Designed primarily for the road, the Sungod Vulcans top-frame glasses can also handle both gravel and cross-country riding making them a handy all-rounder. For anything more gnarly, you might want something with a little more coverage. Coming in at £140 for most frame styles, these glasses are great value, light-weight and provide the wearer with excellent peripheral vision. The Vulcans are available in top and full-frame versions, as well as a hybrid option with a removable frame.
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Sungod Vulcans sunglasses – Technical details
Sungod Vulcans sunglasses are designed to provide superior optical clarity for riders and runners, with an emphasis on great peripheral vision. There are four nose bridge options, screwless hinges, a lifetime guarantee and scratch-resistant, hydrophobic lenses all included as standard.
The high-quality polycarbonate lenses offer exceptional optical clarity and impact resistance. These lenses are treated with a scratch-resistant coating, with ‘Triple-Layer Protection’ to ensure they stay clear and scratch-free for longer. Additionally, the lenses are polarized, which reduces glare and improves contrast, good for days on the trails where light is a little flatter.
They feature a lightweight, durable frame that is designed to withstand extreme conditions. The frame is also designed to be comfortable, with a secure fit that ensures the sunglasses stay in place during even the most intense activities. The hinges on the Sungod Vulcans sunglasses are made from high-quality stainless steel, which provides strength and durability.
Additionally, the hinges are designed to be easy to maintain and adjust, ensuring that the sunglasses stay in optimal condition. The hinges are made more durable by the fact that they are screwless, reducing a common point of vulnerability in sunglasses.
The temple tips on the Sungod Vulcans sunglasses are made from a soft, non-slip material that provides a comfortable and secure fit. This material also helps to prevent the sunglasses from slipping down the face during activity.
Sungod Vulcans sunglasses – Performance
Sungod markets these glasses primarily for road riding and running, but they’re at home on most grades of trail too. I’ve been wearing them on cross-country mountain bike rides, gravel rides, road riding and even for a bit of running and they’ve only fallen short on a couple of occasions. One mate of mine even went as far as to say they looked nice. I’ve been wearing the top-frame model, but the Vulcans are available in both half and full-frame.
The Vulcans are performance glasses, primarily aimed at racers. Out of the box, they feel relatively sturdy and robust with the screwless hinges providing a solid feel. Once they’re on your face, 34g frames mean you can almost forget that you’re wearing them. The lenses haven’t fogged once but they do pick up fingerprints easily – that said, it’s a minor problem that can be fixed with a wipe.
In terms of glaring issues, the glasses have fallen short twice when I’ve been wearing them. On wet trails when I’m not riding on my own the coverage is not quite enough toward the bottom – spray and mud can often come up under the lenses. In the dry, this isn’t too much of an issue as dust doesn’t quite travel up in as straight a line as wet, heavy dirt. Perhaps this would be less of an issue with the full-frame Vulcans?
The second occasion where the glasses fell short is a larger issue – on the road, I find that wind can make it into the top of the glasses when you’re riding over 60km/h. Off-road, these speeds are rarely seen but for road rides and longer (relatively tame) gravel descents this can be a major issue and made my eyes tear up a little making visibility difficult.
The lenses on the Vulcans were top-tier. They are great in a wide range of light conditions and increase contrast on days when light was flatter. The lenses are changeable, but you really have to cram the nose piece back onto the frame after changing them which can feel a bit unnatural.
Due to their lightweight, solid feel and excellent lenses, these would be my go-to choice for any dry cross country, gravel race, or ride.
Sungod Vulcans sunglasses – Verdict
I’ve been using the top frame glasses, costing £140, which have excelled in most riding conditions but the best value for money comes from the top and full option, which can be bought for £180 – only £40 more than the half frame option and you essentially get two pairs of glasses.
You can get a similar performance from Oakley Sutro, a more established brand and a more stylish frame – though they don’t suit all face shapes and are less versatile than the Sungods but can be picked up for £70 if you shop around.
Alternatively, the 100% S3 Glasses offer a similar amount of visibility as the Sungod Vulcans half-frame models but with a protective bridge around the nose and inside of the eye adding a protective element as well without sacrificing visibility. They will set you back £169.99, so slightly more than the half-frame Vulcans.
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