Cycling Sun Glasses Archives | Gear Mashers https://gearmashers.com/category/cycling-sun-glasses/ Wed, 23 Oct 2019 16:45:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 168785075 Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Sunglasses Review https://gearmashers.com/bolle-lightshifter-cycling-sunglasses-review/ https://gearmashers.com/bolle-lightshifter-cycling-sunglasses-review/#comments Wed, 23 Oct 2019 14:58:49 +0000 https://gearmashers.com/?p=4938

We just received the all-new Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Sunglasses to review. The Lightshifters are cycling-specific sunglasses designed for top performance. In fact, the Lightshifter glasses were used by the AG2R La Mondiale team during this year’s Tour de France. It should come as no surprise considering Bolle has been making performance glasses for riders in […]

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We just received the all-new Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Sunglasses to review.

Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses Review

The Lightshifters are cycling-specific sunglasses designed for top performance. In fact, the Lightshifter glasses were used by the AG2R La Mondiale team during this year’s Tour de France. It should come as no surprise considering Bolle has been making performance glasses for riders in the Tour since 1958.

AG2R La Mondiale team wearing Bolle Lightshifter (@Photo credits: Kevin Bottin)
@Photo credits: Kevin Bottin
Unboxing

Bollé Lightshifter Unboxing

We were sent a sample of the Bollé Lightshifter sunglasses, so we didn’t get the typical retail packaging that normally would come with the glasses including a Bollé sunglass case and a cleaning cloth.

Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses with the Bollé Furo MIPS Helmet
Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses with the Bollé Furo MIPS Helmet
Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses Front View
Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses Front View

The Bollé Lightshifter nose piece is adjustable and removable. It’s a bit hard to see, but the glasses come with a horizontal vent near the top of the glasses to allow airflow.

At the bottom of the glasses, there is some edging that makes the glasses look a bit cooler. It’s not that noticeable unless you look at them up close, but I thought it was a neat feature.

Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses Rear View
Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses Rear View

The Lightshifters use Bollé’s Thermogrip technology which helps keep the sunglasses from sliding or slipping while riding.

Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses Side View
Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses using the Bollé sunglass garage
Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses using the Bollé sunglass garage
Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses using the Bollé sunglass garage
Bollé Lightshifter Cycling Glasses using the Bollé sunglass garage side view
REVIEW

Bollé Lightshifter Review

The Lightshifter’s get their pedigree from the Shifter Phantom but have been made to provide a wider field view thanks to the removal of the lower frame.

The glasses are what Bollé refers to as semi-rimless, which reduces weight and provides better viewing. The nose bridge is adjustable and ear side pieces were designed to hold their grip. Bollé uses what they call Thermogrip to keep the glasses from moving around. It is essentially a grippy rubber compound and it seems to work even if you sweat a lot.

The glasses use vent at the top to provide a bit of airflow, which helps reduce the possibility of fogging. Speaking of fogging, the Lightshifters are treated with a special coating (Anti – Fog P80+) that Bollé says will prevent fogging altogether. It seems to work because I have yet to get them fogged up.

Our Lightshifters came equipped with a blueish photochromic lens, meaning it can adjust to changes in lighting. I found the lenses made every color a bit more appealing. For instance, the blue sky was bluer, yellow flowers were more yellow and so on. It definitely made the riding experience more enjoyable.

Bollé’s NXT Photochromatic lenses adjusted quickly depending on the lighting conditions.

For those that need prescription lenses, the Lightshifters frames will accept prescription lenses without having to add additional holders. Bollé can simply swap out the standard lens for a prescription lens.

As someone who sweats a lot, the hydrophobic treatment repelled the sweat without issue.

Bottom Line

If you are looking for a good set of cycling sunglasses at a good price point (Lightshifter with the Phantom lens is $200 and with all other lens are $130), you will not be disappointed with the Bollé Lightshifters. The overall coverage is really good and since there is no frame at the bottom of the glasses you have a wider field of view.

While the sunglasses don’t have as much adjustability as some other sunglasses I have tested, it didn’t seem to matter. I found there wasn’t really any need to do adjustments. I just popped them on and went riding without issue.

