Preamble:
Now, it might seem a bit silly to write a review of a
product that you’ve owned for about four years, but hear me out: first of all,
these sunglasses don’t appear to have changed much, if at all, since I bought
mine; secondly, they've truly sat test of time; thirdly, these are only
one of two things I think I have ever bought that I hope never to have to
change and have never seen an equivalent that I wish I had instead (the other
being my Bianchi road bike, bought in 2008); and finally after a recent
incident they deserve the recognition*!
In 2012 I was fortunate to be in the position to spend three
months in Washington DC with my wife while she was doing some research at the Library
of Congress: I was soon to be starting my Masters degree so decided to leave
work a few months early to go with her, enjoy the weather, and train for my
first Iron-distance event, Challenge Henley (this only ran once and was then
moved to Weymouth before being taken over by the Ironman brand).
Whilst out there I joined the fantastic DC Tri Club so had a few
opportunities to train with others and do a couple of their own members’ races.
This is a huge club and DC is a bit of a triathlon hot-bed with a broad range of
abilities (from complete novices to pros and Olympic hopefuls). I met some
really nice people and top-quality athletes out there, including Lindsey Jerdonek,
an elite Team USA triathlete (I bought some goggles off her and she also gave
me a running cap- which I still wear for most sunny races and runs!)
But back to the review… I decided to treat myself to some
decent sunglasses for cycling and running. I’d previously had some budget ones
which were ok, but not great, and I had an amazing 50% discount on all Rudy
Project kit as a DC Tri member so thought it would be rude not to! I had tried
on some Oakleys but found them a bit too bulky and heavy for my liking.
After much deliberation and trying different frame-and-lens
combination, I went for the Rydon Crystal with two sets of lenses: the
photochromic impactX (9-74% light transmission) and the Multilaser Red (20%
light transmission).
The Look:
Let’s face it, one of the main reasons most of us choose a
lot of the gear that we do is for the look, and I have to admit I’m no
different. These glasses just look cool. Their slim, sleek lines almost make
you think you can go faster. They are quite a subtle pair of glasses though,
without the in-your-face ostentatiousness of the Ergomasks or Oakley
Jawbreakers.
The ‘crystal’ part of the name refers to the colour choice-
in this case the frame is clear with removable red rubber arms and nose pads.
The lenses I chose were a nice dark red for the really sunny days and the
photochromic smoked ones for changeable weather or darker conditions.
A nice first impression.
The Feel:
These are exceptionally light glasses, which really appealed
to me. I had to wear normal specs for years before getting laser eye surgery to
correct my myopia and astigmatism, and often found eyewear uncomfortable for
one reason or another. You might almost think that they’re too light: you
wonder if you might break them if you hold them too tightly (see footnote
anecdote*), but when they’re on your face (or resting on your head) they are
really nice.
The rubber on the nose pads is firm but with a bit of give,
and also quite grippy. This makes it comfortable but also helps the glasses
stay in place. The arm covers are the same but if I had one criticism (and it’s
a small one), the angular design of the tube can occasionally mean a slight
pressure behind the ear if they’re not on quite right or perhaps if you adjust
your helmet while riding.
The Performance:
Performance-wise they leave no question unanswered: the option to quickly and easily change your
lenses to suit conditions makes them extremely versatile. The multilaser reds
are a nice, bright, Terminator-looking reflective pair, though after years of
abuse the reflective sheen is wearing out, and these do a great job of keeping out
80% of the bright light- perfect for those really sunny runs and rides. They
also help you hide the suffering in your eyes from competitors on the run at
the end of a tri! With these on I never find myself squinting and they provide
enough coverage for even the fast descents on the bike without wind getting
around and making your eyes water.
I also find that by not squinting into the sun or wind my
facial muscles relax more. In turn, the little accessory muscles round the neck
are less active, so sunglasses may even help fatigue to a small degree.
The photochromic impact-x lenses are perfect for changing
conditions and can be used at almost any time, with a range of 9-74% light
transmission. This is particularly helpful for the inconsistent British weather
or those early starts in the dark/dusk that brighten up over the course of the ride.
They go clear enough to allow me to use them even when riding at night, though I’d
keep that to city riding rather than unlit country lanes, and dark enough for
bright sunny days too. They claim to be unbreakable and un-scratchable, and you
can literally bend them in half when out of the frames. Mine remain
more-or-less blemish free but there was an option to return them for the cost
of postage if they did get damaged, which is an amazing guarantee.
These specs have seen me through three iron-distance races,
a couple of marathons, and countless other training sessions and races without
a hitch. You can adjust the fit of the bridge and the legs to make them wider
or narrower, up and down, or put in some little bends and kinks to fit you
perfectly.
* I recently went mountain biking and afterwards put my
sunnies in the little bit on my helmet. When I got home and was taking my stuff
back in the house, I forgot where they were and they dropped out without me
realising. I couldn’t find them the next day and mentioned to my wife that I
really hoped I’d not lost them. When I went outside I found them perched on my
garden wall- someone had clearly put them there after finding them on the road.
They were all bent out of shape and flattened and really looked like they’d
been run over… but not broken! The lenses were totally fine so I moved all the
relevant bits back into place, including a bit of hard plastic by the leg that
isn’t even supposed to be flexible, and they’re absolutely fine! I genuinely
couldn’t believe they’d survived that ordeal and it was this that really
prompted me to write this review.
The Pros:
Light, stylish, comfortable, and really top performance- and
extremely durable. Great choice of lenses and colours
The Cons:
Perhaps a rounded edge on the leg-rubber would be slight
better, but that’s me searching hard. Not cheap (unless you’re in DC Tri Club!)
Buy them if:
- You like unobtrusive glasses
- You’re liable to abuse them a bit
- You like to chop and change the appearance sometimes
- You want a great pair of tri/bike/run specs that look good
enough for everyday use too
Don’t buy them if:
- You prefer the chunkier Oakley-style of eyewear
Verdict:
9.5/10 I love these!
