The KOO Hype is the eyewear model’s newest range-topping product, which it claims to be its most revolutionary pair of glasses thus far. With lots of the greatest glasses for biking promising distinctive efficiency pushed by technological developments, it was attention-grabbing to see how these premium-priced shades would evaluate.
Development
The Hype glasses use a Grilamid body for impression safety, with the arms designed to wrap across the head to offer higher safety; rubber grips are included on the arms to assist this.
A brand new function is the Most Air flow System, which is basically a central frontal port on the glasses and temple vents to enhance airflow and cut back fogging, particularly when climbing in humid circumstances.
Rubber grips on the arms assist maintain the Hype glasses firmly in place.
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To permit for the vent, the lens contains a cutaway, making it appear like a two-lens design regardless of it being a single piece. Once more, it is a new providing. KOO have lengthy been utilizing the Zeiss lens know-how, however the Hype makes use of the model’s new Toric lens with a double curvature design. Most lenses are cylindrical, and wrap across the horizontal airplane, whereas these are spherical, and in addition wrap across the vertical airplane. That is designed to supply higher protection, particularly on the high and backside of the lenses.
The Hype contains a central vent to advertise airflow and cut back fogging.
(Picture credit score: Future)
The provided Tremendous Pink Mirror lenses have a lightweight filtration of 13%, making them class 3 lenses. 9 body color mixtures can be found together with 9 totally different lenses; the lens is interchangeable so you may change based mostly on the climate circumstances. An optical clip can be hooked up internally for prescription lenses.
The glasses additionally include a number of nostril items to permit for a extra tailor-made match, in addition to a mushy case to retailer them in.
The experience
The spherical nature of the lens is shortly noticeable in comparison with cylindrical lenses. The principle distinction is the nice protection in the direction of the bottom of the glasses and across the periphery. A cylindrical lens tends to depart extra space in the direction of the highest or the bottom of the lens because it doesn’t curve down with the form of the pinnacle.
The slight spherical curvature of the Hype lenses implies that the highest and base have higher protection, which has a twofold impact. Firstly there isn’t a special tone of sunshine seen and the glasses cowl the total visual view much better. Secondly, there’s much less undesirable airflow that goes by the lenses when your head is in a extra dropped place.
It’s usually a bit dearer to make lenses like this, as a result of how they’re lower, and the decrease curvature can imply sweat is extra prone to drip onto the lens quite than fall behind it. Nonetheless, it’s a lens form that I believe is much better due to the higher protection it gives.
The Zeiss Toric lens contains a spherical design aimed toward delivering higher protection.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Other than the spherical ingredient, the lens is similar Zeiss optic as utilized in earlier KOO fashions. These provide implausible readability and an honest degree of hydrophobic efficiency, as found throughout some pretty moist and windy rides.
Early morning begins with low daylight additionally confirmed off how efficient the glare safety is. The Tremendous Pink Mirror lenses provided are for brighter circumstances, letting in 13% of transmittable mild, however carry out effectively even in murky or cloudy climate due to the excessive readability.
As talked about, whereas they appear like a double lens design, they’re in reality are a single lens so are slightly simpler to change out. KOO additionally presents an optical clip for use with any of their lenses, which permits using prescription lenses while not having to pay extra for a number of prescription lens choices in order for you darker or lighter lenses.
My solely challenge at current is that there is no such thing as a photochromic possibility out there. It is a disgrace because the KOO Fuchsia Photochromic lenses are fairly probably the perfect changeable lenses I’ve used. Their inclusion would make these glasses an outstanding all-year, all-weather possibility.
The Tremendous Pink Mirror lens are designed for brighter circumstances however labored effectively throughout cloudy circumstances too.
(Picture credit score: Future)
The body of the Hype glasses is one other space that has been closely up to date from the Alibi and Demo fashions. The arms function extra of a wraparound design on the arms for added safety. And it really works. They stayed securely in place even when worn over head and ear heaters with no pores and skin for traction. This makes them slightly harder to retailer in some helmet vents, however for essentially the most half it was pretty simple and in some instances safer.
For added venting, KOO have launched what they name the Most Air flow System. This contains the centre port between the eyes, and two ports on the arms of the body. I personally didn’t actually discover a lot airflow across the arm vents, however it’s price stating that I have not examined them in hotter climate as but. On the entrance nevertheless, the unobtrusive centre vent labored very effectively to scale back lens fogging, which I usually discover occurs in winter climate. Nonetheless it did not present sufficient airflow that my face felt noticeably cooler when working at larger intensities.
Worth
At £180 / $215, that is definitely not an affordable pair of glasses. It does nevertheless maintain it consistent with choices from Scicon, 100%, SunGod, and Oakley which all sit in the same worth vary relying on the choices and lenses that you just go for. Missing a devoted exhausting case, quite than a sturdy cardboard field does detract slightly in comparison with the Oakley Sutros, however they don’t function a spherical lens form. There’s additionally no spare clear lens provided as normal such as you get with Scicon glasses.
Nonetheless, for the extent of efficiency, anti-fogging, and very good lens high quality, I believe the KOO Hype glasses symbolize cheap worth when in comparison with different high-end biking sun shades out there. Should you don’t need to spend that cash, there are cheaper options, however you’ll probably must accept lesser lens high quality and fewer options.
Conclusion
The KOO Hype glasses are an impressively sensible and high-performing pair of biking sun shades. The Zeiss Toric lens is implausible in its readability, glare safety, hydrophobic properties and protection. Add to that the up to date body design, which is safer than earlier fashions whereas including efficient air flow and anti-fogging components, and you’ve got a well-rounded pair of glasses. They’re costly, and a tough case and spare clear lens could be drastically appreciated at this worth level. However in comparison with different high-end choices they symbolize first rate worth.