If you plan on using the glasses during various lighting conditions, go ahead and purchase the glasses with the Phantom lens.

To find out more information checkout Bollé’s website.

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Ryders Eyewear Roam Fyre Cycling Sunglasses REVIEW https://gearmashers.com/ryders-eyewear-roam-fyre-cycling-sunglasses-review/ https://gearmashers.com/ryders-eyewear-roam-fyre-cycling-sunglasses-review/#respond Wed, 28 Mar 2018 16:57:10 +0000 https://gearmashers.com/?p=1422

Back in 2017 I got to meet the fine folks at Ryders Eyewear during Interbike’s Outdoor Expo. Ryders hails from Canada and over 30 years ago Brett Martin launched the company after his successful mountain bike win in 1986.  The goal was to establish a company that would create amazing sunglasses for cyclists and adventurous […]

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Back in 2017 I got to meet the fine folks at Ryders Eyewear during Interbike’s Outdoor Expo.

Ryders Eyewear Roam FYRE Interbike

Ryders Eyewear booth at Interbike’s Outdoor Demo

Ryders hails from Canada and over 30 years ago Brett Martin launched the company after his successful mountain bike win in 1986.  The goal was to establish a company that would create amazing sunglasses for cyclists and adventurous types who required the best in sun protection and functionality for their eyewear.

Ryders Eyewear Roam Fyre Cycling Sunglasses REVIEW 2018

RYDERS EYEWEAR ANTIFOG SUNGLASSES

Ryders claim to fame is their ridiculously amazing Antifog coating which helps prevent fogging issues make them pretty much non-existent.

The glasses are treated with 2 antifog hydrophobic coatings, one on the front and one on the back.  Ryders uses a military-grade, hydrophilic layer on the rear of the glasses that helps absorb and disperses water vapor/humidity throughout the material, eliminating the opportunity for it to condense on the surface as fog.  On the front of the glasses the hydrophobic coating helps to shed water to provide a clear view, free from large drops and water marks.  The synergy of the 2 hydrophobic coatings makes the glasses virtually fog proof.

RYDERS EYEWEAR ROAM FYRE CYCLING SUNGLASSES REVIEW

Ryders Roam Fyre Cycling Sunglasses

The Ryders Roam comes with MLV MIRROR (Mulit-Layer VARIA™ Mirror): Reflects additional light away from lens without causing any negative effects on photochromic performance

Ryders Eyewear Roam Cycling Sunglasses

The Ryders Roam Varia™ photochromic technology changes color instead of simply getting darker or lighter.

Ryders Roam FYRE Sunglasses

The Ryders Roam COLOR BOOST Enhances color perception and Boosts the most important tones. It creates a more vibrant environment

Ryders Eyewear Roam FYRE Sunglasses
The Roam sunglasses come in 3 flavors including

  • FYRE™ Light Grey – Grey with Blu
  • FYRE™ Yellow – Brown with Gold
  • FYRE™ Pink – Purple with Red MLV

FYRE is Ryders most advanced lenses that were specifically developed for cycling and include many advanced features to improve vision, sun and eye protection.

  • NXT® LENS: Superior optics compared to traditional lenses / Extremely impact resistant
  • Varia™: Vast photochromic range (Category 1 – 3) / Lens changes color instead of simply getting darker or lighter // Fast acting in all temperatures
  • antiFOG: Military-grade fog resistance / Permanently bonded to lens
  • COLOR BOOST: Enhances color perception / Boosts the most important tones / Creates a more vibrant environment
  • MLV MIRROR (Mulit-Layer VARIA™ Mirror): Reflects additional light away from lens / No negative effects on photochromic performance

Ryders Roam Fyre Lenses

We received the Roams with the FYRE™ Pink – Purple with Red MLV lenses and we absolutely love how the lenses react to lighting changes.  Ryders Varia photochromic lenses changes color instead of simply getting darker or lighter, which is perfect for early morning and evening rides when light conditions are continuously changing.

I found the Pink – Purple lenses to be optimal on bright sunny days, but a little dark in low light conditions.  In those situations the Grey or Yellow lenses might be a better option.

