SunGod Airas Iris Photochromic glasses review: For when the weather can’t make up its mind

With the best cycling glasses marketplace dominated by well established brands like Oakley and Smith Optics, SunGod is a relative newcomer having arrived on the scene in 2013, but it has quickly gained traction by offering premium-feeling sunglasses and ski goggles at a more accessible price. You’ll find them perched on the noses of pro athletes including the youngest person to run the length of the UK, and Team Ineos Grenadiers.

Fitting into neither pro athlete category, I’ve been testing the Airas on regular rides on roads, tracks and trails throughout winter around Bristol and South Wales. Conditions have ranged from dense fog to bright, low winter sun – the kind of riding where sunglasses often bounce between your helmet and on your face with rapidly changing conditions, making it quick to get a clear sense of the comfort, coverage and lens performance of the Airas. Ultimately, I was blown away by the performance of the Airas in all weather, making wearing sunglasses a joy not a hassle.

Design and Aesthetics

After a particularly close-call with a thorn and corneal abrasions from riding gritty trails, I tend to ride with glasses year-round. When I’ve rocked up to group mountain bike rides with my clear lenses, I’ve been told I look a bit like I’m on my way to the lab to run tests. So I was excited to try the SunGod Airas with their 8KO Iris photochromic lenses, which promised to adapt to fast changing light, eliminating the need for multiple pairs.

At 27g, these are relatively lightweight (though you can shave five or six grams with something like the Oakley EVZero Blades, if you’re really picky. With several nose padding options, they sat comfortably on my face with no pinching or slipping. The coverage is substantial, and I found no wind or sunlight getting in around the nosepiece or from the top of the glasses, which I sometimes find with other pairs like my Smith Optics Ruckus sunglasses.

Aesthetically these are a slick-looking pair of glasses with extensive customisation options when it comes to lens type, colour and accessories. As standard with each pair, you’ll find four different sizes of nosepieces, and a full-frame add-on which is simple enough to attach and provides extra stability. Riders with smaller faces like myself might find they look a little ski-goggle like, but the coverage is of course beneficial. The lenses of the Airas are interchangeable, but they already do the work of going from clear to tinted for you. That being said, if you already own the non-photochromic pair, you could update to the 8KO Iris photochromic lenses.

SunGod’s screwless pop-lock hinges mean the arms pop off rather than snapping under pressure, and the lenses are scratch-resistant with triple-layer protection.

If you do find yourself accidentally squashing or scratching a pair, SunGod commits to repairing or replacing their glasses free of charge thanks to its Lifetime Guarantee, which includes accidental damage from drops, falls or sitting on them (‘intentional misuse’ and scratches on the lens are not covered). It’s also worth pointing out here that, as well as its ethos of keeping gear in play rather than throwing it away, SunGod pay close attention to sustainability with 100% recycled plastic frames and packaging. It is also a B Corp, a member of 1% For the Planet, and it claims that every product is carbon neutral.

Performance

There are products you tolerate, and there are products you forget you’re even using. The SunGod Airas firmly fall into the latter category for so many reasons.

The stand out feature here is the 8KO Iris photochromic lenses, which, frankly, blew my mind. Wearing the Airas for a three-hour winter mountain bike ride in low sunshine, I kept them on for the entire duration. No hassle, no constant taking them off to stuff them into my helmet when it became too shady to see. I genuinely forgot they were on my face – until they were covered in mud.

When the guaranteed glasses-off moment came as I approached a 500m tunnel on my local bike path, I didn’t even consider removing them. The lenses adjusted quickly, meaning I could ride straight through without a moment of blindness.

Riding in changeable conditions, I’m used to the on-off dance with my sunglasses in and out of my helmet. I often find the arms digging into my scalp while lodged in the air vents, with the rubber arms often tugging painfully at my hair when I remove them. With the Airas, I could hardly tell they were there, and could remove them without any hair-pulling drama.

That said, I kept them on for most of the ride anyway, rain or shine. On chunkier gravel, they stayed relatively secure in my POC Omne Air helmet, though I did have to nudge them back into place once or twice, but they were never at risk of launching themselves onto the trail. I did find that when removing them from my helmet on a damp misty ride, the warmth of my face would momentarily cause the lenses to fog, though they would clear on their own fairly quickly or with a brief wipe using the carry pouch.

Compared to my long-standing Smith Ruckus sunglasses, the coverage of the Airas was excellent, creating a barrier for wind, sun and grit, which ended up on the glasses with no drama. No longer needing to carry two pairs, I could ditch my clear goggles in favour of these slick riding glasses, avoiding the ‘mad scientist’ look.

I was initially worried that the ‘pop-lock’ hingeless arms would result in them popping off inconveniently, but they felt robust and I was able to stuff them in the pocket of my cargo bib shorts without worry. The scratch resistant lenses also held up well being shoved into a pocket next to various wrappers and a pump, with sticky finger-marks easily wiped off with the microfiber carry pouch.

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Value

At £200 for the Airas with 8KO Iris photochromic lenses, these might not be the cheapest sunglasses around, but the price is comparable to other photochromic options such as Rudy Project Kelion (£208/$299), or Oakley EVZero Blades (£198/$257). At the opposite end of the spectrum, you can pick up a pair of Galibier Grand Tour photochromic sunglasses for £66/$82, so take your pick.

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Verdict

Undoubtedly, the Airas are a high performing pair of riding glasses that are built to last. Designed for all season riding with optimal light-changing action, this is a pair of glasses you put on in the morning and forget about until you’re taking your helmet off at the end of the day.

These didn’t just perform well, they simplified riding in changeable (aka UK weather) conditions. Less adjusting, less on-off hassle, and less frustration. If I could change anything, it would be improving fog resistance when putting them back on in damp conditions. But ultimately, these have replaced multiple pairs of riding in one go, which I didn’t think was possible.

If you can stomach the cost, you’ll be investing in an excellent pair of year-round glasses that excel in both light and dark conditions. You’ll be supporting an environmentally conscious brand, and – as long as you don’t lose them – they should see you through a lifetime of riding thanks to SunGod’s stellar guarantee.