Tifosi does a masterful job of making versatile, cycling-friendly sunglasses at affordable prices. Their latest model, the Tifosi Tsali, is a lightweight rimless design aimed squarely at cycling and running.
Tifosi Tsali Sunglasses Features:
- Grilamid TR-90 frame material
- Polycarbonate lenses with 100% UV protection
- Adjustable nose and temple tips
- Includes 3 interchangeable lenses
- MSRP: $69.95 or $79.95 with Clarion lenses (as tested)
Tsali offers uninhibited vision
When out on the road, I don’t want anything blocking my line-of-sight. Thick, chunky sunglasses are an absolute “no-no” in my book. The only exception to “Sunglasses Rule #1” has been the recent crop of oversized, framed designs like the Tifosi Sledge. These get the nod because the frames themselves are so large that they stay well out of the way. That said, in general, I prefer rimless designs (like these or the Smith Attack Max), or semi-rimless designs (like the Bolle Lightshifter). Yup, admittedly, I’m going into this review biased in their favor. But, that personal preference tends to be pretty picky.
Tifosi, like other price point sunglasses brands, packs a ton of value into their affordable range of sunglasses. Prices start at $25 and top out at $99 for their most advanced frames and lenses. So, affordability could be considered Tifosi’s middle name. And, style hasn’t completely gone out the window either as most styles look pretty good.
The top feature of the Tsali is the interchangeable rimless lens. Instead of offering photochromic lenses, the Tsali goes for an easy lens swap system. Just pop the arms and the nose bridge off and you’re ready for whatever light conditions you’ll encounter.
In practice, the lens swap process is super easy, with the only tricky part being the removal of the nose bridge. With that piece, there’s just no good spot to push and remove it, so it takes a little bit of careful leverage to pop it off. On the other end, it does pops back into place on the new lens, no problem.
With the test pair, I had the Clarion Blue, AC Red and Clear lenses at my disposal. I started with the Clarion Blue lenses, but after a few rides, I swapped to the AC Red. For me, the mirror blue lens was just too dark and made clarity a challenge. But, the AC Red lenses brighten things up and are suitable for early-morning road, gravel or mountain rides as well as trail running. I’ve stuck with that change now for most of the review period for morning, afternoon and evening use.
With the Tsali, you get adjustable temple tips and nose bridge. In general, these are good things, but I did have trouble obtaining a solid nose fit, which isn’t something I’ve had trouble with before. I think I prefer the type of nose bridge design on the Tifosi Sledge as it feels much more secure. These kind of have a wobbly feel to them, which is amplified due to the lightness of the design. There’s just not a whole lot of heft to push the nose piece against your skin. So, unfortunately, they tend to bounce around a little (noticeably on trail runs). To combat this, I have had to fiddle with face placement and the curve of the temple tips. For the most part, I think I’ve got it figured out.
Back to the lenses. They aren’t particularly large in size, so if you have a smaller face or prefer less coverage, the Tsali is a great choice. Even though they are smaller than other glasses I typically wear, I didn’t have any issues with excessive wind at speed. They do a great job of reducing fog as well. The only time I notice them fogging up is if I stop on a cold morning for a few minutes. And, even that goes away within a few steps or pedal strokes.
Lens quality is pretty good here, but I did notice a teeny bit of distortion on the lower edges of the Clarion Blue lenses while running.
The Good
- Ultra lightweight design
- Supremely-comfortable for all-day use
- Adjustable temple tips and nose
- Lenses are swapped out in a jiffy
- The AC Red lens is a super-versatile color
- Affordable
The Bad
- Nose bridge is difficult to remove
- Can bounce around on rough terrain unless situated properly
- Clarion Blue lens is too dark, except for the brightest days
The Bottom Line: Tifosi Tsali Sunglasses
Inexpensive and ultra lightweight, the new Tifosi Tsali sunglasses are a great option for cyclists with smaller faces. The frameless design also allows for uninhibited vision on the road or trail.
Buy Now: Available from Tifosi