Ryders Roam Roam Removable frame

The lower frame of the Roam is removable creating a frameless less obstructive view.  The glasses come with quick change system allowing the lower frame to be swapped out for a nose bridge.

My preference is to keep the lower frame, which provides a bit more eye protection and IMO looks better.

Overall the Roam performed amazingly well without any fogging or issues.

RYDERS EYEWEAR ROAM SPECIFICATIONS

Ryders Eyewear Roam

  • 100% protection from UVA, UVB, UVC and harmful, high-energy light to 400nm
  • Photochromic lenses respond quickly and reliably to light conditions, transitioning through a wide range from light to dark and improving the recognition of some colors by 20%
  • antiFOG lenses have a military-grade hydrophilic layer that absorbs and disperses water vapor, greatly reducing condensation on the surface; never requires reapplication
  • Decentered lenses eliminate the distortion that contributes to eye fatigue
  • Scratch-resistant coating increases the innate durability of the NXT lenses
  • Convert frames from an inverted semi-rim to conventional shield glasses by removing the bottom frame
  • Frameless top expands your field of vision and allows humidity to escape
  • Grilamid® TR90 frames are flexible, durable and lightweight
  • Adjustable hydrophilic nose pads and temple tips resist slipping
  • Frame fits best on medium-large faces; weighs 32g
  • Retail: $239

Bottom Line

Ryders Roam Fyre At Zilker Park Austin

My wife Kathleen and friends enjoying a night out at Zilker Park in Austin.

I am really digging the Ryders Roam.  While this wouldn’t be my first choice of sunglasses in low light conditions, in moderate to bright conditions is does exceeding well.  The glasses simply don’t fog and the rosie color hue gives a great vibe to everything you look at and makes wearing them a joy.

They go down as one of our favorites.

Purchase Your Next Pair Of Ryders Eyewear

You can purchase Ryders Eyewear directly from their website (https://www.ryderseyewear.com) or (https://www.ryderseyewear.com/pa_lens-options/fyre/)

 

Buy From Amazon

 

SportRx The Online Opticians

Oakley Jawbreaker Prizm Road Review (2018)

Rudy Project Agon Sports Glasses Review | 2017

Rudy Project Rydon Review | 2017

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Oakley Jawbreaker Prizm Road Review (2018) https://gearmashers.com/oakley-jawbreaker-prizm-road-review-2018/ https://gearmashers.com/oakley-jawbreaker-prizm-road-review-2018/#respond Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:38:03 +0000 https://gearmashers.com/?p=1354

We got our first sighting of the Oakley Prizm line of sunglasses at Interbike. Oakley had a rather large booth and one of their main features were the Oakley Jawbreakers Prizm’s sitting on the new 2018 Oakley ARO cycling helmets. A few months later Oakley sent us the Jawbreaker, Radar and Zero’s frames all featuring Prizm […]

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We got our first sighting of the Oakley Prizm line of sunglasses at Interbike.

Oakley had a rather large booth and one of their main features were the Oakley Jawbreakers Prizm’s sitting on the new 2018 Oakley ARO cycling helmets.

Oakley Jawbreaker 2018 Prizm

Oakley Jawbreaker 2018 Prizm B

A few months later Oakley sent us the Jawbreaker, Radar and Zero’s frames all featuring Prizm lenses.

Yeah you could say we were stoked to get these in.

Oakley Prizm Unboxing

All the glasses came encased in Oakley Black boxes with grey lettering.

Oakley Jawbreaker Cycling Sun Glasses 2018 A

Oakley Jawbreaker, Oakley Radar EV & Oakley Zero

Oakley Jawbreaker Cycling Sun Glasses 2018 E

Oakley Jawbreaker with Prizm lenses.

Oakley Jawbreaker History

When designing the Oakley Jawbreaker, Oakley teamed up with Mark Cavendish (world champion and the fastest sprinter in cycling).  The goal was to come up with a set of cycling specific glasses that provided a wide field of view, increase eye protection and improve ventilation to reduce fogging.

Oakley Jawbreaker Larger Field Of View 2018

The end result was the creation of a set of cycling sunglasses that were 44% larger than standard dual-lens sunglasses.

