Northwave Team Sunglasses

These Northwave Team sunglasses are in a style that's very much of the moment; a lot of glasses in this price range look similar. They perform well, but they are not as water repellant as Northwave say.

The come in a good solid protective case that is filled with foam to keep your glasses safe and pristine between uses. There is a carry bag and two extra sets of lenses.

The lenses are probably the most important aspect of any sunglasses. Here we have 2mm thick polycarbonate lenses, that are claimed to be light and have a good impact resistance. They are certainly light, in fact they weigh next to nothing, so you can easily pocket spare lenses should you be going on a long ride and the light conditions change. I dropped the glasses accidentally a couple of times, so I can say they are robust and never scratched.

With the glasses you get clear, orange and darker reflective lenses, so they're suitable for a variety of weather conditions. I found the reflective lenses really good in the lovely sunny weather we have been having and the orange were good at adding clarity on overcast days. They certainly brightened everything up.

Northwave use 'off-centre' lenses. Basically this means that the lens is designed to stop your eyes getting tired and won't distort anything you see. I have to say, I have never experienced tired eyes in any sunglasses I have ever worn, so I will have to take their word on this one. However, everything looked crisp and clear when wearing the glasses.

They say the lenses are water repellent and that water will 'simply slide off'. I didn't particularly find this was the case. In a test involving the glasses and a lot of water, I found that larger drops did roll off as they said it would, but smaller drops clung to the lenses, making these great in torrential rain, but not so good in short light showers.

The frames of the glasses are wraparound and sit close to your skin. They are flexible and the legs move with ease so I feel they would fit wider heads as well as smaller ones. The close fit is great for keeping wind and rain out, as well as any stray flies.

The nose pad is adjustable too, so you really do get a personal fit. All faces aren't perfectly straight so this little feature meant no squint glasses, regardless of your face shape.

The lenses are easy to change once you get past the thought that you are about to break the frame and/or the lenses. You sort of flex the frame and pull the lens out.

Weight wise they are really light. You soon forget you are wearing them and this makes them practical and portable. The lightness does make them feel flimsy, but they really do take knocks. Having changed the lenses several times too, the frame is still tight and the lenses lock in firmly.

Verdict

Lightweight glasses that offer good eye protection; not as water repellent as you might want