Sungod Velans 2

SunGod is known for offering highly customisable, performance-driven eyewear with a strong eco-friendly ethos. The SunGod Velans 2 represents its latest attempt to capture the cycling market with a wraparound shield design. The glasses offer plenty of visual clarity and a fantastic lifetime guarantee, but a few quirks in the fit and frame design keep them from being a real winner for me.

Design, styling and eco credentials

The Velans 2 features an interesting shape. For my face, the glasses look decent enough when paired with a helmet, but they don’t translate particularly well for off-the-bike wear.

They seem to suit smaller faces much better, offering a more balanced look compared to oversized alternatives like the Oakley Sutro.

On the environmental front, SunGod deserves praise for constructing the frame from 100% recycled plastic. The firm also offers 10 different colour combinations so you can more easily match them to your kit and bike.

Lens clarity and performance

The optical clarity of the lens is brilliant. It provides a sharp, bright view that handles shifting light conditions well, helping you see clearly whether you are riding in bright sun or dipping into shaded tree-lined lanes.

However, durability is a slight concern. The lens seemed to pick up minor scratches more easily than I would have hoped for a pair of cycling glasses at this price.

Furthermore, while the lens wraps around nicely to give you an unhindered field of view to the left and right, it sits exceptionally close to the face. This tight proximity restricts airflow, which unfortunately leads to them steaming up quite frequently during hard efforts or when you stop at a junction – something I have struggled with as a sweatier rider.

Fit, comfort and storage

I found the Velans 2 very comfortable. The temples feature a subtle grippy texture that helps lock them in place, and I had no issues with them sliding around on rough roads. They also behave well when you stash them in your helmet vents during climbs, remaining secure without slipping out.

My main quality control grievance was that my pair arrived with a slightly wonky frame. While I have been able to straighten them out somewhat, receiving a misaligned pair of glasses is never ideal and made me question the wonkiness of my face for a second.

The frames aren’t the stiffest out there. I’ve used many glasses which feel a bit more high-end – generally offerings from Oakley and the like – but these also tend to cost more than these SunGods.

Accessories and value

There are a couple of notable inclusions and omissions. On the positive side, SunGod has run a promotion where you get a free pair of casual glasses when you buy on its site, and we’ve seen multiple discount offers since.

On the downside, you don’t get a hard case with the Velans 2 – only a soft bag. If you travel a lot or chuck your kit bag into the back of the car, you will want to source a protective case separately.

Fortunately, SunGod backs its products with a lifetime guarantee, promising to repair your glasses if you break them, which offers fantastic peace of mind.

At £130, these glasses aren’t billy bargains, but they aren’t super high end either. As mentioned above, there’s often some form of offer on too.

A potentially appealing cheaper option might be the MagicShine Windbreaker Polarized glasses I reviewed a few years ago, which can currently be picked up for £59.99. The clarity of the lens in these is excellent, and the inclusion of the polarising lens helps to improve visibility in harsh conditions.

The Rapha Rallar sunglasses (formerly called the Explore) are a little more expensive at £150, but George said the lens offered great clarity and felt they were good looking, with the only downside being a lack of instructions for when changing the lenses.

Having mentioned the Oakley Sutros earlier, it would be remiss of me not to include them in my comparison. If you’re after some big lenses and maximum clarity, you’d be hard pushed to beat them. The shape isn’t for everyone, but the off.road.cc guys liked them in their most recent review and they come in an almost endless number of colour combinations. RRP is £161.

The SunGod Velans 2 glasses offer a brilliant, clear lens and an unbeatable lifetime guarantee, all wrapped in an eco-friendly frame. However, the close fit causes them to fog up more than other options and the manufacturing quality on my pair left a little to be desired.