Smith’s new Defy sunglasses not only have one of our favorite product names for a pair of sunglasses but they also have a lightweight semi-frameless design. The sunglasses are optimized to minimize weight and improve visibility with Smith’s ChromaPop lens technology and an oversized shape for extended coverage. Retail price for the sunglasses is $175 which includes a spare clear lens, zippered case and a fabric case. As with other Smith sunglasses, the Defy has Megol inserts on the temples and nose pads to keep the sunglasses in place. There are also AutoLock hinges that make it easy to put the sunglasses on and off with one hand.
The Smith Defy sunglasses combine a lightweight construction with a minimal design that hides the top of the frame under the lens.
| Retail Price | $175 |
| Rating | 9.4 / 10 |
| Measured weight (in g) | 28 |
| Likes | + Interchangeable clear lens is included + Oversized lens design with wide field of view + Unique color schemes and frameless appearance |
| Dislikes | – Difficult to remove nose piece to swap lenses |
| Where to Buy (US) | Smith |
UNBOXING
The Smith Defy sunglasses come in a compact cardboard box with Smith branding printed directly on it. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Defy sunglasses
- Fabric carrying bag
- Zippered carrying case
- Spare clear lens
- Smith sticker
- Lens safety info pamphlet
Smith includes all the accessories you could ever want with sunglasses right out of the box including a clever inner pocket in the fabric carrying case to store the spare clear lens.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Smith Defy sunglasses have a clean silhouette with a large single oversized lens and smooth curves. Smith offers the sunglasses in six variations that use matte frames and various ChromaPop lens options. The variations range from unique chalk rose with matching rose gold lens to more standard black frames with dark ChromaPop black lens. For this review, we have the attractive Matte Summit Crystal with ChromaPop Bronze Mirror Lens combination that has an all bronze appearance. The frames are matte brown with a semi-transparent design that lets you see through them which pairs nicely with the bronze mirrored lens.
What makes these sunglasses look unique is the way the lens extends above the frame which gives them a frameless appearance. Smith has deliberately given the frames a sharp corner at the edges that make it look like they only attach at the edges while a thin top brow connects the two sides behind the lens. There is also no nose bridge which gives the sunglasses a sleek appearance even if you use the included clear lens. The sunglasses also have an aggressive forward tilt to the lens to optimize the field of view while running or in a tucked aero position on the bike.
The Defy sunglasses have straight temple arms that tilt inward to ensure they stay in place. Megol rubber inserts on the temple tips are non-slip and help eliminate any pressure points with extended use. The sunglasses also have AutoLock hinges which snap open or closed with one hand. A wire-core style nose pad is used on the Defy which can be easily moved around to adjust the fit.
The Defy are available with a variety of ChromaPop lens options for bright to darker conditions. Smith even sells replacement lenses for a relatively affordable $80 for ChromaPop lenses and $40 for a clear lens. Removing or installing lenses can be done by pulling down on the lens corners to release the corner tabs. Then you have to gently compress and push the nose pad off the lens which can be particularly difficult the first time. We’d recommend being careful as it is easy to break the nose piece with too much pressure. The sunglasses we have is the ChromaPop Bronze Mirror lens which has a 22% VLT that provides nice coverage in mixed or overcast conditions.
ON THE ROAD
While the product name “defy” is pretty aggressive, the sunglasses have a more subtle and clean look. We’d describe them as a blend between Oakley Sutro and POC Aim with the styling being a twist on the Smith Vert PivLock sunglasses. They are not overly aggressive but have a nice curved bottom edge that gives them a more unique appearance. As with most Smith sunglasses, the Defy felt lightweight and comfortable even on all-day rides. The forward raked lens gives you a wide field of view and ensures you never see the top frame. With our ChromaPop Bronze Mirror lens, the color contrast was bright and worked well to amplify potholes or debris. The sunglasses aren’t as dark so it worked better in mixed and cloudy conditions. We were also able to make quick adjustments to the wire-core nose pad mid-ride to optimize the fit to our nose shape which is always an added bonus.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Smith Defy sunglasses have great optics with a unique design. Smith has gone with a semi-frameless design and made it look like a full frameless design by hiding the top frame under the lens. It’s a clever design detail that works well with the mirrored lenses and gives the sunglasses a sleek look. We were impressed with the wide-field-of-view the large lens provides and the crisp optics from the ChromaPop lens. Smith also offers a number of unique color options that help the Defy stand out. The only negative we found was that it takes patience and care to remove the nose pad from the lens if you want to swap the lens out. That said, the Smith Defy is a nice premium pair of sunglasses with clean lines and crisp optics.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Smith. 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.