Choose the Best Glasses

First it isn’t always easy to know how to choose the best motorcycle sunglasses’ / glasses’ lenses for you. And part of the reason it is difficult is because there are so many different lens options for motorcycle eyewear today. So to help you choose the lenses that are best for your here’s an overview of the various lens options available with biker glasses today.

Prescription Motorcycle Eyewear Lenses

Now prescription motorcycle glasses have been available for years. But one development that Icicles® lab accomplished years ago is the ability cleanly cut quality curved lenses inside of wraparound-style biker glasses.

And it wasn’t long ago when there simply wasn’t the technology to cut rounded wrap-style motorcycle riding sunglass’ lenses. What you would often get back then, and what you still get today from a lot motorcycle eyewear manufacturers, is warping. And by “warping” we mean that looking through different areas of the lenses what you see looks warped.

Now this usually happened at the outer edges of your wraparound glasses. And when you received prescription biker sunglasses / glasses that had warping they were trash.

Obviously prescription motorcycle glasses that make it so you temporarily can’t see what’s around you just won’t work. In addition even slightly warped lenses in your riding glasses isn’t an option even if you were just walking around. And this is because the warping eventually causes a headache or can make you feel seasick.

But with Icicles® technology we can cut you the best quality lenses that always give you the clarity that need. And we are talking about getting you the clarity you need no matter what area of the glasses / sunglasses you are looking through.

Progressive Motorcycle Riding Glasses' Lenses

So what are progressive lenses? Well first they are a type of prescription lens. But progressive lenses can have up to three prescriptions in one pair of glasses / sunglasses.

First you can view objects far away just like you can with a “traditional”/“regular” prescription lens. Then second with progressive lenses you can also see clearly from a mid-range distance. And this glasses or sunglasses distance is approximately from your eyes to the motorcycle gauges when you are sitting on your bike. Then of course the third prescription would be the lens for close-up viewing (just like reading glasses). Progressive lenses are sometimes called multifocal lenses.

So why aren’t progressive lenses just called trifocals? Well with the technological advances there aren’t the lines that you can see in the lenses that use older technology. An advantage here is that when you are wearing progressive motorcycle glasses / sunglasses is that people can’t see the seams between the different lens areas.

Bifocals

One of the best advantages of motorcycle glasses with bifocal lenses is that you won’t need to carry your traditional bifocals around. And if you don’t have to carry extra glasses around that means you won’t end up misplacing them and have to search through your vest, jacket, and/or bags.

Polarized &Non-Polarized Lenses in Motorcycle Sunglasses

So what’s the difference between polarized and non-polarized lenses? First, in simple terms, the difference is that polarized lenses have a special thin coating that reduces reflection and glare. And reducing the glare is important when you’re riding your motorcycle.

Now in more technical terms a polarized lens contains a chemical filter that absorbs horizontal light waves. In addition at the same time this type of lens allows the vertical waves (direct light) to pass through. And by removing the horizontal light waves polarized lenses eliminate glare.

Note that the darker color lenses the higher levels of polarization you can get.

Which Lenses Are the Best for You?

Now is it better to have a pair of sunglasses / glasses with polarized or non-polarized lenses? And the answer really is that it depends on what you want from your next pair of biker glasses / sunglasses.

For instance, here are some of the benefits of having biker sunglasses / glasses with polarized lenses. They reduce reflection, eliminate glare, improve contrast and clarity, improve the perception of colors, reduce eye strain, and improve visual comfort.

In addition having polarized lenses in your riding glasses’ gives you 100% protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays. Plus a polarized lens helps to protect you from the shorter wave blue light rays.

Next, here’s some info about non-polarized lenses. First they do offer 100% protection from harmful UVA and UVB Rays from the sun while reducing short wave blue light. Next, some of the drawbacks include that some riders do not like the filtering. And polarized lenses cost a little more.

Photochromic Motorcycle Glasses' Lenses

Photochromic lenses are frequently referred to as a transition lens. Note that “Transitions” is actually a brand name. But the brand name has become almost synonymous with the term photochromic lens. And yes both transition motorcycle sunglasses and transition prescription motorcycle glasses are also very popular. Actually these are one of the most popular lens’ options riders choose for their biker glasses today.

Next, these lenses’ tint changes in darkness based on the amount of direct sunlight. These lenses can change from clear to dark or vice versa in less than 60 seconds.

Also photochromic lenses are nearly clear indoor and in the dark. Then as the lenses are exposed to sunlight they darken. Notably, sometimes these lenses are called "light-adaptive lenses" or "variable tint lenses."

Finally, transition lenses are perfect for both riding your motorcycle during the day and night. And there are some huge benefits if you get transition motorcycle glasses / sunglasses.

One benefit is that you only need to carry one pair of riding glasses. Most likely you know that carrying a second pair of motorcycle sunglasses is inconvenient at best. In addition, you aren’t spending as much money if you just purchase one pair of transition motorcycle glasses.

Polycarbonate vs Non-Polycarbonate Riding Lenses

Why should you get polycarbonate lenses in your motorcycle sunglasses / glasses? For starters, polycarbonate lenses are significantly stronger than lenses made of other materials. And when you are looking for the best motorcycle eyewear the more impact resistant the lenses you can get the better.

Next because a motorcycle rider’s safety is paramount all of Icicles® motorcycle glasses have 2 mil thick polycarbonate lenses. In addition, our lenses are ballistic tested under high velocity circumstances. Another reason why polycarbonate lenses are different than traditional glasses is because they are more flexible.

And Icicles® quality lenses offer shatterproof protection from damaging conditions. Plus our lenses won’t splinter on impact, which is another huge safety advantage for bikers.

Finally our polycarbonate lenses meet or exceed ANSI’s (American National Standards Institute) standards for impact resistance and shatterproof protection.

Mirrored Lenses in Sunglasses

First, as you know mirrored sunglasses have a reflective coating on the outside of the lenses. It is often referred to as “mirror coating” or “flash coating”. Also mirrored glasses are basically one-way mirrors so other people can’t see where you are looking at.

Next the mirror coating on glasses decreases the amount of light passing through a tinted lens by a further up to 50%. So for a biker this can be of significant value. And this is especially true when you are in the saddle for hours at a time in the sun.

The simplest version of a mirror coating is a single layer of a deposited thin film of a suitable metal. And usually this is done by and ion beam deposition, sputter deposition, or vapor deposition. Importantly, the color of the mirror coating is independent of the color of the tint of the lenses.

Benefits of Biker Glasses with Lens Coatings

How important is quality lens coating on motorcycle eyewear? For instance the high-tech coating on our motorcycle sunglass / glasses lens gives bikers some huge benefits: better optical clarity with zero distortion, reduced peripheral light and glare, greater depth perception, and 100% protection from harmful UVA, UVB, and short wave blue light rays.

Finally, hopefully the above gives you the answers you need to know of the benefits of different types lenses in sunglasses and glasses. Now that you know how to choose the best lenses for you, take a look at different styles, frame colors, lens options of our motorcycle sunglass and our prescription motorcycle riding glasses.