The careless and forgetful human being that I tend to be, I lost my Giant Swift sunglasses through a sheer brain fart. As a result, I spent months on the saddle since then with naked eyes. It’s not like I didn’t look for replacements; I just didn’t find anything that struck my fancy. Dropping by LifeCycle’s Macapagal Boulevard branch is out of the way for me, and getting a new pair of shades I liked that cost close to the old Giant sunnies was a no-go.
Not long after I bought the Lazer Tonic helmet, I noticed Sabak Makati also had a final pair of the Lazer Sport “Solid State” SS1 sunglasses in stock. I had eyed these long ago in 2014 because they were the cheapest way I saw into photochromic lenses which automatically darken in tint under the sun. This particular pair was the cheaper three-lens version though. Making a mental note to come back for it if nobody else wanted it, I eventually claimed it for my own a few days later.
FEATURES
- Suitable for small to medium faces
- Dimensions: 148.8 mm L x 140 mm W x 48 mm H
- Weight: 34 g
- Optivent lens venting system
- Shatterproof polycarbonate lens with hydrophobic coating
- 100% protection from UVA and UVB rays
- Ultragrip Grilamid TR-90 material on frame, temples and nose bridge
- Adjustable temples
- Comes in either three-lens or photochromic lens options
- Comes with hard case and cleaning bag
- Comes in 6 color options
IMPRESSIONS
Note the vents and the shaped wire loop on the nose bridge piece.
Initially I thought the whole shebang, a flash yellow frame with a pseudo-mirrored, prismatic main lens, was a little too loud. After a while, though, I grew to like how bonkers and different it was from what little eyewear I have. It’s still a half-frame design, but it’s more akin to the Oakley Eyeshade wrap-around lens style, which means almost unhindered vision.
Apparently someone went to an audition for a live-action version of “Eyeshield 21.”
And what a lens it is. With sunlight beating down ever so slightly harder as summertime approaches, I estimate the SS1’s main lens cuts visible light transmission to around 17-18%. That’s about the darkest tinting I can tolerate without crossing into “too dark” territory. I wore the SS1 on a recent trip to Singapore, and I was surprised how useful it was almost everywhere I went, even while riding the subway sections of the MRT.
Included in the package are two other lens options in translucent yellow option and clear, plus a cleaning bag and a zippered hard case – par for the course.
The SS1 has a few quirky details. For starters, the thick, stubby temples are rather short. Worn on my head, they stop just before where I’d expect them to loop over my ears. Lazer is correct in that the SS1s are best for small and medium-sized heads, and my own head usually falls squarely in the “medium” helmet size category at 56 cm forehead circumference. I’ve tried riding with them inserted into the large vents of the Tonic helmet, and while they work that way, the stubby temples mean I have to push them in fairly deeply to improve security while riding.
Out of the box, they also stay on my head by what almost feels like a mild clamping force. If that’s too much for you, the “Ultragrip” Grilamid end segments are flexible and can be straightened out to loosen the SS1’s fit to a more comfortable level.
Clear lens installed.
Translucent yellow lens installed.
The other lenses are nice, but are also nothing new compared to the Giant Swift’s. Both options work well in overcast and nighttime scenarios; the yellow version in particular sees frequent action on my night commute. All the lens options are better protected against sweat, fingerprints, and oils than the Giant’s, though, which reduces the time needed to clean them.
Because the lenses are the one-piece wrap-around style, Lazer’s lens-swap implementation takes almost no effort at all. You simply hold the lens in the middle, pull it downward from the frame, and it pops right out. To use another lens option, you push it into the long notch on the frame. You then have to move the nose bridge piece over to the active lens, which is secured by a wire loop held in by opposing notches on the nose area of the lens itself.
Finally, the lenses all have vents cut into their top outer corners, and these worked fine. The SS1 never fogged up on me while riding, and it never threatened to slide off my nose or temples regardless of how much sweat I put out. The minimal frame also didn’t impede forward vision so much when bent over riding on a road bike.
VERDICT
Photochromic options for cycling glasses can be very expensive. Oakleys sell at around PhP9,000, while Rudy Project’s versions are halfway there at around PhP5,500. The SS1 Photochromic by comparison was listed for PhP3,500 when I saw it being sold at a local bike shop all those years ago.
Granted, this isn’t the same pair of specs, but I don’t think you’re losing out on much. The main 17% lens is clear, sharp, and remarkably usable, while the other lenses are great and easily swapped.
I got my basic SS1 package for PhP2,500. While it’s not the absolute cheapest option out there, it’s much more palatable than shelling out nine grand for genuine Oakleys. Definitely worth a look.
the accidental randonneur 