AMO Sunglasses Review

A little while ago Ultra168 was contacted by a new brand of sunglasses I’d never heard of, AMO. Want to take them for a test drive was the question? So what better way to put them to the test than to get a  couple of Ultra168 Supporters to put them through their paces for a completely unbiased review of what they’re like. 

The first thing about AMO is that the sunglasses are custom made for you in terms of the fit. First up to take us through how he went with them is Geoff Millar, an Ultra168 Supporter from Sydney.

I really didn’t know what to expect of the AMO’s as they’re a brand I have heard very little of. I have run in the same pair of ‘sunnies’ for many years, which until now I was relatively happy with. I am a runner of many distances, from marathon to ultra and spend a few hours on the road and trail each week, hence always looking for a sunny that can meet a few criteria. Ultimately I want to know if they can provide me with protection, durability and ease of storage. So what do I look for?

  • Durability – as I break most of them!
  • Weight – light so you don’t know you’re wearing them.
  • No slip – so you don’t have to keep pushing them up your face as you sweat.
  • No steam – this would be a game changer as my current pair of Oakleys steam up every run
  • Storage – ease of it

 

And finally, and most importantly! So that I don’t look like too much of a tool out on a run 🙂

When the very well wrapped package arrived at my desk, I felt like a kid at Chirstmas and when I opened up the box, the excitement and respect for the AMO brand grew instantly. The packaging was very sleek and amazingly well presented so much so the only other product I have ever had the same experience with was Apple.

Every minute detail in the packing had been planned to offer the best experience possible, they sure know how to make a guy feel special!

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AS I opened each box, the excitement grew. Finally after marvelling at the packets for so long, I eventually tried on the ‘sunnies’ and what a great looking pair they are, very similar to what I was wearing currently, but made from a somewhat different material.

The package contained: 2 x lenses, 2 x arm sets, 2 x cases and additional nose piece and some lens cleaners.

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I jumped onto YouTube and checked out the AMO tutorial on how to change the lens and arms. These were really helpful, otherwise I would have most likely snapped them! I was nervous doing this, as they are very thin to keep the weight down, but after around 10 changes, I’m still yet to break them! It has also gotten a lot easier to change as I am more confident with the process.

I was excited to head out for my first run in them, so chose to run home that night. It was dusk and the sun was still up, but going down so I opted for the Photochromic lens and fully black arm.Screen Shot 2016-04-28 at 10.50.43 PM

Carrying a bit of an injury at the moment, most of my runs start in the gym, so I headed there or 40 minutes to get a good sweat on and as I left the gym, entered a pretty cool night. I expected to run home with my glasses on my head, which steam instantly in a change of environment. But to my welcome surprise, the AMOs didn’t steam up at all. Instead, they let in a lovely golden glow and enhanced the running experience too by bringing in more light.

I have run and ridden in these ‘sunnies’ for over 3 months now and almost every day and they are simply brilliant. I enjoy wearing them, they do what they’re supposed to do and do it very well. Regarding the ‘steaming up’ point I made previously, I have since tested this to the extreme and they still haven’t steamed up. One of my big frustrations with my Oakleys is that they acted as more of a   hair band than sunglasses. I don’t know how AMO have managed this, but it really is a game changer in the sunglasses department!

I also managed to test them on the trails too and in the slight darkness of a Sydney morning with the photochromic lenses, they let in enough light for me to be pretty nimble on some technical trails. As I ran along the trails, I didn’t even notice them on my head for the most part. They have arms made of malleable plastic that bend into the back of your head to keep them pulled against your face while the nose clasps wouldn’t slip down in the rain either.

As the day got a little hotter and brighter, the glare from the water next to the trail did not impair my visibility in the slightest. Even as I ran harder and sweated more, there was still no movement and no condensation on the lenses.

AMO exceeded all my expectations, overachieving in all of my criteria. I would not hesitate in buying these sunglasses. I am looking ordering my next set of arms to match my fluorescent green trainers!

 

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Dan
I'm a mediocre runner who can bat above his average when I train hard. A man of extremes, I do enjoy everything life offers and consider it an absolute pleasure just to be able to put one foot in front of the other and let my mind wander somewhere different.

7 thoughts on “AMO Sunglasses Review

  1. I bought a pair of AMO IronCatcher sunglasses. I too watched the video on how to change lenses. My sunglasses are basically unusable.The arms on mine severely angle in at the end and are very uncomfortable to wear. I had to send them back to get the lenses changed.
    Even then, when I received the glasses back, one arm was angled in. I don’t know how you managed to change the lenses so easily….
    I could never recommend these sunglasses on the basis of what I experienced as far as changing lenses is concerned.

    1. Not sure where your problem is with changing lenses. I change lenses quite frequently as I use my Amos for trail running and road biking. It might take a bit to get used to, but once I got the hang of it, it was a matter of seconds.
      The arms of the glasses can actually bend, I adjusted them to fit me. If one arm is bent, just bend it back (:

    2. Hi Lynne
      I got my AMO now for almost 2 years and never had a complain about them
      When I received my glasses I actually had a look at the videos they provide in order to change the lenses and it works fine
      I have three different glasses and change them frequently sometime even when I am on the trails
      Talk to AMO and I am sure they will help you
      They glasses are excellent at least for me and while very light they they do not move and what’s best that you can customise the glasses
      In the meantime my wife also choose AMO and she is very found of them already
      Give them another try and I am sure that you will like them EMS of the day
      Keep running
      Al

    3. I have a couple of pairs of AMO sunglasses and I love them. They are great quality and the lenses are the best I’ve had. The photochromic lenses are especially good and I have no problem switching lenses in and out. They are a great fit and very comfortable. I can definitely recommend them based on my experience

    4. Hi Lynne. I’m surprised to hear about your experience with switching the lenses. I switch from clear lenses to photochromic lenses frequently depending upon when I’m training (morning, afternoon or evening) and I find it an easy, straightforward process. Your description of the arm being angled in makes me think that perhaps you hadn’t clipped the lens into its socket properly and that’s why the arm wouldn’t open fully. I’m sure if you get the lens in the correct position you’ll find that it snaps into place quite smoothly. I have to say these are the most comfortable sunglasses I’ve ever owned.

  2. I had an opposite experience than Lynne’s. I’ve got 2 pairs of AMO sunglasses that I use in training and racing. The antifogging and fit is exceptional than other brands. Even wore a pair in last weeks Escape from Alcatraz race. AMO’s standard is the benchmark I look for from now on.

  3. I’ve used AMO sunglasses for last few years on Hong Kong trails, various marathons, early morning cycling in the dark and most recently in the glaring sunshine of Vietnam 70.3. They’ve always performed really well. I like the interchangeable lenses and I’ve never had any issues with them.

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