Gear review: Rudy Project Rydon ImpactX Photopolarized sunglasses

December 1, 7:05 PMMinneapolis Outdoor Recreation ExaminerMarie Malinowski

Previous Next

2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Minneapolis Outdoor Recreation Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

"I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille..."

I’ve been wearing cheap sunglasses for years because I’m a walking, talking, living, breathing target of Murphy’s Law. If I had a quarter for every pair of $100+ sunglasses I’ve stepped on, sat on, rode over, lost in a river, drowned in an ocean, or left on top of a mountain, the Saudis would be hitting me up loans.

So I resigned myself to the countless benefits of cheap sunglasses. Anyone who paid more than $50 for a pair was a sucker or a hack.

I got a pair of Rudy Project Rydon ImpactX sunglasses.

***Shameless plug begins here***

Before I dive further into my review, I have to point out that Rudy Project is running a very sweetly delicious and incredibly tasty limited time promo. Buy a pair of sunglasses (one in the promo) and you get $290 worth of free gear:

• Free helmet
• Free bag
• Free replacement lens
• Free hat
• Free t-shirt

What's not to love about that? So much free stuff, Christmas is sneaking up. While this promo doesn't include the ImpactX Polar Rydon, it does have the Rydon Black Racing Red.

***Shameless plug ends here, review of Rudy Project ImpactX Polar Rydon resumes***

These? Are the best sunglasses. Ever. The visual clarity is excellent. I could see everything on the trail, from the tiniest pebble to the biggest rocks in the rock gardens.The frames are completely adjustable since both the nose piece and the arms can be bent to fit your head and face. Unlike my $50 pair of Serfas, these stayed right where I put them despite the rough conditions on the trail and the log pile incident.

The Rydon is a super-technical frame with ImpactX Photopolarized lenses. What I like about these sunglasses is that while the lenses are polarized, I can still read the screen on my bike computer. I’ll keep my $50 pair of Serfas as a backup just in case. No! Stop it! I will not lose this pair. I will not step on them, sit on them, drown them in an ocean, river, or leave them atop a mountain.

Pro’s:

• Prescription inserts are available for ocular-challenged.
• Easily interchangeable lenses.
• Lightweight and comfortable; nose piece doesn’t slip.
• Adjustable arms; you can bend them to fit even the oddest-shaped ear and skull. These are the Gumby of sunglasses
• Excellent clarity.
• Great warranty from Rudy Project.

Con’s

• Price. At $249, they’re not exactly chump change; but I tested these side-by-side with my $50 Serfas and you really do get what you pay for. 

Go ahead. Say it. You know you want to. I'm a sucker and a hack for owning a pair of these peep sheaths. It's fine, really. I've been called worse.