Rudy Project Defender Glasses Review

By Pierre-Maxime BRANCHE – Photos: @3bikes.fr

When I see cyclists without glasses, I wonder how they do it. Personally, it’s impossible for me to ride without them, no matter the weather conditions. The sun and its brightness blind me; the wind and cold make my eyes water; the rain makes me squint to the point of almost closing them. So, leaving without glasses seems inconceivable to me. They are an essential part of my training kit, especially since, hidden behind my lens, I feel in my bubble, more focused on the hazards of the road and therefore safer, but also more protected from potential insects or critters that might have the bad idea of wanting to poke my eye out.
I therefore pay particular attention to this performance and style accessory, which I like to customize to match my outfit if possible. That’s good, these Defenders have six colors of bumpers, which is more than enough to find what I’m looking for. But before deciding on the details, let’s first see what this brand new performance model from the Italian brand, founded in Treviso in 1985, has to offer.

Massive but adjustable

The Defender is a high-end unisex frame for training and competition. Its Grilamid structure is sporty with sharp, prominent angles that encompass an extra-wide lens. The bridge of the frame is very rounded to fit as closely as possible to the face and thus better protect the eyes. With a depth of 141 mm, a width of 118 mm, and a height of 44 mm, the Defender is massive but weighs only 28 grams. It features adjustable temples specifically designed to adapt to different helmet models. It is also equipped with soft polymer nose pads for better ergonomics and grip. Other inserts, the “Bumpers,” also made of soft thermoplastic elastomers, protect your face from the edge of the lenses, especially in case of impact or fall. Positioned on the bottom of the mask lens, they are available in six colors. Great! It is also these that give the Defender its sporty and aggressive look.

20 vents for fog management

Power Flow is the in-house technology for dissipating heat and fog. No less than 20 vents have been placed at the temples, on the front bridge, on the lens, and on the bumpers to primarily optimize air circulation but also maintain aerodynamic efficiency without disturbing vision. This is ensured by a large optical mask that offers peripheral and deep visibility. This Defender can be fitted with unbreakable ImpactX photochromic lenses or RP Optics Multilaser lenses, each available in different tints.

The Quick Change system allows you to change your lens type in the blink of an eye for perfect light management depending on the conditions. Note that cyclists or triathletes with an ophthalmological correction can integrate a removable optical insert with the RX-Compatibility system while benefiting from the wide field of vision of the screen. Finally, the Defender is also available in an exclusive Graphene version for an even lighter, stronger, and more stable frame.

Impeccable protection

Since early January, we have ridden and raced with the Defender in Black Matte version with an ImpactX 2 Laser Black lens. In hand, this model is very light, the structure is semi-rigid, and the height and width of the lens are impressive. An aggressive model, especially with these sharp lines and angles that are only softened by the rounded bridge of the frame. Placed on the nose, the structure extends significantly higher than the eyebrows, it descends low on the cheeks and almost reaches the temples on the sides. You feel totally protected, and this sensation is reinforced by a design that impeccably hugs the head. Rudy Project talks about Total Comfort Fit, but faces that are a bit wide and/or flat might feel a bit cramped, as the fit is so close. That said, this adjustment is partly adjustable with the positioning of the pads. The flexible tips are easily oriented with two fingers to position the temples on the ears, as are the nose pads. The head can move in all directions, the Defender remains stable and well in place. A very good point for running.

Panoramic vision

The promise of a wide field of vision is kept. The impression of panoramic vision is good, even if when looking into the distance, the eye still notices the presence of the fluorescent yellow bumpers (in our case) which thus mark a limit to this field of vision. It is enough to remove the bumpers to lose this limit and have the impression of a continuous field. The perception of colors, in low and high light, is faithful with a slightly darker filter than reality but still very close. The photochromic lens reacts perfectly to changes in light, especially when moving from a shaded road to a very exposed section, as was the case on some of our seaside rides. If you are directly facing the sun, your eyes are not bothered, which allows for precise steering, trajectories, or foot placement. This very wide lens also offers excellent wind protection over a large area around the eyes, especially on the sides when you turn your head for a change of direction or simply to admire the landscape, thanks to the very deep design of the lens and the frame under the temples. Similarly, there is no chance that the headwind will infiltrate under the glasses and bother you, as the structure descends sufficiently low on the cheeks.

Pads that lack flexibility

Very stable thanks to these soft thermoplastic temple tips and nose pads that grip the skin well, the Defender is nevertheless not the most pleasant when it comes to positioning it. This is especially true during the first use when you adjust the tips. This material rubs a bit roughly on the temples and nose and would benefit from being a little softer. If the pads are spread too far apart, the nose comes into contact with the Grilamid structure, which again is not very comfortable. You have to find the right position, but this Defender would gain in comfort with a more refined or perhaps simply softer material. After a three-hour bike ride, once removed, you feel a very slight sensitivity at the pressure points. Not enough to be injured, but if you have to follow up with running, as in triathlon, sensitivity with the impact of foot strikes could become annoying.

Perfect ventilation

On the other hand, where the Defender is uncompromising is in its management of airflow and thus fog dissipation. The Power Flow system, consisting of 20 vents (6 on the lenses, 8 on the bridge, 4 on the bumpers, and 2 in the temples), plays its role perfectly during effort and at rest. During effort, vision is not at all hindered because the upper airflows pass at the level of the frame bridge positioned high on the forehead above the eyebrows, while the lower flows are diverted by the bumper orifices located on the side. To be fully tested, this system would deserve a test under high summer temperatures. We will have to wait, but in our current training conditions, the Power Flow has perfectly ventilated the Defender to ensure a fog-free lens even when running uphill repetitions and when the airflows are much less significant than in cycling.

Customizable as desired

This is one of the other strong points of Rudy Project and this Defender: the possibility of changing the lens in a few seconds to choose the size and type of lens that suits you best, but also according to the light conditions. Already present on other frames, the Quick Change system is ultra simple to use since you just have to pull slightly on the sides of the bridge to unhook the lens and replace it. For a total look, you can adapt the color of the temple tips and nose pads, as well as the bumpers which are removable and therefore interchangeable. Positioned on the bottom of the lens and designed in soft thermoplastic to absorb shocks in case of a fall or crushing, they still have a small safety drawback, especially on a bike. When you turn your head and look out of the corner of your eye to check if a vehicle is coming behind you, this small piece that widens on the lateral end of the lens partially hides the blind spot due to its very recessed positioning. This is obvious when using the Defender without its bumpers because the visibility is then much better. This may be less important in a race, but in training, in traffic, every detail matters.

But using the Defender without its colored bumpers means amputating it of its signature and characteristic style. Nevertheless, despite a comfort defect at the nasal pad and temple tips, this Defender performs well in terms of field of vision, protection, and ventilation. It is aimed at cyclists and triathletes who like wide and total eye protection. Fitted with ImpactX 2 photochromic lenses, you will still have to pay almost 250 euros to get them.

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