As a once-bland, ho-hum budget sunglasses brand, Tifosi has stepped up their game in recent years. But, with that newfound swagger, their prices have remained down-to-earth — making them an easy choice. With the all-new Tifosi Sizzle, they have ventured out into a shield-style lens mated to a traditional-shaped frame. I gave them a go on the trails, around town and at the beach for an in-depth review.
Tifosi Sizzle Sunglasses Features:
- Shield style lenses provide maximum coverage in a lifestyle frame design
- Grilamid TR-90 frames are lightweight and durable for all day comfort
- Polycarbonate lenses are shatterproof and scratch-resistant
- Lenses are optically de-centered for optimal clarity
- Hydrophilic nose pieces
- Glide technology for slip-on, bounce-free performance
- 100% UVA/UVB protection
- Weight: 24 grams
- MSRP: $34.95
Sizzle into summer
You’ve seen these shield-style lenses with other sunglass brands and now Tifosi has put their take on them. As a slight twist to the standard frames, the lenses extend above the nose bridge for a unified, shield-like look. The result is a great look and style for days. Available in four color combinations, I’ve been wearing the frost blue frames with smoke yellow lenses here in Utah and on a trip to the WA and OR coast.
These affordable sunnies have all the trappings of a great pair of sunglasses. I’ll start with the hydrophilic nose pieces that are extremely grippy, combined with the matte finish on the inside of the nearly-straight temples, which provides a secure, bounce-free fit (even when sweating). The lightweight Grilamid TR-90 frames are comfortable to wear and offer just enough flex to accommodate various widths.
After some around-town use, I decided to test these out trail running and hiking. My preferred sunglasses for trail running are larger, frameless designs, like the Tifosi Rail and Smith Attack Max. I prefer a wide field-of-vision and don’t like frames getting in the way. For trail running, the Sizzle stayed put — even during maximum efforts. The grippy nose pieces and temples do a fantastic job and the lenses themselves offer great optical clarity. However, the small-ish lenses made me feel like I had tunnel vision while running. At slower hiking speeds, things were a little better, but knowing the range-of-vision I get with the Tifosi Rail, I’m honestly not going to put these on regularly. In a pinch, sure. But not intentionally.
On long a long road trip to Long Beach, WA, I wore these all day in the car and never experienced any pinch spots or fit pain. Everyone’s noggin is different, but I’m digging the fit. And, the culmination of that trip was several days on the beach in both Long Beach, WA and Cannon Beach, OR. Under bright sunshine, I appreciated the yellow lens color and found the light transmission to be just right. As a general rule, your lens color should match the terrain where you will use them. Yellow lenses are great for high mountain deserts and beaches.
I’ve been impressed so far with the lens quality and scratch-resistance. The included sunglass bag cleans the lenses right up. Honestly, I’m glad that no hard case is included as they would only collect dust on the shelf with the myriad of other hard cases.
As far as style goes, these have it in spades. I like the looks and my kids have all complimented their dad on how hip they look. So, if you’re young or young at heart, I think you’ll dig the Sizzle’s style.
The Good
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Grippy nose and temples
- Great lens quality for the price
- Love the style
The Bad
- Lenses could be a little larger
The Bottom Line: Tifosi Sizzle Sunglasses
The all-new Tifosi Sizzle sunglasses have a ton of style, but are also versatile enough to use everywhere. If you’re okay with smaller lenses, they do stay put while trail running. Hiking, chilling on the beach or long road trips are all on the menu.
Buy Now: Visit TifosiOptics.com
