Photochromic Sunglasses
 

Anyone try Photochromic Sunglasses? I am curious how well they actually work.

For my commute ride i leave around 4 - 4:30am. I used to wear my PBK glasses (they broke - great glasses for the price though) with the clear lenses and switch to dark lenses at work. With Summer coming it will be pretty bright by the time i get to work.

I like sunglasses so my contacts dont dry and my eyes are pretty sensitive to light.

I am looking at Endura Marlin Photochromic Sunglasses from PBK. Any experiences with these or Photochromic Sunglasses in general?

thanks,
Mantis

I have been using Rudy Project polarized photochromic lenses for the past couple of years. They work very well. They don't instantly lighten or darken, it takes a few minutes, but overall they allow you to ride in most conditions. The only time I switch lenses is for night rides.

My prescription glasses are photochromic - I like them quite a bit (I don't use them for riding, though). For the most part, they transition at a speed that isn't really noticeable (which is a good thing).

is that because they don't become completely clear? I've never used photochromic glasses but I've considered them because my group ride starts before sun up. About 45 minutes in the sun is out, would I not be able to see well with them on before the sun comes out?

I go with the darker Rudy Project polarized lenses, I think they are 60/92 something like that. Good enough range for riding at dawn/dusk and dark enough for midday sun.

I use Transitions-brand prescription photochromic sunglasses. They work well for me. The clear mode works fine in the darkest conditions (indoors, etc.). The dark mode is not as dark as the darkest sunglasses, but it is dark enough for my cycling. They do take a little while to change, but not so long that it creates a problem. Note that different photochromic lenses work differently and some of the generics are not as good as the top name brands.

I used to work in the photochromic industry and highly recommend the lenses. I have Transisitons prescription Rudy Project's and they are awesome: one of my favorite pieces of kit. They do not get as dark as sunglasses and are not quite as clear as clear lenses, but your eyes will be comfortable in any light. I ride them at night and the brightest days without issue. Do not get them if you plan to also wear them inside your car: they will not work well as most automotive glass absorbs a lot of the UV light you need to trigger the photochromic lenses. Finally I recommend the Transitions (I have done work for them but also for many of the Asian knock-offs). Their lenses have the widest optical density change (lightest to darkest) and are by far the most stable - will last the longest (my area of particular expertise).

I paid for photochromatic prescription glasses. They do not get dark enough. They also came with magnetic clip on darker polarized things, which are ok but not as dark as my boat/bike shades.

If you get photochromatics with a base tint that get darker in full sun they will do better, but the clear to dark are not nearly dark enough for me.

As a side note, my Oakley shades are 9% polarized. Awesome for full bright sun. That is what I like.

I can live with shades up to 20%.

My clear to "dark" glasses are maybe 40% in the full sun. Not really worth what I paid.

Nearly all opinions like Seagulls are from people who did not get Transitions lenses. Here is the transmittance from Transitions:

"Transitions VI lenses are darker in average temperatures and in hot
temperatures than previous Transitions lenses. Transitions VI lenses attain
88% tint in Gray at 23°C/73°F and 73% tint at 35°C/95°F. With that kind of
performance, Transitions VI lenses will provide even more visual comfort, glare
reduction and enhanced contrast than any Transitions lens previously available."

This ballpark 80% tint in daylight and 95% transmission at night/indoors makes them the best availabe ... by quite a significant amount. They also have different versions for people who will accept darker indoors for darker outside (SolFX).

http://en-middleeast.transitions.com...ons_VI_FAQ.pdf

My basic Ryders Sprint XR photochromics do pretty well until the sun officially dips below the horizon. They don't lighten up enough after that. I typically commute with two pair of Sprints, one with yellow lenses for riding after dark and one with the photochromics. The pair I'm not wearing goes into the trunk bag on the rack. Given that I don't have a headlight or tail light on the roadie bike, you don't very often catch me riding it in conditions too dark for the photochromics. All in all, the system works pretty well.

The best glasses for photochromatics are Serengeti Driving glasses, the problem is they don't have any good wrap designs for biking. Same goes for Maui Jim, great glass, just not the right shape for biking. I was out all day Sunday and I was really wishing I had photochromatic glass as dusk was falling, because my grey polarized lenses were getting too dark.

