NSMB Forum Testing: Ryders antiFOG Glasses

I wear glasses when riding and I'm always trying different brands as I am constantly on the hunt for fog proof glasses. I've had a pair of these for a little while and I've jotted down some quick thoughts from first impressions to a conclusion down below:

Caliber Anti-fog Traction

First impressions:
• Industrial design is a subjective matter but overall I liked the semi-wrap around shield and the general aesthetics which are definitely skewed more towards function over fashion. They were even black.
• The build quality of the frame seemed stout and comparable to Smith frames that I have tried recently for NSMB.

Fit:
• Fit well with Smith Forefront and TLD A1
• I found that my field of view was pretty good given a heavy frame
• Maybe it is the shape of my melon but they didn't stay hooked over my ears very well. A quick shake of my head and they slipped down my nose fairly easily.
• Nose piece seemed to be designed for someone with a very broad nose. I don't have a large schnoz but it is definitely not flat or small. An articulated nose piece or more heavily dimpled nose piece would be a nice solve here.

On trail:
• I found myself constantly pushing the glasses back into place even on smooth trails.
• Hydrophobic qualities worked as advertised for the first month but soon after they definitely did not fear condensation or fog when the weather changed from damp to dank.
• I am a glasses wearer and the biggest issue for me was Optical distortion. Unless I was staring straight ahead I got massive headaches. Given that they kept slipping down my nose I was constantly removing them to shake out the cobwebs are pushing them back up my nose.
• Lenses became scratched and beat up within a months use which attracted more contaminates and fog. I always use the cloth bag so assume it was from constantly adjusting the glasses on my face and wiping out the fog.

Overall:
I can't recommend these due to fit and optical distortion.

I guess from the sounds of it your main complaints are all related to the fit. I'm thinking when I get mine I'll make a point to not wipe the lenses and rather just rinse them in a creek or something to clear the mud/debris away vs wiping them.

try the FACE then , they fit the ears better and don,t move around that much and work well with a fullface helmet

also are you using a RX lens ?

sooo - does this Forum testing project have legs still?

I missed this. I'm well past the deadline, but if you're still looking for reviewers I could get all sorts of nerdy, being not only a sweaty mountain biker, but also an optical engineer by trade…

I've been riding the Strider Anti-Fog, clear lens for a bit so I can give a quick review.

- anti-fog is nothing special. These are about the worst conditions for keeping glasses clear, and these didn't seem to have any special abilities here. Wet warm days still result in fogging. They don't magically shed the water from the outside of the lens so they still require a wipe once in a while if it's coming down.

- They're a bit flimsy. The fit of the lenses in the frame is pretty loose, one of the lenses has fallen out while moving them from my face to the helmet. (Also, the lack of holes in Smith helmets is super irritating. Anyone wanna buy mine?)

- They're small. This isn't their fault, just something to be aware of. If you have a big face, get a bigger frame. Wind still slips by them, resulting in watery eyes, which is a bit of a bummer because this is why I wanted clear glasses for winter. My bad.

- The nose pieces are good - adjustable, sticky enough without being gross, easily adjustable.

In summary, it's hard to get clear glasses to stay clear under normal winter conditions here. I figured I'd try the new tech but I don't think it's worthwhile. I've had everything from $20 POS's to M-frames and now these fog up here so when I need new ones I won't bother spending the extra $$ and just get some $40 jobbies.

My buddy is a Dragon rep. They just came out with these in the US (I don't think available in Canada) and he gave me a pair: http://www.dragonalliance.com/en-us/sunglasses/endurox-156005/720-2359-999

Look awesome. Transitions work great. Great lenses and vision. But these are close to $300 glasses and they fog up like a bitch. (unfog really fast when riding fast). I don't think anything works around here.

I drank the Koolaid as well picked up some clear lens Thorns , I found they do have some antifog properties , have done 2 rides in the rain with them They suck at shedding water , I might try Rain X and see if that helps , if they shed water better I would wear them full time .

