Review: Rudy Project's NEW Turbolence Sunglasses
*Plus a special gift for you!
I’m kind of picky when it comes to sunglasses.
I don’t like sunglasses that pinch the sides of my head. (A headache on a run isn’t fun.)
I don’t like too dark of lenses. (Messes with my depth perception.)
Whether it’s because I have an unusual-shaped head or uneven ears, some sunglasses and I just don’t get along.
But eye protection is very important for athletes, especially a triathlete who has to go from riding a bike directly to running.
Over the years, I’ve found a few brands that work well for me: ROKA, Rudy Project, and Torege. They run the gamut from pricy to inexpensive with features to match, but they’re all great options.
A few months ago, Rudy Project sent me their newest model- Turbolence.
Now, I know what you’re thinking… what’s with the name? I’m not sure, but autocorrect is having a fit while I’m writing this. Turbulence is a disruption due to strong movements in air or water, so maybe that was the inspiration…
Read on for a review of the new Turbolence sunglasses, including features, my overall impression, and pros and cons. Be sure to read until the end to discover a special gift just for you!
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Rudy Project Turbolence Features
My first impression was that the Turbolence is super lightweight. It weighs just 1.02 ounces. I feel like the mark of a good pair of sunglasses is your ability to forget you’re wearing them.
This pair has a charcoal matte frame with ImpactX Photochromic 2 Laser Red lenses. That’s a mouthful, but I’ll explain what it means.
Impact X– These “unbreakable” lenses are made of polyurethane polymers that were originally developed for the military and aerospace industries. The lenses are made of a molecular semi-rigid material, which means they can flex without breaking!
That makes them resilient to the elements, excellent for eye protection, and practically impervious to the best efforts of athletes who often break their gear…
Photochromic– Commonly referred to as “transition lenses,” these lenses contain photochromic particles that block 100% of the sun’s damaging UV rays. More importantly, they magically change from being completely clear to tinted within seconds depending on lighting conditions.
This is one of my favorite features of these sunglasses. I prefer transition lenses because, when you start a ride it might be overcast and cloudy, but by midday it’s sunny.
Laser Red- This lens tint has a LTV (light transmission value) of 16%-75%. Low values are great for sunny conditions, and high values are good when there’s less sun. A lens like this, with a range, can change based on light conditions, and it enhances contrast. It feels like I’m wearing my own rose-colored glasses, which is a nice way to look at the world.
The lenses also have a hydroshield coating that increases surface tension, which means water and oil slides right off. It’s just like when you go through the car wash and get rain repellent put on your windshield. The water beads up so you always have a clear, unobstructed view, even in extreme weather conditions.
There’s a small vent at the top of the lens that they call a “powerflow vent controller.” Basically this means glasses that don’t fog up!
They have grippy temple arms so they stay put and a no-slip nosepiece you can adjust to fit your face shape. While some Rudy Project frames are a bit big on me, these fit perfectly and would be well-suited for smaller faces.
Like other Rudy Project models, the Turbolence has a Rilsan Clear frame that’s made from an eco-sustainable material. It’s a high quality, bio-plastic that’s derived from 45% castor oil. Seriously! The castor oil plants are grown by certified farmers in Gujarat, India, which is pretty amazing.
It’s part of Rudy Project’s pledge to use environmentally conscious materials with their Ride to Zero initiative to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. The goal is to source sustainable and responsible manufacturing and create durable products that are long-lasting and eco-friendly.
As a triathlete, I love to swim in rivers and oceans, ride on beautiful canopy roads, and run trails. Anything we can do to preserve these glorious outdoor spaces is worthwhile.
Overall impressions
The one thing that set these sunglasses apart from others I’ve tried is the ultra-wide cylindrical lens that provides a completely unobstructed field of view. This is really important when riding a bike, for a few reasons.
The first is safety. I want to see what’s going on around me when riding a bike at 20 mph. It also provides a more enjoyable experience. There’s nothing worse than being in your aero bars and having your vision obstructed by the top frame of your sunglasses. These fit perfectly under my helmet, and it feels like I’m not wearing anything at all.
I wore these sunglasses on a cold, foggy morning ride. This was a great test to see how the photochromic transition lens worked.
We started the ride just before sunrise, and our route took us directly towards the sun. The lens didn’t fog up with the extra moisture in the air, and I was able to see even with the glare, because the transition lenses adjusted from completely clear to dark red.
