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Rudy Project gets clearer and darker and does it faster with new ImpactX-2 lenses

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rudy-project-genetyk-sports-sunglasses-with-impactx-2-photochromatic-lens

Originally designed for the Apache helicopter’s windshields, the new Rudy Project ImpactX-2 polyurethane lens material is virtually unbreakable, and it offers better, faster photo chromatic changes and prescription compatibility.

Compared to ImpactX, the new X-2 iteration’s photochromatic range is wider, letting them go clearer and darker on either end of the spectrum, and it reacts to UV light 25% faster than before. Another bonus to the new material is that it’s sensitive to light outside of the UV spectrum, letting it partially darken even behind windows, like when you’re driving. Fortunately, that doesn’t include the LED lights used for cycling in the dark, which means the clear-to-dark lenses will still work for night riding.

The new ImpactX-2 is available in clear to dark, clear to brown and clear to red, and the black and red are available in standard and mirrored “laser”, making five options total. Clear to dark originals went from 18% to 78%, the new ImpactX-2 changes from 9% to 74%.

It’s available on a wide range of their cycling and sport models, including the Rydon, Agon, Proflow, Noyz and Genetyk.

rudy-project-rydon-sports-sunglasses-with-impactx-2-photochromatic-lens

In addition to working better and faster, the new photochromatics claim to be 20% more temperature stable, so they’ll work better when it’s really cold out. The pigments incorporate new filters that block invisible portions of the spectrum to reduce eye fatigue and enhance the visible parts to improve contrast.

As for prescriptions, they’re able to accommodate most corrective levels on many of their models, and it’s all custom cut on the actual lens, so there’s no secondary eyeglass lens between your sunglasses and eyes. They can even do no-line bifocals and progressive lenses.

e-rudy.com

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Scotty
Scotty
8 years ago

Virtually unbreakable except when the delaminate from within. I didn’t get more than a couple months of use before the impact x lens start delaminating.

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
8 years ago

How’s 78% down to 74% darker? I’d take em because the range is wider but its not darker by any means.

Devin
Devin
8 years ago

Scotty – I’m with Rudy Project North America and wanted to just get back regarding your comment. I’m sorry to hear of the problem you had with your lenses, but am genuinely interested as this the first I’ve heard of someone’s ImpactX lenses ‘delaminating’ like that. The ImpactX photochromic particles are directly injected throughout the lenses substrate itself, so they can’t be scratched or nicked off and thus, cannot delaminate.

Regardless of what was happening with them, please contact our customer service center. That would fall under our warranty and they can get you a new pair of lenses asap. Also, if you ever do manage to scratch or nick our lenses, all of them come with a lifetime warranty which enables you to get new ones for just the price of S&H. Our customer service is at: 1-888-860-7597

Veganpotter – You’re correct, but the upper 4% is hardly noticeable compared to lower end state change. Furthermore, and this is just anecdotal, but the lenses of the ImpactX-2 seem to go Much darker than the original. The % change is the official numbers from we received from our HQ in Italy, but I feel like the go much darker. You should honestly see these in person if you run into us at an event, they’re outstanding.

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
8 years ago

I imagine the numbers they’re quoting are percent transmittance values, meaning that at its darkest, the new lens transmits only 9% of the incident visible light while the old lens, at its darkest, transmits 18% of the incident visible light.

MissedThePoint
MissedThePoint
8 years ago

How about being fog proof? Going slow on a cool (or colder) day tends to fog up most eyewear.

Ronin
Ronin
8 years ago

My rudy project Rydon’s just surprised me at a stoplight a few days ago. Was cleaning them because of sweat and a lens came out. First time the lens had been taken out even though it was by accident, and it came out way easier than expected (not a good thing).

DaveT
DaveT
8 years ago

3+ years on a set of Impact X Zyons here. totally uncared for with an RX insert and still scratch free (mostly used for mtb in wet muddy and sandy UK areas, so properly tough condition)

other than getting my prescription changed, they are awesome and imo better built than Oakleys and just about any other set of specs i’ve owned, the lenses are incredible and can be used in total dark. these new ones should be even better if they let more light in when clear.

