Ekoi E-Lens: Data and information
- Category 2-3 glass made of shatterproof polycarbonate
- Electronic LCD glass: darkens or brightens in less than a tenth of a second depending on brightness
- Works with solar energy, no batteries or rechargeable batteries
- Scratch-resistant coating
- Polarised: blocks reflected light for glare-free vision
- Operating temperatures: -20°C to +50°C.
- 100 per cent waterproof (IP68 certification)
- 2-year guarantee
- Weight: 38 grammes
- Scope of delivery: hard case, soft pouch, replacement bracket
- Price: 320 Euro
Self-tinting glasses with LCD lens: faster than photochromic sunglasses
Sunglasses are increasingly becoming a fashion statement: trendy colours and mirrored lenses as large as motorbike helmet visors are particularly popular at the moment. As well as looking cool, they are designed to do one thing above all else: protect the wearer. From UV radiation and from flying particles such as dust, flies or splashing water. Because the sun doesn't always shine as brightly or the tint is simply too dark in shady wooded areas, the first self-tinting glasses were developed back in the 1960s. Molecules incorporated into the lenses trigger a chemical reaction through UV radiation, causing the lenses to darken. The problem with photochromic lenses: The reaction time from light to dark is up to one minute, from dark to light up to ten minutes. Far too slow for bike use.
Ekoi E-Lens sunglasses: LCD dimming in 0.1 seconds
With the new E-Lens sunglasses, Ekoi aims to deliver the perfect glasses for cycling. Their lenses are designed to adapt to the prevailing light conditions virtually in real time. This is made possible by a special LCD lens with liquid crystals from Swiss manufacturer Optrel.
The so-called ShadeTronic lenses use light sensors on the upper edge of the glasses to seamlessly adjust between medium, dark and very dark tints - in less than a tenth of a second. No additional power source is required. The energy is provided by integrated solar cells.
Extensive scope of delivery
The Ekoi E-Lens is supplied in a high-quality hard case. In addition to a transport bag, which can also be used as a cleaning cloth, it contains two slightly shorter replacement temples. This should allow the Ekoi to be optimally adapted to the heads of different wearers. The temples can also be easily bent, while the nose bridge is fixed.
Ekoi E-Lens: fit and weight of the self-tinting glasses
At just under 38 grams, the Ekoi sunglasses are no lightweight. Evil Eye Roadsense weighs 33 grams, Alpina's Ram HR Q-Lite V only 23 grams. Both have large panoramic lenses with self-tinting technology. However, the double lens and electronics on the E-Lens naturally add a little extra weight.
The workmanship of the Ekoi E-Lens is of a very high quality. The colour of the frame can be adapted to personal preferences via the manufacturer's website. There is a choice of four lens tints. The large lens offers a very good view - the lack of a frame at the bottom means that nothing disturbs your view of the trail or your GPS device. The temples can be adjusted slightly to the shape of the face, which will probably not be necessary for most wearers: the less flexible frame sits tightly on the head. However, adjusting the nose bridge would be a useful addition. The Ekoi sits quite loosely on narrow noses.
>> You can find more brand new sunglasses in the test in our article: 6 self-tinting cycling glasses in the test <<
On the trail
The first time you put them on, the surprise is huge: when you step into the sun, you don't notice anything at first! The E-Lens adapts to the light conditions so quickly that the eye hardly notices anything. It's only when you look into the sun and cover the light sensor with your finger that you have an aha moment. As if the glasses were pulling up the blinds in the blink of an eye, the sun is dazzling. If you move your head back and forth between the ground and the sky, the effect is also clear.
The E-Lens from Ekoi switches inconspicuously between the tint levels while riding. Because the lens adjusts smoothly and does not just move between on and off mode, the adjustment is extremely pleasing to the eye. There is just as little flickering of the disc during quick changes as there is overly harsh brightening. Ekoi seems to have hit the tinting speed perfectly.
A little dark as sunglasses for the trail: protection level 2 to 3
According to Ekoi, the E-Lens ranges from protection class two to three. This means that in the brightest mode, a good 70 per cent of the light is kept away from the eye. At protection level 3, only around 15 per cent of the light reaches the eye. Even on bright days, this is not enough for shady forest rides. For MTB use, a tint between categories 1 and 2 or 1 to 3 would be more suitable.
Conclusion
Adjusting the shade virtually in real time is a small revolution and could revolutionise the classic photochromic glasses from the market in the future. The darkening is almost imperceptible to our eyes, and the tinting speed of the Ekoi E-Lens is extremely accurate. The technology is a blessing, especially for bikers who often switch between light and shade. For MTB use, however, the lens is a little dark overall, especially in dense forest or at dusk. The workmanship and features of the E-Lens sunglasses are commensurate with the high price. A slightly more flexible frame and an adjustable nose bridge could significantly improve the fit.
Ekoi is not the only provider with innovative LCD technology. Evil Eye, React and Out Of also have glasses with innovative light sensors. A test of the Eyerex Eshades E1which has similar technology, can also be found on our website.
Stefan Frey
Editor
