Spy Optics might not be the first thought for a good pair of cycling glasses. But the new Monolith has a similar shape and size to a lot of other biking glasses like the Oakley Sutro, Smith Wildcat, and TIfosi Rail. The main difference is the new Happy Boost Lens that brightens the colors and honestly does kind of make you feel a little happier with just how bright and vibrant the colors are when wearing them.
The Monolith comes in a full frame and a 50/50 frame option ranging in price from $150 to $210 USD. There are nine color options to choose from.
The lenses on the model are one piece curved which can sometimes distort the vision. Spy uses active radius curvature to reduce the distortion on a large.
Spy Optic Sunglasses
I was never a sunglasses person until I started hiking in the thin air of the mountains and realized just how important taking care of the eyes is on a hike or anytime in the outdoors. The sun is so much more intense at elevation and spending hours outdoors. I recently tried the Spy Optic Monolith 50/50 Sunglasses with what they call Happy Boost and I was impressed. There are currently two styles of Monolith with the Happy Boost technology and currently eight styles of Monolith 50/50 without the Happy Boost. This review will focus on the two Happy Boost styles as that is what I tested.
As a disclaimer I would like to mention that I have an affiliate agreement with Spy Optic and I was sent these glasses for the purposes of doing a review. This site uses affiliate marketing links and any purchase you make from links on this website may result in me getting a small commission with no extra cost to you. All opinions on this page are my own and based on my own experiences with these glasses. This review is for general informational purposes. Your experience may be different.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Quality lens
- True to color
- Comes with its owns leash
- Lightweight
- Versatility: great for active or casual activity
- Comfortable nose pads
Cons
- Only comes in one size and is too large for me.
- Leash attachment is at the arm ends as opposed to closer to the lens. Being at the end of the arms, it’s easier to get caught up on the ears when putting the glasses on.
These glasses are great and I use them every day. They make for an excellent ‘viewing experience,’ where colors and contrast are not lost by wearing a tinted lens. You can learn more about the Happy LensTM technology here.
Sunglasses ESSENTIAL STYLES
DISCORD
HAPPY BOOST™
- Features SPY+’s new HAPPY BOOST™ Lens Technology, which provides SUPER vivid color & contrast, in addition to the benefits of the HAPPY™ Lens.
- 99% polarized efficiency for superior clarity by reducing glare off water and flat, smooth, and shiny surfaces.
- Maintains an optimum white balance, enhancing colors without sacrificing others.
- Lenses include a hydro-oleophobic coating to repel both oil and water.
- Added backside anti-reflective coating to minimize distracting reflections.
As big and bold as the era that inspired it, the Discord proves that a little dissension goes a long way in this large-scale, ’80s-inspired piece. Available with our revolutionary Happy™ lens tech and polarization, the Discord is constructed from lightweight yet durable Grilamid® and features robust 5-barrel hinges. For a more subtle look, check out the low-profile Discord Lite sunglass.
- SPY+’s revolutionary therapeutic Happy™ lens tech is scientifically tuned to boost mood and alertness while enhancing color and contrast, providing a truly life-changing visual experience
- ARC® (Accurate Radius Curvature) polycarbonate lenses are tapered to follow the natural curvature of the eye, providing crystal-clear distortion-free vision while reducing eyestrain
- Available with polarization, which blocks over 99% of surface glare and is layered and sealed within SPY’s lenses to prevent scratching, delaminating, and hazing of your polarized filter
- Constructed from Grilamid®, a lightweight frame material ideal for everyday wear due to its strength and flexibility
- Robust 5-barrel hinges for added durability
- 100% UV protection reduces eye fatigue and long-term sun damage
- Replacement lenses available
- Frame measures 57-17-145
MONOLITH
We took your favorite Summer shades and added some color heat that only the MONOLITH could withstand. Built for performance, designed for the party, and painted with the hues of our favorite season.
Built by an other-worldly force whose mission is to push humankind to spread positivity through revolutionary design… MONOLITH single lens sunglasses have been unearthed from deep within Area 94 with one purpose only—to unleash a tsunami of style and tech that will sweep the planet and bring a smile to all who dare to put it on. Wear at your own risk..
