the model she wears depending on her mood, style or the tournament she's playing in.  Sometimes she may even select a custom design, rather than an off-the-shelf option.

The Oakley Enduring Edge shield-style sunglasses are a great choice for women of a sporty nature; the single lens can be easily swapped to suit the lighting conditions or the type of sport being played.  Enduring Edge are designed specifically for women and includes two sizes of nose pieces that can be easily changed to suit the size and shape of your face.  Oakley's Three-Point Fit holds the sunglasses firmly in place making them perfect for the fast pace and quick direction changes required on the tennis court or in fact many other sports. 

Unless you've been living under a rock lately, you'll probably be well aware that the 140th Open Championship is taking place at the World famous Royal St. George's Golf course in Sandwich.  It's an event we literally cannot avoid, especially since it's happening just about 10 miles down the road from the SelectSpecs Towers here in the Sunny South East corner of the Kentish Countryside – AKA The Garden of England.  Yes, the traffic has been a nightmare, but we are very proud to be hosting such an important sporting event so close to home.

Oakley Radar Path – 09-673 White Chrome (Blue Iridium Lens)

All eyes seem to be focused on the "man of the moment" Rory McIlroy, the Irish Oakley superstar and recent winner of the U.S. Open with an impressive eight-stroke winning margin while sporting the popular Oakley Radar Path Eyewear in a custom design.

Oakley Fast Jacket – OO9097-01 Polished Black (Black Iridium Lenses)

Rory McIlroy is will also be seen wearing his new Oakley Fast Jacket Sunglasses which feature Oakley's Switchlock interchangeable lens technology, allowing for fast hot-swapping of lenses for differing lighting conditions, while holding the lenses securely in place with the Hi-Strength Metal Injection Moulded (MIM) Stainless Steel Switchlock mechanism.

And its not just Oakley Eyewear Rory will be wearing as he looks to win his next major Championship, look at those Oakley branded golfing clothes he wears too.  Make sure you keep your Oakley belt nicely on display there too Rory!

Oakley have just announced that Ferrari Formula One driver and double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso has joined the Oakley family of pro racers.  Alonso will serve as an ambassador for Oakley in Europe and around the world.  He is seen here in a publicity shot for the top eyewear brand wearing Oakley Fuel Cell Sunglasses in a custom design (above).

Alonso says “I choose Oakley as this is a legitimate brand which has been supporting a select group of Elite athletes around the globe for many years. Associating myself with world-class and prestigious brands has been a major part of my career and racing strategy from the beginning.  Oakley has vision – continually striving for excellence through technology and innovation… traits which are of paramount importance to world class athletes including drivers within F1 circles”.

BBC commentator Martin Brundle refers to Alonso as “The most complete driver on the grid”, he is also seen here wearing Oakley Holbrook Sunglasses (below).

Official supplier to Skandia Team GBR, the British Sailing Team, Bollé Marine sunglasses combine polarized anti-glare technology and a hydrophobic treatment which repels water off the lens surface. The Bollé Marine Collection is perfectly suited to all water sports and guarantees perfect visibility at all times. Available in two polarised lenses: a mirrored Offshore Blue lens for harsh bright conditions, and a mirrored Inland Gold lens for lower light conditions to increase contrast and fight glare.

The Tetra polarised marine sunglasses can be found on our site here, or by clicking the image below.

Other Bollé models from the Marine collection include: -

Anaconda

Barracuda

Cobra

Crown

Phantom

Piranha

Python

Recoil

Tetra

Winslow

Dario Franchitti – Oakley Sunglasses

Oakley star Dario Franchitti is arguably Scotland's most successful racing driver of current or recent times with 3 IndyCar Series Championships and 2 Indy 500 race wins to his name including 2010, pictured above celebrating while wearing Oakley sunglasses and enjoying the traditional bottle of milk for the race winner.

Dario Franchitti is often seen wearing Oakley sunglasses in the paddock with his loving wife Ashley Judd by his side.  He will be looking for his 3rd Indy 500 win on Sunday afternoon ahead of his 32 fellow competitors.

