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review

MAAP x 100% Glendale glasses

8
£195.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Impressive clarity and field of vision combined with good looks, but there is no getting away from the price
Top performance
Great looking
Effective ventilation
Spare lens included
Hard case
Expensive
Weight: 
41g
Contact: 

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The MAAP x 100% Glendale glasses are very impressive, with an incredibly wide field of vision, excellent clarity, and good ventilation, though there is no denying that they are expensive.

These Glendale glasses are the result of a collaboration between eyewear specialist 100% and kit maker MAAP. 100% already makes a Glendale model, but here you get a new colourway and the MAAP logo added to the lens and frame. So, to all intents and purposes, the 100% Glendale in a different colour.

> Buy these online here

In terms of performance, they offer a huge amount of protection. Given that 100% made its name in goggles, this shouldn't come as a surprise, but these are big, covering most of my face while sitting relatively close to my head too. They provide an impressive amount of protection from both light and dirt, regardless of where you look.

The HiPER blue lens used in these MAAP versions (a HiPER red lens is an option in the regular models) is 'filter category 3' with 15% light transmission. You also get a clear lens in the box, and together these lenses covered most conditions at this time of year, offering impressive clarity.

2021 MAAP MAAP x 100% Glendale glasses - case open.jpg

One interesting element of the glasses is that the vents are metal and built into the frames rather than just being holes in the lens. I don't know how much additional benefit these metal vents have on ventilation, but good airflow stopped the lenses from fogging while riding, and meant minimal fogging even when I came to stop after an intense effort.

2021 MAAP MAAP x 100% Glendale glasses - hinge.jpg

The hydrophobic coating on the lens helped too, so on the rare occasion where they did fog when I was at a standstill, they would clear almost instantaneously when I started moving again.

2021 MAAP MAAP x 100% Glendale glasses - front.jpg

The wide, unobstructed field of vision the Glendales offer is especially impressive considering that they are full frame glasses. One key reason for this is that they can sit so close to your face, so even when you're in a tuck you can look upwards and not catch sight of the top of the frame, and when looking left or right the frames do not obstruct your vision at all. In fact, the only place you can see the frame is right at the bottom, and unless you're particularly interested in staring at your top tube without moving your head it doesn't have much impact.

I found these comfortable to wear over long periods thanks to their comparatively light weight of 41g, combined with interchangeable (and easily done) Ultra-grip rubber nose-piece, and temple tips made of the same material. They stayed on my head comfortably even on long, sweaty rides.

2021 MAAP MAAP x 100% Glendale glasses - nose piece.jpg

The frames themselves are made from Grilamid TR90, a highly flexible plastic that means, if they fall off, they shouldn't break.

2021 MAAP MAAP x 100% Glendale glasses - arm.jpg

You really wouldn't want them to, either, because these are expensive glasses, though their quality, the additional lens and hard case do go some way to justifying their RRP of £195.

The Rudy Project Cutline glasses, for example, are £173, and weigh around 4g less, but they don't come with a spare lens.

The Koo Spectro glasses that I tested a couple of months ago also come in cheaper at £169 and are relatively light for a full frame design, but they don't come with a spare lens either, and I found that they obscured my peripheral vision slightly.

There's also the sticking point that the non-MAAP 100% Glendale glasses with HiPER lens are £169.99...

> Buyer’s Guide: 31 of the best cycling sunglasses

Overall, the Glendale glasses are very good, with an excellent lens and a very wide, unobscured field of vision, plus they sit well on the head. The fact that they also come with a spare lens that is relatively easy to change is another positive, though there is no getting around the fact that they are expensive.

Verdict

Impressive clarity and field of vision combined with good looks, but there is no getting away from the price

road.cc test report

Make and model: MAAP x 100% Glendale glasses

Size tested: One size

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?

These are high-quality limited edition glasses designed for performance.

MAAP says: 'From the mountain peaks to gravel tracks and everything in-between, the MAAP x 100% Glendale sunglasses remove distractions so you can stay focused on maximum effort.'

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

MAAP lists:

Made in Europe

High-impact resistant and lightweight polycarbonate lenses

5-base cylindrical shield lens for increased peripheral view and protection

Interchangeable lenses (two lenses included)

>Lens 1 HiPER BLUE MIRROR (Filter Category 3, Light Transmission 15%)

>Lens 2 CLEAR (Filter Category 0, Light Transmission 93%)

100% UV protection (UV400)

Scratch-resistant lens coating of the highest quality

Additional lens ventilation to prevent fogging

HiPER contrast-defining lens

Hydrophobic & Oleophobic lens treatment repels water, dirt and oil

Shatterproof and lightweight Grilamid TR90 frame

Ultra-grip rubber nose pads and tips for a secure fit no matter how much you sweat

Adjustable temple tips

Comes with a replacement lens, microfibre cleaning bag, hard case and alternative fit nose pad

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

They are well made, with the Grilamid TR90 frame being both light and strong. The hinges offer a reassuring resistance, which suggests they are unlikely to break or become loose any time soon.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

They performed very well – you basically have an uninterrupted view, which is particularly impressive for a full frame pair of glasses.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

The construction of the glasses suggests that these could last for a long time, and having interchangeable lenses means you can replace just the lens if it's scratched or damaged.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10

Not the lightest on the market, but at 41g they aren't exactly weighing you down.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
8/10

They were comfortable on long rides thanks to the grip on the arms and nose-pad, plus being relatively light and sitting close to the face meant there wasn't much movement to cause irritation.

Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

They are undoubtedly expensive, but they are also very high quality and well designed – and are only slightly more than some rivals that don't come with a spare lens. That said, the non-MAAP version, with HiPER lens, is £169.99.

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

They're excellent: comfortable, well ventilated, offer great clarity, and provide a wide field of view. The fact that they sit so close to your face combined with their large size means you can quite easily forget you're even wearing them.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Their field of vision is very impressive, even more so when you consider that they're full framed.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The price – these are expensive.

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

The Rudy Project Cutline glasses are £173 and weigh around 4g less, but don't come with a spare lens; Koo's Spectro glasses are £169 and are relatively lightweight for full frame glasses, although they don't come with a spare lens either, and can obscure your peripheral vision slightly. You can buy the non-MAAP 100% Glendale glasses with HiPER lens for £169.99, though.

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

These are a good-looking pair of glasses that offer impressive clarity, field of vision, ventilation, and comfort. They're not cheap, but if you have a budget of £195, they do compare well with some for what you get...

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 32  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: CAAD13  My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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