Eye protection was increased by employing true full-frame protection that extends around the entire lens perimeter, shielding your eyes with impact resistance without compromising the field of view or ventilation.

The frames were specifically designed to optimize airflow around the glasses, yet still allow air in through 6 air vents to prevent fogging.  In testing I have found the Jawbreakers to work extremely well and haven’t had any issues with the lenses fogging.

Oakley Jawbreaker Airflow 2018 No Fog

Oakley Jawbreaker Adjustability And Quick Release

The Oakley Jawbreaker lenses can be swapped out for other lenses using their Switchlock Technology.  Flipping up on the nose bridge quickly allows you to switch lenses if needed.

Oakley Jawbreaker Cycling Sun Glasses 2018 C

Oakley Jawbreaker with nose bridge lifted for lens removal

Oakley Jawbreaker Cycling Sun Glasses 2018 D

Oakley Jawbreaker Prizm with lenses removed

The sunglasses also have a bit of adjustability by pulling up on the stems quick release mechanism and setting the stem position in one of three different lengths.

Oakley Jawbreaker Cycling Sun Glasses 2018 B

Oakley Jawbreaker with adjustable ear pieces

Oakley Jawbreaker Prizm Road Lenses

Oakley’s Prizm Road lenses are designed to enhance detail to optimize your visual experience.  What makes the Prizm lenses rather unique is how Oakley designs them based on the activity you will be doing.  Currently Oakley has Prizm lenses designed for Sport, Trail, Snow and Everyday.

Oakley Prizm Sun Glasses

Bottom Line – Oakley Jawbreaker Prizm Road Cycling Sunglasses

The Oakley Jawbreakers are one of my favorite cycling glasses at present.  The excellent field of view and anti-fogging properties make these a must have.

While the Prizm Road lenses do enhance detail, you can save a little money by choosing polarized or standard lenses instead and you will not notice too much of a difference.

I do have 2 main issues with the Prizm Road lenses.  They are extremely hard to keep clean and fingerprint smudges will be very common.  I also found the Road lenses to be a bit darker than I would like during morning rides and twilight rides.  The Prizm Trail, being lighter might be a better option when cycling in low lighting conditions.

To find out more about the Oakley Jawbreaker Prizm Road Sunglasses, check out Oakley’s website.

Oakley ARO Cycling Helmet Review | 2017

Bollé 5th Element Pro Cycling Sunglasses Review

Rudy Project Agon Sports Glasses Review | 2017

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Bollé 5th Element Pro Cycling Sunglasses Review https://gearmashers.com/bolle-5th-element-pro-cycling-sunglasses-review/ https://gearmashers.com/bolle-5th-element-pro-cycling-sunglasses-review/#respond Tue, 22 Aug 2017 21:54:07 +0000 https://gearmashers.com/?p=547

This month we have been testing out the Bolle 5th Element Pro Cycling Sunglasses and the verdict is Awesome! To be honest I wasn’t quite sure about the glasses.  We have been testing other brands including Oakley and Rudy Project and both are super, so it was hard to imagine Bolle could beat them out.  Well […]

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This month we have been testing out the Bolle 5th Element Pro Cycling Sunglasses and the verdict is Awesome!

To be honest I wasn’t quite sure about the glasses.  We have been testing other brands including Oakley and Rudy Project and both are super, so it was hard to imagine Bolle could beat them out.  Well Bolle’s 5th Element from our stand point might just do that.

Recently we contact Bollé, a French cycling company about reviewing their cycling glasses and helmets.  Bollé sent us the Bollé 5th Element Cycling Glasses and The One cycling helmet.

Bollé HISTORY

Bollé’s story began in the small town of Oyonnax, France in 1888. There, Seraphim Bollé started his company by first manufacturing combs and hair ornaments for the boxwood and horn indigenous to the region.  Over 125 years later, Bollé products are distributed world wide.  Bollé focus in particular is outdoor sports including snow sports, water sports, golf, tennis, cycling and outdoor adventure.

Bollé A Package Arrives

Bollé was kind enough to send out the 5th Element Cycling Glasses and The One Cycling Helmet

Bolle 5th Element Cycling Sunglasses Box

Bolle 5th Element Cycling Sunglasses Box 2

The packing job was good with Earth Aware packing.