Check out the video below of the closing stages of last year's race and lookout for Mike Conway's huge accident too.

Other Drivers in the Indy 500

Scott Dixon – Oakley Holbrook

Australian, Scott Dixon, also seen here with Dario Franchitti wears Oakley Holbrook sunglasses.

Danica Patrick – Kaenon Polarized Sunglasses

One of the best known female's in motor racing, Danica Patrick is not just here to make up the numbers, at 25/1 odds she means business.  Danica Patrick wears Kaenon Polarized Sunglasses.

Will Power – Oakley Antix Sunglasses

Australian, Will Power will be one to watch this weekend with 2 wins from 4 races this season so far.  Will Power wears Oakley Antix Sunglasses.

Paul Tracy – Oakley Oil Rig Sunglasses

Paul Tracy has been racing in The Indy 500 almost since it started 100 years ago, well, ok, not quite, but it seems like it.  Paul Tracy wears Oakley Oil Rig Sunglasses.

Ryan Briscoe, Mike Conway & Pippa Mann – Petrol Eyewear

Australian driver Ryan Briscoe wears his own signature edition Monaco sunglasses by Petrol Eyewear.  British drives Mike Conway and Pippa Mann wear Carburetor and Enforcer sunglasses also by Petrol Eyewear.

About the Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500 is the world’s most famous and prestigious auto race. It has taken place annually since 1911 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway except for 1917-18 and 1942-45 during America’s participation in world wars.

“The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” covers 500 miles, 200 laps on the famous 2.5-mile oval. It currently is the marquee race on the schedule for the IZOD IndyCar Series, the premier open-wheel racing series in North America.

The “500” is the world’s largest single-day spectator sporting event.

(source: http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/ )

Oakley star Casey Stoner made a perfect start to his 2011 MotoGP campaign on Sunday by winning the first race of the season in Qatar.  The Australian pocket rocket and 2007 World Champion dominated the practice and qualifying sessions and powered through to a commanding floodlit victory for Honda, 3.44 seconds ahead of defending World Champion Jorge Lorenzo.

Stoner was seen over the weekend wearing his trademark Oakley Scalpel sunglasses, albeit a custom designed version featuring an Orange O icon to match his Honda team colours.

You can still pick up the Oakley Scalpel – Casey Stoner Signature Series Ducati Sunglasses (below) but for how much longer we don't know, so you might want to snap these up pretty quickly.

Oakley is a major sponsor of the MotoGP series and provides sunglasses for many of the riders as you can see in our previous blog post Oakley Sunglasses and the MotoGP Series.  Oakley have even created a whole range of Ducati Signature Series Sunglasses, so if you're not a fan of the Scalpels above (as worn by Casey Stoner), then you'll be sure to find another model more to your style.

I know its early days yet, but Casey Stoner is our pick for the MotoGP Championship this year.  It's great to have some motorsport back on the tellybox after a long cold winter, we are quivering with anticipation now for the start of the new Formula 1 season in good old Melbourne, Australia this coming weekend.  Can't wait.

View the race results and report on BBC News

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day on 17th March we have got a fantastic new Competition with the most unique prize we've ever given away.

Prize: Custom Design St. Patrick's Day OAKLEY Flak Jacket Limited Edition Sunglasses

These Custom Designed Sunglasses are a ONE OFF, designed by yours truly especially for St Patrick's Day.

ONLY ONE of these unique frames will be made available by SelectSpecs and the only way to get them is to enter our competition to stand a chance of winning these extremely rare sunnies.

Look out for any photos of these awesome sunglasses being uploaded over the next 2 days to our facebook page and tag yourself in one of the photos (or comment on, or 'Like' the photo to win).  All entries on any of the uploaded photos will count towards the prize.

Get your friends and family to enter too, they might let you have them if they win

With these bright green Oakley sunglasses, you are sure to stand out from the crowd and with those colourful lenses it will look like there is a pot of gold at the end of the road – no need to wait for any rainbows.  The world around you will look like a much happier place.

I really want to keep these myself, I mean, I did design them… but the boss won't let me

Good luck everyone and Happy St. Patrick's Day for 17th March 2011.

