Review: Ryders Caliber Sunglasses

Functionality ★★★★
When I first put on the Ryders Caliber sunglasses, I immediately noticed how bright they made everything. The lenses are advertised as brown but when you put them on, they tint your world in a shade of yellow which means most things get brighter. If you’re looking for a pair of glasses to wear while your driving, I would not recommend the Caliber because they’re not the best on the bright open roads.

On the flip side, if you’re mountain biking in tight single track, this is exactly what you want. The yellow lens do a great job of highlighting all of the rocks and roots and when you get into the techie sections, and the Photochromic lenses would be great for when you come out of the trees and out into the open because they would automatically adjust to the brightness. Unfortunately though, I didn’t notice much if any change in the brightness of the lenses. Even though this feature of the lenses didn’t seem to work for me, the anti-fog coating worked like a dream. If you’ve ever spent a summer in Arkansas, you know how humid it is which constantly causes sunglasses and goggles to fog up. Ryders has coated the Caliber with and anti-fog coating that basically completely eliminates any fogging. The only way I managed to make them fog was by breathing on them, and even that dissipated very quickly.

Design and Aesthetic ★★★★
When it comes to sunglasses, I like lenses that are on the darker side and if I can see my eyes through the lenses, it really bugs me. The supposedly photochromic lenses just don’t get dark enough for my taste. But this is just a personal pet peeve that doesn’t really effect the performance of the glasses. Whether you’re planning to shred some tight single track for hours or just go for a quick ride through your neighborhood, the Ryders Caliber will stay secure and comfortable for hours without fogging up. One of my favorite features of the glasses is the hydrophobic coating on the lenses. This prevents water from building up on the lenses which is really nice since most sunglasses don’t come with built in windshield wipers. 

Durability ★★★★
It always amazes me when I look at the amount of technology that goes into a simple pair of sunglasses these days. The lenses alone have a plethora of fancy features that no one new even existed 10 years ago. The frames of the Caliber are made out of the same plastic that riot shields are made of. This doesn’t mean you should go try and fend of an angry protester with them but it’s nice to know that they won’t break easily. The shatter proof lenses are coated with a scratch resistant coating which is really convenient if you like to have your shades in the same pocket as your keys. The only potential weakness that I see for these glasses is in the hinges. Although mine haven’t broken, I feel like that would be the first place for them to give way if they were sat or stepped on. Until that happens though, it’s only a theory. I’ve thrown them across the room and the brick wall they hit might as well have been a pillow.

Value ★★★★
If I’m going to drop 130 bucks on a pair of shades, they have to meet four standards; they have to be built well, they have to look good, they have to stay on my head, and of course, they have to block the sun. The Caliber is built with quality in mind, they come in a wide range of colors, they don’t move at all once you put them on, and they do a decent job of blocking the sun. These glasses are all around a great pair of glasses and I can’t wait to ride with them more and see just how much punishment they can take.