Bolle 5th Element Cycling Sunglasses Packaging

The 5th Elements come with a standard Bollé sunglass box.

Bolle 5th Element Cycling Sunglasses Opened Packaging

The box contained a Sunglass case and directions.  Also included was an extra lens called the TNS Fire OLEO AF lens.

Bolle 5th Element Cycling Sunglasses Sunglass Case

In the Sunglass Case the 5th element was snug set with inside a lens cleaner cloth.

The 5th Element was setup with the Modulator Clear Grey OLEO AF lenses.

Bollé 5th Element Pro Cycling Sunglasses Specifications

  • B-MAX Extra Large Field of view
  • B-CLEAR lenses
  • B-SHAPE Temples
  • B-THIN Active Design RX
  • Photochromic lenses
  • Interchangeable lenses
  • Antifog treatment
  • Hydrophobic – Oleophobic treatment
  • Adjustable nosepiece and temples
  • Retail $199.99

B-MAX LARGE FIELD OF VIEW

Bolle B-Max TechnologyOne of the unique features of the 5th Element is it’s large field of view that Bollé refers to as B-max technology.  Most cycling glasses have a frame that either wraps around the whole glass or goes along the top of the glass.  The 5th Element is considered a floating frame design where the glasses are suspended between the ears by attaching frames from the sides.

 

When looking down and forward a sunglass frame can often obstruct your view.  An example would be if you are in a paceline looking down but also looking at the person in front of you.  Bollé eliminates this issue by only having the frame attach to the side of the glasses.   This completely eliminates obstruction and makes the glasses wickedly cool to use.

PHOTOCHROMIC LENSES

Bollé sent us 2 types of lenses, including the Modulator Clear Grey OLEO AF and the TNS Fire OLEO AF.    The Clear Grey glasses are coated with Bollé’s photochromic technology and is embedded into the lens at a molecular level, automatically lighten and darken according to light conditions.

Bolle 5th Element Pro Cycling Sunglasses Review Modulator Clear Grey OLEO AF

The Clear Grey lenses are perfect for morning or evenings.  They are transition lenses meaning the lenses Darken from clear (low light) to grey (bright light).   The transition lenses are ideal for unpredictable conditions.  I found that they are my goto lenses in the morning before the sun really pops up.

It’s a little hard to tell, but the 2nd picture the lenses started to darken because of the bright sun.

Bolle Modulator Clear Grey OLEO AF Cycling Sunglasses Front

Bolle Modulator Clear Grey OLEO AF Cycling Sunglasses Rear

Bolle 5th Element Pro Cycling Sunglasses Review TNS Fire OLEO AF

The Fire lenses are perfect for clear sunny skies where the sun is beating down.  If the sun is out, I would definitely use the fire lens over the clear grey lens.

Below you can really see the difference in how much darker the Fire lenses are compared to the Clear.

Bolle TNS Fire OLEO AF Cycling Sunglasses Front Bolle TNS Fire OLEO AF Cycling Sunglasses

ANTIFOG TREATMENT

The 5th Element’s are coated with Bollé’s Antifog treatment.  Bollé claims that there will be no fogging on your eyewear under any circumstance.  In our testing we experience ZERO fogging and our testing conditions had temperatures ranging from 75 to over 100 degrees.

INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES

The 5th Element comes standard with the ability to interchange lenses as needed.  Each lens has 4 notches, 2 on either side, which are used to hold the 2 frame/ear arms in place.  While switching lenses is relatively easy, we did find it a little more difficult than either Oakley’s or Rudy’s quick change design.

VENTILATION AND SWEAT

Surprisingly the Elements side vents allow ample air flow without messing with your eyes.  As a high rate sweat monster, I found the glasses worked perfectly to keep the glasses dry, well as dry as they could.  I am pretty confident that no eyewear will beat my sweat rate.  Cycling with larger lenses seems to help reduce eye wear due to wind.

