Smith Pivlock V2 Glasses: Reviewed

Dust, mud, gravel, bugs, branches – you don’t want that crap getting in your eyes, especially when you’re hound-dogging your buddy’s Hans Dampf, trying to make a pass and get into some clean air.

I’ve been an on again, off again sunglass wearer during rides on the Shore for years. Everywhere else, I wear them 100% of the time. But the changing light and ventilation demands on lenses in these parts means I’m happy enough to leave ’em behind and tolerate the mud pellets that eject themselves from my eyes and into my thai curry mussels later that night.

It’s not a great situation, though. Despite my contact lenses, wind still makes my eyes water, branches pose a hazard, and I don’t spend enough time at the pointy end of the pack to claim my face never gets roosted. Smith’s Pivlock (V2) has a shape that covers well without looking like a prop from a space-themed shoot ’em up, and a frameless design that makes for great sight lines, but what really interested me was the photochromic lens. Would it adjust quickly enough for me to be able to see well when popping in and out of trees? Would it work on dark and stormy days as well as bright, sunny ones?

The Smith Pivlock V2 comes with 3 lenses, a cloth, and a case that is large but the protection is worth it.

Lenses

The Pivlock V2s I tested came with three lenses: Clear, Photochromic Ignitor (reddish/brown tint) and Blackout (for very bright, exposed conditions, like skiing). I also requested the Clear Photochromic lens because it seemed better suited to winter conditions in Vancouver, so I put those in and never took them out again. From Fall riding in Leavenworth, WA, where conditions varied from overcast to bright and sunny, to winter riding in North Vancouver (dark and wet) and even night riding in the cold, that one lens adjusted as promised and always felt just right for me.

The Ignitor Photochromic (rear) and Clear Photochromic (front) lenses, plus nose and ear pieces. Changing lenses takes less than a minute, even the first time.

Here, then, is a multi-lens glass that really only requires one lens. I did try the Ignitor Photochromic lens as well, in a variety of conditions including cross-country skiing and hiking in Sun Valley this winter, where it is always very sunny and extremely bright, and it provided enough protection even in those conditions. Which photochromic lens you choose would come down to whether you prefer the cooler/truer tint of the Clear Photochromic lens or the slight reddish hue of the Ignitor.

So in answer to my main question: yes the photochromic lenses were effective in a variety of conditions. Even when flying out of the shade and into the sun, they would start adjusting immediately, and hit full tint in what seemed like a reasonable amount of time – usually under a minute. Going in the other direction worked equally well, so I never had that ‘driving through a tunnel with your dark shades on’ feeling.

Optics and Ventilation

Smith has always had pretty good optics, but to me their advantage comes with options and mid-range value. Do certain brands that emphasize their optical clarity seem to be better? Maybe if I really try to notice. Did I ever feel like the Pivlock V2s suffered from distortion or issues with clarity? Absolutely not. Did I feel comfortable putting these in a shirt pocket or riding bag, sometimes without the cloth bag around them? Yes – and they never scratched.

On the ventilation side, these glasses shielded my face very well, which also means that as soon as you stop riding, they’ll start to fog a little, especially when it’s humid or rainy. But start moving again and they clear right away. As an aside: the trend for jersey manufacturers to include a lens shammy on the inside of the shirt (or in some cases, the entire front of your jersey may be eyewear-friendly) is a good one, and makes it easier on those of us who drip sweat out of our helmets and onto our shades quite often. Keep ’em coming.

On the left, the Clear Photochromic lens in the shade on the north shore – which usually means you’re under a dark forest canopy. You can see a bit of tint but they’re closer to clear which is how they look on a dark, rainy day. On the right, the Ignitor Photochromic lens while hiking in Sun Valley. Sunny, bright, and no problem at all for the lens or my eyes, which are somewhat photosensitive.

Details and Fit

As the name suggests, you change lenses by pivoting the earpieces at the temple of the lens and then locking them when they pivot back down, which is fast and easy and never gives you the sense that you’re about to break something. The nosepiece is adjustable with three positions per side to accommodate all sizes of honkers but also allows you to control the distance of the lens from your eyes and lashes. Widen the nosepiece to bring the lens closer, narrow it to give a bit more room.

Rubber sleeves on the nose and earpieces are both made from a hydrophilic material which gets stickier when wet – perfect for when you start to sweat or are riding in wet conditions. I never had an issue with the Pivlocks sliding down or moving on my face. Helmet compatibility has been good: I’ve used them successfully with a Troy Lee A1, Specialized Tactic II, Bell Super, and Urge All-M, all without any earpiece/helmet interference.

Smith Pivlock V2  CAD $250 // USD $239

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Do you ride with sunglasses, or is it goggles only now for the Full Enduro?