First Look: Ryders Eyewear antiFOG Collection

If you ride with glasses (or goggles), you'll be well familiar with the issue of foggy lenses. It doesn't really even matter where you ride, at some point, your lenses will start to fog up from the heat and sweat generated by your body/face under effort. Various coatings that combat this phenomena already exist, and other tricks like cutting out vents around the edges of the lens to improve airflow have also been deployed by active eyewear makers around the world, more or less successfully.

Being based in Vancouver and doing a lot of their own riding on the North Shore, the Ryders Eyewear team felt they could do better still than other solutions on offer, and took a long hard look at the problem. What they've come up with certainly seems to hold a lot of promise - a specific anti-fog layer on the inside of the lens, coupled with a hydrophobic treatment on the front. More snake oil coating you say, but Ryders are quick to point to a major difference: their antiFOG technology is actually a layer of the lens itself and it works by absorbing moisture into the lens, as opposed to trying to repel it. Not only does this appear to be more effective at preventing your lenses from fogging up, but because this layer is actually integrated in the lens material itself it also means you can wash the lenses without fear of any coating wearing off with time. In fact, Ryders say that you should wash the lenses regularly to keep the antiFOG layer functioning at full capacity. Check out this short clip to see antiFOG in action:

Ryders Eyewear antiFOG Collection Highlights

• Polycarbonate lenses: shatterproof and optically correct
• Permanent, washable anti-fog layer embedded onto back of lens
• Front of lens features hydrophobic technology to repel water
• Available with Photochromic and Traction Polarized lenses:
• Photochromic lenses will adapt to light conditions, changing tint accordingly
• Traction Polarized highlights the difference between surface textures
• TR90 frames: ultra-durable and flexible
• Anti-slip nose pads to keep glasses in place
• Available with foam gaskets, to help keep trail debris out of your eyes
• MSRP: $129.99 USD to $159.99 USD

The new antiFOG tech is available on several different frame models. Furthermore, you can get either photochromic or polarized lenses to best suit the terrain and the light conditions where you ride. Photochromic lenses will adapt to the light conditions as they change - becoming darker in bright light or growing gradually lighter in darker environments. Ryders recommend the yellow photochromic tint, as it will also help boost contrast. If photochromic is not your cup of tea, the "Traction Polarized" lenses are said to further increase contrast to help highlight the differences between surface textures on the trail or road.

The different frame options are all made from "TR90", a flexible thermoplastic said to be very durable. The frames all feature anti-slip nose pads that actually get stickier as they get wet, another feature sure to be a welcome improvement if it works like advertised. Some of the frame models can also take an optional foam gasket to help keep wind and debris out of your eyes, turning them into a mini-goggle of sorts.

Pricing

Photochromic

• Thorn - Yellow Lens (VLT: 76%-27%) - $129.99 (Matte Black)
• Thorn - Yellow Lens (VLT: 76%-27%) - $139.99 (White/Orange)
• Face - Orange Lens (VLT: 47%-15%) - $129.99 (Matte Black with White)
• Strider - Light Grey Lens (VLT: 75%-25%) - $129.99 (Matte Black)
• Caliber - Brown Lens (VLT: 47%-15%) - $129.99 (Camo)
• Trio - Brown Lens (VLT: 47%-15%) - $129.99 (Black)

Traction Polarized

• Thorn - Traction Lens - $139.99 (White/Orange)
• Face - Traction Lens - $129.99 (Matte Black with White)
• Strider - Traction Lens - $139.99 (Black with Crystal)

Foam Gaskets (Photochromic)

• Caliber GX - Yellow Lens (VLT: 76%-27%) - $159.99 (Camo)
• Caliber GX - Yellow Lens (VLT: 76%-27%) - $159.99 (Black with Yellow)
• Face GX - Yellow Lens (VLT: 76%-27%) - $159.99 (Camo)
• Face GX - Orange Lens (VLT: 47%-15%) - $159.99 (Black with White)

We are currently testing antiFOG, and we'll report back with a review as soon as we put in the necessary miles. In the meantime, check out the new collection on www.ryderseyewear.com.