Wednesday, 04 October 2017 20:55

Bloc Titan X631 Sunglasses tested and reviewed

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As summer fades into the distance it may seem an odd time to review sungalsses, but what about sunglasses with clear lenses? We take a look at glasses and goggles specialist Bloc's 4-lens system designed for a full range of light conditions.

Interchangeable lenses are becoming an increasingly common feature but while many are optional extras the Titan X631 comes with a full set of HDL Cat1, Clear Cat1, Light enhancer Cat1, and Vermillion Category 3 lenses included.

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What the manufacturers say:

The Titan, from the mountain to the ocean and everything in between!! The ultimate sport performance eyewear letting athletes take full advantage of Blocs wide range of performance lenses.
The Titan lens replacement system makes it very easy to change lenses whenever and wherever life takes you.
You simply fold in the temple which unlocks the lens. It doesn’t get any easier. The rest is easy.

The KARBON TX™ frame and bi-core interchangeable injected temples are light and comfortable making the Titan the perfect choice for all outdoor sports.
See Blocs Titan accessories and spares for Optical inserts, straps and more.
XTR Karbon8 lenses optimize vision in virtually all-light conditions. We have a lot to offer!! Conditions change and so should your lenses. See our Lens simulator.
All of our lenses are optical Class One and give exceptional clarity as well as providing Maximum protection against UVA/UVB and harmful blue light up to 400nm. Distortion free and impact resistant and tested to BS EN ISO

Bloc Titan X631 tested and reviewed:

There's an amazing number of sunglasses on the market, and even the number of "sport" or "active" models must run into the hundreds so what sets the Bloc Titan X631 apart? In terms of colours there's plenty of choice with each having a different number (eg. a black frame is X630) and the Titan 4 lenses can be swapped between different colour compatibel frames; great if you're looking at the fashion side.

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In practical terms what jumps out when you open the case is that you get a loot of glasses for your £60! The start point is a good, large, solid case that will take the bumps and bangs of travel. While the glasses sit in the centre of the case a detatchable lens bag attaches to the front curve with velcro. You get a cleaning cloth and instruction sheet. 

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Despite the UK late summer, or lack of, we managed to sneak enough minutes of bright light to put the Titan X631 glasses to the test with a combination of mountain biking and hill walking. The advantage of this summer's changeable weather was a real chance to see how well the different lenses work in different lights.

The lens change is surprisingly simple, simply a matter of folding the arm in as if putting them away and pulling the lens down from the arm end. Obviously the lenses have to be secure in use so you need a good positive pull to seperate the lens, and it's reciprocated by a positive click when you seat the lens. Again on fitting a lens it's easier to slot the narrow end near the arm into place first and then raise the other end of the lens into place. With a bit of practice you can swap lenses in a matter of seconds, though you won't avoid getting your fingerprints all over them so don't lose your cleaning cloth.

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In terms of fit the Titan X631 are very much standard sports style fit, with enough tension between the arms and the nose pads to hold them in place on singletracks without any pinching; they felt like a £60 pair should feel - i.e. you don't notice them.

Being honest it's you'll probably end up using one or two of the different lenses rather than all four but that's not to say they're not different or it's much of a hassle. The lenses themselves are very clear for plastic and won't break from an innocuous bang or the odd flying stone chip and while we found the tinted Cat 1 lens and the Vermillion Cat 3 covered everyhting from 50% cloud cover to full alpine sunshine (not snow) we can see how the clear lenses are a real bonus for night riding on downhills. As they say, it's better to have something and not need it rather than need it and not have it and the 3 "spare" sets of lenses weigh next to nothing.

The build quality of the Titan X631 is solid and reliable, though still very lightweight, and it's where you see the difference between a budget £30-40 pair of sunglasses and more high-end. The sports hinges give a solid lock and in or out of the case you get the feeling that these are built to take a bit of punishment. At an RRP of £60 and with a full set of easily changeable lenses there's a lot to lie about the Bloc Titan X631; they're a good mid-range sports sunglasses particularly suited to cycling, well made, comfortable and come with a quality case. Bargain!