If you're not so lucky to win these Oakley Flak Jacket Sunglasses and just fancy a pair or maybe you want them in a different colour you can find them on our site here.

We have now added Oakley Cases to our Accessories page for this very reason.  There are currently four types available and the "Product Information" text will tell you which frames each case is suitable for. 

Click the images below to go directly to that product (other colours may be available).

Oakley Large Carbon Fibre Eyewear Case

This lightweight steel case has the popular carbon fibre look seen in many race car designs that tear up the track each weekend of the motorsport season.  Crush resistance is a science by itself, and the case geometry takes full advantage of it.  Signed with a logo plate, this is your mobile storage solution for Oakley sunglasses and prescription eyewear.

This eyewear case is suitable for the following Oakley models: -

A WIRE, OAKLEY CANTEEN, CROSSHAIR S, FIVES 2.0, FIVES 3.0, HALF WIRE, HALF WIRE 2.0, MINUTE, SQUARE WIRE 2.0, SQUARE WIRE, Titanium SQUARE WIRE, TWITCH, WHISKER, and XS FIVES.

Oakley Small Soft Vault Case

The mobile launcher of performance eyewear is a lightweight shell of reinforced nylon. The SMALL SOFT VAULT zip-up case protects the following models: -

A WIRE, A WIRE 2.0, C WIRE, E WIRE 2.0, E WIRE 2.1, FATE, FIVES, FIVES 2.0, FIVES 3.0, HALF PINT, HALF WIRE, HAYLON, MINUTE, OAKLEY CANTEEN, SQUARE WIRE 2.0, TEASPOON, T WIRE, Titanium A WIRE, Titanium C WIRE, TWITCH, WHISKER or XS FIVES.

Oakley Large Soft Vault Case

Engineered with the same reinforced nylon as the Small SOFT VAULT, the Large SOFT VAULT zip-up case is ideal for those bulkier frames and protects a huge number of Oakley models including the following: -

BELONG, BEHAVE, BETRAY, BREATHLESS, BIG SQUARE WIRE, BOTTLECAP, CROSSHAIR, DISOBEY, ENDURING, ETERNAL, EYEPATCH, EYE JACKET 2.0, EYE JACKET 3.0, FATCAT, FELON, FROGSKINS, GASCAN, GASCAN S, GRAPEVINE, HALF JACKET, HALF WIRE 2.0, HIJINX, HATCHET, INMATE, MAGNESIUM FOUR, MAGNESIUM FOUR S, MINUTE 2.0, MONTEFRIO, MONSTER DOG, MONSTER DOGGLE, MONSTER PUP, NANOWIRE 1.0, NANOWIRE 2.0, NANOWIRE 3.0, OAKLEY DART, OAKLEY RAVISHING, OIL DRUM, OIL RIG, O ROKR, O ROKR PRO, PLATE, POCKET, RADAR, RAZOR BLADES, RIDDLE, ROMEO 2.0, SCRIPT, SPEECHLESS, SPIKE, SPLICE, STRAIGHT JACKET, TEN, THUMP PRO, UNKNOWN, VALVE, WARDEN, WHY 8.0, WHY 8.1, WHY 8.2, XX, ZERO, ZERO S, ZERO 0.4, ZERO 0.4 Squared, ZERO 0.4 Squared Small, ZERO 0.7 or ZERO L.

Oakley Medium Soft Vault Case

Safeguard your optics in a lightweight chamber of reinforced nylon.  The Medium SOFT VAULT zip-up case has a curved, wedge shape and can hold the following frames: -

