Roka Matador Air sunglasses review

The market for cycling sunglasses is largely dominated by a small number of big players. Smaller outfits exist, but there is a certain domination of the market at the moment by Oakley and 100%, so having something from a relative newcomer to the scene makes a refreshing change. For today's review, that refreshing change comes courtesy of the Roka Matador Air. 

Roka, hailing from Texas, has already graced the faces of riders from Legion of LA and Team DSM in the past, as well as numerous privateers like Ted King and Sarah Sturm. 

I’ve spent some time with them gracing my face, and while I’m unlikely to be challenging for the top step of the podium in an LA crit or in Emporia anytime soon (I’m going to blame geographical constraints, mostly) I have tested them in sunshine and rain, on road and gravel, up hill and down dale, so you can make an informed decision with your hard-earned cash as to how the Roka Matador Air sunglasses compare to the Oakleys, the 100 Per Cents, and the rest of the best cycling sunglasses available today

Design and aesthetics

Despite their divisive aesthetic, I’m a big fan of how the Matador Air glasses look. The trend toward monolens ubiquity marches ever onwards in the pro peloton, but we’re getting to the point now where, like smartphones, a lot of models from various manufacturers look relatively similar. The Roka Matador Air features a monolens like its rivals, which is definitely a good thing from an optical standpoint, but it has a unique looking arm design, whereby the arms seem to flow from the base of the lens rather than the brow. Roka claims this is to create a V shape at the hinge to avoid interference with helmet straps, and while it definitely does not interfere with straps at the temples neither does any other pair of cycling glasses I’ve tested. 

The whole package is a little more petite in appearance than some rival options too, which will likely appeal to those with a smaller head (like me). The arms are shorter than those from Oakley and 100%, and the lens is slightly smaller too. The lens itself is ‘cylindrical’, which Roka claims produces zero distortion, and is available in two stock colours, or an extra five if you go custom. They pop in and out of the frame with no great force too, so swapping is dead easy. Three small vents at the top of the lens are also in place to stop things from getting too steamy when things get humid. The rubber on the nose and arms are ridged, purportedly inspired by gecko feet, and made of a hydrophobic compound to keep them glued to your face no matter how sweaty you get. 

If you’re of a conservative style persuasion then the stock black or white options will probably be jazzy enough for you, but if you’re like me and prefer to be more of a peacock then the custom colour options do allow you to exercise some creativity. I was listening to a lot of synthpop at the time I specced this custom pair, which is probably why they're a bit Miami Vice, and while they’re certainly eye-catching the important bit is that I opted for the Glacier Mirror lens, a mid-transmission blue designed for partial sun and overcast conditions. 

Performance

The first thing you notice with the Roka Matador Air is the weight; they’re an extremely feathery pair, weighing in at 24.9g on my scales. While this isn’t totally class-leading, it's noticeable if you’re coming from riding something a bit more bulky like a pair of Oakley Jawbreakers. The weight itself is more noteworthy given they’re a half-frame design, and still come in lighter than the frameless Oakley Encoders we reviewed recently by five grams or so. This appears to be mostly down to a less dense frame material. The plastic used on the Rokas is really quite flexible, especially in the frame itself more so than the arms. This means that, while being extremely comfortable, they don’t have quite the levels of retention of their rivals. They never slipped down my nose or anything drastic, but over bumpy ground, they did occasionally shift slightly. 

The field of view is also excellent; the nosepiece is imperceptible in reality, even if you spec yours in a high-vis colour as I did, and the hinges are set back far enough to never be in your eye line. The upper frame is minimalist enough to not distract, and the lens is tall enough that you never find yourself trying to stare through it. The only issue I had with the view was some distortion at the very bottom of the lens. It was pretty minor though, and definitely never an issue at all on the road or the trail.

The large field of view is also in part due to the fact the Roka Air sits very close to the eyes. I am cursed with luxuriously thick eyelashes which kept brushing the lens in the position I’d like to have them on my nose. 

The Glacier Blue lens was perfectly adequate for the standard British springtime palette of grey skies and the occasional burst of sunshine, but in bright sunshine they did struggle. This isn’t going to count against them though, as the lenses were designed for overcast conditions. What does slightly mark them down is the clarity of the lenses: While the shade was spot on for the designed conditions, the lenses felt a little hazy and lacked the contrast that I’d expect to see, especially in a lens designed for lower light conditions. When you consider the Prizm Road lenses from Oakley perform better than these in overcast conditions as well as bright sun, it is something of a concern.

The lenses did also occasionally steam up on colder days when stationary, but never when in motion, and in heavy rain I had to remove them and place them in my helmet. In this regard they played very nicely, the V shape of the arms almost hooking them into place when placed upside down. My only criticism on this front is that given the arms meet the lenses lower down than is usual on cycling glasses, the uppermost portions of the lenses do peek out below the brow of the helmet when they’re placed in upside down.

Verdict

I liked the Roka Matador. I think they’re aesthetically very pleasing indeed, and they are extremely comfortable. Their size makes them compelling for those with smaller heads, and they only suffered minor retention issues. The lens however is what holds them back, and at the $240 or approximately £190, it’s hard to recommend these for overcast conditions given there are cheaper options that perform better. 

In full sun, where increased contrast is less of a necessity, I suspect these will be a much more compelling offering, so if you live somewhere like Texas and want something that’ll stand out from the usual suspects then they’re definitely worth considering. If you want an option for cloudy days, or for riding in woodland, then there are better lens options on the market for this price.

 Tech Specs: Roka Matador Air

• Price: £190 / $240
• Weight: 24.9g (actual)
• Colour Options: Matte Black/Gold, Matte Black/Black, Gloss White/Purple, Gloss White/Blue, Custom