Reviews You Can Rely On

Tifosi Rail Review

An affordable model with great coverage that works best for larger heads and road biking
gearlab tested logo
Tifosi Rail Review
Credit: Tifosi
Price:  $80 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   Tifosi
By Zach Wick ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  May 25, 2022
63
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#17 of 19
  • Lens Quality - 20% 7.0
  • Fit and Comfort - 20% 5.0
  • Coverage - 20% 8.0
  • Frame Quality - 15% 7.0
  • Field Performance - 25% 5.0

Our Verdict

With great coverage and protection at a reasonable price, the Tifosi Rail is a solid option for high-speed road cycling. Three lens options are included with purchase to make sure you're covered for a broad range of light conditions. The optics are sharp and distortion-free, but the lens tint that we tested doesn't provide the best contrast. Our biggest gripe with this model came from the fit. Narrow or smaller-headed testers unanimously found the fit too large and insecure. In testing these glasses had a tendency to slide down our nose while mountain biking on rough trails or trail running. That said, people with large heads will find a lot of value in this model, especially for road cycling.
REASONS TO BUY
Inexpensive
Great coverage
Three lenses included
REASONS TO AVOID
Insecure fit on smaller heads
Below-average fog prevention

Compare to Similar Products

 
tifosi rail
This Product
Tifosi Rail
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Cycling Sunglasses
Best Buy Award
Best Value Cycling Sunglasses
 Best Buy Award
Best Performance Sunglasses on a Tight Budget
Price $79.95 at REI
Compare at 2 sellers
$199.00 at Backcountry
Compare at 4 sellers
$79.95 at REI
Compare at 4 sellers
$100 List
$99.99 at Amazon
$59.00 at Backcountry
Compare at 2 sellers
Overall Score Sort Icon
63
87
72
69
66
Star Rating
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Bottom Line An inexpensive pair of sunglasses that provide great coverage and protection but a suboptimal fitWe loved the versatile fit and performance of these excellent full coverage sunglassesThese glasses punch above their weight in almost every one of our metricsA great pair of glasses for your next road ride best suited for bright light conditionsFor those ballin' on a budget, this is a high-coverage frame that feels as good as it looks
Rating Categories Tifosi Rail Smith Wildcat Tifosi Sledge Scott Sport Shield Blenders Eclipse
Lens Quality (20%)
7.0
9.0
7.0
6.0
6.0
Fit and Comfort (20%)
5.0
9.0
7.0
8.0
7.0
Coverage (20%)
8.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
Frame Quality (15%)
7.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
7.0
Field Performance (25%)
5.0
9.0
7.0
7.0
6.0
Specs Tifosi Rail Smith Wildcat Tifosi Sledge Scott Sport Shield Blenders Eclipse
Fit Large-extra large Medium-large Large-extra large Medium-large Medium-large
Number of Lenses Included 3 2 3 1 1
Lens Tested Clarion blue, AC red, clear Chromapop red mirror, clear Smoke, clear, AC red Red chrome Polarized red and blue mirrored
Ideal Lens Light Conditions Clear: low light
Clarion blue: bright light
AC red: medium to bright light
Chromapop red mirror: bright light
Clear: low light
Clear: low light
Smoke: bright light
AC red: medium to bright light
Bright light Medium to bright light
Visible Light Transmission (VLT) Unknown Chromapop red mirror: 15%
Clear: 89%
Unknown Unknown Unknown
VLT Protection Index Unknown Cat 3 Unknown Unknown Unknown
Polarized No No No No Yes
Lens Material Polycarbonate Plastic - carbonic Plastic - polycarbonate Plastic Polycarbonate
Lens Type Cylindrical Cylindrical Cylindrical Cylindrical Cylindrical
Neutral/Contrast Increased contrast Increased contrast Increased contrast Neutral Increased contrast
HEV/Blue Light Protection Unknown Yes Unknown Unknown Unknown
Protective Coatings None Hydroleophobic coating None None None
Weight 31 g 32 g 39 g 33 g 32 g
Case Included Rigid zippered case and soft cleaning/storage bag Rigid zippered case and soft cleaning/storage bag Rigid zippered case and soft cleaning/storage bag Microfiber cleaning/storage bag EVA Case, pouch, microfiber cleaning cloth

Our Analysis and Test Results

Tifosi may not be the first brand you think of when hunting for a new, high-end pair of sunglasses, but they typically provide great sunglasses at a fraction of the price of the most popular brands on the market. We have had some very positive testing experiences with Tifosi's sunglasses in the past, so we were excited to put the new Rail through its paces. As we would expect, the Rail packs in the value with three lens options, a semi-rigid storage case, and a microfiber cleaning and storage bag.

Performance Comparison


tifosi rail - tifosi packs in the value by including multiple lens options and a...
Tifosi packs in the value by including multiple lens options and a rigid storage case.
Credit: Zach Wick

Lens Quality


The Rail comes standard with three shatterproof polycarbonate lenses—Smoke, AC Red, and Clear—meaning that you're covered for almost all light conditions without needing to purchase any additional lenses. Each lens provides clear, distortion-free optics, but we found that they don't quite stack up with the best lenses in the test. Smith's Chromapop and Oakley's Prism lenses each provide increased contrast, and each of the Rail's lens options do not. The difference is small, but it's noticeable when testing back to back.