BOTTOM LINE

Bollé’s combination of Antifog and Large viewing area make the Bollé 5th Element an exceptional eyepiece for cyclists.  The glasses fit well and vent air without issue.  We weren’t sure about these glasses at the beginning, but they performed so well during testing, that they have become one of our favorite goto sunglasses.  We had zero issues with them during our many rides and are pretty confident that they will last for a long time.

While the glasses certainly aren’t as easy to quick change lenses compared to other popular brands, everything else about them stands out for an enjoyable ride without complaint.

Check out Bollé (http://www.bolle.com/) for their full lineup of products including cycling helmets and glasses.

 

 

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Rudy Project Rydon Review | 2017 https://gearmashers.com/rudy-project-rydon-review-2017/ https://gearmashers.com/rudy-project-rydon-review-2017/#respond Wed, 09 Aug 2017 19:51:39 +0000 https://gearmashers.com/?p=508

A few years back I had the unfortunate luck of losing my prescription Oakley Flack Jackets on a trip to Mexico.   Not wanting to let this get me down, I decided to turn a negative into a positive, by seeking out another eye-wear manufacturer to see what they had to offer.  After looking at […]

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A few years back I had the unfortunate luck of losing my prescription Oakley Flack Jackets on a trip to Mexico.   Not wanting to let this get me down, I decided to turn a negative into a positive, by seeking out another eye-wear manufacturer to see what they had to offer.  After looking at the competition, in my mind, there really was only one clear winner and their name is Rudy Project.

Rudy Project are known for their quality glasses, I mean come on, everything is made in Italy and we know the Italians have a flair for fashion.  Rudy Project got their start in 1985 and have been moving and shaking ever since.

The next step was contacting the right people at Rudy Project and thankfully I was able to do just that.  They provided me with excellent guidance on what to choose.  Browsing Rudy Project’s website, I decided on the Rudy Project Rydon.  A great feature on Rudy’s website is their RX portal for choosing prescription glasses.  It’s a simple process, but before you start you want to make sure you have your eye prescription and your pupil distance.  Once ordered, the glasses arrived in about a week.  Super fast and super easy.

Rudy-Project-Rydon-Eye-Prescription

When the Rudy Project Rydon’s package arrived, inside was a nice display box.  Opening the box revealed a really nice eye glass case, something I hadn’t expected as well as an eye-wear tool and an extra set of nose and ear attachments (fiery orange) and a glass cleaning cloth.

Rudy-Project-Rydon-Package 2017

Below is Rudy Projects Rydon accessories kit and their 4-functions multitool (flat screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, 2.2 hexagonal head & 2.5 hexagonal head).  From what I could see the only tool needed to remove the nosepiece and arms is the flat screwdriver.

Rudy-Project-Rydon-Accessories-Kit-and-RP-4-functions-multitool

The Rudy Project Tech Protector Case fits the Rydon comfortably and has extra pockets for lenses, should you need or want extras.

Rudy-Project-Lens-case

When ordering the Rydon as prescription glasses, you have the option of Direct In Frame or RX Adapter.  I chose the Direct In Frame.  After making the frame selection, you choose the color and the type of lens technology.  I went with the straight up photochromatic clear lens.  The photochromatic lenses start out… well clear, but then change to a smoky grey when enough sunlight hits them.  I like this option as it transitions to dark when it’s bright out and clear when your indoors or on cloudy days.  Once you have your lens selected, you simply add your prescription and any additional lens options you need and you’re done.  Rudy does the rest and your glasses are ready in about a week or two.

Rudy Project Rydon Highlights

  • Quick Change System – Rudy’s patented system to quickly change out lenses
  • RP-D-Centered – Rudy’s patented to give you crisp clear optics
  • RX Friendly – Meaning these glasses can hold prescriptions
  • Adjustable Nosepiece – Helps accommodate different noses and how close you want the glasses to you.
  • E-Lock Nosepiece – Rudy’s patented nonslip nosepiece
  • Safety Hinges – Help prevent damage to the eye should an accident occur while wearing the glasses.
  • Adjustable Temples – Adjustableto different size heads

Here is a quick video that shows most cool stuff that these glasses have to offer.

