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These goggles look amazing, to say the least... |
Words and photos by Jay Sinclair
One of the most underrated and forgotten pieces of protective equipment in the biking world is eyewear. Not so for the people at Adidas eyewear - they spend every waking minute trying to figure out what will work best for the riders needs.
Adidas has been on a large marketing and exposure push in the last few months. With signed riders like Tyler “Super T” Klassen, Darren Berrecloth, and Geoff Gulevich, as well as the talents of Ryan Hayes and the Dangerous Dan Cowen F.L.O.W. Riders, Adidas has been snapping up local B.C. talent like it’s going out of style. Adidas has also been a long-time sponsor of trials legend Hans Rey and currently sponsors the Planet X team. The most impressive thing I found when talking to the riders is that every single one of them was super-stoked on the performance and fit of the Adidas eyewear. Needless to say, I had to get some goggles to try out. |
Yodais installed. |
I hooked up with Chánh Le Huy of Adidas Eyewear at the Gravity Festival in Whistler and he set me up with a pair of the top-of-the-line Yodai goggles - royal blue with a yellow logo, complete with the LST (Light Stabilizing Technology) ™ Trail lens with a silver mirror.
These goggles look amazing, to say the least. The manufacturing and design is truly well thought out. They fit well and are designed to be integrated into your helmet. There is no excessive pressure on the bridge of your nose and your helmet will not have to be angled strangely to be comfortable.
 Integrated silicone band  BLING BLING
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One of the nicest design specifications is the integrated silicone band on the inside of the goggle strap. This band lets you adjust the pressure on your face by simply putting your goggles on and then giving them a slight tug outward to relieve any pressure. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much adjustment I could get with this method. Obviously, the biggest issue with any goggle is the lens and Adidas has not fallen short in this department. The LST Trail comes with Adidas Spherical Vision Advantage PC twin lenses, and it is the best lens I have ever had the chance to wear. In layman’s terms, the lens is curved both from side to side and top to bottom. Combine this with a dual lens - the outside one chromed and tinted and the inside one coated to resist fogging - and you come out with the ultimate trail riding lens. The amber tint is easy on the eyes, awesome in the bright sun, and can hold up quite well in the shadows. I had no issues whatsoever using these goggles in the trees, out in the open, or even on the Shore. In the past, I’ve had nothing but trouble trying to run goggles on the Shore. Fogging was my nemesis, but this lens didn’t fog once and doesn’t even fog if you huff hot air into the goggles. That’s impressive. |
The goggles are compatible with Adidas’ Rimless Performance Insert™, which allows a rider to clip a prescription lens into the inside of the goggle body. The Yodai goggles are available in six different colours, but only three have the silicone band on the strap (blue, red, and green). They retail for roughly US$100 or about CDN$150, and this definitely puts them into the high-end goggle market with Oakley and Smith, right where they should be. |  Room with an amber view |
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