The fit of the new Halfrim Pro is much improved over previous Evil Eye eyewear. It has longer, more curved SPX plastic arms, each with a double strip of rubber to ensure sweat won’t make them slip, and a foam brow drip blocker – although we still can’t get that to fit as well as it should.
The temple area is also improved, and it now fits neatly over helmet straps. The glasses are available in three widths too.
The optics have a 10-base lens shape that allows a clear view of the trail, and use LST (Light Stabilizing Technology) to filter 100 percent of UVA, B and C radiation. As well as bright filter lenses for low light conditions, the Pro is supplied with a set of Decentered Vision Advantage PC lenses. These brown lenses coped well in bright sunlight and were usable in dull light.
Two features from the older Evil Eyes that we're glad to see here are the Double Snap nosepiece, with its excellent width adjustment, and the three-point angle adjustment of the arms. The latter is particularly useful if you mix your riding between road, time trial and mountain biking, where your head position changes. It's good to be able to alter the angle mid-ride as the sun moves across the sky too.
However, one tester noted that even with a full range of adjustability, the frame sat too low and impeded vision when they were looking up in an aggressive riding position.
The Halfrim uses twin (split) lenses, with a slide operated lock-and-release system which makes changing the lenses a doddle. Between the lenses is a small vent which keeps fogging to a minimum, but doesn’t totally stop it on sweaty climbs. The Halfrim Pro glasses weigh 29g, the same as our Oakley Radars, and its lenses mimic the full depth Radar Pitch lenses.
The price is steep but in line with top-end sports eyewear of similar quality. If you can't stretch to the Pro version, with extra lowlight lens, soft bag and hardcase included in the price, the Evil Eye basic comes with just one set of lenses and no sweat blocker for £135 / US$170 / AU$219.95. Both are available in various colour options. Those who need prescription glasses can use clip-in RX inserts, or go the directly glazed lens route for a premium.