Below are examples of what the glasses look like after being exposed to the sun.  As you can see the lenses get a little grey tent to them.  They certainly aren’t as dark as many of my current sunglasses, but they do make it easier to see when it does get bright out, over plain clear lenses.  During the mornings and early evenings I found the shading to be perfect.  By afternoon the sun can get pretty bright, so opting for a darker pair of shades is usually my preference.

Rudy-Project-Rydon-Front-Dark

Rudy-Project-Rydon-Back

Here is a comparison of Oakley’s glasses case vs Rudy Project.  The Oakley glass case is tapered on one side while the Rudy Project is about the same on both sides.

Oakley-Vs-Rudy-Project-Glass-Case Oakley-Vs-Rudy-Project-Glass-Case-2

Rudy Project Rydon – Overall Impression

Rudy-Project-World-Cup-GameI have had a chance to run and cycle in the Rydons and so far they have performed flawlessly.  One thing I found sort of interesting is the glasses just don’t seem to fog up or get too much sweat on them.  I recently ran in them for about 1 1/2 hours through some pretty hot temps, sweating like crazy (Lost 8-10lbs, yes that isn’t a typo) and the glasses for the most part remained sweat free and didn’t fog up once.  At some points during the run, the cloud cover opened up to reveal the sun and the photochromatic lenses went to work dialing them into a darker shade.  When the sun hid back behind some more clouds, the glasses went back to almost clear.

I haven’t had to swap out lenses, since I don’t own any others, but the quick change system is rather simple and easy to swap out if the need arises.

I also haven’t had the need to replace the current nosepiece and arms attachments, but it looks pretty straight forward.  You simply unscrew one screw that holds the nosepiece on and 1 screw on each arm.

I am a big fan of Oakley’s glass case, but I found the Rudy Glass Case to be really nice as well.  Both seem to protect the glasses and offer room for other lens options.  The Rudy case does win on style.

Are there any negatives.  Honestly the glasses are pretty slick and do exactly what they are designed to do.  Look good on, perform great in various sports, infinitely adjustable to a user’s nose and head and are able to adapt based on different lens options.  While I have read a review or two where people didn’t like them for running because of their weight, I found they performed fantastic for me.

As Rudy Project says, the Rydon is Technically Cool.  We totally agree.  The Rudy Project Rydon glasses are technically cool, fun to wear and help you perform at your best.  Check out Rudy Project’s website for the Rydon and all the other cool stuff they make.

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Rudy Project Agon Sports Glasses Review | 2017 https://gearmashers.com/rudy-project-agon-sports-glasses-review/ https://gearmashers.com/rudy-project-agon-sports-glasses-review/#respond Sun, 23 Jul 2017 21:40:44 +0000 https://gearmashers.com/?p=428

Back in 2013, Rudy Project debuted one of their newest models for sport performance sunglasses called the Rudy Project Agon.  At the time the Agon was off our radar and it wasn’t until we saw them at an expo that year, that we knew we wanted to review them. The name Agon is derived from […]

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Back in 2013, Rudy Project debuted one of their newest models for sport performance sunglasses called the Rudy Project Agon.  At the time the Agon was off our radar and it wasn’t until we saw them at an expo that year, that we knew we wanted to review them.

The name Agon is derived from an ancient Greek term “Agon”, which loosely translates into “competition in athletics”.  This makes perfect sense, performance eye wear to help athletes excel in competition.  Of course you don’t have to compete to appreciate all the great features the Agon has to offer from their cool styling with an Italian flair to how they perform when worn.

Rudy-Project-Agon-Glasses

Rudy Project Agon Overview 2017

Fast Forward to 2017 and the Argon still is kicking it in the Rudy Project lineup.

A key aspect to the Argon is their half-rim structure.  It allows for a greater field of view over full rim glasses.  The glasses also come with side slits, allowing air to pass through, preventing potential fogging.  The nose piece incorporates ErgoIV, which is designed to provide both a secure and custom fit.  The temple tips on the glasses arms are also completely adjustable and customizable for a person’s head and temple area.

When changing lenses is required, the Rudy Project Agon utilize Rudy’s Quick Change lens system.  Simply hold the glasses where the arm hinges with one hand and lightly unsnap the lenses with the other.

