A decent set of sunglasses is an essential part of any mountain biker's wardrobe, for a number of reasons.
The best mountain bike sunglasses protect you from bright sunlight. They help give you a clear view down the trail, with less glare, less squinting and less possibility of damage to your eyes from harmful UV rays.
They also provide physical protection from flying trail debris, whether that be roost from another rider's back wheel, spray from puddles, bugs or errant tree branches.
Our expert testers have rated and reviewed hundreds of mountain bike glasses over the years, and below are what they believe are the best mountain bike glasses on the market.
If you're looking for more road-inspired glasses, then check out our best cycling glasses list, and if you wear spectacles, be sure to look at our guide to prescription cycling glasses.
We have included our buyer's guide to mountain bike sunglasses below the list, so be sure to check that out before picking your next pair.
Editor's note: this list was updated on 26 August 2025, with our latest high-scoring reviews including the 100% Slendale SL, Oakley Encoder and Madison Crypto. We have also added a buyer's guide, as well as information on how we test mountain bike sunglasses and why you can trust BikeRadar.
Best sunglasses for mountain biking
100% S3
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- £170 / $185 as tested
- Pros: Large lens choice; great coverage; comfortable design
- Cons: Ventilation could be better
Available in a wide choice of lens tints, the S3s on test had the HiPER red mirror lens, which we found to be incredibly versatile and covers a wide range of light conditions.
With impressive clarity and pop, it’s without doubt one of the best pairs of mountain bike sunglasses we've tested. The coverage is great and the frame remained outside our peripheral vision.
The glasses are also very comfortable and stay securely in place no matter what you’re riding over. There were no compatibility issues with our helmets and a clear lens is included.
The glasses don't quite score full marks because they don’t have the best lens ventilation (but we didn’t steam them up). The nosepiece is flimsily attached and you also pay for the performance.
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100% Slendale SL
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- £99.98 / $109 / €119 as tested
- Pros: Secure fit; versatile lens; great comfort; customisation
- Cons: Less side coverage than other glasses; not the lightest
The Slendale SL glasses offer a secure and comfortable fit thanks to multiple nose-pad options and adjustable temple tips.
Our tester found this helped them stay in place, too, with the glasses remaining stable on rough terrain.
The lens is versatile, but the coverage feels less than others on this list, exposing you to more elements and debris.
They're also not the lightest, at 33g.
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Madison Crypto Air Sunglasses – 3 Lens Pack
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- £59.99 as tested
- Pros: Very light; no pressure points; three lenses; value for money
- Cons: Lens change can be tricky; not the easiest to stow
The Cryptos offer great value for money, bundling three lenses and offering a modern visor-like design.
They provide excellent protection from trail debris and spray thanks to the wraparound design, and top the scales at 28g.
Our tester found the glasses to be very comfortable, with the lightweight frames causing zero pressure points while remaining secure during riding. However, this can't be said for stowing the glasses in a helmet.
Changing lenses can be tricky, with the procedure a little nerve-wracking.
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Koo Demos
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- £140 as tested
- Pros: Lightweight; wide field of view; great lens clarity
- Cons: No hardcase
The Koo Demos MTB glasses weigh in at 31g and feature a chunky angular frame with thick curved arms that contour the head, giving a wrap-around feel.
Anti-slip rubber inserts extend down the arms, which keep the glasses in place on rough terrain, while adjustable nose pads ensure a tailored fit.
The Zeiss lens provides great clarity, though the type of lens available is fixed to certain frame colours with the photochromic lens only available with a white frame.
The lack of a clear lens option and a soft case were a let down to our tester, with many glasses in this price range offering these as standard.
- Read more: Koo Demos review
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Oakley Encoder
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- £228 / $293 / €256 as tested
- Pros: Sleek, futuristic look; good stability; great in bright light
- Cons: Pricey; ear discomfort on long rides
The Oakleys' futuristic design sets them apart from others, with the wraparound design offering solid protection from the elements and trail debris.
We found the Prizm Black lens excelled in bright, sunny conditions, providing excellent contrast and glare reduction. However, in darker, forested sections, they can be a bit too dark.
While the nose piece is comfortable and the glasses have great stability, our tester found the arms to be a little tight around the ears.
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Oakley Sutro Lite Photochromic
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- £173 / $214 / €200 / AU$279 as tested
- Pros: Lens adjusts well to light conditions; comfortable frames; good protection
- Non-adjustable nose piece
The Sutro Lite is smaller than the Oakley Sutro, but the half-frame design means the glasses still offer a large field of view.
While not as dark as regular lenses in the brightest conditions, the photochromic lens does well at adjusting to light – with our tester finding the lens usable even in dusk hours.
A fixed nose piece position makes the glasses hard to adjust to different facial profiles.
- Read more: Oakley Sutro Lite Photochromic review
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Oakley Sutro Lite Sweep (Vented)
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- £149 / $189 / €170 / AU$230 as tested
- Pros: Prizm Trail lens offers great optics; soft and comfortable pressure points; great-looking
- Cons: Not the best coverage
Oakley’s contrast-enhancing Prizm Trail Torch lens is impressive at highlighting features on the trail, while still cutting out glare and providing a good tint for use in bright light. The nose piece is exceptionally soft and comfortable, and the glasses don't rattle or move at all while riding.
