The 100% Glendale sunglasses are a great-looking pair of riding specs built to a high quality. Performance isn’t too shabby either as the glasses confidently fend off fog while protecting against wind. You get a lot for your money with a lovely case and clear lens included in the box. However, there’s plenty of room for improvement as coverage could be tweaked for MTB use and it can rattle against the brow of a helmet.
100% Glendale sunglasses - Technical details
The Glendale is built to combine style with performance and in this matte Translucent Brown Fade colour, there’s a cool, old-school 70s vibe paired with a contemporary shape.
However, it’s not just about looks as these glasses are packed with tech including a shatterproof Grilamid TR90 frame. There are several nose pad options included in the box.
The magic happens with HiPER lens technology. The brand says that this lens filters out light where primary colours (red, blue and green) overlap as this is where vision begins to distort, says the brand. According to 100%, the result is better contrast and more vibrant colours that add depth and definition to vision.
Adding to the HiPER, the Glendale offers 100 per cent UV400 protection, it gets a HYDROILO treatment that’s formulated to repel water, dirt and oils and the lens is impact-resistant, being built from polycarbonate.
It comes with a Cat 3 lens filter that sorts 15 per cent of light transmission.
100% Glendale sunglasses - Performance
The Glendale is a large pair of riding specs with pros and cons. What stands out, however, is its superb lens. It’s a single-piece cylindrical lens that as mentioned before, is filled with techy goodness and all of 100%’s work in designing and creating it has paid off massively. This colour lens works well in conditions ranging from mid- to high-brightness scenarios though it wouldn’t be a go-to for wintery days in the woods. However, that’s where the included clear lens comes in handy.
The clarity of the HiPER lens is the star of the show here. I can’t speak for the fancy filtering of certain light that 100% claims, but this lens is as clear as it gets, and it’s definitely on par, if not better than other top-end lens technologies. It’s put more budget friendly glasses I’ve tested to shame and rightfully so given the premium price tag.
The comfort of the Glendale isn’t too bad at all. I’ve been using the glasses on shorter and longer days out on the bike without finding any discomfort at all. However, they sit higher on the nose, and the frame is very tall which can interfere and rattle against the brow of a helmet. To stop this, I’ve had to adjust the depth of my Troy Lee Designs A3 to accommodate, and that’s something I’ve not had to do before this test.
And that’s where some of the downsides show through. For mountain biking specifically, where the rider position is more upright, the Glendale’s frame isn’t deep enough to wholly cover the lower part of my peripherals. Given that the lower section of the frame is pretty thick, it can be hard to look past, figuratively and literally. The glasses could also wrap around the head more to provide more coverage but I’m nitpicking here.
Because of the lack of coverage towards the lower of the glasses, it makes much more sense in a more head-down position typical of road and gravel riding. If that’s more your thing, the Glendale makes for a much more viable option.
As the Glendale sits reasonably far away from the face, the lens fog resistance is top-notch, even with the less fancy clear lens in place. Only on proper wet and humid days has a bit of fog crept in but with a breeze caused by a bit of forward momentum, any moisture is expelled rather quickly.
I frequently chop and change lenses on almost all non-photochromic glasses to suit the ever-changing conditions of UK riding and I’ve been very impressed with how simple the task is on these specs. It’s as simple as any other interchangeable lens: pull the top and bottom apart and squeeze the nose area. You'll need to do the reverse to get a lens back in but because the edges of the lens don’t completely sit within a channel cut into the frame – bending the frame around a fresh lens is as easy as it gets. Swapping the nose piece is easy, too. Pull the rubber off and pop the other side onto the exposed posts.
100% Glendale sunglasses - Verdict
At £150, you’re investing in a premium set of glasses. However, the Glendale sunglasses represent superb value, quality and a good lens.
This price point places it among strong competition, so knowing what you’re buying is super important. But to compare, Smith Optics’ Flywheel gets a similarly retro look at £130. Its coverage is better and features the brand’s ChromaPop lens tech, which offers comparable clarity to the Glendale sunglasses.
Coming with a similar shape is Oakley’s Sutro Lite Sweep. These glasses get a lot of tech such as a Prizm lens, Unobtainium nose pads and an O Matter frame.
If you’re one for a bit of gravel or a multidisciplinarian who steps into mountain biking now and then, the 100% Glendale sunglasses are a great choice. I’m a huge fan of the lens’s colour and clarity, and the glasses do an exceptional job of fending off fog while resisting dirt and moisture. For mountain biking specifically, the coverage isn’t quite there and integration with helmets needs work.