Sports eyewear brands are a dime a dozen, and there are even more low-cost manufacturers that flood the revolving racks in front of junk shops with their disposable eyewear. The young Swiss sports eyewear brand Ileve deliberately takes a different approach in the fast-moving sporting goods business; the company designs and manufactures its high-quality eyewear in Switzerland. The designs are produced using 3D printing, which allows the economical use of raw materials. The design is timelessly simple and dispenses with fashionable gimmicks. Weighing just 23 grams, the glasses are among the lightest on the market.
Innovative design without screws
The hinges of the temples are robustly constructed and snap securely into place, ensuring that the glasses stay securely on the head even during intense activities. Neither the temples nor the nose bridge are rubberised, but are designed so that the glasses fit snugly, light as a feather and securely on the head. Remarkably, although the nose bridge is not adjustable and, unlike many other cycling goggles, is not fitted with silicone pads or similar, it fits perfectly on the bridge of the nose, at least on the tester's nose. They stay in place without pinching, even after several hours, which speaks in favour of the ergonomically precise design. We didn't find that it bounced on the nose on rough surfaces; we don't think it's impossible, especially on very narrow nose bridges. The three small air holes on each side of the nose bridge have become an Ileve trademark.
The delicately designed temples with an elliptical cross-section nestle against the head without pinching and hold the glasses reliably in place. When folded in, the temple ends keep sufficient distance to the lens so that it cannot be touched and scratched from the inside. The temples can be adjusted to a certain extent by carefully bending them if they do not fit your head perfectly as standard. However, the manufacturer advises that this process should be repeated rarely and always with care so as not to impair the longevity of the glasses.
Two sizes for different head shapes
The N°5 lite is available in two different sizes. The small version is designed for rather narrow head shapes; the frame is 136 millimetres wide and the temples are 117 millimetres long. The standard version is suitable for normal to rather wide head shapes and comes with a frame width of 144 millimetres and the same temple length.
The N°5 lite is available with different lens variants. The photochromatic version (category 1-3) automatically adapts to the light conditions and offers a light transmission of 75 to 10 per cent. It is therefore suitable for all weather and light conditions as well as for driving at night. Alternatively, lenses with a fixed tint are also available: The violet variant (category 2) with a light transmission of 22 per cent is suitable for sunny, cloudy and rainy conditions as well as twilight. The gold mirror version (category 2) with a light transmission of 20 per cent is also suitable for sunny, cloudy and rainy conditions. All lenses offer 100 percent UV protection and high glare protection, high contrast and true colour vision. They are equipped with hydrophobic and dirt-repellent coatings as well as an anti-reflective coating on the back.
High-quality lenses for optimum vision
The lens of the N°5 lite is drawn far around the eyes, the side edges are already outside the normal field of vision. The upper goggle frame hardly disturbs the view: depending on the helmet/goggle combination, you tend to look towards the edge of the helmet when your head is lowered. Compared to the N°4 lite, which we have already been able to testthe disc does not sit quite so close to the eyes, we consider contact with the cheek or eyelashes to be impossible.
Unpleasant draughts are not noticeable and the eyes do not feel dry or strained even after long journeys. The photochromatic lens automatically adjusts to the brightness, darkening faster than it brightens - the reverse would be better, so that you have a clear view again more quickly when entering a tunnel or a shady forest, for example.
It goes without saying that such high-quality glasses cannot be cheap. Depending on the lens and colour variant, the Ileve N°5 lite is available for 270 euros, while the model with photochromatic lenses costs 300 euros. The manufacturer promises a 30-day right of return with a full refund of the purchase price if the glasses do not meet expectations.
Technical specifications Ileve N°5 lite
- Weight: 23 grammes
- Material: 3D-printed polyamide
- Hinge: Screwless click-in hinge
- Temples: Individually adjustable
- Scope of delivery: glasses case and glasses bag
Sizes
- Small: frame width 136 mm, temple length 117 mm
- Standard: frame width 144 mm, frame length 117 mm
Glasses
- Photochromatic (CAT 1-3): Light transmission 75-10 %, suitable for all weather and light conditions
- Violet (CAT 2): Light transmission 22 %, suitable for sunny, cloudy and rainy conditions
- Gold Mirror (CAT 2): Light transmission 20 %, suitable for sunny, cloudy and rainy conditions
- Features: 100 % UV protection, high glare protection, high contrast, colour-fast vision, hydrophobic and dirt-repellent coatings, anti-reflective coating on the back
Prices
- N°5 lite with photochromatic lenses: 300 euros
- N°5 lite with single-colour lenses: 270 euros
Thomas Musch
Publisher
