Bollé Gravity Goggle Review
First Impressions
Bollé made its reputation with cat eye sunglasses back in the 1950s and launched their first goggles shortly thereafter. Many, many years later, I picked up my first pair of goggles – a pair of Bollés – that accompanied me on my early forays into that Sierras. With many fond memories of my first pair, I was excited to check out the latest from the French manufacturer, the Gravity.
Features
The Gravity goggle uses a high contrast, photochromatic lens that darkens and lightens to meet various light conditions. The brighter the day, the darker the lens becomes. We liked that versatility a lot. And it worked well in our tests. The lens also blocks the majority of harmful UVA/UVB rays.
The Gravity’s lens is also spherical and allows for a nice wide field of view. It doesn’t, however, look massively oversized like many spherical lens goggles do. It’s double-walled polycarbonate, coated with a Carbo Glas scratch coating and interchangeable.
Specs
Lens: Polycarbonate, photochromatic, interchangeable
Lens Tint: Blue
Lens Category: 1-2 (VLT 26-66%)
UV Protection: Yes
And finally, venting both above and below the lens provided good air circulation and no fogging. The digital graphics on our black mosaic model were pretty killer too.
Fit
The Gravity is helmet compatible and worked well with our Smith Variant test helmet. We also liked the soft foam that Bollé uses to line the interior of the goggle, it’s very comfortable.
Final Verdict
Fond memories of my first Bollés came rolling back during this test. These new Gravity goggles more than met my expectations. The photochromatic lenses make them very versatile and the mosaic graphics deliver great looks. Recommended.
March 14, 2013
How wide and how high is the goggle frame?
How wide is the lens measured on the outside with a ruler and NOT with a soft measuring tape along the lens curvature?
How wide is the >window< in the face hugging foam padding?
Best regards,
Mark of Lombard, IL
March 14, 2013
Hey Mark, thanks for the question. The outside measurement is 6 3/8 inches. The interior measurement is 4 1/2 inches without compressing the foam. When the foam is compressed (as if you were wearing the goggle) the measurement is approximately 5 inches. Hope that helps.
If you decide to buy these or others, let me know. I’d like to know if what you do purchase lives up to your expectations.