LIMAR CRUZ RIDING GLASSES REVIEW

FEATHER LIGHT EYEWEAR

Words by Cole Gregg  |  Photos by Emma Wooldridge

I recently wrapped a review on the Limar ETNA ¾ shell helmet and came away impressed, and during this test I was also provided with a set of the Limar CRUZ riding glasses. I needed a little longer to be absolutely sure of my opinion on these, but now the testing period is done I wanted to give you the low down on their CRUZ riding glasses, which have left me feeling equally jazzed about this new brand to the aggressive mountain bike space.

THE LAB

The CRUZ glasses are one of three MTB-focused models from Limar, coming in at $109.95 for the standard lens option and $149.95 for the Photochromic (light changing) lens version. Size wise they land in the middle of their other two eyewear offerings at 141mm x 60mm. The CRUZ’s are only 25g’s thanks to the half-frame design using a Grilamid TR90 plastic material. (note this was measured with my kitchen scale, so may have some variance with a nicer scale).

Limar has 3 lens options on hand depending on the frame color you choose. Both the Mirror and Revo coated lenses have a 15% light transmission, with an additional clear lens provided in the box. They also have a Photochromic option as well, which gives you a light transmission range of 17% to 80% and reacts to the environment to tailor the amount of tint to the condition. All lenses are 100% UV400 rated aside from the clear lens. The lens material itself is constructed with Polycarbonate. Take note that if you opt for the Photochromatic version, you will not receive the additional clear lens in the box.

The silicon nose piece is adjustable with no set in and out points – you can bend and flex it to your liking. The temple tips are curved in to help aid in keeping these on when the trails get rowdy. Also included is a minimal hard case, lens wipe and as mentioned above a clear lens with the standard tinted lens options.

THE DIRT

Out of the box, there was really no fussing with these for my first ride. I left the adjustable nose piece in the factory position, and it stayed that way for my entire time behind the bars with these glasses. When I did opt to go to the clear lenses, which I did often, (more on that later) changing them out was super simple. There were no oh sh!t moments thinking I was going to snap the lens or the frame. This is partly due to the fact that the CRUZ is only a half framed model, making for an easier switch. I have been leaning more towards this style of riding glasses as I find that there is less distraction for your eyes to get used to. Your vision down to the bars blend in and I end up forgetting I am even using them a lot of the time.

The first thing I noticed upon opening the packaging was how freaking light these were. In your hands you have a hard time even telling you are holding something, and on your face they melt away. I am a chronic “on, off, on, off” user of riding glasses, storing them on my helmet for the climbs. I found myself leaving these on for the climbs for whatever reason, I do not think there is any direct reason why I did but I’m sure the lack of weight played into this.

How did these perform out on the trails of Spokane Washington? I think I would give these a solid score of 8.75 out of 10 with an asterisk attached. 10/10 in weight and comfort, as well as how well they stayed in place. Not once did I need to adjust mid descent due to them falling out of position. My asterisk comes in two areas however.

The stock 15% transmission lens was a bit too dark for my own personal liking. When in an open field they were great, but dense wooded forests caused me to really pay attention to shadows disguised as roots, even during the day. Coming down the hill for the last time before sunset they were dangerously dark, leading me to put them in my pocket on a few occasions. But, with that said, the clarity and color saturation of the lens was on par, if not better than my Smith Wildcats or Oakley Sutro’s with the Prizm lens. They have a super crisp natural vision feel, which boosts the natural shadows and colors on trail. If Limar would launch a lens option with a little more light transmission I think this would be a huge win for those of us that live and ride in deeply wooded areas. The reality is that most riders are going to find themselves riding in dark forests from time to time, and they are going to struggle with anything other than the clear Limar lenses for this riding.

While the fit and feel of the glasses were great, they did run a little close to my forehead. I like the fact that they run close for dust intrusion and overall protection, but I did get some sweat rub off the upper portion of the lens. A few times I had a bead run right down over the front of the lens. While I have not encountered this before, I am not totally upset about it. This was not something that became apparent on every ride, only on scorching hot days with big climbs. Maybe my neanderthal shaped head was the issue, who knows. I have been grabbing these as my daily drivers since receiving them to test, as they just work, though that is with the clear lens installed due to the aforementioned overly dark tint.

The ultra lightweight feel may give you the impression of a cheaply made product at first, but the hinges are tight; the nose piece is very secure and the lens clarity is superb. At a $109.95 price point there are very few glasses out there that even compare at full retail pricing. While a case is a relatively cheap thing to purchase after the fact it is a nice added bonus to be included, and it does see plenty of use, keeping them safe when not in use.

The Wolf’s Last Word

For riders looking to block out the sun yet retain maximum clarity, the Limar CRUZ glasses with their tinted lenses will do the trick at a wallet-friendly price. They melt away into the background with a secure fit which had me sold from my first ride, and they continue to be my eye protection of choice after fitting the clear lens.

Price: $109.95
Website: Limar.com