PRODUCT REVIEW: TIFOSI DOLOMITE

PRODUCT REVIEW: TIFOSI DOLOMITE: Product Tested: Tifosi Dolomite T-V390 BACKCOUNTRY ORANGEâ„¢ (VARIABLE TINT TECHNOLOGY) 45-15% light transmission.

As described on their website:

Weight: 26 grams
Fit: Medium to Large Faces

Frame Features

* Lifetime Warranty

Lens Features

* Enhanced Visual System [EVS] Polycarbonate Decentered Lens for Optical Clarity
* Glare Guardâ„¢ Glare Reducer to Decrease Eye Fatigue
* 100% UVA & UVB Protection
* Ventilated Lens for Increased Airflow & Anti-fog
* Three Lenses Included for Various Light Conditions
* View Lens Chart

Eclipse Case header
All Tifosi Eyewear include case & microfiber cleaning bag with purchase

Our buddy Shannon Haslam sent me the Dolomite a few months ago and I’ve pretty much used it everyday and on every ride since then. The Dolomite not only works great on the trail by protecting my eyes from harmful UV rays and from dirt and debris, but it also looks good enough to wear with business attire.

They offer a wrap around design where it does prevent dust, gravel or any little particles to come in contact with your eyes while riding down the trail. The lenses are also vented on the upper and lower corners to prevent fog up.

The selling feature about the Dolomite is what Tifosi calls “Fototec.�?

Here’s a description of it:

Fototec
Lenses with Variable Tint Technology (V.T.T.)
These polycarbonate lenses are blended with microscopic photochromes that alter the tint of the lenses when exposed to UV rays. The results of this process is a family of lenses that adapt to your individual needs regardless of outdoor lighting condtions.

They actually offer about 29 designs with the Fototec technology. So you’ll easily find something you like.

Anyhow you’re probably wondering how well this Fototec works, well I’ll tell you this, I can easily go indoors to out and vice versa without having the need to take the Dolomite off. In fact when I walk in from a parking lot to a grocery store, the lenses goes from dark to light in a matter of about 8 seconds. When I’m in the store, I can just keep them on if I wanted to. But I don’t because I’ve always thought that people that wear their sunglasses indoors are dorks.

Here’s a shot of how light the lenses are. I just pulled them out of the shade and set them down in the sunlight.

Then here’s a shot of them going dark after I placed them under the sunlight.

Here’s what I liked about the Tifosi Dolomite:
I like how they actually fit my big head. I’ve always had issues of sunglasses that are too small. But the Dolomite are pretty comfy, snug and did not fall off my face at all. I also like how they change tinting once I got into the sun. At first it wasn’t so obvious, especially with these amberish/orangey lenses, things are always going to be brighter. But one thing I did notice about the Dolomite is the fact that I wasn’t squinting once I got out.

I’m not scientist or something, but I’ve read that UV rays have an effect on people that causes them to squint. Since all of the Tifosi’s eye wear offers 100% UVA and UVB protection, I didn’t squint at all when wearing them.

In the past few months that I’ve been wearing them, like I said I wear them EVERY day. The scratches are to a minimum. Now I do know how to take care of my eyewear so that means I never left it lens side down or put it in the same pocket as my keys or change. The scratches I’ve had are from stupid mistakes I’ve made such as dropping them on the ground or just not being careful where I set them down. Other than that, the lenses are pretty durable.

What I didn’t like about the glasses:
For some weird reason, the left lens would fog up more than the right. I don’t know if my left eyeball was a bit more moist than my right, but I even had a friend try them out, and sure enough they fogged up on the left lens…kinda weird.

Don’t worry, almost any pair of glasses you’ll ever own will some way or another fog up on you, there aren’t any exceptions. What’s cool about the Dolomite, it does have those vents on the upper and lower corners that I mentioned earlier. If I did fog up, its because I was stopped after climbing a mondo, epic hill and the sweat from my face and the heat generated from my pulsating muscles…hey I have some…created some hot steam that would fog the Dolomite up. But! Once I got rolling again and the air hit it, the glasses would be clear again.

Price: Depending on where you buy them, they can cost anywhere between $49.95-$59.95.

Based on what you’ve read, you may have already noticed that I do like the Tifosi Dolomite. What’s there not to like? They look great, fit good, work awesome when in the sun and they are pretty affordable. Here’s the thing too, they have a lifetime warranty. I absolutely dig the Tofisi Dolomite. I’m sure would too if you had a pair. Heck, even Bryan from Evomo has a pair!

Contact Info:
Tifosi Optics
1051 Industrial Blvd. Watkinsville, GA 30677
phone: 866.310-0996 (toll free) / fax: 800.229.8122 (toll free)