Melon Optics released the Diablo Goggle in 2019, its first dedicated mountain bike model after a number of years killing it on the snow scene. Adorning the faces of MTB luminaries Rob Warner, Olly Wilkins and Ben Deakin, they must be cool right?
Like Melon's sunglasses, the Diablo’s big sell is the ability to customize the design and colorway to your heart's content, all at an affordable price point. But how do they measure up against the best mountain bike goggles out there?
Design and specifications
There’s something really satisfying about designing custom kit or clothing. Let’s face it, most of us mere mortals can only ever salivate over the cool custom kit adorning our favorite pro riders. Admittedly I went down the more stealth route choosing a plain black strap with leather logo patch, a marble matte outrigger and plain black frame with clear and gold chrome lenses. But hey, it’s still totally custom.
The Diablos feature a single-piece outrigger, removable nose guard and its ‘Switchfast’ strap system, which allows for speedy strap removal. There's a 360-degree venting system for airflow and triple layer face foam, with a soft brushed outer surface. They’re also Rip 'n' Roll compatible for you racers out there, at an additional cost.
The Lexan lens is lightweight, replaceable and offers up 100 percent UV protection with a wide 17.5cm field of view. Options are available in a range of cool mirror finishes for your next Alps trip, or smoke or clear (tested here). They also claim high-impact resistance.
If you have a some extra cash you can buy extra outriggers, frames, straps and lenses to create a bunch of different designs and colorways, all at a very wallet-friendly price. And if classic heavy metal is your thing, Iron Maiden collab editions are available.
Performance
There’s no getting away from the fun part in designing these goggles and it’s easy for that to overshadow performance which is just as important.
As soon as I pulled on the Diablos over a full-face helmet I realized that the frame is actually quite flexible. I wouldn’t go so far as to say flimsy – as the outrigger and nose piece add rigidity. But it did mean they conformed to my face well. The deep concave profile and thick foam with that soft brushed cover felt comfortable when in place and the outrigger does a sterling job of sitting the frame deeper inside the helmet for a really secure fit.
Smashing lap after lap, I found that the Diablos vented pretty well, only experiencing some fogging on slow climbs and that was on a day when it was a horrible mixture of warm and wet. But overall, the 360-degree venting system worked well. The soft covering of the face foam kept sweat out of my eyes but did tend to soak up sweat too which isn’t pleasant when replacing them if they haven’t dried.
Lens clarity with the clear lens – my go-to lens choice – was great. I also tried out the Gold Chrome Lens which, aside from looking super bad-ass, provided a good middle ground in changeable weather conditions in and out of the woods.
Verdict
I wouldn’t say that lens quality is up there with the likes of 100% and Oakley. But at this price point, given that you can fully customize them, you’re getting a great deal. Performance is great and they vent well. With a little extra cash you can add on extras like the roll-offs and a hardcase.
Tech specs: Melon Optics Diablo Goggle
- Price: $75 / £60
- Lens: Lexan Lens, 7 options (clear tested)
- Weight: 147g
- Extras: Hardcase, lens, straps, outriggers, frame
