Fox has recently debuted its the Purevue goggle, or quickly nicknamed here at Flow MTB HQ, the ‘gloggles’. Seemingly reviving the trend of 10 years past of open-face helmets and goggles, the Purevue aims to blend eye protection and clarity of a traditional goggle with the ventilation of glasses, claiming superior ventilation, comfort and vision on the trail.
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Overview & Details
Designed to be worn with traditional open-face helmets, the Fox Purevue increase ventilation and all-day comfort compared to traditional goggles. They feature triple-density foam on the upper and lower portions of the frame to wick sweat and ensure the perfect fit, along with an open design nearing the nose piece for unrestricted airflow.
Within the premium hard case, you’ll find two lenses, along with multiple nose pieces to dial in the fit. We received the clear and ‘woods’ lenses, which covers low-light and mixed-light conditions respectively. Fox also offers a darker mirror-style lens for full sun riding. Using the same Vivid technology licensed from Zeiss Optics you’ll find on Giro goggles (Vista Outdoor owns both companies), it’s claimed to enhance contrast by filtering specific wavelengths of coloured light to help your brain pick out details in the terrain. You’ll find similar colour-filtering-contrast-enhancing-tech in sunnies and goggles from Smith, 100%, Oakley, POC and others.
Key Details
- Price | $199.99 AUD
- Fit | Open-face or Half-shell helmet specific
- Lenses | Clear, Woods, or Mirror (Two included per set)
- Adjustment | Adjustable strap with non-slip gel
- In The Box | Harcase, Purevue frame and strap, 2 lenses & 3 nose pieces
Flow’s Initial Impressions
We can openly admit that we, too, were on board the trend 10 years ago of wearing open-face helmets and goggles, and if you dig back through the Flow archives, you will see some prime examples — thankfully cooler heads, and less sweaty eyeballs have since prevailed. There is no denying that we were sceptical upon receiving these ‘gloggles’, and we weren’t sure the Purveue was something the industry has been missing out on in recent years.
We will however happily be proven wrong and have our initial scepticism dispelled, which is exactly what occurred upon our first ride in the Purevue’s. On the trail, we could happily tap our way up extended climbs wearing them without overheating, which certainly can’t be said for a standard pair of goggles. Comfort-wise, the Purevue’s feel much lighter on the face compared to a full-size goggle, which aids with it’s breezy feeling, and the strap adjustability and various nose pieces allowed us to dial in the fit.
When it comes down to vision, there was no denying that the Purevue delivered a broader field of vision and clarity over a pair of glasses. We found the tint of the ‘woods’ lens excellent for the variable sunlight and dappled light.
Without surprise, Fox has developed the fit to be used with its own Speedframe and Dropframe helmets. While we didn’t have a Dropframe on hand, the fitment with the Speedframe was excellent and seamlessly followed the lines and contours of the helmet. The fit was secure over rough terrain and never shifted, the same can’t be said for glasses which can move around and require adjustment.
Performance aside, the aesthetic will be the most divisive aspect of the Purevue’s, as they certainly have a distinct look when paired with an open-face helmet. Will they resurrect the 2013 trend? Only time will tell, but we can hand-on-heart vouch for the performance they deliver despite the polarising looks.