The glasses come in a multitude of colors including Frozen Ash, Matte Black, White Gloss, Yellow Fluo, Green Fluo, & Graphite.  Since the lenses are replaceable, you also have an option from choosing normal to radical colors like multilaser green, polarized and photochromatic lenses.

Rudy-Project-Agon-Review-Accessories

Rudy-Project-Agon-Review-Safty-Hinges-Centered-Optics

Back in 2013 when the Agon’s arrived they came in a nice box that included a brief overview of some of the key features as well as a cloth bag and eyeglass case.  Our glasses are called White Gloss and came with ImpactX Photochromatic Red lenses.  For me, they felt comfortable right away.   I didn’t have to mess with the temple adjustment or nose bridge.  For those that do, you have lots of adjustability at both the nose and temple areas.

The 2017 Rudy Project eyeglass cases have changed since we received ours back in 2013, but they are essentially the same shape as the older version, but just look a little more fancy.

Rudy-Project-Agon-Package

The cloth bag is your typical high end eyewear cleaning cloth used for cleaning lenses.  The eyewear case is one of those plastic shatter proof types.  Certainly not as elegant as the Rudy Project race sunglass protective case or an Oakley case, but it’s light and keeps your glasses secure.

Below are two different glass cases offered by Rudy Project.

Rudy-Project-eyewear-cases-1 Rudy-Project-eyewear-cases-2Rudy-Project-eyewear-cases-3

After wearing them a while, I have dubbed them my happy glasses.  The red color Photochromatic lenses seem to give everything a light rosy appearance, brightening everything up.  Heck they may even make the walking dead a little more cheerful, which hopefully, I will never have the chance to find out.

The frames themselves fit great and since the frames come in a half-rim structure, the field of view seems better than many of my full framed glasses.  As far as fit and performance is concerned, they rate as good as the Rudy Project Rydons, which we love.

Below we have the Rudy Project Rydons (Right) and the Agons (Left).  The glasses have a slightly different tapered profile in both the arms around the eyes.  The Agons look to also have a slightly higher profile.

Rudy-Project-Agon-and-Rydon-2 Rudy-Project-Agon-and-Rydon-1

Before writing this article I didn’t realize our lenses actually would change shades like my Rydons do.  The reason for this is because they are also photochromatic lenses.  Just like the Rydon lenses, these lenses react to lighting changes and adjust accordingly.  This makes them the prefect companion when light conditions are constantly changing during a workout or competition.  The other advantage to the rosy lenses is they seem to highlight contrasts, making it much easier to see terrain differences.

Safety Features

Most people probably don’t think about safety features when buying sunglasses or performance glasses.  It’s usually the case that most people are looking for some type of sun protection for their eyes, but rarely think about much more.  Rudy Project’s engineers went beyond sun protection and added a few cool safety features to the Argon and lenses.   The lenses are basically unbreakable and are guaranteed for life.  The lenses are also bendable, which also provides some safety during a fall or crash.  The lenses are not replacements for safety glasses, which are designed specifically to protect the eyes, but they are about the next best thing.  The glasses have 2 safety hinges, which are supposed to reduce potential eye injury during a fall or accident.

If you’re looking for a good pair of prescription sports glasses, the Agons make a perfect choice that will not disappoint.

Are there any negatives to the Agon?  The only thing that people will be turned off by is the price tag.  At $249 retail, they are quite expensive, but so are Oakleys and many other top name brands.  I have purchased no name sun glasses before and have always been disappointed by the quality and craftsmanship.

Here is Olaf our dog showing off just how cool one can look when wearing the Agons.

Olaf-Pug-Agon-Rudy-Project Olaf-Pug-Agon-Rudy-Project-2

The Rudy Project Agon glasses are another top notch set of performance glasses from Rudy line, great to wear and simply fun.  Check out Rudy Project’s website for the Agon and all the other cool stuff they make.

Update: July 2017.  The Agon’s are still killer glasses for riding or running.  The glasses themselves have remained in great shape with one exception.  The red rubber that is/was used on the arms of the sunglasses has turned almost white.  The combination of sweat and wear are the most likely culprits.

The post Rudy Project Agon Sports Glasses Review | 2017 appeared first on Gear Mashers.

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