The Best Mountain Bike Sunglasses
A good pair of sunglasses is a crucial piece of mountain biking gear that does far more than shield your ocular orbs from bright light and glare. While this is important (you don’t want to be squinting while riding down a technical section of a trail), mountain bike sunglasses also protect your eyes from spraying mud and water, dust, bugs, dirt, rocks, wind, branches, and unexpectedly airborne chunks of nature we’d rather leave behind than an eyeball injury. We highly suggest investing in a pair of high quality mountain bike sunglasses!
You might be tempted to wear a cheap set of glasses from your local gas station; however, it’s really better to invest in glasses made specifically for mountain biking. While regular sunglasses are relatively two-dimensional, the curved shape of MTB lenses blocks flying debris from the front and side. The curved lenses give you more peripheral vision, and if you’ve taken a clinic from us, you’ll know just how important unobstructed vision is! In addition, a good pair of MTB glasses will be shatterproof—you don’t want an ER physician to pick cheap glass out of your eyeballs.
Some of our favorite MTB sunglasses:
POC Devour (I wear these, they are great on larger faces
POC Aim (This is what Jen and Shelly wear, the are great on slightly smaller faces)
POC Aspire (I wore these in 2020 and loved them!)
100% S2 (Popular with the younger crowd)
Smith Paralell 2 Max Polarized
Tifosi Sledge (good for those on a tighter budget)
The Best Mountain Bike Goggles
Some riders choose to wear mountain biking goggles, especially when they are only riding downhill. These are similar in look to ski goggles and offer more eye protection and grip than regular sunglasses. While MTB goggles aren’t as toasty as ski goggles, they are much warmer than traditional glasses and can fog up more easily. MTB goggles are often worn by downhill/enduro riders following a buddy or racer down a trail who is likely to kick up rocks and dust.
Some great options for mountain-biking goggles:
POC Ora DH Goggles
Smith Squad MTB Goggles
Many glasses and goggles come with the option to switch lenses for different light conditions, and some have photochromic technology that allows them to darken in increased light conditions.
Try on glasses and goggles with your helmet to make sure it doesn’t force them downward or create pressure points. Be sure your glasses aren’t too tight, but that they are snug enough that they don’t fall when you tip your head forward or go over bumps/drops (jump up and down at your local bike shop).
Proper eye protection can help prevent devastating eye injuries and keep your focus where it needs to be —on all the fun you’re having on the trail!