We were happy to see that each of the Rail's lenses was durable and held up well to our testing session. Despite more than a few drops on the ground and brushes with trailside branches, all three of the lenses came out of our test session scratch-free.

tifosi rail - the fit is comfortable and adjustable, but these are very large...
The fit is comfortable and adjustable, but these are very large sunglasses.
Credit: Zach Wick

Fit and Comfort


The Rail is a comfortable pair of sunglasses, but they have a large fit. No matter how we fiddled with the adjustable nose piece and arm tips in testing, we couldn't get this model to fit securely when things got rough. We had no issues riding on the road or gravel, but as soon as things got a little bit rough on the mountain bike, these glasses would slide down our noses. Constantly having to reach up and adjust your sunglasses on the trail is not ideal. The frameless design means that the large, flexible lens controls how tight these glasses fit your head, and we found that no amount of adjusting the arm tips could overcome the loose fit. Riders with larger heads should have fewer issues with the fit.

Beyond the large fit, the Rail is actually a very comfortable model. The adjustable nose piece and arm tips means that you can dial in the fit to make sure all of the contact points contour to your head. We didn't have any issues with discomfort on long rides, and if not for the fit issue this model would have scored well in this metric.

tifosi rail - the rail's massive lens provides solid optics and great coverage.
The Rail's massive lens provides solid optics and great coverage.
Credit: Zach Wick

Coverage


Tifosi didn't skimp on the Rail's coverage at all. This model is one of only two in our test that received a perfect score in this metric. Not only is the lens massive, but it also fits close to the face meaning that even at high speeds you can barely feel any air movement behind the lens. Donning these sunglasses is a similar feeling to putting on a pair of goggles. The lens covers your full field of vision with no gaps at the periphery. When descending at high speeds on the road these glasses provide plenty of peace of mind and protection from the wind.

tifosi rail - the arms and nose piece are made from high-quality thermoplastic...
The arms and nose piece are made from high-quality thermoplastic material.
Credit: Zach Wick

Frame Quality


While there isn't much frame to be found on the Rail, the nose piece and arms are made from high-quality Grilamid TR90 thermoplastic. Most of our favorite frames in the test are made from this same material. It's flexible enough to not be easily broken in the event of a crash or impact, and it has a soft finish that makes for comfortable contact points. The frame doesn't include any grippy hydrophilic rubber at the arm tips or nose piece, which contributes to the lack of stability on the face.

Swapping lenses is fairly straightforward, but it took us a few tries before we had it down to a science. The nose piece and each of the arms snap into place on the lens. It takes quite a bit of force to remove the nose piece, and we almost lost it on the ground the first time we swapped the lens, but once you go through the process a few times it becomes easier.

tifosi rail - while we didn't like these as mountain biking sunglasses, they...
While we didn't like these as mountain biking sunglasses, they worked very well for road riding.
Credit: Zach Wick

Field Performance


We don't think these are the best choice for mountain biking, but they performed well on the road. The larger and less secure fit meant that any time we tried to hit the trails in these glasses, we would eventually have to take them off and store them in a pack. On the road, however, we didn't have the same issue. The lens fits close to the face and provides great protection from wind and bugs at high speeds, and the lack of bumps meant that we weren't constantly reaching up to keep them in place.

We did find that the close fit meant that these glasses were prone to fogging at low speeds. This was only ever an issue on steep, slow climbs, but we had to remove the glasses a few times in testing because of fogging.

Style


The Rail's frameless style is fairly unique among modern cycling sunglasses, but this model looks right at home with a cycling helmet. The massive lens has an aggressive shape with a hint of retro styling. If you're looking to fit in with the current trend of massive cycling sunglasses, you won't have any issues with this model.

tifosi rail - tifosi provides a lot of bang for your buck.
Tifosi provides a lot of bang for your buck.
Credit: Zach Wick

Case Quality


Despite its low cost, the Rail comes with a semi-rigid zippered case with storage space for both the sunglasses and the extra lenses and a microfiber cleaning and storage bag. The case is small enough to be easily stored for traveling and rigid enough that you won't have to worry about your glasses getting crushed. Typically when you buy an affordable pair of sunglasses, things like rigid storage cases go out the window, so we're hugely appreciative that Tifosi included it.

Value


At less than a third of the price of the most expensive glasses we tested, we think the Rail is a great value for the right person. The large fit means that this isn't the best option for people with small heads or riders that plan on frequenting rough trails, but the coverage combined with the inclusion of three lens options means that we would recommend these sunglasses to road cyclists.

tifosi rail - the storage case is one of our favorites in the test.
The storage case is one of our favorites in the test.
Credit: Zach Wick

Conclusion


If not for the less secure fit, we would have absolutely loved this pair of sunglasses. Even so, we still think these glasses are a good value for the right person. They have great protection and coverage, and they come standard with a variety of lens options. If you're a road cyclist looking for an inexpensive, do-it-all model, this is a good option for you.

Zach Wick