100% Hypercraft sunglasses review

Everything 100% does, the company does, well, 100 percent. That means colors and designs are generally at the very top of the loud scale. Even the size of the glasses usually errs toward full-size massive. Yet, the Hypercraft glasses, the newest offering from 100%, live somewhere less conspicuous. Its music doesn’t blast quite as loud; sure, it has a mohawk, but it’s a reasonable one that you could comb down to the sides and still go to work during the weekdays.

In other words, 100% has created a pair of sunglasses that maintain its signature design cues, but in a more traditional package. In that sense, the Hypercraft glasses appeal to an entirely different audience — a wise play from 100%.

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Hypercraft: 75 percent of 100%

When I took these glasses out of the box, “spindly” was the first word that came to mind. That’s never been a word that has come to mind when I’ve held 100% glasses before. The Hypercraft glasses, unlike others in the 100% lineup like the massive Glendales or even the more svelte S3 glasses, all feel stout, overbuilt, large, and loud. It’s the brand DNA, and 100% has up until now been unapologetic about that — much to the delight of its fans.

Yet the Hypercraft glasses do everything differently. These feel like the lightest and most spare of all the 100% glasses I’ve tested, by a long shot. The arms are slender and all but disappear when you put the glasses on. That should come as no surprise, as the glasses weigh just 23 grams. It was easy to forget I was wearing these. Generally, when I’m wearing 100% glasses, I remember I’m wearing them because the arms feel positive and solid around the head — but also because people often ask me about them. Why wouldn’t they? They’re so noticeable and attention-grabbing.

The Hypercraft glasses demand no such spotlight, aside from the bright yellow color. And that’s a good thing. The Hypercrafts appear to be made for a different rider altogether, one who likes the overall aesthetics of 100% glasses but perhaps wants only 75% of the loudness.

And since these glasses are so light, they stay completely planted on your face. Heavier sunglasses have a tendency to sneak down my nose when I start to sweat, or when I’m looking down for long periods of time (long, flat miles, or long climbs out of the saddle, for example ), but the Hypercrafts stayed put completely.

Like most of the glasses I’ve tested from 100%, the Hypercraft lens offers unobstructed vision. The wraparound shape offers just enough peripheral coverage, and there are no visible obstructions. Even the vent holes are far enough out of the way that you won’t notice them, regardless of your head eye position.

These might be my favorite glasses from 100% so far, in terms of comfort and fit. I do like the outlandish styles too, but for the more conservative rider, this certainly provides a nice entry into the brand. And it’s no soft entry, either; the Hypercrafts seem smartly designed with serious riders and racers in mind.

Ride notes

I got three rides with the Hypercraft sunglasses before the snow moved in for a spring visit. Both rides came on warm days in the low- to mid-70s, with plenty of sunshine. Both rides were on the pavement (sorry gravel goonies, you’ll have to wait for the full review for an assessment of off-roadworthiness) here on the front range of Colorado. One of the two rides treated me to ridiculous winds, as is common this time of year.

I quite like the Hypercrafts after those two rides. They square with the style of glasses I want for racing: light, stable on my face, and crystal-clear in changing light conditions. I was able to pick out road contrasts easily enough, and the lenses offer unobstructed views.

100% offers a photochromic lens and a contrast-defining lens (called Hiper). The latter helps make road obstacles stand out more clearly in changing light conditions, and it’s a worthwhile investment.

The vent holes in the lens don’t seem to do much in terms of actual ventilation, but they aren’t bothersome either, so I suppose that’s a wash.

Overall, the Hypercrafts are easy to reach for on daily rides and for races. Even though I really enjoy 100%’s more outlandish designs because they’re completely unique among a sea of glasses that look relatively the same, the Hypercrafts fit within 100%’s aesthetic just enough that you can tell who made them, without shouting it out. The more minimalist design offers a more performance-oriented look and feel; 100% gets it right for the race-oriented rider.