- Beautifully designed details
- Comfortable fit when worn under a helmet
- Lens shape prevents excessive wind from hitting eyes
- As pricey as a high quality helmet
- Arms don't fold, making them tricky to stash
- Lens surface can scratch
- Intended for under-helmet use, with thin arms that don't create pressure on temples
- Shatter-resistant lenses with 100% UV-A and UV-B protection
- Soft, hypoallergenic material comes in contact with skin
- Available in five shapes, in gray or brown
- Manufacturer claims a "flexible titanium inside arm overmolded by a hard outer elastomere and a soft composite inner rubber"
- MSRP: $350
Squadras combine a shatter resistant shield with flexible titanium arms coated with an outer elastomere layer. I spent several weeks testing a pair, and found their combination of style and function exceptional. They fit tightly but comfortably underneath a variety of full-face helmets, including an AGV, an Arai, and a Bell. While riding a Vespa in New York City with an open face helmet, the Squadras stayed snug at speeds approaching 60 mph, without allowing much wind to hit my eyes. However, careless storage can quickly mar these pricey shades; they caught a few scratches when stored in the Vespa’s underseat area. The Squadras also have another drawback: the arms don't fold, making storage somewhat tricky—especially when you’re on the road and want to tuck them into a pocket or a saddlebag.
Squadras are beautifully designed and nicely finished, and they offer a comfortable fit underneath a helmet (which comes in handy when you don’t want to be stuck with a tinted visor after nightfall.) Their suggested $350 price isn't for the faint of heart... however, I will say that it was difficult to return my pair of Squadras when I was done with testing, as they looked great in and out of a helmet.
If you don’t mind spending big bucks on premium shades, Tag Heuer Squadras are a sweet pair of sunglasses. But if the sticker shock is prohibitive, there are other (less stylish) ways to shield your eyes from the wind, sun, and bugs that you'll encounter on the open road.