The sunglasses sit just under my helmet and don’t obstruct my vision at all when I’m in aero. It took a bit of adjusting to get the nose-piece just right, but after that, they stayed put.
I even tested them on a short run off the bike, and they didn’t bounce or slip whatsoever, so these are a great pair of running sunglasses as well.
Now, for the price. These glasses range from $229.99- $254.99- $284.99- $309.99. Why all the different prices? It depends on the lens option you choose.
The model I reviewed has a photochromic lens, so it’s $284.99, but they also have regular lenses that are less expensive and polarized lenses that are more expensive.
Pros and cons
There’s a lot of pros with these sunglasses.
Superlightweight
“Unbreakable lenses” with venting to prevent fog
Photochromic lens that changes with lighting conditions
Grippy temples and adjustable nosepiece
Made of an eco-sustainable material
Also, Rudy Project has a 90-day, money-back guarantee, free shipping for orders over $200 (in the lower 48 US), and a 2-year warranty on sunglasses, eyeglasses, and helmets. They also have a 1-year scratch replacement policy for prescription lenses and a lens replacement program at discounted prices. (This is great because athletes are so hard on gear.)
Rudy Project is known for their great crash replacement policy on helmets too. If you sustain a crash up to three years after the date of purchase, you can receive a discount on a new helmet.
I don’t have a Rudy Project helmet… but I’m due for a new one pretty soon, so I’d be happy to do a review if the guys at RP headquarters want to send one over. ;)
As far as cons, there isn’t a lot.
One of my past complaints about the Astral X is that they came in a soft microfiber pouch and not a protective hard case. But the Turbolence comes with both. I think that’s a requirement for glasses at this price point.
Something I didn’t really like was a little doohickey that came inside the box. It’s called an integrated sweat bar that you can attach to the glasses that prevents sweat from running down the inside of your lenses. Initially, I thought this would be great, because I sweat SO much, but I didn't really like the way it made the glasses fit on my face so it’s not something I would use, personally.
Check out my reviews for these other models of RP glasses.
Rudy Project Astral X (frameless sunglasses, one of my favorite pairs for running)
Rudy Project Kelion (excellent full frame glasses for cycling)
Now for your gift!
As a free subscriber to the Triple Threat Life newsletter, you receive 35% off helmets and sunglasses at Rudy Project! This includes prescription eyewear.
Also, you get up to 50% off sale items. It’s a crazy good deal, and all you need to do is use the code: triplethreatlife.
Simply create a free Rudy Project account at this link. Then, when you browse the website, discounted prices will show up automatically.
If you’re a member of the paid Triple Threat Life Club, you get access to the full line-up of discounts from brands like Running Warehouse, Road iD, Firefly Recovery, Precision Fuel & Hydration, Never Second nutrition, Cool Mitt, and Apollo Neuro. Also, you get 15% off Torege eyewear and 25% off ROKA, including sunglasses, wetsuits, trisuits, ect. (That last one is insane, because ROKA rarely gives discounts.)
Sign up for the Triple Threat Life Club and unlock all the discounts today, including access to our monthly video calls with experts and bonus content.
News & Notes:
In my latest for Triathlete Magazine, I talked to our favorite bike shop owner and bike fitter, Paul Williams, to get the inside scoop on how to travel with your triathlon bike. We cover the pros and cons for each method, recommended bike boxes, explain airline fees and shipping costs, and provide pro tips for packing your bike. (Personally, Matt and I use the Bike Box Alan Aero EasyFit case. It’s sturdy, easy to pack, and protects our bikes. We fly Delta and have never been charged an extra fee. Let me know if I should write a post explaining how to pack your bike for travel!)
End of an Era: A Fond Farewell to 70.3 St. George- This one is kind of bittersweet. IRONMAN asked me to write a farewell piece for 70.3 St. George, because 2025 is the final year of the race. It felt a bit personal, because I had the opportunity to race in St. George at the 70.3 World Championship in 2021, which was an incredible (and crazy) experience. It's hard to explain what it feels like to swim in Sand Hollow, Ride up Snow Canyon, and run on the Red Hills Parkway, but I did my best. The Land of Endurance is beautiful, brutal, and completely epic. It's everything that IRONMAN stands for, really. And it will be terribly missed.
(Here are a few of my favorite photos from our time spent in St. George.)
2021 IM 70.3 World Championships
Re the name: from turbo-lens? 🤔