The arms of the lens do not interfere with helmets and the ventilation is excellent, thanks to the drilled lens, without the Sutro Lites being too breezy.
The downside to the Sutro Lite Sweeps is that the coverage isn’t the best and the colourful frame is visible, but not obtrusive, when riding. The distinctive styling divided opinion among our testers.
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Rapha Pro Team Full Frame Trail
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- £120 / $165 / €145 / AU$210 as tested
- Pros: Very comfortable; stable design; great ventilation
- Cons: Could have more coverage
The Rapha Pro Team Full Frame Trail's wide wraparound shades are very comfortable. There’s a silicone gripper and a flexible tip on the shortish arms, which helps them stay in place over bumpy sections.
The glasses sat nicely against our tester's face. With five frame and lens options available, our rose-tint set was versatile in all conditions and reduced glare admirably.
The lens has plenty of ventilation, too. An additional clear lens and different nose piece are provided in the box.
The disadvantages of the glasses are that they don’t offer as much coverage as other options and the nose piece isn’t the supplest. Smaller testers found they could slip down on rough trails.
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Scott Pro Shield
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- £100 / $110 / €120 as tested
- Pros: Good airflow and field of view; robust frames; decent ventilation
- Cons: Not the best for smaller faces
The Pro Shields have an excellent field of view, thanks to their tall frame. We tested the orange lens, which performs well in a wide variety of trail conditions, from overcast to dappled light.
While lens ventilation is on the more minimal side, the frame sits away from your face, so airflow is still good. The temple tips are short and tuck behind the ears for a secure and comfortable fit that avoids helmet straps. Extra points for the styling, too.
This particular lens isn’t best suited to bright direct sunshine, although glare wasn’t a big issue. Another downside with the Pro Shields is that they don't fit smaller faces so well.
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BBB Avenger
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- £50 as tested
- Pros: Well-priced; three lenses; comfortable design
- Cons: Requires some fiddling to get right
Despite sitting very close to your face, especially over the cheeks, these BBB glasses have good ventilation, thanks to cutaways at the top of the lens. The nose piece is adjustable, allowing you to tweak the fit somewhat.
Three lenses are included – a dark tint, yellow for low light, and clear – making them great value. It’s fairly easy to swap lenses by popping them out of the frame. We had no issues with the optics.
They’re broad-framed though, so the arms interfere with some helmets. We needed to do some fine-tuning with the nosepiece to get the fit just right and stop them touching our eyelashes.
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Viris Raptor
- £65 / €72 as tested
- Pros: Four lenses; comfortable design; decent optics
- Cons: Lens swapping is fiddly; some helmet incompatibility
With four lenses and a cleaning cloth in addition to the usual soft and hard cases, the Viris Raptor glasses offer excellent value.
The yellow lens boosts light effectively, while the rose adds contrast and the mirror works best in bright, clear conditions.
Optically, they’re good, with no tiring of the eyes on longer rides. There’s ample nosepiece adjustability, and arm grippers help prevent the glasses from sliding down. Fogging is minimal.
They can rattle against your lid and it can be hard to get the arms under the shell of more protective helmets. Lens swapping can be a bit tricky, too.
How we test mountain bike glasses
We test mountain bike glasses out on the trails to see how well they protect you from the sun, spray, dust and other debris.
Our testers have reviewed hundreds of glasses and have a keen eye for sorting the good from the bad.
Ultimately, our mountain bike glasses reviews are based on the following criteria:
- Performance – do the sunglasses offer clarity, a clear field of vision and decent protection?
- Fit and comfort – do the glasses fit well and offer comfort, even on longer rides?
- Features – we assess build quality and look for extras such as replaceable lenses or nose pieces and prescription-lens compatibility
- Helmet compatibility – do the glasses work well with various helmet styles?
- Value – budget or premium, do the sunglasses offer good value for money, especially compared to other options?
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Our reviews are always editorially independent – with no exceptions. Our reviewers comprehensively test all products in the real world, always reflecting on performance, value and the wider market when delivering their verdicts and review ratings.
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Mountain bike glasses buyer's guide
Lens
Obviously, the larger the lens, the more coverage it will offer, but it's also important that it wraps around to give some side protection and prevents wind from making your eyes tear up.
Of course, that coverage needs to be balanced with how glasses fit on your face – if the lens or frame contacts you, the glasses will fog up more easily and can become uncomfortable or move around on your face.
Frames
Many mountain bike glasses use a half-frame design, where the lens is only partially attached to the frame. This enables a greater and less obstructed field of vision, but it means the lens is more exposed to damage when not being worn.
Depending on your facial features and head size, different frames might work better for some people than others. Although we try to point out which glasses work best for different people, it's hard to beat trying them on.
Make sure they integrate well with your chosen helmet, too, and don't dig into your head or create pressure points.
Whatever anyone might claim, looks can also be important, but that's very much a personal choice, and often there will be a selection of frame colours on offer for a model.
Features
More expensive MTB sunglasses tend to have more features, such as easily interchangeable lenses, plus adjustable fit of the nose piece and arms. The quality and clarity of the lenses will go up with the price, too. A better lens will have improved clarity and distort your vision less.
Many high-end mountain bike glasses now have light-sensitive photochromic lenses, which have a special coating that reacts to light.
This means you can use a single lens for very bright days as well as more overcast ones, but even the best can take a bit of time to react, and cheaper ones can take even longer.
