The Shore goggles from Ryders is designed by mountain bikers, for mountain biking. In order to provide a mountain bike-specific fit, Ryders has incorporated a high bridge over the nose so as not to inhibit breathing and to allow the goggle to sit lower down on your face than a moto or snow goggle would. This ensures the Shore goggles mesh perfectly with almost all mountain bike helmets.
A set of mountain bike goggles also needs its own specific venting system that is inherently different from those found in moto and snow goggles. According to Ryders, “Our vents are designed to block the vapor from your mouth and nose, while channeling fresh air from the front and sides of the (goggles) to flow up the back of the lens, keeping your face cool and eliminating fog problems.”
The frame itself is designed to be ultra flexible, ultra durable (the flexibility helps with this), and lightweight. Attaching this quality frame to the face is high density, multi-layered, hypoallergenic foam that maximizes comfort and minimizes the build up of nast’ from sweating day after day. Keeping all of this in place is an adjustable strap with anti-slip beading that locks into the helmet for a solid feel.
While the frame, strap, and foam are all important, the lens is the heart of every goggle. If the lens is crappy, the goggles are worthless. Thankfully, the Shore’s lens is anything but crappy! The lens on the goggles I tested had a clear tint for low-light conditions, but still blocks “100% of UVA, UVB, and UVC rays, and harmful blue light to 400nm.” It also features a dual-lens construction, which works to eliminate fogging by putting a gap between two lens panes. Topping that off is an anti-fog coating for more protection as well as a scratch-resistant coating.
But possibly the most important feature of the Shore’s lens is the shatterproof polycarbonate lens material. No matter how hard you crash, this lens will not shatter. It may get busted up, but it won’t splinter into little eye-piercing shards. Finally, Ryders has integrated posts for tear-offs directly into the lens for easy loading.
But how would all of these features translate on the trail?
Real World Testing
Downhilling at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
I’ve spent some quality time with the Shore goggles, but it didn’t really qualify as rest and relaxation… more like body pounding and nervous adrenaline rushes! The Shore did its job and kept my vision clear and unimpeded.
I know this may sound rather clich, but I really did almost forgot that I was wearing a pair of goggles. They were honestly that comfortable! I’ve used goggles in the past with foam padding so thin I could feel the frame pressing straight into my face. Not so with the Shores! The triple-layer foam did an excellent job of cushioning my face, allowing me to focus on the trail in front of me. Also, the MTB-specific design worked superbly with my helmet. I had no uncomfortable pressure points to speak of.
Close up.
As for fog, I didn’t even think about my goggles fogging up until after the fact when I realized that they simply stayed clear the entire time.
At first I wasn’t sure if the goggles would stay secured to my helmet, as the strap area on my lid doesn’t have a deep recess or clip. I had no reason to worry, though, because the strap’s rubber seemed to just lock into the hard shell of my helmet as if it were velcro. This goggles stayed put all day without a single adjustment.
What more can really be said? When something just works the way it was intended to perform, it tends to take the words right out of the reviewer’s mouth! The one thing left for me to say is that the Shore goggles offer this stellar performance and quality construction with supreme attention to detail at an extremely affordable price: only $49.99 MSRP. For just 50 bones, you can’t possibly go wrong!
Many thanks to Ryders Eyewear for providing the Shore goggles for review.
