Reviewed: Tifosi Sledge
We review the Tifosi Sledge as part of our hottest sunglasses of 2020 roundup.
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Tifosi Sledge Review
$70, 38g (as measured), Tifosioptics.com
The first thing you’ll notice about the Tifosi Sledge is the fact that these sunglasses are less than half the price of the other pairs in this list. In my opinion, that low pricepoint actually sometimes hurts Tifosi because people assume they don’t make quality eyewear. The reality is that their frames and lenses (and recently their styles) are so close in quality to other brands, that it’s actually difficult to tell when you’re out in the middle of a tough ride, run, or race; think marginal gains. In fact, with the introduction of the Sledge, Tifosi is finally joining other brands in fashion-forward styles that look as good sitting on the shelf as they do in front of your eyes. This pair has a frame that actually wraps around the entire lens, with a few gaps on the top and bottom, but offers an enormous amount of coverage on the scale of the Bolles or the POCs with no visible distortion. While the clarity of the lens is marginally less than the other super high-end models, it’s a tough difference to spot while out on the road.
Fitwise, the earpieces are quite tight out of the box, but they’re moderately adjustable with some confident bending—the rubber fits around all helmets tested quite well without causing any pinching or poking. Similar to the Bolles and the POCs, these are less than ideal for running, due to their heft, but with the ventilated lenses, it’s not necessarily the worst thing. On that same note, all Sledges come with three lenses—a clear one and two other variations—even further increasing Tifosi’s value proposition. We really liked the varied material around the lens—harder plastic around the tops and sides with a tackier plastic/rubber on the bottom. Breaking up the types of material also helps make these sunglasses “feel” more expensive than they actually are. All in all, there’s not much to dislike about these sunglasses, and for the price, you could buy two pairs in case you drop or lose one!
Read the complete roundup of the hottest shades of 2020 here.