At the upper end of the 100% range of Sport Performance sunglasses, the Glendale HiPer lensed numbers are all-singing, and all-dancing.
Pete has spent the summer testing out the 100% Glendale HiPer lens to see if they can convert him to running riding glasses rather than just squinting into the sun and mud.
Photos by Pete Scullion.
Key features:
- Signature cylindrical shield lens
- Polycarbonate lenses
- 100% UV protection (UV400)
- Scratch resistant lens coating
- Additional lens ventilation
- HYDROILO lens treatment
- Grilamid TR90 frame
- Rubber nose pads and temple tips
- Adjustable temple tips
- HiPER lens options
- £189.99 RRP
- 100PerCent.com
Rapidly approaching the two hundred quid mark, the 100% Glendale HiPer lens offerings are far from cheap but you do get a fair amount of tech for your buck and after a summer of use, they’ve held up well in all conditions.
Sporting a cylindrical polycarbonate lens (lavender fitted, clear in the box), 100% UV protection, a scratch resistant coating with HYDROILO treatment, Grilamid TR90 frame, adjustable temple tips and rubber nose pads, there’s not much that hasn’t got the bells and whistles on the Glendales.
Usually, my main reason for shunning riding glasses is that they either make you look like a 90s WWF wrestler, more importantly, are far too small for my copious head. The Glendales, thankfully are monumental in all directions, meaning they wrap neatly around my dome without squishing it just beyond the temples.
That vastness does, however, have one drawback. With the upper edge of the frame sitting above my eyebrows, the sweat off my forehead runs directly onto the lens, causing significant visibility issues. This is made worse if the sweat appears as I enter a technical section.
Beyond this they’ve never fogged up, seen of scratches to the lens, never looked like they were going to bed or snap, all the while taking the edge off harsh sunlight whilst also giving decent visibility when the light goes a bit flat.
As the days shorten and the light fades I will likely pop the clear lens in and these will do a solid job of seeing the cack out of my eyes alongside its sidekick, the Mudhugger.
What do we think?
The 100% Glendale glasses are a quality piece of kit that have been through the wars and come out looking brand new. They’ll see service through the winter with the clear lens supplied which more than backs up the asking price.
We love:
- Great field of vision
- Very durable
- HiPer lens does the job
Could do better:
- Upper frame allows sweat straight onto the lens
