Although some riders claim to never have problems with their goggles, fogged-up lenses are a thing, and a very annoying one, suddenly leaving you to guess the trail ahead. Bad weather, excessive sweating, wearing glasses under the goggles or fast-paced race sprints can quickly result in poor vision. Not only is this annoying, but also dangerous, because mountain biking is precision work.
Small French manufacturer R-Flow offer a very simple solution for this. R-Flow have patented a system for their goggles that allows you to adjust the lens in three stages: wide open, slightly open and fully closed. The open settings let air flow under the lens and into your goggles, preventing the lens from fogging up. The goggles and the system were originally designed for tough enduro motorcycling, which has many things in common with our sport, so using them for mountain biking makes total sense. The French manufacturer offers several goggle models in near-endless colour combinations. All models in the range are built around the same basic system, although in this test we’re focussing on the NEXT flagship model, which retails at €129 and can be ordered directly from R-Flow’s slightly chaotic website.
R-Flow NEXT goggles on test
The R-Flow NEXT goggles come in a practical storage box, with a lens cleaning cloth. Replacement lenses can be ordered directly on the website too. Straight out of the box, the goggles make a solid impression, although the locking mechanism looks a little rudimentary, sporting a rather unsophisticated “3D-printer look”. However, the system has worked flawlessly for several months without problems or signs of wear, so this is a purely aesthetic matter. Compared to conventional goggles, such as those from 100% or Oakley, the R-Flow NEXT have a slightly wider field of vision, and still fit snugly to the face without being uncomfortable. But be careful: the oversized frame can result in compatibility issues: for example, our test goggles don’t fit a size L Troy Lee Designs D4 helmet. However, we didn’t have any problems with other helmets from ABUS, FOX and Giro.
Like with most goggles, the frame is lined with a dual-density foam, which is designed to prevent dirt and small insects from entering the goggles. When the closure system is shut, the R-Flow NEXT goggles are exactly like conventional goggles. If you want to let some fresh air in, you can open the closure system using the small levers on the side of the frame. Due to their size, the levers are easy and intuitive to use – and also work reliably, even when wearing gloves. If you need even more fresh air, the lens can also be set to the fully open position, which lets plenty of air inside the goggles and onto your face, although this puts the edge of the lens into your field of vision and causes the lens to bounce a little when things get shaky. You’ll get used to this after a little while.
If you need to close the lens again, just push the lens mechanism back into the notch. This is easily done, even while riding, and usually works at the first attempt. Only closing the lens completely requires a little more dexterity to click the mechanism back into position. For mountain biking, we mostly used the lenses in the central position, which efficiently prevented fogging throughout the entire testing period. On top of that, you get a little more fresh air into your face, which helps to keep your head cool. The only problem is that if your mates swirl up lots of dust in front of you, some of it will inevitably get inside your goggles. In this case, you might be better off shutting the lenses completely. However, the opening is on the sides, which still prevents larger objects and insects from entering the goggles – we had no problems at all with that.
We’re very fond of the R-Flow system and wonder why there aren’t more goggles on the market with such a system. Although mountain bikers could do without the fully open mode, being able to ventilate your goggles is true godsend in some situations and has no significant drawbacks in our opinion.
Our conclusions about the R-Flow NEXT
Both the concept and implementation of the R-Flow system is incredibly simple and yet extremely practical. In combination with the NEXT goggles, you’ll get a large field of vision, a comfortable fit and sufficient airflow to avoid fogging up your goggles. The closure mechanism is intuitive and easy to use, even on the fly, and has shown no problems even after several months of use.
Tops
- Large field of vision and comfortable seat
- Intuitive and robust system
- Sufficient ventilation to prevent misting
Flops
- Dust can enter the goggles
For more info, visit R-Flow’s website
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Words & Photos: Peter Walker
About the Author
Peter Walker
As editor-in-chief, Peter is as much a man of action as he is of words. This expert, screw-driver-flexing two wheeled-whizz has many envy-inducing characteristics, including a background in motocross, several EWS race plates to his name, and more than 150 recorded days at Whistler Bike Park. However complex the bike and however steep the trail, he’s probably already nailed it, twice. Oh, and he can do it all on skinny tyres too. When it comes to guiding consumers, Peter cut his teeth at Vancouver’s oldest bike shop and now puts pen to paper on the daily translating this know-how into our editorial plan. When not tearing up Stuttgart’s local trails while testing bikes, he loves nothing more than loading up his self-renovated VW T5 and hitting the road. The fact that he’s a trained paramedic gives his colleagues reassurance out on the trails. So far we haven’t had to call him by his alias ‘Sani Peter’, so here’s hoping he keeps it right side up for the rest of his time here!
