# Tifosi Fototec Glasses



## Toff (Sep 11, 2004)

Anyone use them?

How quick is the darkening/lightening of the lenses?

In clear mode, are they still clear enough for night riding?

thanks


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## ebeer (Aug 8, 2007)

They have a fototec flavor especially for night riding. I had this one for a long time and was very happy with them. Transition time is fast enough to never be noticed, plenty dark for full sun, and the clear is perfect for night riding. Recommended!


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## Toff (Sep 11, 2004)

Thanks, thats what it sounded like from their webpage but I just wanted to make sure from a fellow biker. Ordered me a pair just now.


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## Eamonn Wright (May 15, 2011)

I bought a pair a several days ago for riding and running, and so far in my limited use in different light conditions they are good. The Fototec feature seems to work fine, although I wish they were a tad darker in bright light. Pretty good buy for the money.


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## ranier (Sep 9, 2003)

I have been riding with a pair that have the backcountry orange fototech lenses. They seem to transition from light to dark and back again ok. I don't really notice it, guess that's a good thing, eh?


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## Veda (Dec 17, 2009)

I have 3 pairs of Tifosi Fototec currently. The night clear one that turns dark during the day and the Polarized Fototec for those really sunny days. I'd have to say they're nothing short but awesome. I hardly notice the changes in the sunlight as the lens adapt to the exposure to maintain a certain degree of shade. In the clear mode at night, there is a slight tint but overall it's still very clear. The best deal with lens that are just as good as the best out there if not better. Yesterday they just announced a bunch of brand new models that look more interesting than the 2011 lines. I'd check those out as well:

http://reviews.mtbr.com/tifosi-optics-announces-new-sunglasses-for-2012


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## YamiRider1316 (Mar 26, 2011)

loved mine till i jumped in the river with them and away they went . Will definitely be ordering another pair though.


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## extr3m3 (Apr 24, 2011)

i will buy one of these


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

I have a pair of Phototec, orange I think. They work ok for mild to medium light but don't get _nearly _dark enough for my eyes in the blazing sun of Phoenix. The orange did highlight the trail features nicely on winter days (still lots of sunlight in AZ in winter). I have blue eyes and they are very sensitive to light so for 8 or 9 months out of the year I wear the darkest lenses i can find. I.E. around 15% light transmission/polarized.


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## Toff (Sep 11, 2004)

Just an update on the ones I got.

They work very well. Super clear lenses and I totally forget they are even on. Not as dark as my dedicated sunglasses but they cut the glare well in bright sunlight and more importantly to me they clear up quickly when moving into the trails which are under the trees.

Very satisfied with my purchase. Got em on Amazon so they were much cheaper than msrp.


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

Toff said:


> Just an update on the ones I got.
> 
> They work very well. Super clear lenses and I totally forget they are even on. Not as dark as my dedicated sunglasses but they cut the glare well in bright sunlight and more importantly to me they clear up quickly when moving into the trails which are under the trees.
> 
> Very satisfied with my purchase. Got em on Amazon so they were much cheaper than msrp.


Yup, pretty much my experience with them. I have a bunch of riding glasses but the clear to med Phototec and the ones I wear nearl y'all the time.


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## 96p993 (May 21, 2011)

Love mine, just wish the lenses werent so expensive. I would love to have several different lenses but at that price I can just wait for the glassed to go on sale at performance


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## felisen (Jun 16, 2011)

Anyone have any recommendations on the different shade colors they offer (light night, backcountry orange...)?
http://www.tifosioptics.com/technology/fototec/

I am looking for a pair that can really cut down on the wind (contracts really drying out) and came across their phototec line which seemed interesting (not with the wind but...).

Thanks!


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## eatdrinkride (Jun 15, 2005)

felisen said:


> Anyone have any recommendations on the different shade colors they offer (light night, backcountry orange...)?
> http://www.tifosioptics.com/technology/fototec/
> 
> I am looking for a pair that can really cut down on the wind (contracts really drying out) and came across their phototec line which seemed interesting (not with the wind but...).
> ...


I had the orange. Not good for the direct bright light of AZ but good for moderate light and wooded areas. They kinda brighten up the trail a bit.


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## 96p993 (May 21, 2011)

I had the High Spd Red...Great during the middle of the day but not so good when you got into the woods for a period of time. They just dont get light enough

I now have the Light Night..Not as dark but fine for me in the middle of the day, also do a great job in the woods...You really need to look at what your surroundings are before choosing.