- SPY+’s revolutionary therapeutic Happy™ lens tech is scientifically tuned to boost mood and alertness while enhancing color and contrast, providing a truly life-changing visual experience
- ARC® (Accurate Radius Curvature) polycarbonate lenses are tapered to follow the natural curvature of the eye, providing crystal-clear distortion-free vision while reducing eyestrain
- Scoop® ventilation system increases air flow and decreases fog-causing sweat and moisture
- Constructed from Grilamid®, a lightweight frame material ideal for everyday wear due to its strength and flexibility
- Comfortable rubber nose pads provide a secure fit no matter how hard you sweat
- Third-eye SPY+ cross lens detail
- Snap pin hinges provide a secure, comfortable fit
- 100% UV protection reduces eye fatigue and long-term sun damage
- Frame measures 138-00-147
Size
Framed Sunglasses
Frameless Sunglasses
Specs
- SPY+’s revolutionary therapeutic Happy™ lens tech is scientifically tuned to boost mood and alertness while enhancing color and contrast, providing a truly life-changing visual experience
- ARC® (Accurate Radius Curvature) polycarbonate lenses are tapered to follow the natural curvature of the eye, providing crystal-clear distortion-free vision while reducing eyestrain
- Scoop® ventilation system increases air flow and decreases fog-causing sweat and moisture
- Constructed from Grilamid®, a lightweight frame material ideal for everyday wear due to its strength and flexibility
- Comfortable rubber nose pads provide a secure fit no matter how hard you sweat
- Third-eye SPY+ cross lens detail
- Snap pin hinges provide a secure, comfortable fit
- 100% UV protection reduces eye fatigue and long-term sun damage
- Frame measures 142-00-147
Goggles ESSENTIAL STYLES
HOT SPOT
We created these iconic shades to bring just enough late ’70s / early ’80s flare to get the party started without going full-on disco. Far out and full of funk, slide these sunglasses on, turn up the volume, and experience the world in living color.
- ARC® (Accurate Radius Curvature) polycarbonate lenses are tapered to follow the natural curvature of the eye, providing crystal-clear distortion-free vision while reducing eyestrain
- Available with polarization, which blocks over 99% of surface glare and is layered and sealed within SPY’s lenses to prevent scratching, delaminating, and hazing of your polarized filter
- Constructed of Bioplastic, which is comprised of 50% organic plant matter that is both lightweight and durable and aids in reducing plastic consumption
- High-quality, long-lasting pin hinges
- 100% UV protection reduces eye fatigue and long-term sun damage
- Frame measures 59-16-135
MONTANA
Combining a bold front with sleek temples in a mid-sized frame, the Montana brings big performance to the biggest skies. Features include the detail- and mood-boosting Happy Lens™, a virtually indestructible Grilamid® construction, high-quality pin hinges, and 6-base polycarbonate ARC® lenses providing 100% UV protection.
HD Plus:
Combines the superior clarity of our digitally mastered High Definition lenses with the therapeutic and visual performance benefits of our patented Happy Lens™ . Enhanced color and contrast, improved mood and alertness, and impact resistant distortion free optics in one kick-ass package that SPY loyalists have come to know and love. It’s probably the best lens ever.
- HD Plus Lens enhances color and contrast, increases clarity, and improves mood and alertness
- Constructed from virtually indestructible Grilamid®
- 6-base polycarbonate ARC® lenses
- High-quality pin hinges
- 100% UV protection reduces eye fatigue and long-term sun damage
- Frames measures a medium 54-16-140
HAPPY BOOST™ LENS
The image above I took by holding the Happy Boost lens in front of my camera in southern Utah. It shows how drastic the contrast is with the bright sunshine washing out the color and how beautiful and vibrant the colors are with the sunglasses. These are the most intense color optimizing color enhancing lenses I have ever used.
