In Review: Tifosi Rail

A few weeks back, we told you about a new pair of shades that were introduced, the Tifosi Rail (you can see that here). Since then, we’ve gotten a pair in, and I’ve been putting them to use in my morning jogs.

One of the great things about Tifosi shades is the hydrophilic rubber that they use on the ear and nose pieces. We first experienced this in the Tifosi Swank XL, and it works just as advertised: the more you sweat, the grippier they become. This means that as you’re going down the trail, the glasses aren’t bouncing around or sliding down – they just stay in place.

Then again, the Tifosi Rail weighs just 32g, so they’re not going to move around as much. How’d they manage that? Well, these glasses are ALL lens, other than the nose piece and the arms. The lens itself is polycarbonate, which should help keep them from shattering if a stone kicks up on the trail, and will resist scratches if you’re not the type to put your shades back in the case once you’re not wearing them.

For our review of the Tifosi Rail, we asked to see their version with the Fototec lenses. These are shades that get darker (and the mirroring becomes more pronounced, somehow) the brighter it is. You can see this in the photos above – on the left, a cloudy morning, and on the right, a full sun day. Why would you want lenses like these? Well, you could have a variety of reasons for it. The most obvious would be is if you’re out biking (or jogging) as the sun starts going down, or before it’s fully come up.

That latter scenario is where I found myself using the Tifosi Rail. I tend to head out before the sun is fully up, but by the time I start heading back home, it can be pretty bright out there. Starting out with regular sunglasses makes it a bit harder to see when you start out, but you eventually want that protection for your eyes at the end. With these Fototec lenses, you’re covered through all of those scenarios. I also found an extended benefit – one morning I headed out on a grey day, and ended up running into some light drizzle. The Rail kept the rain out of my eyes, and were still light enough to easily see through.

So, for my use case, the Tifosi Rail was absolutely perfect. I also think they’re going to be great wind protection as well once I get the bike down out of the garage. I will say, if you are looking for the absolute darkest shades that you can find, these are not the ones for you. Then again, that’s not what they’re designed for. On the other hand, if you want sunglasses that allow you to maintain visibility across a variety of lighting conditions, and glare reduction, then you’re on the right track with these.

All versions of the Tifosi Rail run $79.95. If you opt for the version we tested, you of course get the photo-sensitive lenses that darken in the sun (and clear up when the light goes away). They also have a variety of their “Interchange” models, which come with three different lenses – a darker tint for daytime, a red tint for sharper clarity, and then a clear lens. Check out all the options over at tifosioptics.com

Tech Specs from Tifosi

GRILAMID TR-90 FRAME is lightweight and durable for all day comfort.
HYDROPHILIC RUBBER ear & nose pieces provide a no-slip grip, the more you perspire, the more they grip.

POLYCARBONATE LENSES are shatterproof, scratch-resistant material.
ADJUSTABLE EAR & NOSE PIECES allow for a comfortable and customized fit.
AVAILABLE IN INTERCHANGE AND FOTOTEC MODELS. 3-lens interchange models are equipped with lenses for bright, low and no light scenarios. Fototec lenses adapt on the fly to ambient light.

Dimensions
- Temple-to-temple: 131mm
- Lens height: 59.5mm
- Bridge opening: 15.5mm
- Arm length: 121mm
WEIGHT: 32g