BELONG, BEHAVE BETRAY, HALF WIRE 2.0, BIG SQUARE WIRE, BOTTLECAP, CROSSHAIR, CROSSHAIR S, DARTBOARD, DARTBOARD L, DISOBEY, ENDURING, ETERNAL, EYE JACKET, EYE JACKET 3.0, FELON, FROGSKINS, GRAPEVINE, GASCAN, GASCAN S, HALF JACKET, HATCHET, INMATE, MAGNESIUM FOUR, MAGNESIUM FOUR S, MAGNESIUM M FRAME, MINUTE 2.0, MONTEFRIO, MONSTER DOG, MONSTER DOGGLE, MONSTER PUP, NANOWIRE 1.0, NANOWIRE 2.0, NANOWIRE 3.0, OAKLEY DART, OIL DRUM, OIL RIG, O ROKR PRO, PENNY, PLATE, RADAR, RAZOR BLADES, RIDDLE, ROMEO 2.0, SCAR, SCRIPT, SPEECHLESS, SPLICE, STRAIGHT JACKET, TEN, THUMP PRO, UNKNOWN, VALVE, WARDEN, WHY 8.0, WHY 8.1, WHY 8.2, XX or ZERO.

Eyewear sold separately.

We’re pretty big sports fans at SelectSpecs and two years ago we were glued to our TV screens as we had our most successful Summer Olympics in 100 years at Beijing.  London 2012 couldn’t come soon enough in our eyes, but in the meantime we’ve been enjoying the Winter Olympics in Vancouver just as much, even if Team GB aren’t likely to do so well in these Winter events.  I would suggest that we don’t get the snow in this country, but lately it seems the Canadians could borrow some of ours!

We’re quite looking forward to seeing what Team GB’s first real medal chance Zoe Gillings can do tonight in the Women’s Snowboard Cross event and seeing how well we do in the Curling, which I remember being hooked on four years ago as we were actually quite good!

Bollé Enjoys Success in Snowboard Cross & Downhill Skiing

Bollé scored a double in the Snowboard Cross event with Gold for American Seth Wescott and Bronze for Tony Ramoin. The Bollé brand has been well represented for a number of years now in Snowboard Cross thanks to its fantastic range of performance products and stylish image.

Seth Westcott

Seth Westcott, already a world champion in 2005, vice world champion of the world in 2003 and 2007, 7 times medalist in the X Games and one of the masters of his sport, gave a faultless performance and took first place in his final run.

Tony Ramoin

At 21 years old it was Tony Ramoin’s Olympic debut where he demonstrated his talent run after run to take a well deserved bronze medal.

Seth and Tony both wore Bollé goggles and helmets to help them secure their Olympic medals.

Didier Défago

After an exceptional 2009 where Didier Défago won 2 downhill skiing championships in Wengen and Kitzbuehl, he again raced to a dramatic victory to take gold in the Men’s Downhill at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.  Didier Défago also wore Bollé goggles & a Bollé helmet to help him achieve success on the slopes.

Continuing on from my previous post about Sunglasses for Mountain Biking I had the opportunity to try a pair of the Rudy Project Rydon Sunglasses featuring the ImpactX Photochromic Red Lenses during a Sunday ride out at a local 20 mile (30km) route through part of the beautiful North Downs in Kent, UK.

The Ride

Our route took us through some of the most beautiful and picturesque parts of the Kent countryside found in between Canterbury and Ashford on the North Downs.  Starting in Chilham we rode along quiet country roads, up steep rocky inclines, down insanely quick single tracks, and through farmers fields overlooking some stunning vistas, all in the course of the challenging 20 mile loop!  Seriously, when you just drive along the main roads through this area you miss so much of what really is in this area – many car drivers certainly don’t know what they’re missing!

The weather for this ride was perfect with clear blue skies with the temperature in the mid 20′s even at 4 o’clock in the afternoon.  The ground was perfectly dry making for a challenging, bumpy and very dusty ride which was sure to get the blood pumping and the suspension working hard!

In my personal opinion (as I sit here with aching thighs still…) this route probably isn’t too suitable for those new to Mountain Biking or for those that are relatively unfit as some of the uphill sections are particularly difficult especially with the rocky/gravelly undulations and some downhill sections are very fast and are likely to throw you off if you have a bike with inadequate suspension travel, that being said though this route can be taken at your own leisurely pace with plenty of opportunities to stop at a lovely English country pub for a break and a ploughmans.

