KOO Demos Matt sunglasses review

The Koo Demos sunglasses are the brand's oversized and toughened glasses, designed for the rigours of mountain biking and gravel.

The Demos glasses mix the retro sweep of rivals such as the Oakley Sutro, but add a modern angular frame with a very on-trend (for the gravel world) matt finish.

In testing, the sunglasses performed brilliantly, but a lacklustre accessories package and high price reduce the value somewhat.

Koo Demos Matt details

The large 145x60mm lens is made for Koo by optics expert Zeiss.

The Orange Mirror lens comes as a filter category 2 and allows for 35 per cent light transmission.

The sweep around the face is more subtle than the Oakley Encoder or Tifosi Sledge, with little vertical curvature.

The angular frame has a flat matt finish, and the polymer material has a good deal of elasticity.

The nosepiece offers two-position adjustability and the arms are tipped with an elastomer called Megol, which is said to provide tacky grip even when wet, and improve the Demos' fit.

A high-quality cleaning bag and second nosepiece are included, but I’d like to have seen a hard case too, considering the premium price.

Koo Demos Matt performance

The visual clarity is exceptional throughout the full extent of the lens.

Even though the lens has very little vertical curvature, I never experienced anything approaching distortion.

The contrast is less punchy than Oakley’s Prizm lenses, but I found it worked brilliantly both on and off the road with optimal clarity.

The glasses have proven very tough too. The frame tension holds them firmly on your head and the adjustable nosepiece ensures they stay put, even on the roughest surfaces.

Subtle vents at both the top and bottom of the lens help reduce fogging to a minimum, although I occasionally found a bit of condensation collecting on the frame section above the bridge of my nose.

The high elasticity of the frame material, combined with top-quality hinges, ensured the Demos gripped my head tenaciously.

Combine the sprung frame with 70mm-long tacky inserts on the arms, plus the height and width adjustment on the nosepiece, and the Koos are some of the best cycling sunglasses out there for staying put when you're bouncing around off-road.

The 33g weight, considering the size and substance of the Demos, is more than light enough, and the secure fit makes these a good option for gravel riding.

However, the Demos glasses don’t pack anything notable in the way of extras. A soft case and a spare nosepiece doesn't add up to justify the premium price these glasses command, no matter how good they are.

Koo Demos Matt bottom line

The Koo Demos Matt glasses are a good option, the lens quality is excellent (albeit contrast isn’t quite as good as the very best lenses) and they have proven tough against sweat, grit and clumsy ownership.

Sadly, given the paltry accessories package and the high price, they don’t quite hit the heights of the very best sunglasses overall.