MooFee Polarized Sunglasses Review

MooFee is one of many manufacturers selling very inexpensive cycling sunglasses online. With a retail price that is truly just a fraction of the name-brands, we just had to get a pair to test and compare to the high-end competition. Not only do these glasses have relatively good optics, but they also performed admirably across most of our other rating metrics. Add in the included extras like three lenses for varying light conditions, a zippered hard case, and a storage bag, and it's easy to see that they're a good value.

Performance Comparison

Lens Quality

For the price, the lens quality and optical clarity of the MooFee glasses are impressive. While they can't compete with the high-end competition, we found the cylindrical lenses to provide crisp and clear optics with very minimal distortion. They also come with three lenses for varying light conditions, including a polarized lens.

Despite a price tag that is 1/8th and, in some cases, 1/10th of the name brand competition, the MooFee glasses have optics that far exceeded our expectations. We found them to be relatively crisp, and you really had to look to the edges of the lenses to see any distortion at all. They also come with three lenses, so you can be sure to match your lens to the light conditions. There isn't much information available about the lenses, but we do know that they are UV400 and block 100% of UV rays. The mirrored lens comes in three reflective coating options, red, blue, or green. Our test pair had the green coating, which is on top of a relatively dark grey/purple tinted lens that works best in bright light conditions. We didn't find that this lens enhanced contrast much, if at all, but it was easy on the eyes, and it didn't dull color the way other cheap lenses tend to. We found the yellow lens to be ideal for low light conditions, and it brightened things up in otherwise challenging lighting. The polarized lens has a dark grey tint, and we found it worked well in bright light conditions and anytime you want to reduce glare.

MooFee doesn't specify what their lenses are made of or whether or not they are impact resistant. That said, they look and feel a lot like the lenses of other glasses we've tested, and they feel like they should be able to withstand a hit from an errant pebble or trailside branch. We cleaned the lenses frequently after getting mud, sweat, and fingerprints all over them, and they appear to be no worse for the wear with no scratches or damage to speak of. We were also shocked by how well the lenses resisted fogging. Even on damp rides in cool temperatures, we didn't have any issues with fog or moisture build-up.

Fit and Comfort

We found the overall comfort of the MooFee glasses to be quite good. They offer a wide range of fit, and the frame has enough flex to hold a variety of head shapes securely and without any unwanted pressure. The textured rubber nose pad and rubber-coated arms do a fantastic job of keeping these lightweight shades from bouncing around, even when the going gets rough.

While we found these glasses to be generally very comfortable, we did find that they sat a little further from the face than most glasses we've tested. These may be a great option for those with more pronounced cheeks, as they are less likely to make contact with the face. Our female test assistant with rounder cheeks loved them, while our male tester needed to position the arms of the frame about a centimeter above his ears to get the glasses into his desired position. While this isn't ideal, it did the trick, and the glasses stayed in place just fine regardless. Another minor gripe we had is that the end of the frame arms has a small gap between the rubber and the plastic that has a tendency to pull on longer hair when taking the glasses off. Otherwise, we found these glasses to have a lightweight feel, and they generally went unnoticed when in use.

Coverage

With big 140mm wide x 50mm tall lenses, the MooFee glasses provide a lot of coverage. They look a bit smaller on the face when compared to other models with similar size lenses, perhaps due to the half-frame style. Either way, we found them to provide good protection from the wind and sun in most situations.

The large lenses work like massive shields for the eyes, and we found them to keep the wind at bay when road and mountain biking at high rates of speed. They don't wrap around or sit as close to the face as some other models, so there is a bit of air circulation by the eyes, though it wasn't enough to cause dryness or watering issues for our testers. The lenses do a great job of blocking the sun from the front, top, and sides, but since the bottom of the lens sits a little farther from the face, they may allow a little reflected light in up from the bottom. In addition to wind and sun, the large lenses provide a good layer of protection from flying insects and other types of debris you may encounter while out on the trail or road.

Frame Quality

The frame of the MooFee Polarized glasses appears to be of decent quality. There isn't a lot of information about the frame construction, but they are made of a plastic that appears very similar to the TR90 used on many other models we tested. The materials used feel strong and resilient without feeling brittle, with enough flex and give to be both comfortable and durable.

The MooFee shades have a half-frame style with frame across the brow and down on the sides of the lens. The nosepiece is attached to the main frame with a small plastic bridge that extends down from the brow. The arms are connected at the upper corners of the frame with large, sturdy feeling hinges. The arms taper towards the back and are curved to match the shape of the head. The arms have a grippy rubber pad for about half of their length, and the nosepiece has a molded rubber nose pad with texture where it contacts the nose. We found the frame to be flexible enough to fit a wide range of head shapes and sizes, with just the right amount of tension to stay in place without causing discomfort. The frames also feel sturdy enough to withstand being dropped on the floor or tossed carelessly in the car or a bag without worry of breakage.

Field Performance

Considering the exceptionally low price of the MooFee sunglasses, we set our expectations of their performance just about as low. It was pretty easy for these glasses to exceed those expectations, and we were actually somewhat impressed while testing out in the field.

The MooFee glasses are lightweight, and they have a light feel on the face. The rubber nose pads and the rubber on the end of the arms does a wonderful job of gripping, even on sweaty skin and hair. The frames squeeze the head just enough to keep the glasses from bouncing around, even on rough rocky singletrack trails or when running downhill. We also never experienced any issues with fogging, even when mountain biking on a chilly spring day with intermittent rain showers, the type of weather that makes even the best lenses fog up. This is likely due to the fact that the bottom of the lenses sits a little farther from the cheeks than many of the other models in this test, which allows for a little more airflow behind the lenses. Still, the airflow isn't what we'd call excessive, and it helped to keep the lenses fog-free. The large lens provides a big window to see the world through, and there was minimal visible frame since there is none across the bottom of the lens.

Style

Like most of the glasses in this review, the MooFee Polarized have a relatively bold and flashy style. They remind us of an early-90's pair of Oakley Blades. We feel they have a sporty look that is most suitable for outdoor sports like cycling, running, baseball, or even fishing. The reflective lens is big and flashy, yet these glasses seem a bit more subdued than some of the competition. Either of the other two lenses, yellow or grey polarized, give these glasses an even more understated look. They are also offered in three different lens colors, so you can potentially match your reflective lens with your kit or uniform.

Case Quality

The zippered case appears to be of reasonable quality, and it opens wide to access the glasses and spare lenses. The case is made of a stiff material that should protect the glasses well and withstand crushing or being dropped. The inside of the case is lined with a softer material, and it fits the glasses with their arms folded, plus there is also some foam with a slot to hold an extra lens. The case itself isn't much bigger than the glasses, so stashing it in your pack or luggage is certainly an option. The case also has a clip should you choose to attach to a strap on the outside of your backpack. The glasses also come with a relatively standard soft storage bag, which can also double as a lens cleaning cloth.

Value

With a retail price that is 1/8th or less, than most of the competition in this review, it would be nearly impossible not to call the MooFee glasses a good value. Not only are they inexpensive, but their optical clarity, coverage, and performance is nearly on par with the much more expensive competition. They also come with a quality hard case, three lenses for varying light conditions, a storage bag, lens cleaning wipe, and glasses retaining string. All these features add value to these impressively inexpensive sunglasses.

Conclusion