Tifosi Moab – $79.95
Get ready to conquer the road with Tifosi Optics’ Moab. Whether you’re tackling a rugged trail, going on your gravel ride or pushing through a bike race, or playing a high-intensity game of baseball or pickleball, Moab delivers advanced technology, comfort, and durability.
Frame: Light and durable Grilamid TR-90
Lens: Clarion Gold / AC Red / Clear – Shatterproof polycarbonate interchange lenses for bright and low light scenarios
Features: Shield, fully adjustable nose and ear pads, hydrophilic rubber ear and nose pads that increase grip the more you sweat
Fit: Medium-Large
Weight: 31G
Included: Zippered hardshell case and microfiber cleaning bag
My pair weighed 2 grams heavier than spec
PEZ sez: The name Moab (not to be confused with the acronym MOAB aka mother of all bombs) conjures up images of mountainbike adventures in an iconic location that features the famous Slickrock Trail — 9.6 miles, highly technical, and considered the ultimate mountain biking experience by many. So you might be inclined to think the Tifosi Moab sunglasses are mountainbike-specific. But they’re not. They’re perfectly suitable for mountainbiking, gravel grinding, or road riding. And there’s no reason you couldn’t wear them for other outdoor sports activities, such as running or pickleball.
As is the case with most current cycling sunglasses, the Tifosi Moab has a large-ish shield style lens (138 mm wide x 56 mm tall). So that means plenty of UV and wind protection. Just be mindful of our PEZ compadre Ed Hood’s admonition: “be careful of sizing, if you have a small head and wear huge shades you could stray into ‘Dame Edna’ or ‘Fearless Fly’ territory – neither is icy.”
Speaking of Ed …
“I’m never happier than when I’m writing.”
~ Ed Hood, as spoken to Martin Williamson from the passenger seat, driving along a stage route at the Tour de France.
Dear Readers – Our beloved colleague and friend Ed Hood suffered a serious stroke in February. We don’t expect Ed will make it back into our bunch, so we’ve started a GoFundMe page to help Ed with his future. Read the full post here – and please consider donating.
** Click this link to donate to the GoFundMe page to help Ed **
We’ll be posting a selection of Ed’s work from the past 16 years, because great story-telling never gets old.
Where the Tifosi Moab sunglasses are different from a lot of the current crop of cycling sunglasses is that they are full-frame sunglasses rather than frame-less. One isn’t inherently better than the other (I own and ride in frame-less, half-frame, and full-frame sunglasses). It’s more a question of personal preference. One consideration is style, which is in the eye of the beholder — so you’ll have to decide for yourself if you like the Moab’s full-frame style. Another consideration is your peripheral vision, i.e., does the frame come into your field of vision and does it bother you? Again, everyone is different.
NOTE: Removing the lens from the full-frame Moab is a little more work than a pair of frame-less sunglass (such as the Tifosi Rail). The first time doing it can be a little daunting because you’ll probably be afraid of breaking the frame — but don’t worry about it, it’s flexible enough:
- Hold the Moab with the lens facing forward
- Grip the lens with one hand and pull the top frame up with the other
- The frame and the lens will pop apart
- Gently pull the lens out of from the rest of the frame one side at a time (this might require a little wiggling)
- Reverse the process to install a lens
Most importantly, the Tifosi Moab has clear optics. The Sahara model that PEZ got has three lenses: Clarion Gold (smoke tint for bright light), AC (all-conditions) Red for cloudy/overcast condition, and Clear for low light conditions. NOTE: The Moab Satin Vapor Fototec comes with a single Clarion Red Fototec lens that adapts to changing light, offering a visible light transmission (VLT) range of 14.5-65 percent.
What you get (starting at front left): AC Red lens (NOTE: lens colors will often look different in photographs depending on lighting and shooting angle), Clear lens, soft case (that doubles as a lens cleaner), protective hard case, and the Moab with Clarion Gold lens
That you get three lenses with a pair of quality sunglasses for less than a C-note (none of the sunglasses in the Tifosi range cost more than $100) is nothing short of a remarkable value (a spare lens from a lot of other manufacturers would set you back the cost of the Tifosi Moab). But don’t confuse lower price with lower quality. Even though they aren’t worn by any big name pros, Tifosi sunglasses would look the part in the pro peloton and can more than hold their own against bigger names in the optics market. There’s a reason Tifosi cycling sunglasses are the top-selling brand in retail stores nationwide.
Extra lenses snugly tucked in and protected in the hardshell case
Fit-wise, the Tifosi Moab fit me (average-ish size face) comfortably straight out of the box. Although the ear pieces and nose piece are adjustable, the Moab sat on my face just fine without any adjustment. And because the ear pieces and nose piece use hydrophilic rubber, they do a good job of keeping the Moab in place on my face when riding.
Ear pieces and nose piece can be adjusted for fit
Three words I’ve used to describe other Tifosi sunglasses: style, function, and value. IMHO the Tifosi Moab is more of the same … and that’s a good thing. They reinforce what I’ve previously said: “I’m a fan of Tifosi sunglasses. If I was Italian instead of Flipino, I’d be a Tifosi tifosi.”
Everyone will have to decide for themselves how big is too big
It’s always a good idea to try on sunglasses with your helmet to make sure there aren’t any fitment issues
Note: If you have other experiences with gear or something to add, drop us a line. We don’t claim to know everything (we just imply it at times). Give us a pat on the back if you like the reviews or a slap in the head if you feel the need!
PezCycling News and the author ask that you contact the manufacturers before using any products you see here. Only the manufacturer can provide accurate and complete information on proper/safe use, handling, maintenance, and or installation of products as well as any conditional information or product limitations.
The post Review: Tifosi Moab Sunglasses appeared first on PezCycling News.
