As the days shorten and the light goes flat, your summer lenses could be holding you back. Here's why a low-light or Iris™ photochromic lens earns its place through autumn.
The leaves are turning, the mornings are sharper, and your 7 am ride starts in half-darkness. Autumn is one of the best times of year to be outside, but at times your summer sunglasses start working against you.
So do you really need a low-light or photochromic lens for autumn? In short: yes. Here's why.
When the light goes flat, hazards blend in
Summer light is harsh, but it's high-contrast. Shadows are sharp and edges are clear. Autumn light is different. Low cloud, mist and barely any sun, all flatten what you see.
That's when hazards start to blend into the road. Wet leaves, potholes, gravel on a corner and damp roots on the trail all fade into the same grey-brown. A low-light lens helps lift them back out, so you spot them sooner and ride with more confidence.
Dark lenses can block up to 90% of the light
A typical summer lens is built to block light. Our 8KO® Smoke lens, for example, is a Category 3 tint with 14% visible light transmission (VLT). That means it lets through only a small fraction of the light around you, which is exactly right on a bright July climb.
In October, that's light you'll want back. When there's less light to start with, a dark lens takes away detail you need. A low-light lens lets more of the available light through, so the world doesn't go dim just because the season has.
It's less about brightness, more about what you can see
A low-light lens isn't about making everything brighter. It's about what you can pick out. The right tint sharpens contrast and definition, so the road surface, the line through a corner and the car pulling out ahead all stand out more clearly.
It's the difference between seeing something ahead and knowing exactly what it is.
Contrast on uneven ground helps you read the terrain
This matters most off-road. On a trail under tree cover in autumn, you're moving between dappled light, deep shade and open sky within seconds. A low-light lens lifts contrast on uneven ground, so you can read the terrain: roots, ruts, rocks and the slick patch you want to avoid.
The better you can read it, the faster and smoother you can ride it.
Choosing your autumn lens: Plum or Iris™
Built for flat, grey days, early starts and late finishes. Plum lifts contrast when the light is low, so it's a strong choice for dull mornings, overcast rides and shaded trails.
If autumn weather can't make up its mind, neither should you. Iris™ reacts to UV levels and light brightness. The lens darkens to cut glare when the sun breaks through, then lightens again when the clouds roll in, so you never lose sight of the road or trail ahead. It means one lens from dawn to dusk, and no stopping to swap mid-ride. Iris™ comes in HV Blue and Smoke, and fits our Pace Series™ frames, including Velans™ 2, Vulcans™, Ultras™, Airas™, FORTY2s™ and GTs™.
Already have a pair? All our lenses are fully interchangeable, including our clear, low-light and photochromic options. You can switch lenses in as little as 15 seconds, so updating for autumn doesn't mean a new pair of sunglasses.
Why sunglasses still earn their place in autumn
When the sun disappears, it's tempting to leave your glasses at home. But eyewear in autumn isn't only about the sun. It's also protection from:
Wind, which makes your eyes water just when you need to see clearly
Rain and road spray, which is gritty, constant and unpleasant
Debris, like flicked-up mud, grit, insects and low branches
Low, blinding sun on clear evenings, when it sits right at eye level
With the right lens, sunglasses earn their place through autumn: wind, rain and all.
Backed by 8KO® nylon lenses
Every one of these lenses is made from our 8KO® nylon, a precision-engineered 2mm polyamide that's:
Lighter than traditional polycarbonate
Clearer, at up to 70% clearer than industry-standard polycarbonate lenses, with less chromatic aberration (light distortion)
Stronger, with a lens that's more shatterproof than polycarbonate and more flexible in a crash
Protective, with 100% UVA and UVB protection
The seasons change, and your lens should too.
