Vinco Performance eyewear has many strong marketing narratives: renewable performance, made from trees, superb visibility, and impressive pedigree. What I like best is how they fit, are light, don’t slip or fog, and perform.
They remind me of my old Brikos, which fit perfectly until my dog chewed them up. The style was Bono in his Fly phase or what Cipo wore at the Giro.
Much has changed since those days and I’m happy to have a pair of wraparounds that a considerable amount of product design and engineering went into. Touchpoints on the bike—shorts, pedals, helmet, eyewear— I do not skimp on either. Because being comfortable or not during a long day in the saddle can make a huge difference in the enjoyment of your ride.
Where I ride mostly now, in the trees, and on the dirt roads of the Methow Valley the light changes rapidly. I’m under a tree canopy and then not. What I like most about Vinco is they don’t sell photochromic lenses because they haven’t found a lens formula that works as well as a non-photochromic lens. What happens is the lens can’t change fast enough and just ends up with a shade of grey.
Vinco sells the Sola and Terra (MSRP $249 a pair of $379 for a bundle). I wear both for road or mountain days. The Sola lens is optimized for bright conditions. The Terra lens is optimized for overcast sky conditions. Occasionally gear just fits me perfectly and that’s how it is with Vinco as well as Kali, founded by another former Specialized designer who started their own company.
Vinco Performance Eyewear Product specifications
The Sola and Terra are made from Lignatura, a carbon-neutral ultra-resilient bio-resin derived from a byproduct of paper production, coming from controlled reforestation in Finnish forests. Vinco warranties the frames for 2 years and will replace them after you wear them out. Handmade in Italy, this eyewear feature adjustable temple tips and stainless steel lens attachment.
- Comes in 2 sizes for ultimate comfort and protection
- Measurements: 134mm wide (small) or 138mm wide (large)
- Weight: 27g (small), 29g (large)
- Customizable fit. Adjustable temple tips enable the perfect fit for diverse anatomy
- Stainless spring-cam temple hinges that last a lifetime.
- Frame material: Lignatura bio-resin
- Lens material: Polyamide
- Total coverage thanks to exclusive panoramic-view cylindrical lens
- Stainless steel hardware retains the lens in the frame — no matter the impact (ANSI Z80.3 impact tested).
- Colors: Slate black, Salt grey, Rhodonite pink
- Warranty: 2 years
There are many reasons to buy Vinco, as shared above. Renewable, stylish, and thoughtfully designed. Pick one of those are all. I should also mention the lens coating. It performs like a very high-quality polarizer filter I’d use on a camera lens.
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