Koo Orion Sunglasses review

Koo is the sister brand to high-end helmet maker Kask and, just as it has introduced innovation in its helmet design, it has also added features to the Orion glasses.

Koo hasn’t adopted a one-size-fits-all approach, with a soft adjustable nose bridge and adjustable arms. The arms slide between three stops offering up to 15mm of length adjustment, which means a great fit.

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I even switched between lengths when using a low-profile road helmet and shortened the arms for a mountain-bike helmet with a lower rear section so there was no interference between arm and helmet.

The frame also offers adjustment as regards to venting with two sliding sections on the brow, which can be run closed or open. It’s a nice idea but I didn’t find them to be prone to fogging anyway.

Where the Orion scores highly is in the quality of the lens. Koo has opted for the latest generation of Zeiss lenses. The shape is highly spherical so there’s no distortion even at the edges of the lens.

They also feature twin coatings: an anti-reflective coating on both front and back surfaces so there’s no distracting glare and a second, anti-scratch coating that toughens up the surface.

The lenses can be removed easily because the frame is elastic enough for them to ‘pop’ out.

The open frame design works superbly on the bike with nothing distracting in your eyeline and this also means little in the way of fogging. The Orion’s twin-lens design is compatible with RX system prescription lenses, too.

At 32.2g the Orions aren’t the lightest glasses you’ll find but the highly sprung nature of the frame means that they are superbly secure. I’ve used the Orions both on- and off-road and been impressed with the secure fit.

When combined with the clarity of the lenses and their toughness I’d recommend the Orions alongside any of the premium models from more established brands.

Ideally, I’d have liked a multi-lens version because the smoky Milky Gold lens with its slightly mirror finish is great for brighter days but a little dark for less optimal conditions.