The POC Devour review in a nutshell: POC’s distinctive Devour sunnies won’t appeal to all riders, but if they tickle your fancy, you’ll find they’re a great pair of shades for all seasons.
Having a pair of the best cycling sunglasses isn't just about keeping the sun out of your eyes just as you hit a treacherous incline. Good cycling sunglasses are also essential for keeping grit, insects and whatever else the world can chuck at you out of your eyes, as well as reducing glare and giving the world a touch more contrast so that you can ensure that you stick to the right track when you're out and about.
POC's new Devour MTB sunglasses are built to do just that. As well as looking cool, they offer top-rate eye protection, and the lenses have been designed specifically for mountain biking. Want to know more? Read on.
POC Devour review: Price and availability
A pair of POC Devour sunglasses would cost you £230 at the POC UK store; however, they're completely sold out at the moment; instead, go to Alpinetrek, where you can get them for £221.95. In the US, you can find them for $250 at WesternBikeworks, while in Australia, they can be had from Wiggle.com for AUS$420.88.
POC Devour review: Design and build
The Devour has been designed as a halfway house between regular sunglasses and goggles, which means, of course, that they’re big and bold. They offer excellent peripheral vision and protection from not just the sun’s rays but dirt and dust thrown up on the trail; nevertheless, they’re still lightweight.
POC Devour review: features
The most obvious feature of the Devour is the large, ‘Silver Mirror’ reflective lens, which gives complete protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays; with some sunnies light is able to get in at the sides and at the top and bottom, but not with the Devour, where the goggle-like design keeps all the bad stuff out (including grit and dirt).
Although the Devour is aimed primarily at mountain bikers it will work just fine for regular road riding, and given the current roadie trend for big, brash lenses it isn’t going to look too out of place on the road.
The lens is specifically designed to sharpen light in the green and brown spectrum since these are the most common light wavelengths experienced whilst mountain biking, and the excellent peripheral vision is to be welcomed when blasting down the trails.
The lenses themselves get a good measure of protection thanks to POC’s ‘Ri-Pel’ hydrophobic and oleophobic treatment, which protects against dirt, water, sweat, salt, oil and dust and also makes the lenses easier to clean; in addition, they come with an anti-scratch treatment.
Unlike many pairs of shades, you can adjust the Devour at both the temples and the nose piece to get a very comfortable, secure fit, and you’re also provided with a spare clear lens to give you protection in wet and muddy conditions, along with a soft carrying pouch which also doubles as a lens cleaning cloth.
And incidentally, the Devour has been designed to fit seamlessly with POC’s excellent Kortal Race MTB helmet.
POC Devour review: Performance
The bold and brassy design of the Devour makes something of a statement – you’re not going to go unnoticed if you turn up at your local trail centre wearing them. Once you get out on the trail, the goggle-like design proves reassuring with its welcome mix of top-level protection from both sunshine and dirt and great peripheral vision, whilst the adjustable temples and nose piece ensure a secure fit on the roughest of trails, whatever the shape of your head (unless you’re a Mekon).
I found the arms to be a little stiff to adjust, but that’s no big deal, and it does at least ensure they stay in your chosen position. The inclusion of a clear lens meant that I was able to use the Devour in both sunny and cloudy/wet conditions and enjoy equally effective eye protection, and I’d also be happy to don them for road biking too, so despite the high price tag, they are pretty versatile.
POC Devour review: Verdict
The POC Devour is a very effective pair of sunnies for everything from bright sunny summer days to gloopy rides in winter. With two lenses (one mirror, one clear), they’ll protect your eyes from both sun and dirt, and the design is a pleasing compromise between regular shades and full-on goggles. That said, the expansive, flamboyant design won’t appeal to everyone.