If you’re local to Kent (UK) or are planning a visit down this way for a ride out I can highly recommend taking a look at the Kent Trails website for more information – The route we took is listed on the site as the Chilham to Wye route.

The Sunglasses

I usually wear a pair of Ray-Ban RB3186 Sunglasses for everyday sun protection but these are not particularly great for mountain biking especially when the going gets tough so trying a new pair of sport style sunglasses in a completely different style initially took a little bit of time to adjust to and get comfortable with.

Trying the Rudy Project Rydon on for the first time took a little adjusting to get fitment right, thankfully the frame comes with adjustable temples and nose piece making finding the perfect fit relatively easy, and after 10 minutes or so with the arms tucked through my helmet strapping I had soon adjusted to the frames and forgot I was wearing them.  First impressions, also thanks to the lightweight design, were impressive.

These sunglasses also feature Rudy Project’s ImpactX lenses, a virtually unbreakable lightweight material.  Below is a video clip released by Rudy Project about these lenses:

Whats in the box?

As with all Rudy Project products the Rydon comes nicely packaged with the package containing the Sunglasses, a hard case (not shown), a soft case, and full information about the frame and instructions for changing the lenses.  The hard case also comes with enough room to store another pair of lenses in but in reality the hard case is perhaps a little too large to carry around with you comfortably – I had to leave this in the car while riding.

Style & Design

The Rudy Project collection is all about sporty designs fit for a sporting purpose rather than just general fashion wear so you’re unlikely to find the Rydon in any pub gardens (unless you’re stopping at The Tickled Trout in Wye for a cheeky break of course…) or at any music festivals.  The Rydon that I tested featured an Ultralight Kynetyum Frame, Adjustable Temples and Nose piece, and Interchangeable Lenses that can be removed and replaced within seconds making them perfect for any face size and any lighting conditions.

One issue I did notice with the design was that the lenses were prone to fogging up when you were stationary after a period of intense physical exertion, this fogging tended to dissipate as soon as you began to move and produce airflow around the lenses.  I don’t consider this to be much of a problem in the summer months as the vast majority of the time you’re always on the move so the fogging does not occur, however, during the winter months when the temperatures are considerably cooler I think the fogging may become more of a problem and an anti-fogging solution may need to be applied to the lenses.

Comfort

When wearing sunglasses I expect them to feel comfortable at all times without giving me any undue pressure on the bridge of my nose or my head where sometimes they can start to give me a headache thanks to the arms pressing against my head a little too much, I also expect my sunglasses to stay in place and not slip down my nose due to the frame being too loose.  Fortunately, the Rydon proved to be very comfortable to wear from the moment of trying them on and with some minor adjustment of the adjustable temples and nose piece the sunglasses were sure to stay in place at all times even over the toughest terrain.

The ImpactX lenses gave me the confidence to push on without the fear of getting anything damaging in my eyes such as branches, stones or large bugs while the wide lenses also gave adequate wind protection during fast sections of the ride meaning I never had any tears (of joy, not pain…) streaming down my face at any point!

Vision

Our ride took place on a beautiful summers day starting at 4pm with clear blue skies and not a cloud in sight.  This ride took us through various part of the Kent countryside with various lighting conditions from open fields to sparse and dense woodland, conditions that would test the photochromic red lenses to their maximum.

Part of the ride took place in open surroundings allowing the full sunlight to activate the photochromic lenses from light red to a darker shade of red reducing the need to squint in the bright sunlight especially as the sun heads towards the horizon at around 7-8pm – this change in lens tinting is really not noticeable while riding which I consider to be a good thing.

The rest of the ride took place in vast areas of woodland of varying density meaning some poor lighting conditions, these lenses were quick to clear and were perfectly wearable in dim conditions during the day.  However, I did find that while they were fantastic during bright conditions the lenses were a little too dark at around sunset time when entering wooded areas, there were moments where I was unable to see clearly until the lenses had cleared and my eyes had adjusted to the dim light.  For evening rides where I know I’m likely to be out after sunset I would probably choose to swap to clear or perhaps yellow lenses which are great for dim lighting conditions instead of wearing no eye protection at all.

