Giro Havik Full Sunglasses $139

I’ve wanted to try some new sunglasses and given my high opinion of Giro helmets, it seems logical to try theirs.  So, here’s my impression of the Havik Full cycling sunglasses.  I don’t think there is a reason to write too much about sunglasses so I’ll just lay out what I like and don’t like about the Haviks.

What I like

Obviously, optics are important in sunglasses.  Poor optics distort your view and strain your eyes.   The Havik Fulls employ Zeiss optics and they are the best I’ve ever used in sunglasses.  I know that’s a big statement but it’s true and not that surprising.  Zeiss optics are world renowned and they make a huge difference in clarity.  The size of the lens is nice as well.  The Havik Full offers great coverage without being so big that they get in the way.  Sitting up on a road bike or down in an aero position, the Havik Fulls offer a great view of the road, unobstructed by the frame.  The Havik also comes in a Compact for those with smaller faces.

This may seem silly to some but it must be important to many since Giro makes a point of it in the marketing material, but they fit great in your helmet when you aren’t wearing them on a ride.  In fact, this is very important to me as I often store my glasses in my helmet.  The Haviks fit well either upside down or right side up without slipping out or digging into my head.

I find the aesthetics of the Havik quite nice.  I generally like black sunglasses but they do come in multiple colors (both frame and lens) and I find the styling to be very appealing. 

What I don’t like

The Haviks fit securely but take some fiddling to get comfortable.  The nose piece grabs so well that it can pull on your skin.  It is a good thing that the grippy pieces grip your nose, but by the time I get them settled I am quite annoyed and my nose hurts.  Once settled, though, they stay put regardless of how much you sweat.

The frame sits too close to my forehead which seals the frame to my head and prevents air flow.  This causes heat to noticeably build up and doesn’t allow air flow to help clear fogging and sweat that drips on the lenses.  It could just be the combination of my head and these frames but it’s worth thinking about as you try them on.

Once I have them in the right place, I am pleased with the fit of the frames though they never “disappear” on your head like a really nice pair of glasses should.  However, the Haviks are impossible for me to wear off of the bike.  What Giro describes as a secure fit, I describe as way too tight.  The contact point behind my ears squeezes so hard that it actually induced a headache before I realized what was happening.  Since I wear a medium Giro helmet, I don’t think my head is so big that this should happen.  To be fair, these glasses are for bike riding and for whatever reason, I do not notice this at all on the bike.  For use in triathlons, though, I could not leave the Haviks on after T2.  So, Giro isn’t lying, the fit is secure - too secure for anything off the bike.  While the $139 price tag is certainly reasonable for glasses of this quality, it isn’t cheap and it would be nice to be able to use them for more than just cycling.

Finally, a hard case and clear lenses would be nice.  I think many companies now make hard cases and clear lenses optional to keep costs in check and that probably makes sense for many consumers.  I often ride in the dark morning hours and I like to store my glasses in a hard case when not in use since I believe in taking care of expensive gear.  So, the true cost of these frames is more like $180 to get the extra pieces I want.  That’s still in the ball park for glasses of this quality but worth noting when shopping.

Giro glasses should certainly be on your shopping list when you are in the market for high end optics.  The optics are second to none, construction quality is top notch and the design aesthetics are very nice.  Fit is a different story and suggests a “try before you buy” approach as everyone’s noggin is different.  On the right person, the Giro Havik Full sunglasses can be an excellent choice.

Mark