Rudy Project Sintryx sunglasses

The Sintryx glasses feel solidly built. Perhaps it’s the increasingly rare full-frame construction, or the solid, wraparound fit. They’re slightly heavier than most competitors, yet they’re far from bulky. It’s that solid feel that makes the Sintryx glasses ideal for riders who are rough on their glasses.

Beyond that solid build, the ear pieces make the Sintryx glasses ideal for those riders who struggle with helmet/sunglasses interference. That’s because the tips of the ear pieces are completely flexible — there’s no internal structure, so the tips can flex around helmet retention systems. This means your glasses will stay in place even if the ear pieces make contact with your helmet.

The nosepiece is infinitely adjustable and it holds its position very well. We liked this nose piece more than just about any other we’ve tested recently, aside from perhaps Smith’s Attack Max glasses.

While Rudy Project does includes some nods to ventilation in the form of cutouts on both the bottom of the lenses and on the tops of the frames, air flow is only modest here. If you’re after the best-ventilated shades you can buy, these aren’t it, yet they weren’t distractingly problematic in anything except the most unpleasantly hot days.

The photochromic polar 3FX lens we tested was fantastic in bright, sunny conditions. It makes colors pop and the contrast between shadows and light gets enhanced, allowing you to see small obstacles more clearly. The only problem we had was seeing our GPS head unit. While polarized lenses reduce glare, they also block some of the light from your computer’s screen. It’s annoying but not a dealbreaker.

Swapping out the lenses involves pressing the Rudy Project logo in the center of the glasses. This releases the frame, allowing the lenses to essentially fall out. It’s quick and easy, though you’re likely to smudge up your lenses during the swap, so keep a lens cloth handy.

The Sintryx sunglasses certainly offer a solid fit and feel we enjoyed on rough terrain. And the ear pieces make them a great choice for riders who struggle with helmet interference. While venting is nothing to write home about, and the glasses overall are definitely heavier than frameless or half-frame offerings, we had no problems reaching for the Sintryx glasses on all but the hottest days.