Fortunately, I’m lucky enough not to have to wear prescription glasses myself (although that probably won’t last forever…) but if I did then these Rudy Project frames are compatible with a prescription ‘clip-on’ or ‘insert’ meaning I could have clear vision while protecting my vision.  This would also mean that I wouldn’t have to worry about wearing a pair of normal everyday prescription glasses which would be totally unsuitable for riding.

Overall Impressions

My overall impression of these frames are that they are perfectly suitable for mountain biking and that I strongly recommended them for consideration while looking for similar frames from other leading brands such as Oakley, Bolle and WileyX.  The Rydon was comfortable to the point where I could forget I was wearing them and the varying amount of adjustment from these frames makes it easy to adjust to anyone’s face.

Would I buy a pair? Certainly, while testing these sunglasses I loved them so much I decided to buy that pair once I returned to the office on Monday morning!  While I wouldn’t wear these every day as a fashion item for sun protection, I would always choose to wear the Rydon during any sporting activities where I needed sun or just eye protection.  One thing I would probably consider is approaching Rudy Project for an additional set of yellow or clear lenses (ImpactX of course!) for riding during the late evening where you don’t need ultimate sun shade protection but are perfect for late evening or night rides, especially as the winter months loom just around the corner.

Plus Points

+ Great style
+ Ultra lightweight
+ Adjustable for utmost comfort
+ Interchangeable Lenses

Minor Points

- Fogged up when stationary
- Photochromic technology slow to react when entering dark areas

SelectSpecs.com Rating - 9/10

These Sunglasses for Other Sports

Don’t forget, these Rudy Project frames feature lenses that are interchangeable for different lighting conditions and different sports including, Golf, Climbing, Shooting/Hunting and much more, making these frames absolutely perfect for all sporting activities!

Mountain Biking is a fantastic sport for both the weekend warrior or the seasoned pro’s amongst us, whether you’re riding on a quaint English countryside single-track or blasting down the side of a mountain in the French Alps at over 60mph, Mountain Biking is guaranteed to get your heart pounding and the adrenalin flowing!

Now that you’ve invested £100′s or £1000′s of pounds on your weapon of choice (bike), helmet and clothing, you seriously need to consider buying an appropriate pair of sunglasses to not only protect your eyes from UV damage caused by the sun (even if you are out riding in Wales…) but also to protect your eyes from flying debris such as stones and mud, insects and branches, which could all potentially cause irreparable damage to your eyes and even blindness.  As a keen cyclist myself who loves to get out in the countryside when I can I’m of the opinion that wearing decent eye protection whilst riding is just as important as wearing a correctly fitting helmet to help protect against injury.

I’ve got the gear, but have no idea… about appropriate eye wear…

Generally, wearing any sunglasses you would normally wear to a festival, in a beer garden, or just sunning yourself on a beach, is really not suitable for gunning it on a gravelly and bumpy single track.  For a start fashionable sunglasses such as Ray-ban Aviators or Wayfarers may look cool but these styles are often loose fitting, more fragile, and feature non impact resistant lenses that will most likely fall off, break or get damaged by flying debris – Think of it like wearing flip flops, shorts and a T-shirt while riding a motorbike, not only will you look like a moron but you’re also very likely to get hurt if something goes wrong!

Top Tips for Choosing the Correct Eye Wear for Mountain Biking

1). Select a pair of sunglasses that have shatterproof lenses (see below).

2). Look for sunglasses that protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.

3). Find a frame that fits snugly on your face.  Sunglasses need to fit well so that they’ll stay in place while you’re riding over bumpy terrain.  Sunglasses that wrap around to the side of your eyes will also offer you more protection from debris and branches.

4). Buy sunglasses with a yellow lens if you plan on doing most of your rides at dusk or dawn. A yellow lens allows you to easily see through shadows that occur at these times of day.

5). Select a pair of sunglasses with rose or amber lenses for all-around conditions in any light or terrain.

6). Avoid polarised lenses as these will not give you enough contrast when you’re riding in shady forest/wooded areas, early morning or evening, so there is the danger that you will not see rocks or rutted areas which could potentially cause an accident.

