Rad8 are becoming a rather well known brand within the mountain bike community, and for very good reason: they produce some of the best mountain biking glasses there are.

The photochromic offerings from Rad8 provide a versatile lens that changes to suit wherever you’re riding. When it’s sunny out, the lenses automatically fade to a darker tint to protect vision. The opposite is true when riding in darker areas so that you’re still able to see even in forests. Having ridden in Rad8s for several years now, I’ve known how high quality their lenses are, and how fast they transition from light to dark. Dropping into wooded areas from bight sunshine could cause a problem for lower end photochromic lenses but the Rad8 offering performs well, and now better than ever.

Despite the quality photochromic lens, perhaps the most well-known trait of Rad8 glasses is their anti-fog coating. No matter what, I have still not been able to cause the glasses to fog up. Riding uphill on cold, foggy days usually does the trick but not with the Rad8 506. They seem to be a much better offering than other brands I’ve tried and, short of breathing directly onto them to make sure they’re not actually magic, I’ve not been able to make them fog.

The 506 Photochromic is the top of the range from Rad8 yet still falls in at just less than £100, giving you a quid to put towards that Morzine trip you’re planning. Compare that to the price of Oakley or POC glasses and you’ve made a serious saving with little to no downgrade.

USE CODE “totalmtbR8506” for 20% discount off the Rad8 506’s

View the full Rad8 range here.

Further Info

Previous models of the 506 have been comfortable but the new version is simply stunning. It starts with a bridge which moulds to the shape of your nose meaning there’s a perfect fit for every single person out there. All you have to do is simply push the glasses slightly when wearing them and you can feel them settle comfortably on your face.

The arms, which sit over your ears, are made of a material which is slightly grippy yet doesn’t tug at the skin. This means the glasses remain seated even when jumping or riding rock gardens. They truly are a ‘put on and forget’ pair of glasses; once they’re on there’s no worries about them coming off.

The 506 are open lens glasses – it doesn’t have a frame around the lens. The potential benefit of this is that the frame doesn’t get in the field of view. It’s not entirely my style (I much prefer the frame around the lens) but Rad8 also usually do a full frame offering of the same quality lens and their product testers have already been showing photos of this online; so it seems there’ll be an option for whatever your preference.

There is but one additional thing I’d change about the new Rad8 506 photochromic glasses, and that’s the length of the arms. For me, the right arm sits slightly too long and just grazes the side of my helmet producing a slightly irritating squeak. It seems I have an unusual shaped head. It’s not quite enough to put me off using the glasses but could be easily solved by offering a slightly shorter option since it’s clear the arms can be taken off the rest of the frame.

Finally, it’s a given that a pair of glasses specifically designed for use on mountain bikes should protect the eyes from flying mud or stones. It’s obvious that Rad8 have made this a top priority and developed their 506 around the need for protection. The coverage is brilliant and there’s all but the smallest gap at the bottom of the lens, giving virtually a full cover of the eyes and keeping the nasties out.

Would I recommend? Yes. Will I be wearing the 506s? Well, I’m hoping they release a version with a frame around the lens and I’ll be having those!

Features

• One piece photochromic lens adapts to the light conditions so you only need to carry one pair of glasses in any weather.
• Rad8 anti-fog coating keeps the lenses clear even when you are sweating buckets.
• Gel sweatband helps redirect sweat away from your eyes keeping your vision clearer, longer
• Robust TR90 wrap-around frame provides a close fit for maximum protection from road and trail debris.
• Adjustable nose bridge for all day comfort
• Replaceable lenses to keep you riding year in year out with the same glasses.

Follow them on social media here:
Instagram: @Rad8MTBglasses
Twitter: @Rad8MTBglasses
Facebook: /Rad8MTBglasses

Review written by: Lewis – #TotalMTB Photography and Videography
Instagram: @Pedal_Slip
Twitter: @PedalSlip
Facebook: /PedalSlip

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