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review

Tifosi Davos Race Neon Interchangeable Lens Sunglasses

8
£64.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Offer a strong performance with the bonus of different lenses, even if changing them is a little fiddly
Weight: 
36g

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The Tifosi Davos Race Neon Interchangeable Lens Sunglasses offer good clarity, a wide field of vision and decent venting, although it would be nice if changing the lenses was a little less fiddly.

  • Pros: Strong construction, lightweight, large field of visions
  • Cons: Lenses are fiddly to change, close fit won't be for everyone

When riding in changeable conditions, like everybody does during the transition from winter to spring, it is important to have glasses that can adapt to the different lighting while also having good venting. The Davos, with their three different lenses, are a good option.

> Find your nearest dealer here

As with any set of sunglasses, lenses are the single most important element, and Tifosi has provided three in this package: clear, AC red and smoke. These are each made of Grilamid TR-90, which according to Tifosi offers high resistance to chemical and UV damage, high alternative bend strength, and low density.

Tifosi Davos Race Neon Interchaneable 2018 Sun Glasses - extra lenses.jpg

They seemed to work well throughout the review. It's obviously hard to judge how resistant they are to things like UV damage in a review that is only a couple of months, but the other qualities seem to be accurate, and they each offered decent clarity in the conditions they are designed for.

At this time of year I am often riding to work in daylight and riding home in the dark. Having a variety of lenses meant I could change them to suit the conditions: I was predominantly switching between the smoke lens for my way to the office and the AC red lens on the way back. It did mean that I was having to change the lenses at least once a day, and even with practice it was a little too fiddly – especially when you compare it to the improved ways that Oakley and others have developed in the past few years. This was compounded by a lack of clear instructions on how to do it – a video on Tifosi's website wouldn't go amiss to help with this.

Tifosi Davos Race Neon Interchaneable 2018 Sun Glasses - side.jpg

The glasses have a tight wraparound fit, which has some upsides and some downsides. One of the main benefits is that because they wrap so closely around the eyes, despite being a full frame there is little disruption to your peripheral vision, which can occur in similar glasses. However, being this close means that when you come to a stop at a set of traffic lights or even just to open the front door, they steam up quickly. They do clear quickly too, though, and it's not an issue while moving. This is helped by some good venting around the glasses – six vents on the lenses and one on each side of the frame – so even at low speeds there was little to no misting.

Tifosi Davos Race Neon Interchaneable 2018 Sun Glasses 2.jpg

They stay in place well thanks to a hydrophilic rubber nosepiece and arms. The nosepiece has a lot of adjustability, which is incredibly useful to position the glasses correctly. The arms have a gentle curve to them and I didn't have any issues in terms of fit, though the 'adjustable ear pieces' had me stumped.

Despite being relatively large and full frame, the Davos are relatively light on the nose and top of the ears, coming in at 36g, making them comfortable to wear for longer rides.

> Buyer's Guide: 22 of the best cycling sunglasses

An RRP of £64.99 is about what I would expect for a pair of glasses of this quality, and it's certainly favourable compared with others on the market, such as Ekoi's RS1 and BBB's Summit.

Overall I was impressed with these glasses, given the clarity, protective qualities and comfort they offer. Tifosi could do with looking at the lens changing element, which can be a little fiddly, but otherwise these are a very good option.

Verdict

Offer a strong performance with the bonus of different lenses, even if changing them is a little fiddly

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Tifosi Davos Race Neon Interchangeable Lens Sunglasses

Size tested: Race Neon

Tell us what the product is for

Tifosi says, "The Tifosi Davos is a bold new style charged with features designed for high performance.

"A super close aerodynamic fit, 6 lens vents, a vented nosepiece and full adjustability with slip-resistant hydrophilic rubber - the new Davos is ready to handle the rigours of an active lifestyle.

"The Davos comes equipped with Smoke, All Conditions Red, and Clear Interchangeable lenses, a zipped hardshell case and a microfibre cleaning pouch."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Made of Grilamid TR-90, a homopolyamide nylon characterized by an extremely high alternative bending strength, low density, and high resistance to chemical and UV damage. Hydrophilic rubber ear and nose pieces for a no-slip fit. Adjustable ear and nose pieces for a customizable, comfortable fit. Vented lenses improve air circulation, prevent fogging.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Well made with reassuringly stiff hinges and robust lenses.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Performed very well throughout the review; fogging only really occurred at a standstill and aside from that they were comfortable to wear and offered excellent clarity.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

They seem pretty durable, with exposed screws to tighten the hinges and robust lenses resistant to UV and chemical damage.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
8/10

A good weight, meaning they were perfectly comfortable for longer rides with no noticeable chafing.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
8/10

Their low weight and adjustable nosegrips mean they are a comfortable set of glasses.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

About where I would expect a set of glasses of this quality to sit.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well, the glasses provide good clarity and don't distort while still offering good protection.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

How comfortable they are over longer rides.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Changing the lenses is fiddly.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

They are a good set of glasses that do everything you need, providing a wide field of vision, good clarity from the lenses and decent protection.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 29  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: Mercian King of Mercia or Cinelli Gazzetta  My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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