Review: Ryders Eyewear Seventh Glasses

There are a few big names when in comes to riding glasses and to compete with them is a big challenge for anyone, no matter how good your product is. For those in the UK the name Ryders Eyewear may not be at the tip of your tongue, but on the North Shore, the place they’ve called home for the last 30 years, they are a big name, supporting household names such as; Vanderham, Basagiotia, Tippie and Leech.

For the last three months I have put away my Oakleys and worn nothing but the Seventh from Ryders, an experience I have thoroughly enjoyed. The number one thing to hit you is the level of comfort, the Seventh are by far the comfiest glasses I’ve worn, and fully customizable thanks to the adjustable temple tips and nose piece, which means that after a little fiddling, you have the ideal fit.

Looking at the other list of benefits, the Seventh from Ryders promises a lot: UV 400 Protection, veloPOLAR lenses, impact resistant, as well as a host of additives to prevent what you don’t want – anti fog, dirt and water. That’s a lot of promises, but spec sheets don’t always mean a lot out in the real world, so how do they all add up once you hit the trails?

Probably the best sign of a good pair of sunglasses is that once you start pedalling you forget you have them on until you take your helmet off, and that was definitely the case for the Seventh. This wasn’t just down to the comfort, but also the fact that no matter what conditions I took them out in, I couldn’t make them fog up. Riding in mixed conditions, wet, dry and humid, as well as wearing them from below zero and into a heated house, I could not make them fog up. I even tried a muggy day on the kayak, but my vision stayed clear.

That clarity continued in the wet and muddy conditions, with water running off the lenses quickly and mud wiping off with ease, so no mid ride blindness.

A reassuring benefit is the impact resistance of their lenses, which prevents it from shattering into lots of harmful pieces. Despite a few close mid ride floor inspections, I wasn’t able to test this technology which apparently is also used by astronauts, but like an airbag, it’s nice to know it’s there, but hopefully you will never use it.

Having been a pretty loyal Oakley customer for years, it’s quite something for me to say that these have now become my go to sunglasses for the mountain bike, road bike and even out on my kayak. The only thing that could prolong my use of them would be a clear lens, which is available to purchase separately and is on its way! This will allow me to use them on dusk and night rides, which is great for around where I ride – with lots of trails near the river the amount of small flies makes riding with glasses a must.

Overall: if you value clarity, comfort, a bit more money in your bank account and a fashionable option that won’t be worn by every other rider on your next trip to the trails, then you should check out the Ryders Seventh, or one of their other wide range of sunglasses. Whilst you are at it, check out how the company is supporting Paul Basagiotia through his rehabilitation and his quest to raise awareness for spinal cord injuries. #IRideForPaul 

Review Info