I have a pair of TAG Heuer Curves 2S photochromatic sunglasses. They have an awesome wrap design that fits my head very nicely, and the lenses change without me even noticing. I have only had issues with them when it comes to when it gets very cloudy in that they do not get light enough, that and when it has been raining the water can condense and gather on the lens. The case is pretty good too, has a hard section to protect the lenses and a softer section for the rest of it.

Bolle Edge Amber Photochromic. I own them and they are wonderful. Nice tint for a road cyclist and you never notice the lenses adjusting. Started on an early morning ride and you could see through the faint amber tint but at finish in the afternoon the lenses were a dark grey. To my eyes they had been the same all ride. Only problem is that it appears Bolle has discontinued. Shame because it was only out for a couple seasons.
http://www.epicoutfit.com/images/Pro...edium/1861.jpg

I wear Performance bikes photochromatic glasses all the time. Love them. I think they are branded as Scattante now.. hate that name.

I use them for the exact reason you are considering them. I leave for work at 5:30 and leave for home around 3:30. The Cat-1 brand I have (from Performance) is great. Light enough in the pitch black night to let me see with my 225L headlight, and dark enough to cut the glare in the afternoon sun.

Tifosi "Light Night Fototec" lenses in the Tyrant T-V680 frame.

Transitions FTW! I just wish that I could afford something in a wrap around design to go along with my "regular" glasses.

I'm backing ColorChange on this. Every complaint I've ever heard regarding these types of lenses have been from people who bought discount lenses. My only wish is that they could develop a lens that worked inside a car.

typically, you don't really need or want polarization for riding glasses, since they can make bumps and dips in the road look flat. They can be useful in very bright situations, but can also make LCD screens look black if rotated the wrong way.

lens colour/tint is pretty much down to preference. some may want a lens that gives contrast, some might not.

I have these and am happy with them - excellent glasses for the price. Different web sites show different values for the light transmission of these lenses (and the Tifosi web site might have old info on it), but they allow in the order of 85% light transmission when it's dark and somewhere around 25% in full light.

Could be the best glasses made. Works great. Always wear them on evening rides so they will lighten as it gets darker. Serfas also has a less expensive line of photochromic lens glasses that also work pretty well.

+1 Drivewear, which I use outdoors generally and for cycling in particular. They are the only photochromatic lense on the market that has two different technologies which cause darkening: one reacts to visible light, the other (Transitions IV) to UV . And while one of those technologies becomes less effective in heat (ie Transitions), the other does not. Hence Drivewear beats all other brands in hot, bright conditions.

And they are polarized too, Nupolar brand.

Drivewear starts out with something like 40% light blockage, can darken probably up to 90% depending on temperature and the amount of light (including UV).

They darken in intensity from yellowish to green to red/brown to dark brown. Kind of intriguing chameleon lenses actually.

BTW I have used all the generations of Transition lenses since 1986 including the latest generation. However they all are insufficient --including IV generation -- in bright hot conditions.

If you are going to use Transitions, brown are the best in haze and glare.

I also use a couple of the Rudy Project photochromic lenses, the red and clear, and while excellent in the winter they not dark enough for me in the summer heat.

All photochromics that rely on silver halide as the underlying technology become less effective (less dark) in heat. What's more the working life of the lense deteriorates with time and exposure to heat, also. In other words, they basically stop working after a few summers of full time use.

I have the Tifosi as well. They work great.

The Rudy Project sunglasses I use for riding are great because they're clear enough for night/pre-dawn rides but get dark enough when the sun is out. I used to have to change lenses with my old Tifosi shades but now I don't have to which is nice.

Had the Tifosi before and they were awesome. Especially because I really liked the rose tint to them. I just bought a pair of Oakley "photochromic", and I have used them a few times including today in both extreme of light with very positive results. Actually, today's ride had the brightest conditions with completely clear skies I can imagine. They don't get very very dark like many other lenses naturally are, but I prefer them that way actually. I don't like darkness. I prefer the lenses to simply take away enough brightness for me not to have to squint. In very cloudy and overcast days, it works very well as well.