LEATT GOGGLE RANGE REVIEW

4.0, 5.5 AND 6.5 GOGGLES

Review by Alex Sardella | Photos by Vinnie Zacha Herthel

Anyone that races enduro or rips the bike park knows a pair of reliable goggles with quality lenses is absolutely crucial to keeping the pace on a downhill track. Leatt is no stranger to making performance goggles, as their mountain bike lineup crosses over from their motocross offerings. We’ve been able to spend a bit of time shuttling some local trails and testing out the range of lenses and goggles in Leatt’s 2022 lineup.

THE LAB

Before we dive into each goggle specifically, all the goggles in the Leatt lineup share some of the same features. All of the goggles include 170° of WideVision which allows for enhanced peripheral vision. The three-layer laminated lenses have an anti-fog system that prevents the goggles from steaming up, even on the warmest of days. Each goggle contains silicon on the inside of the band, but the nicer the goggle, the beefier the silicon gripper. Lastly, all the lenses are bullet proof. Yes, you read that right. Leatt has tested all its lenses to the military ballistic impact standard. This is a more important factor in moto than the mountain bike world – think about the rocks and dirt flying everywhere off the start line when you’re on a track with a group of 450’s!

Leatt’s goggle range starts at the 4.0 goggle. A simple, lightweight goggle targeted at those riding in warmer climates. There are limited frills, with nothing over the top. The sleek all-black strap and frame are equipped with a clear lens at 83% VLT, which features some strategically places vents to reduce the heat inside and further aid fog resistance – the 4.0 is as reliable as it gets. The 40mm strap has a few strips of silicon on it and directly attaches to the goggle, opposed to the premium goggles where the strap adheres to an outrigger. The strap is made from a stretch mesh material, seeking to aid ventilation if covering a vent on the helmet, and the face rests on a dual layer anti-sweat foam. This year, the goggle comes in 3 different color ways at an affordable price point of $49.99.

Up next, we have the 5.5 goggle. The 5.5 sits in the middle of the product line, offering a few more bells and whistles than the 4.0. There’s a slightly larger frame, and a triple layer, dual density face foam to make up the main body. The 45mm strap adheres to an outrigger on either end of the frame, to help with stress from the band on the frame and help to improve pressure distribution across the face. The Lens on the 5.5 we received has a slight blue hue and a VLT of 70%, but there are other options from 22%-83% VLT including their “Iriz” mirrored lenses. The goggles come with ‘tear-offs’ so those that ride both mtb and moto could use these for both sports, and a Roll-Off system can be purchased for the ultimate in mid-race vision clearing. There are 7 different colors to add some flair to your kit and 4 different lens options on the 5.5, and the price runs $69.99.

The Velocity 6.5 Iriz Goggle from Leatt sits at the top of the totem pole. There are all the good features that make up the previous goggles, plus a few more. The goggles shown feature an Iriz Silver 50% lens, the optional removable nose guard, and there are additional lenses included to swap out depending on the weather. These lenses are designed to clip in and out easily to facilitate last minute lens changes before a race. The Velocity goggle has a premium look and feel – the frame is slightly stiffer, the strap a touch wider at 50mm and the lens slightly bigger than the 5.5. The foam is removable, so you can wash it from time to time which helps avoid a nasty stench. The Velocity 6.5 Iriz has 5 different colors and goes for $109.99.

THE DIRT

The 4.0 goggle breathes really well, and I personally love the clear lens. When you are in the woods, the mix of shadows and lights can often be tough to predict, so a clear lens is usually my go-to for mixed condition riding. The 4.0 goggle has some basic features, but the clear lens combined with the anti-fog is really all ya need. The fleece foam is a touch hotter than the other options and the frame is slightly more flexible, but for the price they are really hard to beat. You can’t go wrong with all black either.

The 6.5 is of course the nicest in the lineup and the quality shines through when looking at all the goggles side by side. Being able to switch out the lens quickly depending on the conditions is a premium feature – anyone that spends time on the mountain in the winter knows this happens all the time. The washable and removable liner is a nice touch as well. In the middle of bike park season, getting rid of the goggle smell helps with the overall stench of the helmet bag. Both features are fairly easy to figure out and the lenses don’t really put up a fight when trying to pry them loose.

Out of the group, the 5.5 is my favorite. With a blend of features including an affordable price point, a pop of strap color, tear offs for the moto crowd and a tinted lens – it makes for a worthy enduro goggle. The hint of blue on the lens presents itself nicely on the trail and doesn’t leave any low light or unwanted shadows – it shows a clean line of sight to see features ahead and below. I could see it being a touch too bright in the middle of summer but overall, the blue hue does well on the trail in a wide range of conditions. The outriggers will provide micro adjustability to help with compatibility for helmets outside of the Leatt family, so you should be able to roll happy with the 5.5’s.

The Wolf’s Last Word

All in all, there is no denying the high quality of the goggles from Leatt. With their stout background in Moto, the goggles are nicer than most we see in MTB. The 4.0 goggles are an insane deal with a standard number of features that most will be happy with at the bike park. Maybe the folks that ride both moto and mtb will look to the nicer offerings from Leatt to accommodate the needs of both sports. I’m looking forward to rocking these going into summer and getting them nice and dusty on my favorite gravity trails.

Price:
4.0 Goggle – $49.99
5.5 Goggle – $69.99
6.5 Goggle – $109.99

Website: Leatt.com

Disclosure: Our team selects all of the products we review and do so with honesty and objectivity in mind. Some of the products we receive come directly from Competitive Cyclist, who also value our readers and have offered them a 15% discount (exclusions apply) on their first purchase by using LOAMWOLF15. Through this program we may also receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support, TLW.