In with the likes of POC as a brand with a strong presence in snowsports, it comes as no surprise that Giro knows a thing or two when it comes to goggles. The brand’s latest addition, the Dropline, is a premium goggle that comes with features that are tough to find elsewhere. Along with a wide field of view, advanced optics, and spot-on fog resistance, it’s tough to beat, but it can struggle to clear moisture trapped behind the lens.
Giro Dropline MTB goggle – Technical details
The Dropline does look a little different thanks to its unique outrigger system that’s shaped to funnel cool air into a helmet, while providing a better hold, but there’s more behind it than just cool (I think) aesthetics. Nestled within the goggle’s comfort foam is a fancy sliver of silicone that’s placed to stop sweat from finding its way behind the lens and affecting vision. Giro calls this DryCore, and it does its job by redirecting sweat, rather than absorbing it.
Then, attached to that fancy outrigger system is a 45mm wide strap that gets the usual bead of silicone for security. Additionally, the frame itself is shaped to integrate with full-face helmets seamlessly.
Held into place via magnets and snap pins is an injected polycarbonate lens, which we’re told is MX, or motocross-ready, so it should be mighty strong. With these goggles, Giro has taken advantage of VIVID technology, something we’ve seen on Fox’s Purevue goggles, which feature a pinkish tint in a bid to boost contrast and help highlight trail colours, from those of foliage. However, if the pink vision isn’t quite your thing, Giro includes a clear lens in the pack.
Each lens then benefits from an anti-fog coating.
The Dropline is available in four colours, black, green, stone, and white, and there’s a microfibre bag that holds both the goggles and the spare lens included in the box.
Giro Dropline MTB goggle – Performance
For my test with the Dropline, I wore it with the Troy Lee Designs Stage and Bell Full-10 Spherical. Both are full-face helmets, but one’s a lighter-weight enduro-style lid while the other is bred for downhill use. And where Giro has aimed to achieve a seamless fit, the brand has done an excellent job. The fit is a little more snug with the Full-10, but it means that there are no gaps around the goggles’ frame, which is a good thing for looks, and it helps keep any flung muck from getting stuck in places you wouldn’t want it.
Where Giro isn’t a brand that’s yet trodden into the world of motocross, there’s a clear level of experience and thought gone into the Dropline’s mountain bike requirements. I say that because the goggle’s perimeter isn’t absolutely loaded with foam, so there’s plenty of space around the nose, and there’s no excess foam to press on the nostrils and hinder easy breathing. It’s a small touch, but one that’s certainly not gone unnoticed.
As for the foam itself, it’s comfortable enough for long uplift days, and while you’ll never see it, the DryCore tech works incredibly well. I can get very sweaty, and not a drip has found its way behind the lens, so the wide field of view has remained perfectly clear, for the most part.
I say for the most part, because moisture management isn’t totally perfect. On sweatier days, moisture vapour can stick to the inside of the lens. I don’t mean fog, just some sweat that’s evaporated from the face. It’s still clear, but vision isn’t 100% perfect, and it requires quite a breeze for that moisture to clear. A little bit of in-lens ventilation, or more ventilation around the goggles’ frame, should help with this.
However, the Dropline is another product that shows off how effective the VIVID technology is. I’ve always been a fan of similar systems, and as long as you don’t mind a pinkish hue to your vision, it does a great job of separating colours and boosting contrast. This then makes certain colours pop, so it’s easier to pick out the trail from trailside foliage, compared to a regular clear lens.
Speaking of the lens, Giro’s Quick Change lens system works very well. It’s simply a case of pushing on the sides of the goggle from the inside, and the lens pops out. To replace it, push the snap tabs into their homes, and you’re good to go. While this is a simple task, more importantly, it stops you from having to manipulate the whole area of the lens to locate it in the right places. As such, you won’t smudge the goggles with your fingers nearly as much. Again, it’s the small things, but in the case of the Dropline, they’re big advantages.
As for fog resistance… What fog? Never during my time with these goggles have they fogged up. Apart from that tad of moisture that’s occurred, fog simply hasn’t been an issue.
Giro Dropline MTB goggle – Verdict
With a price tag of £115, the Dropline is a premium goggle, but if you’re riding in goggles all of the time, through all seasons, it’s an excellent choice. There are plenty on the market that are nearly as good for much less money, like POC’s Opsin, but in comparison, apart from the double-glazed lens, it’s a much more basic goggle. The Dropline fits with more helmets better, comes with that VIVID tech and a spare lens.
Competitors come in the form of 100%’s Armega HiPER, which comes with 100%’s own contrast-boosting lens technology. It’ll set you back £120, and it comes in more fashionable colours. However, its lens replacement method is a little fiddlier in comparison. Additionally, as they’re built primarily for motocross, they’ll likely be a little heavier.
Then there’s Smith’s Squad goggles. With prices starting at £125, they’re pricier again, but they get Smith’s excellent ChromaPop tech. There are a lot more colours to choose from, and it has a fog-resistant inner lens, which could solve the issues I had with the Dropline.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a more premium goggle offering from Giro (if ever), but with the Dropline, the brand has done very well. It’s comfortable, provides a wide field of view and the fact that there’s a spare lens included is certainly a plus. It looks cool, and lens changes are remarkably simple. If you’re looking to drop some extra dollar on a higher-end goggle, the Giro Dropline is well worth considering.
All the deals displayed on our review pages are pulled from a constantly updating database feed of the best affiliate deals available. The criteria for deciding on what are the best deals is who is offering the lowest, delivered price. In most cases we will be showing the very best deal available online, but sometimes you may be able to find an item cheaper. If you can please feel free to post a link in the comments box below. To find out more about affiliate links on road.cc click here.