Fit wise they are comfortable when climbing for duration , and when trail riding and descending they stay in place . Antifog or not I will wear them when I ride they breath better than my Face versions . All goes well I will log some more miles with them on and share some thought after trying RainX .

sooo - does this Forum testing project have legs still?

Little pause in the action but this will be happening. Stay tuned.

I missed this. I'm well past the deadline, but if you're still looking for reviewers I could get all sorts of nerdy, being not only a sweaty mountain biker, but also an optical engineer by trade…

Go ahead and toss in an application. If you don't get selected this time it's always good to have shown interest for the future.

update on my Thorn's , still happy for the most part , one issue I just noticed is when closed the ear hooks rub on the lens and scratch the crap out of them so something too consider

Bumping this because after a hiatus/delay due to an actual winter, this is happening in Springtime instead. Revised deadline for applications is March 27th. Get 'em in!

This is happening. Looking for one more tester, maybe two. Act fast and there's still time to participate in the antiFOG forum testing with Ryders.

1. What eyewear do you currently use when you ride (goggles, glasses) and for what kind of riding? When I use eyewear, I use Ryders Face glasses, clear lens, non-antifog version. Most of the time I ride without eyewear.

2. Have you had any experience with Ryders eyewear? See above. I currently own Ryders Face glasses. This is my first pair of Ryders.

3. Are fogged up glasses a problem for you when riding? Yes.

4. Where do you live and ride? I live in Vancouver and ride year-round, mostly in Coastal BC.

5. Sample Review:

I have owned my Ryders Face glasses for about a month now and have put them through some solid test conditions. Although I was intrigued by the antifog version, only the regular version was available at the Ryders sample sale. For the price, I figured there wasn’t much to lose.

The Ryders Face glasses appear well-made, are comfortable to wear and provide ample coverage. The hinges seem sturdy and they don’t slip off my nose. Unlike most other cycling glasses, which are quite technical and nerdy, usually with small, rimless lenses, the Ryders Face are more casual in design, with lenses large enough for current trends, and thick black lenses. Main Street hipsters wouldn’t quite approve, but these are as close as it gets for cycling glasses.

A quick lunchtime pic of my Ryders Face glasses, snapped at my desk on their date of purchase. Almost hipster-approved.

Although mine have clear lenses, there is a slight loss of visible light transmission compared to not wearing glasses. My first ride with them was in the evening, after work. In difficult light close to dusk, riding in and out of shadows, I found I had greater difficulty seeing in darker areas than without the glasses.

While most of the time, I don’t find the need to wear glasses while riding, my Ryders Face have mainly come out in enduro racing situations, where debris in my eyes could cost me time. Once moving, the glasses are comfortable and clear, and I don’t notice them on my face. In order to avoid fogging, my preferred technique is to only put the glasses on as close to starting my run as possible. Airflow prevents condensation, but standing around sweaty with the glasses on is a recipe for trouble. When I’m really sweaty, the glasses will start to fog when I put them on, but clear up within seconds of rolling.

Giving the Ryders Face glasses the enduro test (Scott Robarts photo)

I was also excited for eye protection on sloppy days. After a proper testing on a cold day where a kayak would have been more appropriate than a mountain bike, I quickly learned that the regular version of the Ryders Face will let me down when I need them most. After cresting the Good Sir Martin climb, I took a moment to collect myself, threw the glasses on and immediately dropped into John Deer, a newly-worked high-speed flow trail. I noticed splatters of mud on the lenses, indicating the glasses were doing their job of protecting my eyes. However, I slowly began to lose vision of the splatters and of the trail as the glasses fogged heavily. No amount of speed or airflow could keep the lenses clear in these terrible conditions.

A terrible day for a bike ride, but a great day to test the limits of clear glasses (Source: The Weather Network)

I am keen to test the antifog version of the Ryders Face in the hope that they remedy the regular version’s shortcomings, fogging in bad weather conditions. Ryders has done an excellent job with fit, construction and styling on these glasses, and effective antifog lenses would complete the package.