Folks, I get that there may be (and probably is) a significant difference between sunglasses from Maui Jim and the cheap shades you could get at Sports Authority.
But is there a difference between Tifosi lenses and those the Ironman brand you coukd get at SA or Target.
Didn’t know if it was worth it to get $50 “cheap” sunglasses or get REALLY cheap glasses and a pair of really nice ones.
Thanks.
Tifosis are the cheaper sunglasses that feel like Oakleys and Smith Optics.
I went from the Smith Pivlock V2 to the Tifosi Podium and have been much happier in terms of fit and quality.
I’ve had a pair of Tifosi Wisps for my small face and I like them. They are very lightweight and durable, and they came with a nice case, carry case, and a microfiber cloth. I’d buy another pair–actually I’ve been thinking about it as I’ve had them for 3 years or so and are just now starting to look a little tired.
I also just recently purchased the Podium’s and I have to say they are pretty nice for $70. I got three spare lenses as well, which is a plus incase i drop them or hit some kind of low hanging branch…
Anyway, if you don’t want to spend $200 on a pair of glasses to work out in then these are the way to go and much better compared to the “Ironman” brands at SA.
I bought a pair of Tifosi bum around shades 5+ years ago. Still work great, but the rubber pieces for the nose/ear have since deteriorated.
Liking the Tifosi, I bought the Tifosi Slip Wrap Sunglasses (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004KZZH0E/ref=oh_details_o05_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) and work awesome for Cycling/Running.
Thanks everyone.
I’ve gone from Oakley’s to tifossi. I have had two pairs of tifossi’s break where the nose piece meets the lenses, but both pairs were replaced. One time was my fault when I dropped them onto a tiled floor, and the other time was to a 2+ year old pair. Overall, very happy with them - the frameless ones are also great for riding in aero.
Guess I’m the odd one out…I had a pair of tifosi podiums, and was not impressed. The quality seemed much lower than Oakley, as did the lens. I really wanted to like them, but they don’t equal the quality of oakleys.
I use Tifosi. I had Vogel for 3 years and this year got Podium. Vogel nose piece rubber broke, and the lenses lost optical clarity. Not bad for 3 years. The Podium lenses already got scratched in three places just because I dropped them once onto pavement.
Tifosi are nothing like cheap ironman branded glasses from Sports Authority. But they aren’t Oakley’s or Rudy either. Somewhere in between, closer to the high end than the low end. They won’t fall apart. They are built fairly well. My worry is the lens toughness. I dropped mine once and lenses got scratched very easily. Would they really protect my eyes if I fell on my face?
Destructive testing is required. Who wants to do it? 
I’ve got two pairs of Tifosi Dolomites and love them. I also wear Oakley Jawbones as well for reference.
I use Tifosi. I had Vogel for 3 years and this year got Podium. Vogel nose piece rubber broke, and the lenses lost optical clarity. Not bad for 3 years. The Podium lenses already got scratched in three places just because I dropped them once onto pavement.
Tifosi are nothing like cheap ironman branded glasses from Sports Authority. But they aren’t Oakley’s or Rudy either. Somewhere in between, closer to the high end than the low end. They won’t fall apart. They are built fairly well. My worry is the lens toughness. I dropped mine once and lenses got scratched very easily. Would they really protect my eyes if I fell on my face?
Destructive testing is required. Who wants to do it?
I took a face plant about two years ago when my steering tube of my fork sheared off going about 20 mph. Both my LG helmet and Tifosi glasses did their job. The lens portion of the glasses have deep scratches like someone ran rough grit sand paper (or in my case asphalt), over them. Without a doubt these glasses saved my vision while my helmet saved my life. I’ll try to locate the pictures of the lens if I still have them when I get home from work.
Regarding fit and price to the Tifosi’s. They are of much better quality than what you will buy at Target or Sports Authority. I own a pair of the Slips and really don’t notice them when I ride. They come with a nice hard case although I never really use it. I am extremely rough on my glasses. I toss them on the counter or table when I am done with them, which opens them up to scratches on the lens. Compared to my Oakleys which I prefer to run in or just general every day use, the Tifosi lens stands up to minor scratches much better. My Oakleys are starting to get noticeable scratches on the lens after about a year of use.
I second that. They have a decent lens replacemtn program and rubber pieces can be ordered if needed.
I’ve been wearing Tifosi’s for the last 5 years. They are a good quality product at a reasonable price.
Nothing at all like the cheapos from Target and Sports Authority. They have many different models to choose from. Personally I wear the Stelvos and Pave
jaretj
I’ve gone from Oakley’s to tifossi. I have had two pairs of tifossi’s break where the nose piece meets the lenses, but both pairs were replaced. One time was my fault when I dropped them onto a tiled floor, and the other time was to a 2+ year old pair. Overall, very happy with them - the frameless ones are also great for riding in aero.
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I just noticed mine cracking at the same spot…and only after ONE month of use (and 2 days). And of course the warranty through amazon was up day before yesterday. Looking at the tifosi site I discovered a $15 warranty claim charge. Is that what you ran into? And about how long till you got them back?
CC
…Still work great, but the rubber pieces for the nose/ear have since deteriorated.
You can get replacement nosepieces from Tifosi for $5 per set. Here is what they say about them:
“Sweat, UV rays, cleaners, and other chemicals can cause rubber parts to breakdown over prolonged periods of exposure.”
Well, duh, they are sunglasses so, yes, they are going to be exposed to sun and sweat so they WILL deteriorate haha I have tried twice to replace the nosepieces. I used superglue first time as they recommend, didn’t work worth a shit. I tried some silicone adhesive the second time, didn’t work worth a shit. I’ll report back here after I try my third set of replacements.
(Yes, I cleaned everything THROUGHLY beforehand. And “didn’t work worth a shit” means one wearing of the glasses).
I have been wearing these (dolomites) without nosepieces for over a year, still comfortable and no one would ever notice (I know how vain tri-geeks are).
I have a set of Tifosi I’ve been using for quite a few years now. They were on the cheaper side and I used them for running for a couple years before I even bought a bike. They aren’t bad. They have 3 sets of interchangeable lenses and the only thing I DON’T like is that they tend to “interchange” when I don’t really want them to. Like in the middle of the Rehoboth Beach marathon. Or when it is getting late and you go to take them off your head mid-ride.
That said, I REALLY need to get a good pair of riding glasses I can get a prescription in. I can’t read my Garmin or cue sheets with my Tifosis. It slows my average pace down when I have to stop and get arm’s length away.
I was looking for some rimless shades to wear in the aero position. Got the tifosi podium for $70 on amazon, they feel great and they came with 2 extra lenses (one reddish color and one clear). The main lens is a dark smoke.
Haha, that’s too much work for saving $20 bucks! $5 + shipping time + replacing/gluing time > $20