Mine cover my eyes quite well but I dont have contacts so its tough for me to say how well they would work for you


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## brokebike (Jan 31, 2013)

I just purchased a set of the Fototec "Backcountry Orange" to put in my Dolomites, and my initial impression is a big thumbs up! I finally feel like these are the right balance for riding in the woods that I've been looking for.


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## Toff (Sep 11, 2004)

I'm still rocking my Fototecs. I like em better than my old Oakleys and they are MUCH cheaper if something happens to them.


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## ralj (Sep 18, 2009)

Their website does a good job at providing the range of light to dark you can expect for each of the lens options. I have interchangeable lens Tifosis now but my next pair will definitely be Fototec. You just can't beat the value.


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## froze (Feb 5, 2011)

I hate to dig an old post but now that you all have had these Tifosi glasses for awhile how are they holding up? I read some reviews on other sites they were having problems with the frames and lens breaking, anyone confirm that?


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## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

I've had a pair of Tifosi Fototecs for about eight years that have held up remarkably well. My teenage son latched onto them for a couple of years and he's tough on gear, so they've had extra use. The lenses ("Backcountry Brown", I think) still darken well in direct sunlight. The only real sign of wear is that one of the little rubber earpiece inserts tore and grabs my hair sometimes. The "Backcountry Brown" fototec lenses, if still available, are perfect for mountain biking in and out of leafy cover here in sunny SoCal.


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## froze (Feb 5, 2011)

Tks for the reply, I was looking at the Tifosi Fototec with the Terrain green lens at my LBS which when fully darkened had the least amount of light transfer of their other Fototec types of lenses according to their website. But then I read a couple of reviews and there were some issues with breakage so I'm glad you chimed in to set my brain straight.


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

I've been using my clear > medium Fototek for almost 5 years. Love 'em. No problems, and use them in all conditions, even at night. Unless you ride in a lot of direct sunlight, I wouldn't get the darker version. I ride 90% under tree cover.


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## froze (Feb 5, 2011)

d365 said:


> I've been using my clear > medium Fototek for almost 5 years. Love 'em. No problems, and use them in all conditions, even at night. Unless you ride in a lot of direct sunlight, I wouldn't get the darker version. I ride 90% under tree cover.


I appreciate the response. I ride in a varied environment, it can be tree covered for a bit, or cloud covered, then open country for bit with or without clouds, added on top of that my eyes are blue and they are more sensitive to light.

I tried the Terrain green lens in the LBS store but it was a dark cloudy day so I couldn't test them in sun, but where the tint level was sitting inside the store was fine for me, I could see just fine without remotely thinking I needed something lighter for in the store. I need to get over to the LBS on a sunny day and take the glasses with the Terrain lens as well as the High Speed Red and Smoke Fototec's outside to see which will be dark enough, right now though I'm leaning towards the Terrain because I know my eyes. The reason for those 3 lenses is because those 3 let in the least amount of light in order than other 3 they have that I didn't list. If those turn out not to be dark enough in sunlight I may go with one of the Polarized Fototec lenses probably the brown one.


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

I have blue, semi-light sensitive eyes too. They all have 100% uv protection, and in combination with my helmet visor, mine get dark enough for direct sunlight. but I usually only wear these on the mtb., and it's always in and out of tree cover. 

In many of these threads, people complain that they don't transition fast enough going from full sun to shade. My theory is that they all use the medium > dark transition ones. I never have that issue, as mine are never too dark. Cloudy, night, full sun, or shade. I never notice them, is about the best thing I can say about them. 

Just food for thought, as I understand you're buying sunglasses, so why wouldn't you go for something dark...


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## froze (Feb 5, 2011)

d365 said:


> Just food for thought, as I understand you're buying sunglasses, so why wouldn't you go for something dark...


I've been using dark Bolle's and still do but they're a holdover from my California days where it's sunny all the time and very little tree cover, here in Indiana I could be riding when it's sunny one minute and next be cloudy, then pop in and out of tree cover while all that sunny cloudy stuff is going on. So it would be a nice option of having the lens turn when all that is going on so I'm not so uncomfortable seeing when it's darker. I don't want to change lenses mid ride either because of all that sunny, cloudy, tree stuff going on I would have to changes several times in a ride! Or just leave on a darker lens which puts me where I'm at now with my Bolle's.

I hope I made sense.


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