The Monolith has the option of Happy Boost Lens. Aside from the large coverage and unique frames the Happy Boost is something similar to Smith ChromaPop lens. It amplifies the colors making them more vivid and sharp. Think of cranking up the saturation on your Instagram filter. The colors really do put a smile on your face. I find myself having to pull the glasses down from time to time just to see the real colors. The claim is that Happy Boost is 15% more intense. You can learn more about the Happy Boost Lens on Spy Optics Website
Preface
I think reviewing lenses, sunglasses, snowboard goggles, pretty much anything that you can wear on your head to protect and enhance your eyes is tricky. It doesn’t matter how great the product is, if it doesn’t look good on you? You just won’t buy it. This review will focus on the frames and lens itself. Luckily Spy Optic offers all types of frames for all types of faces. When you go to the website www.spyoptic.com you can see that the marketing is geared towards a lens that makes you happier because it lets all the “good” sun rays in and leaves all the “bad” sun rays out. But does it really work? Can you feel and see a difference? Keep reading.
Specifications for the Spy Optic Frazier
When I took the lenses out of the box they looked like any other pair of casual square sunglasses. They come in a protective microfiber sleeve, in this case baby blue, which I appreciated, as it changes the monotony of black soft cases I have from other sunglasses manufacturers. It’s also easy to find when you are looking for them as they stand out. As you can see there are smiley faces all over the packaging.
The first thing you’ll notice about these sunglasses is how lightweight they are, coming in at 5.8 ounces, it doesn’t feel like you have anything on your head. They have a very comfortable nose pad and the legs are also padded with little ridges that help the frames from moving once they are on. This doesn’t mean that Happy Lenses are fragile. Their Grilamid® material is “virtually” indestructible according to their website. I did sat on them accidentally and they were fine.
On the back on the left lens you will notice s little smiley face, which actually made me smile the first time I saw it. Details make a product stand out, this is a perfect example of a great design.
The Spy Optic Frazier Frame
The Frazier frames are obviously casual frames but they are very versatile. I recently moved to a new house and couldn’t find my regular sports sunglasses, they were in some box somewhere in the house. I had the Spy Optic Frazier handy, so I decided to give them a try for both biking and running. Usually as soon as you start to exercise, casual sunglasses tend to slide down your nose, or they bounce making it impossible to do any type of physical activity with them. The Spy Optic Frazier frame are different, they are so well designed and comfortable that I was able to wear them for 3+ hour bike rides. They stayed put and didn’t slide during the entire ride. After a while I even forgot that I wasn’t wearing a pair of “sport” sunglasses.
I also took the Spy Optic Frazier with me during my latest business trip. I ran several times with them. They didn’t bounce during my run and they actually look very retro and cool while running.
Spy Optic Happy Lens
We now know that the Spy Optic Frazier are very comfortable, but how are the lenses? I am not sure what Spy is doing with the lenses? Like I mentioned before I had the Bronze Polar with Green Spectra lens, they are also polarized, but seeing through them is absolutely amazing. I didn’t want to read anything about them before I tried them on. As soon as I had worn them a couple of times, I had to go to their website to see what made these sunglasses so special. They say that the lens lets the “good sun rays” in and leave the “bad sun rays” out. It is truly amazing how this seems to work. I caught myself smiling a couple of times while wearing the sunglasses and had to think why I was smiling. The Happy Lenses simply makes everything look sharper and clearer.
I have owned several polarized sunglasses before, and always knew that I was wearing polarized sunglasses, when I look into windows I usually see little ridges and water always looks weird. There seems to be some type of distortion which I don’t like. With the Optic Spy Happy Lens, I barely notice it anymore. I had to double check to make sure they were polarized as the distortion was basically gone. This doesn’t mean that the glare is back, which is what polarized lenses are supposed to help diminish. They give you zero glare with no distortion. You can feel the quality of the polarized lens.
Final Thoughts
Now that I have experienced the Happy Lens, I don’t know if I can go back to other sunglasses. The Spy Optic Frazier are lightweight, comfortable, look amazing, give great UV protection and enhance your vision. They can be worn as casual sunglasses but are so well designed they can be used for sports if you are in a pinch. Price for the Frazier frames varies from $94.95 to $154. 95 depending on the lens and frame you choose. For more information about the Happy Lenses visit http://spyoptic.com/
Do your eyes a favor and grab a pair of the Spy Optic Frazier, with their unconditional 14 day money back guarantee you have nothing to loose.
