Review: Tifosi Sunglasses Demonstrated as the Top Driving Glasses Priced Under $100

      Michael Febbo

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      I openly acknowledge that I have strong preferences regarding glasses. I won't step outside during daylight without sunglasses on, nor will I drive—whether on the road or track—without them. Many of my hobbies also necessitate wearing glasses. Since elementary school, I've been using high-performance eyewear and have owned many of the leading brands. While I'm used to spending hundreds on a pair, I am also very discerning about quality. Tifosi, a brand recognized for its value-driven sunglasses, offered to send some pairs for review, and I was eager to accept. I planned not only to test them in various activities but also to conduct some bench testing to determine if any compromises were made to provide sunglasses at significantly lower prices compared to other brands.

      The Bottom Line

      Tifosi provides eyewear for a wide range of preferences and activities. Whether you're looking for basic aviators or sport-specific wraparounds, there is something for everyone—perhaps aside from Prue Leith. Prices start at $35.00, and none exceed $99.99, with most polarized options around $60. The lenses block UV light and perform comparably to more expensive brands. The frames are comfortable, sturdy, and do not feel like “budget alternatives.”

      Tifosi Sunglasses Quality: 8/10 Performance: 8/10 Durability: 8/10 Value: 9/10 Overall: 8.3/10

      Are Tifosi Sunglasses Good?

      Tifosi uses polycarbonate lenses, which I am comparing to plastic lenses from other manufacturers. I've owned glass lenses from Maui Jim, Serengeti, and Ray-Ban in the past. While glass offers excellent optics, I prefer the impact and shatter resistance of plastic over the slight difference in clarity. The research on the added risks of glass lenses paired with airbags is inconclusive, but I feel more secure with plastic in front of my eyes.

      Oakley sets the standard for plastic sport lenses. This might stir some debate, but Oakley pioneered curved lens technology and still holds multiple patents. Even after Jim Jannard departed, the brand continues to innovate. I used a brand new, untinted pair of Oakley lenses as my control for testing.

      If you ask an optometrist what the most important feature of sunglasses is, they will likely mention UV protection—this is what the ones I spoke with noted. Tifosi claims to provide 100% UV protection. A simple way to test this is by using a UV flashlight, commonly found in toolkits for leak detection, crime scenes, and scorpion hunting. Using a specially designed UV test card, which you may have in your wallet, you can see if the sunglasses can filter out this light. I tested all the lenses, and they effectively filtered UV light. Note: most flashlights only emit UV-B, and UV-A poses greater harm, but I assume they’re filtering both.

      UV test card in normal light

      UV test card under UV light

      UV test card with Tifosi lens blocking UV light

      All but one of the Tifosi pairs are labeled polarized. Think of polarization as louvers on a molecular scale: a polarized lens allows vertically oriented light to pass while blocking horizontally oriented light, like glare from roads, hoods, water, etc. Your computer screen is probably polarized; hold your glasses up to it and turn them 90°. It's a neat effect! All the Tifosi glasses except the Shwae (the aviators) are marked as polarized, and they all passed the test.

      Now onto the "freaking lasers," but no sharks. Oakley reportedly developed this test to showcase its XYZ Optics technology. It utilizes a head-like fixture with lasers where your eyes would be, fixed on a single target. Glasses are placed on this fixture, and the lasers are checked for accuracy. Oakley demonstrates how other curved lenses typically distort the lasers. I conducted the same test using a single laser.

      Shooting the laser through the approximate position of a pupil showed no movement with the Tifosi lenses. However, moving the lens around readily redirected the laser. The more curvature of the lens, the more pronounced the effect. I was able to replicate this with the Oakley lens as well. The takeaway is to ensure you purchase glasses that fit well and align with the designer's intended spot for your eyes. Our brains can compensate for a bit of misalignment, but it can lead to extra strain.

      USAF optical target testing

      The laser test

      I also used an Air Force clear optical path target for qualitative resolution testing—though it may sound impressive, it's not as technical as it seems. Essentially, I wanted to use something to photograph through the lenses to observe any merging or loss of "crispness" in the black and white bars. A