Rudy Project was founded in Italy in 1985 with the aim of improving the performance of athletes around the world. For over 30 years the company has been investing and developing new materials and technologies with the tagline “technically cool”.
This mantra is apparently present in all of Rudy Project's designs, did T3 find the Rydon cycling sunglasses technically cool, or technically uncool? Read on to find out...
- These are the best sports sunglasses
Oh, and by the way, it's pronounced “roody”, after the founder.
Design
The Rudy Project Rydons are the smallest sunglasses we've reviewed - ya know, in terms of the amount of material actually there, but despite being so diminutive they still feel solid, like a quality product.
Unlike most of the other shades we've tested, the Rydons actually have two separate lenses rather than a single wraparound lens. They're also slimmer than most of the others for a more streamlined and compact look.
The temples are made from 'Kynetium', a material developed by Rudy Project comprising of magnesium for lightweight, silicon for flexibility and titanium for durability. It's pretty cool knowing how advanced the glasses are - but as they're metal they are one of the heaviest we've tested at 26g. This does also make them feel more robust than the other glasses.
Despite the extra weight, they're still extremely comfortable, this is partly due to how adjustable these shades are. The nose piece is adjustable - allowing you to change the height and distance from your face. The temples are adjustable as well - allowing them to provide the perfect amount of pressure and keep them really secure.
These adjustable parts are made from the company's 'Grilamid' a shock-resistant, hypoallergenic, thermoplastic material. It feels great on the skin.
The Rydon's feature easily interchangeable lenses, allowing you to fully customise your sunglasses. We found it really it really simple to swap thanks to Rudy Project's 'Quick Change' mechanism.
The Rudy Project Rydon frames come in an impressive 25 different colourways - we have the Rydon Carbon frame and think it looks great.
Performance
We tested the Rydon's with the Smoke Black lenses, but Project Rudy offer eight photochromic options and 17 static options. That's a massive choice, and should mean there's a specific lens to suit your specific needs - whether you're playing golf, cycling, running, on the snow, on the water, in the woods, or on the road.
Let's start with the standard lenses which pack Rudy Project's “RP Optics” technology. These lenses are tuned to reduce glare, reduce colour distortion, and protect from all UV rays. They work really well.
The Photochromic lenses are a little more advanced. First off, they have ImpactX technology, which is fused with the mass of the polymer in a complex manufacturing process. This makes them incredibly strong, but also semi-rigid while still performing well optically. So strong in fact - Rudy Project guarantees they are unbreakable for life.
We found the standard Smoke Black RP Optics really clear and excellent performers.
And, most importantly of all - the lenses are available for prescription wearers - which is very useful if you don't like wearing contact lenses.
In terms of field of view, obviously these don't provide the same amount of coverage as the large shield lenses, but the ventilation is much better.
Accessories and features
The Rudy Project Rydon sunglasses come with a really hard plastic case. It doesn't feel like excellent quality but does provide plenty of protection.
Verdict
The Rudy Project Rydon's are a very impressive pair of sunglasses - we love the small robust design and how adaptable they are with 16 different lens options, 25 different frame colours, and of course, the adjustable frame.
The small lenses mean these shades don't provide as much field of view coverage as the larger shield sunglasses, but these are a great choice for prescription wearers.
- These are the best sports sunglasses
