While most oversize sunglasses have designs inspired by goggles, the POC Devour is one of the first to be developed to actually replace goggles. That means the Devour sunglasses literally devour your face with a very wide and tall lens for additional protection against the sun and debris. The POC Devour sunglasses retail for $250.00 and feature an interchangeable lens design with a variety of Clarity lens options for both road cycling and trail riding. POC also includes a clear lens with the sunglasses for low-light or night time riding. Behind the sleek silhouette of the sunglasses is a lightweight Grilamid full frame with adjustable nose and temples to customize the fit. The large lenses also have vents cut directly into them to prevent fogging while anti-scratch treatments ensure they stay looking new.
The POC Devour are one of the largest cycling sunglasses on the market and feature a wide field of view and sleek styling.
| Retail Price | $250.00 |
| Rating | Design: A Optics: A Comfort: A Value: A- |
| Measured weight (in g) | 40 |
| Likes | + Unique styling + Crisp and clear optics from Clarity lenses + Available in variety of color and lenses |
| Dislikes | – Premium price – Full frame can be visible at edges of peripheral vision – Does not come with a hard case |
| Where to Buy (US) | POC |
UNBOXING
With premium products comes premium packaging. That’s the case with the POC Devour which comes in a sleek white cardboard box with reflective POC logos. Form-fitting foam inside the box keeps the contents securely in place. You’ll find the following in the box:
- POC Devour sunglasses with main lens installed
- Spare clear lens
- Instruction manual and lens info pamphlet
- Soft fabric carrying pouch
We’re a bit disappointed with the lack of POC’s fancy pill-style hard carrying case which came with the POC Aim sunglasses, but given the size of the Devour sunglasses a hard case would likely be too large to carry.
FIT & FINISH
Visually the Devour has a sleek frameless appearance with the oversized lens extending over the frame. It’s a unique design that gives the sunglasses an aggressive yet modern appearance with smooth curves to accentuate the silhouette. As with many POC products, the Devour is also available in a variety of unique color schemes from the Hydrogen White you see in this review to bright colors like Basalt Blue that match well with POC helmets such as the POC Ventral Lite. The Devour sunglasses are one of the largest sunglasses we’ve reviewed, a title previously held by the ski goggles inspired Bollé Chronoshields.
Although the sunglasses themselves are large, the Grilamid polymer full-frame is lightweight and flexible. Unlike other POC sunglasses, there is no nose bridge, leaving the frame to simply encircle the lens. It’s durable enough to be bent and twisted without fear of breaking, something that’s particularly important for cycling sunglasses. The sunglasses have a moderate curvature with adjustable temples and nose piece to customize the fit. Even the temple length can be adjusted by sliding the temples between a few indexed positions to help accommodate different face sizes. We found that the Devour sunglasses were comfortable on our face and were very resistant to scratching and fogging despite the large surface area of the lens.
The sunglasses also have an interchangeable lens design which means you can swap the lens out with the provided clear lens or purchase spares. Although you can swap the lens, the $100 price per Clarity lens means your “significant other” or wallet will be the limiting factor. We found the provided instructions for removing and installing lens confusing but after some fiddling, discovered the lens swap process is actually easy. The lens is held in with six tabs, two on the top and four on the bottom, for a secure and strong hold. Removing the lens is as simple as pulling up on the indentations on the top of the frame while pushing down on the lens. Repeat that process for both of the top tabs, then simply slide the lens off the frame. Unlike the slick Smith Shift Mag’s magnetic design, the tab design makes it difficult to not get fingerprints on the lens during the swap process.
OPTICS
Although it’s easy to get caught up in the style of the Devour sunglasses, the more important aspect is the filtering quality of the lens. The sunglasses are available in a variety of lens filter categories and tints in both the road Clarity and the trial Clarity lens. Developed in collaboration with Carl Zeiss, the Clarity lenses are designed to enhance color and contrast for unparalleled clarity. Marketing jargon aside, we found the Clarity lens offers distortion and crisp optics. What makes the road Clarity lens unique is the violet base tint which enhances contrast on the road to make it easier to spot debris or potholes. The trail Clarity lens has a brown tint that is tuned to enhance dirt trails and vegetation.
The lens work well to enhance colors and with the large size of the lens provide an immersive experience. It’s also great to see POC include the clear lens with the sunglasses which means the Devour sunglasses can be worn in low-light situations or nighttime riding for protection from the elements. Our only complaint is that the Devour sunglasses have a full frame which can be visible at the extreme edges of your peripheral vision. A semi-frameless design would have been nice to see with the Devour sunglasses to take advantage of the large lens size. Also note that POC offers a variety of spare lenses that aren’t available as a package with the sunglasses currently.
THE VERDICT
Overall we found the POC Devour sunglasses to be stylish and impressive cycling sunglasses. The extra-oversized design provides an unmatched field of view and protection from the elements while still retaining POC’s minimalist design language. With its smooth curves and concealed frame, the Devour sunglasses have bold styling and clear optics from the available Clarity lens options. The adjustable temples and nose piece provide a comfortable fit despite the large size. Although the sunglasses and spare lenses aren’t cheap, POC offers the Devour in unique color combinations and even includes a spare clear lens with the sunglasses. While it is not clear if the Devour sunglasses are simply part of an oversized cycling sunglass fad that we’ll come to laugh at in the future or an innovative trend setter, it is hard to deny the wide field of view and unique styling. If you’re looking for the ultimate oversized sunglasses that will let you devour the road, then look no further than the Devour sunglasses.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by POC. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.