You probably have a pair—those mountain bike glasses that are stellar out on the trail but make you look ridiculous the moment you step off your bike. For how much they cost, why can’t you look cool with or without your tires? As Alex’s friend so eloquently put it, “They function awesome… but wear them in public, and yeah… you look like a sci-fi obsessed mountain biker.” And that’s why the Smith Wildcat sunglasses stand out to me. They nail the balance between performance and style—tough enough for the trail, but stylish enough for post-ride hangs. Here’s why they’ve become my go-to for outdoor adventure.
Verdict
Alex made a great German car analogy in his Smith Attack MAG review—if the Attack’s are like a Porsche 911, the Wildcat’s are more like a high-end Audi. And I totally agree. A little boxier in shape, but in a good way. The Wildcat’s hold a more adventure-look than road racing feel, fit comfortably on your face and inline with helmets, and perform just as well as Alex describes the Attack MAGs. I’ve been especially impressed with the airflow too. As a normal glasses wearer, my eyes water all the time. But the airflow on the Wildcat’s—no watering eyes on windy days, and they stay fog-free on long, sweaty climbs. And of course, they come with Smith’s game-changing ChromaPop lens. Swapping lenses is pretty simple, though not quite as easy and care-free as the Attack MAG system. If you’re all about max performance and don’t care much about looks, the Attack MAG MTB might be your match. But if style matters too—like it does for me—then yeah, I’m 100% a Wildcat girl.
Smith Wildcat Sunglasses Specs
- Two lenses: Bright light and low light
- ChromaPop performance tints
- Sunglasses Hard Case with separate compartments for lenses
- Smith Microfiber Bag
- Price: $277
- Buy from Backcountry.com | EVO | Smith Optics | REI
What I Love About Them
The moment I put them on, I was hooked. But that had a lot more to do than with their looks. To start, the style just worked for my face and felt super comfortable. It’s like they weren’t even there, and I never felt the need to adjust them as I rode. Whether I’m mountain biking or backcountry skiing, I’ve become a big fan of Smith’s ChromaPop lens. Plus, the large, open lens design felt more natural and comfortable than the Attack MAGs.
I also deal with a vision issue called presbyopia—a natural part of aging (except accelerated for my age) that makes it tough to keep things in focus. Somehow, the ChromaPop combined with their 5-base cylindrical lens gives me just the right bend in the lens itself, tint, and the extra clarity I need to NOT have my normal glasses on. And that’s a huge deal for me. Being a wearer of progressive lenses every moment I am awake, to be able to function in multiple sports WITHOUT my normal glasses and just wear the Smith Wildcat’s saves me from having to get another pair of custom prescription sports glasses… that are very expensive for my eyes. I’ve tried many other glasses for both biking and splitboarding, but the Smith Wildcat sunglasses are the only ones that I can function outside of my prescription lenses.
What I Didn’t Like
One of the things that sets the Wildcat MTB glasses apart is the ability to swap out lenses—something you don’t always get in this category. That said, while the flexible frame makes switching them out fairly simple, it’s not quite as easy as the Attack MAG system. I’m always a little nervous I’ll crack something with the bendy frame, but I never do. And honestly, unlike Alex, I don’t change lenses. I always run the low-light lens because I need as much visibility as possible without having my prescription glasses on, no matter the conditions. So for me, the lens swap is not a big deal.
Oddly though, I cannot wear the Smith Wildcat’s trail running. And I really wish I could because I would actually use the darker lens for a true sunglasses feel. My only thought is it must be a combination of constantly looking at the trail, then off to the distance, and then back to my phone or watch for navigation, stats, photos… too many needed focus adjustments for me to handle without my real prescription glasses. So for now I run in my real glasses and squint in the blaring sun… but at least for mountain biking and splitboarding, I get the benefits of having the Smith Wildcat sunglasses in my gear lineup.
Are They Worth The Price Tag?
If you see these as more than a one-trick sports pony, the price tag starts to make sense. I don’t just use them for mountain biking—they’ve become my go-to for backcountry skiing too. Out of all the MTB sunglasses I’ve tried (including the Smith Attack MAGs), the Wildcats are hands down the best pair I’ve ever owned and help keep me away from the custom prescription sports glasses world. Plus, they just look cool. And yeah… that matters.