7). Attach a sunglasses strap around your neck to prevent lost eye wear on the trail, this will also prevent your sunglasses falling to the floor and being damaged if they do become dislodged from your face at any point.

Buy Sunglasses with Shatterproof Lenses for the Ultimate in Protection

For the ultimate in eye protection we can highly recommend the ImpactX Lenses from Rudy Project, these are strong and will not break if you’re hit by debris or branches while riding.  Rudy Project claim these lenses are stronger than Polycarbonate and Polymide lenses.

Not all Sunglasses feature such strength technology but MTB’ers should, at the very least, always consider looking to buy sunglasses that feature a polycarbonate lens rather than an easily breakable glass or CR39 lens.

Sunglasses we can Recommend for the best MTB Experience

Of course, we can highly recommend sunglasses from the Rudy Project, Bolle and Cebe ranges listed on our website and also frames by Oakley or WileyX, these are all widely regarded designers to consider when looking for suitable sport sunglasses with impact resistant lenses.  However, speaking from experience when handling some of the frames by Bolle and Cebe, these are at the budget end of the scale and do feel cheaper than similar items from that of the Rudy Project collection.

We can highly recommend the following frames to consider, all available from SelectSpecs.com today:

Rudy Project Rydon / Rydon II

Rudy Project Rydon sunglasses are perfect for mountain biking especially with their ImpactX lens options! These feature an interchangeable lens system to suit any lighting conditions, adjustable temples and nose pads, and are compatible with RX Inserts.  The Rudy Project Rydon frame is available on our website from £91.54.

World record breaker Mark Beaumont who is famous for cycling around the world is currently wearing what looks to be the Rudy Project Rydon for his current trip cycling from Anchorage, Alaska to Ushuaia in Southern Argentina.  You can keep up to date with his efforts by visiting his blog on the BBC website.

If these sunglasses are good enough for Mark Beaumont to spend all day every day in while cycling the Americas they’re good enough for me!  So over the course of a recent weekend I tried out a pair of Rydon’s with the Photochromic Red ImpactX Lenses during a local ride through some great bumpy single track routes between Canterbury and Ashford, see my review of these sunglasses coming soon… watch this space!

Bolle Traverse

Bolle Traverse Sunglasses are perfect for Mountain Biking or any other activity which requires secure fitting and high impact protection.  These sunglasses feature a high contrast rose modulator (photochromic) lens that are perfect for dim and shady riding conditions.  The Traverse frame also features additional strapping to securely fasten the frame to your head, adjustable nose pads, and a moisture absorbing foam sweat bar.  The Bolle Traverse frame is also compatible with RX Inserts and is on our website from just £86.43.

Cebe Couger

The Couger by Cebe is of similar style to the Rudy Project and Bolle frames with it’s interchangeable lens system and RX Insert compatibility.  Unfortunately there is no high impact lens option available.  The Couger (in both Summer and Winter packs) is available from £78.02.

I have a Prescription, What are my Options?

Just like wearing fashionable sunglasses like Aviators or Wayfarers, every day regular prescription glasses (even tinted or photochromic) that you may wear for reading or working in front of a computer are just not suitable for bumpy terrain.  These may give you adequate UV protection but will not provide you with adequate eye protection in the event of being hit by a stone or branch, and if you do break your prescription glasses then you could well be left without a pair of glasses until you can find a new pair.

Fortunately, some of the leading designers in sports sunglasses now supply their sports sunglasses with prescription clip-on compatibility including Rudy Project, Oakley, and a cost effective range from Bolle and Cebe.  This means you can wear a branded pair of suitable sports sunglasses while ensuring your vision is clear and crisp.  If you’re looking for a set of Clip-on lenses for your sports sunglasses, we at SelectSpecs.com have created an area listing all our Clip-on / Prescription insert compatible frames and have included a number of separate Clip-ons for you to purchase – See our Clip-on area for more details.

Now your equipment is all ready and your eyes are protected from the sun and debris damage there’s only one thing left to do, and that’s go hit those trails!!