Koo Demos glasses review

The Koo Demos glasses fit in perfectly with the current trend of oversized frames.

Handmade in Italy, they’re available in several frame options and can be paired with a variety of Zeiss Polycarbonate lenses.

Thanks to their wide field of view, they're great sunglasses for mountain biking, but will also appeal to those who enjoy road and gravel riding.

Koo Demos glasses specification and construction

Weighing in at only 31g, the Koo Demos glasses are light. The bold and angular frame looks quite chunky with reasonably thick curved arms.

The whole frame has a gentle contour, which gives them a slight wrap-around feel.

Although it’s not that obvious at first, the one-piece frame features two large cutaway sections at the bottom corner of the frame for fitting and removing lenses easily.

The curved arms contour the head and are held in place by the anti-slip rubber temple inserts that extend all the way to flexible temple tips.

You can choose between a nose bridge or rubber nose pads, both of which are adjustable to ensure a tailored fit.

The lens

All lenses are Zeiss Polycarbonate, which offers incredible clarity with four long slot vents. My test model came with a Rose lens designed for low-light conditions, and I also tested an additional Photochromatic lens.

One downside is the Demos glasses only come in a set number of options. If you want the Photochromatic lens for instance, you're limited to the white frame.

There is an option to buy additional lenses, though, with options for Brown and Rose (£35), Blue Sky (£45), Green Mirror and Red Mirror (£59.99), Turquoise (£65) and Photochromatic (£79.99).

Koo Demos glasses performance

With a wide field of view, I didn’t find the frame encroached into my peripheral vision. It fitted well and there were no compatibility issues with any of the helmets I used.

Of course, fit is subjective, but I found them extremely secure and comfortable.

The angular shape affords a good amount of space, with the outline following the cheek bones rather than touching them. The nose piece sits just off the brow and provided ample space for air flow.

With my wonky nose, I made great use of the adjustable nose pads to get the glasses to sit centrally on my face.

The curved arms pinch the head lightly and, with the anti-slip rubber temple inserts and flexible temple tips, stayed firmly in place when clattering through rough sections, even when sweaty.

I didn’t experience any pressure points either.

Fitting and swapping the lens was a doddle. The flex of the frame, combined with the large cutaway sections and easily located tabs, made it an anxiety-free experience. With some full-frame designs, changing the lenses for the first time can be very stressful.

In low-light and cloudy conditions, the Rose lens handled things well, especially in darker woods, but with a low level of UV protection you’ll suffer in bright sunshine.

I also tested the Photochromic lens. Its light pink colour belies its powerful range, especially when transitioning from dark woods to bright sunshine.

With a good level of UV protection, it’s the one lens you can fit and forget – if you can afford it – because it handles a wide range of conditions, from overcast skies to bright sunlight.

No matter which lens you choose, all feature four slotted vents that do a great job of keeping fogging to a minimum. Even on high-tempo, cold rides once I'd stopped, any fog that might build up cleared very quickly.

How do the Koo Demos glasses compare?

My current favourite riding glasses are the SunGod Vulcans FF and the Melon Kingpins.

The Demos share a similar outline to the SunGod Vulcans FF glasses, and although the SunGods come with a range of fixed nose pieces in different sizes, I prefer the adjustable nose pads on the Koo Demos.

The SunGods trump the Demo glasses on style, though, because you can fully customise the colour of the top and bottom frame, icons and ear socks, and you get to choose your lens too.

The Demos' one-piece frame feels more robust than the two-piece frame of the Vulcans, which you feel you have to treat carefully – especially when changing lenses.

The Melon Optics Kingpins are fully customisable and look great. There’s no clear lens option, either, but there is a low-light lens for an extra £20 – I use this regularly, even for night riding.

The frame, although thin, is robust and the matt finish feels great. The arms contour the head, but have a straight profile with a little kick-out at the tip. This meant they didn’t fit with some mountain bike helmets. They also have the least grip inside the arms of the three pairs.

Koo Demos glasses bottom line

With great coverage and optical clarity, the Demos MTB sunglasses are a sound investment, if you can find the right frame and lens combination to suit.

The design is on-trend and will suit a verity of riding styles. Although there are cheaper options, with many brands competing for your hard-earned cash, these glasses impressed me. If you can afford the Photochromatic lens, you’ll have most conditions covered.

There is no clear lens option for those who ride at night or just favour a clear lens, and at this price point I would have liked to have seen a hard case included, not just a soft bag.