Back when Rapha made their initial mountain bike debut they sent over a set of their Pro Team Full Frame Trail glasses for testing. Lo and behold I managed to lose my first set as I was foolishly riding with them in the pocket of a hooded sweatshirt. Anyhow, our contact there was kind enough to send another set out, which means I’ve had a good 9 months of trail time on them – but it was spent on two different pairs. Read on to see how they’ve been working out…
There are four main large sections of ventilation – two at the top and one on each side. This helps keep the air moving and prevents fogging.
Unsurprisingly, like most premium eyewear, the Rapha Full Frame glasses are made in Italy.
The soft Megol rubber nose pieces are super comfortable…
They also come in two different thicknesses so that they can work nicely with a wider range of face and nose profiles.
The arms also features soft Megol rubber sections which are soft and comfortable as well as grippy.
The whole kit – Hard case, glass bag, extra lens and extra nosepiece. Not bad…
I mainly ride in the woods, so I pulled the tinted lens out straight away and have been mainly riding with the clear lenses. That the additional clear lens is included is a big selling point to me. Loads of mountain bikers ride in the forest, so it’s annoying hunting down aftermarket lenses that are ideal for dark environments. Props to Rapha for including them.
Beginning with fit, I found the Pro Team Full Frame Trail Glasses to fit my average sized face very well. They shipped with the Small nosepiece installed and I never felt the need to try the Large, but the option is nice. So far, the arms have played nice with the straps and retention systems of every helmet I’ve worn lately. The slight curvature of the arms and the tension they apply was just the right amount in keeping them from moving – even in rough terrain – but never created any hot spots or soreness during long days in the saddle. Regarding optics, the clear lens was like not wearing anything at all and there was no distortion – they’re razor sharp. I rarely used the tinted lenses, but when I did I appreciated the bump in contrast paired with no distortion and a decrease in glare.
I appreciated the large, but not too large, single lens and its broad coverage. It did a great job of keeping mud, grit, and water out of my eyes without ever feeling overbearing or so large that they fogged too easily. On the topic of fogging, I found that the combination of the four large vents, plus the anti fog coating has done a great job in preventing fogging in damp and muggy days. However, as expected – after a dozen or so rides and numerous wipedowns from the included bag I did find that the anti-fog coating began to lose its strength. After all, it is a coating and it won’t last forever. I generally treated these like most of my past riding glasses/goggles and applied Zip Wax or Cat Crap to the lens now and again to refresh them. Lastly, as far as durability is concerned, I’ve had no issues with the hinges loosening or pads degrading and the lenses themselves have nicely resisted scratching.
So far, so good. As far as comfort is concerned, these just might be the best pair of riding glasses I’ve used to date. They offer just the right amount of coverage and the optics are pin sharp. From a value perspective the Pro Team Full Frame Trail Glasses come in right around where you’d expect for high performance riding glasses. They’re not overpriced, nor are they a steal. With that said, I think the fact that Rapha includes the clear lens for free in each set is a huge plus in the value department. If I had to dig deep and find one thing to nit pick, all I can come up with is that I’d love to see Rapha offer a very lightly shaded grey lens and/or a transition lens for riders who are going in and out of the woods frequently. All in all, these are a fantastic riding glasses.
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