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review

Ekoi Perso Evo 9 glasses

8
£85.16

VERDICT:

8
10
Loads of customisation options with great lenses – the price is pretty good too
Weight: 
42g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Ekoi's Perso Evo 9 sunglasses are comfortable, highly customisable and offer very good optics. They're not the most secure on my face, but they are very good value for money, especially given the customisation options.

  • Pros: Great customisation options, very good optics
  • Cons: Not the most secure

Sunglasses provide two main purposes: they protect your eyes from debris/insects and they shield your eyes from the sun. After that, they can add some style to your outfit and relieve you of quite a chunk of money, especially if you want a custom combination of colours. The market has been dominated by Oakley for quite a few years, but with the Perso Evo 9, Ekoi has a properly good contender with some great features.

> Buy these online here

The Perso Evo line also includes the 5 and 6, but the 9 is the priciest option and it's no surprise that this is the one the Ekoi-sponsored riders have opted for. The sunglasses come in six parts which can be customised on Ekoi's website. This gives you a huge eight changeable options, each with different colours to choose from. This means you can create custom sunglasses for your club kit, or something truly horrendous!

Ekoi sent us the Deceuninck–Quick-Step themed sunglasses with white and blue frames and a Zeiss Cat 3 blue mirrored lens. They're a smart looking pair of sunnies that, at around £85 (£110 for the photochromic lens), come in quite a bit cheaper than an equivalent pair of Oakleys. If you add the optional lens holder for prescription lenses, this bumps up to around £90. They're delivered in a posh box that'll be handy for travelling.

Ekoi Perso Evo 9 glasses - box 2.jpg

The biggest appeal of these sunglasses over others is that level of customisation. If you want to customise Oakley Jawbreakers, for example, you'll be spending over £200, a huge difference. I have a pair of Jawbreakers and I love them, so how do they compare?

In their full-frame setup, the Perso Evo 9 are very similar with great coverage and the frames only just visible in my peripheral vision. The beauty of this design, though, is the ability to remove both the upper and lower parts of the frame should you find that one or both is touching your face or compromising your vision. The pieces are relatively easy to snap on and off, though it's not the slickest removal system and you'll definitely need to clean the lens afterwards.

Ekoi Perso Evo 9 assembly.jpg

I set mine up with the lower part of the frame removed, and on my test rides I've forgotten that I'm wearing them. The Zeiss lens provides a very nice tint for road riding in overcast to sunny conditions, and it coped well when the sun quickly appeared from behind the clouds.

Ekoi Perso Evo 9 worn.jpg

To help prevent the lens from fogging up, there are plenty of vents and they seem to do a good job. We've not had properly warm weather yet this year, but when the sun has provided some heat, the lens has remained clear, despite my best efforts to cause fogging when giving it the beans up some hills. If you drip sweat onto them, they'll clear pretty well but they're no better than any other sunglasses I've used.

> Buyer's Guide: 22 of the best cycling glasses

> Buyer's Guide: 10 of the best cheap cycling glasses

For me, one issue that I've had with these has been security on the face. These are about the same as my Jawbreakers in that they'll slip forward if I dip my head and they're not at all secure in my Lazer Z1 helmet vents. Compared with the security of my Oakley Radar EVs, which hug the sides of my head much better and won't budge from helmet vents, the Perso Evo 9s come up short.

My Radar EVs also have comfier nose pads. They're slightly fatter and a bit softer, though the pads on the Perso Evo 9 are adjustable, making them better if you've got a slightly wonky nose.

Ekoi Perso Evo 9 nosepiece.jpg

Those are the only two negatives I've got for what are otherwise very good sunglasses. Lens quality is great, and the number of customisation options available means these offer very good value for money. The nose-piece could be slightly more comfortable and the security on the face could be better, but for the money these are great.

Verdict

Loads of customisation options with great lenses – the price is pretty good too

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Ekoi Perso Evo 9 glasses

Size tested: One

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Ekoi says: "Made in Italy and assembled by hand here in our laboratory in Fréjus, these sunglasses offer levels of exclusivity and customisation that make each model a unique masterpiece. Besides the wide range of options and colours, you have the real opportunity to let your imagination go by using our 3D configurator."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Ekoi:

- the very first 4-in-1 sunglasses, signed EKOI

- Perforated arms

- Perforated upper frame rim

- Sunglasses weight: just 41 g

- Adjustable (spread and depth) nose piece

- Compatible with LENS CORRECTION INSERTS

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Hinges seem solid. Everything sits neatly when clipped together.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

A really nice lens that doesn't fog. It's really clear with a good tint for road riding.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

No scratches on the lens yet.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
6/10

They don't feel heavy on the face.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
5/10

Not the best nose-piece, but it is adjustable.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well. Clear lens that doesn't fog up easily. Good protection of the eyes.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The number of customisable options is brilliant at this price.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The security on my face wasn't as good as my Oakley Radar EV.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Really well. Much cheaper than custom Oakleys, that's for sure!

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

A combination of brilliant lenses and the number of custom options for a pretty reasonable price, offset by not being as secure on the face or as comfortable on the nose-piece as others, leads me to an 8 – overall they're very good.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 24  Height: 177cm  Weight: 62kg

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Di2  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, I specialise in the Cafe Ride!

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7 comments

Avatar
schlepcycling | 4 years ago
1 like

They're current £63 on the Ekoi website with the code 27VICTORY

https://www.ekoi.com/en/configurateur/perso-evo-9-3.html

Avatar
3mkru73 | 5 years ago
1 like

It's worth keeping an ey on the Ekoi website, I picked up the ltd edition purple version of these for just £60.  Dead comfy. I dont have any issue with them slipping down my face or out of my helmet vents either (I use an Ekoi Corsa Light helmet). 

 

 

Avatar
Freddy56 | 5 years ago
0 likes

 

look great and nice, honest review.

Avatar
demonkarlos | 5 years ago
2 likes

Really like reading reviews on glasses, but could road.cc consider a 'buyers guide' to prescription sunglasses options?  I currently use glasses with an insert (a cheap-ish solution, but not always ideal - due to fogging, more lenses to keep clean and because you can get a 'rainbow' effect when looking at screens such as your garmin).  I'm looking to get a pair of Oakley prescriptions, but my decision making has been very slow as there simply aren't that many reviews for cycling sunnies for those using presciptions.

Obviously there are contact lenses with normal sunnies, as a third option, but not everyone likes contacts and some people cannot use contacts at all.

Just an idea... (thanks for reading).

 

 

Avatar
Liam Cahill replied to demonkarlos | 5 years ago
0 likes
demonkarlos wrote:

Really like reading reviews on glasses, but could road.cc consider a 'buyers guide' to prescription sunglasses options?  I currently use glasses with an insert (a cheap-ish solution, but not always ideal - due to fogging, more lenses to keep clean and because you can get a 'rainbow' effect when looking at screens such as your garmin).  I'm looking to get a pair of Oakley prescriptions, but my decision making has been very slow as there simply aren't that many reviews for cycling sunnies for those using presciptions.

Obviously there are contact lenses with normal sunnies, as a third option, but not everyone likes contacts and some people cannot use contacts at all.

Just an idea... (thanks for reading).

 

This is certainly something that would be very useful. I know a friend has just bought some Jawbreakers with a prescription lens and he's blown away by the quality (and being able to finally see)! I'll have a look around to see which brands offer them but if you know of any from your research, ping some links to liam.cahill [at] road.cc.
Be good to build a list, though we may not be able to test all of the options.

Avatar
Welsh boy | 5 years ago
0 likes

Another ignorant reviewer not knowing his subject.  I quote, "We've not had properly warm weather yet this year, but when the sun has provided some heat, the lens has remained clear, despite my best efforts to cause fogging when giving it the beans up some hills."

Lenses do not mist up when they are hot, they mist up when the surface is cold enough for water vapour to condense, that is when they are cold.  Lack of air flow is also contributory to lenses misting up, hence the vents and your glasses misting up on cold days when you stop.  Glasses do not mist up when they are warm.  Please, stop writing crap about things of which you clearly have no knowledge.

By the way, Ekoi Super Corsa glasses have adjustable temple grippers and nose pads and provide a superb fit and clarity.  Whats more, they dont fog up when the sun provides some heat cheeky.

Avatar
Liam Cahill replied to Welsh boy | 5 years ago
1 like
Welsh boy wrote:

Another ignorant reviewer not knowing his subject.  I quote, "We've not had properly warm weather yet this year, but when the sun has provided some heat, the lens has remained clear, despite my best efforts to cause fogging when giving it the beans up some hills."

Lenses do not mist up when they are hot, they mist up when the surface is cold enough for water vapour to condense, that is when they are cold.  Lack of air flow is also contributory to lenses misting up, hence the vents and your glasses misting up on cold days when you stop.  Glasses do not mist up when they are warm.  Please, stop writing crap about things of which you clearly have no knowledge.

By the way, Ekoi Super Corsa glasses have adjustable temple grippers and nose pads and provide a superb fit and clarity.  Whats more, they dont fog up when the sun provides some heat cheeky.

Hi Welsh boy. I never said that the lens getting hot caused fogging. I said that I tried to get them to fog up by going hard up the hills. That was to cause my face to heat up as I usually find sunnies susceptible to fogging at the top of climbs. Maybe I wasn't clear enough, or maybe you're twisting my words to call me ignorant? Ta.

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