Scotty
Scotty
8 years ago

Devin – the delaminating is with the lens, they were separating from the edge inward. First pair got warranty for free. Second set they wanted me to pay $15, but I complained enough that they waived it and I also asked for non impact x.

Skeeter
Skeeter
8 years ago

@Scotty – $15 for a warranty sounds like free to me after trying to deal with Oakley customer service; a couple months outside of the Oakley two-year warranty with my Rx lenses with limited and gentle use I had a retention tab shear off on an interchangeable lens (that I never interchanged) – full price replacement only. My initial Oakley frame was silver, which rubbed away within months of occasional use; they would ONLY replace it with the exact same crappy painted frame – not what I expect from a pair of $650 glasses.

I’m eager to try something from a company interested more in quality and customer service than marketing, and not part of the Luxottica gorilla.

Scotty
Scotty
8 years ago

$15 is still annoying when it was only a few months old and that was for the replacement set. The standard lens haven’t been an issue.

Bean
Bean
8 years ago

I have had my Rydon prescriptions for several years now. The lenses are the original photo chromatic lenses from Rudy; perfect for most of the mountain biking/running I do including the winter when there is less forest shade. I have darker direct in frame lenses but never find the need to switch them out. I especially like Rudy’s wrap-around corrected vision technology, I have more of my peripheral vision which is not distorted. I consider this one of the best prescription glasses purchased and recommend them to anyone cycling or active outdoors.

Devin
Devin
8 years ago

@Psi Squared: That’s correct, the 9% is a darker value because that’s the amount of light the lens is letting through at it’s fully activated state. Thus, the ImpactX-2 are darker.

@MissedThePoint: Our glasses are suberb for antifogging. Not specifically because they have antifogging coatings (which is a hydrophobic coating that beads water droplets up), but because of their adjustability. By pinching the nose together and having the glasses sit slightly off your face, you can increase ventilation and reduce the thermal shock between the heat of your face and the cooled lenses of the sunglasses. This thermal shock is what causes condensation on the inside of the glasses in the first place. If you check out cross-country skiing, Rudy Project is absolutely massive in the sport because skiers can adjust the glasses precisely to their face and how much ventilation they would like that day.

Furthermore, what makes full adjustability nice is that you can change the glasses to any individual sport. For instance, I love downhill mountain biking, so I’ll lock the temple arms around the back of my ears and pull the nose piece apart to have the glasses sit very close and tight. In this configuration they absolutely won’t move around, but it’s not comfortable for all day casual wear, so when I’m off the trails I relax the fit.

@Ronin: All our performance frames are designed with our ‘Quick Change’ system in mind, which should make the lenses easy to pull out at a specific point (some from the temple side, some from the nose), but they shouldn’t pop out if you’re not pulling on them. If you find this ever happens, please call our customer service and they can warranty the frames within 3 years of purchase: 1-888-860-7597

@DaveT: great to hear that your ImpactX Zyon’s are still running strong!

@Soctty: Again, this is an odd issue and the first I’m hearing of it. We take all complaints seriously and I’m forwarding your comments onto our design team in Italy. The beauty of being a family owned business is that any comments and feedback are thoroughly looked into and used in our production process. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences here.

@Skeeter: Some unnamed big brands have tried to purchase Rudy Project before, but the Barbazza family refused to sell! Rudy Barbazza (the creator of Rudy Project) is still very involved and active with the brand, but has passed on most operations to his two sons, Simone & Cristiano. 🙂

@Bean: Great to hear you like your Rydon RX glasses so much! If you need a new pair in the future, consider ImpactX-2, it’s amazing.

Tim
Tim
8 years ago

Devin – how dark do the ImpactX-2 lenses get in the car (very little UV), as opposed to outside (plenty of UV). I just got a new RX for my inserts in my Noyz frame because my old ImpactX lenses do not darken at all in the car (and appear to be less responsive than they once were outside), and I use the plain black lenses for bright days and in the car. I’m wondering if the new ImpactX-2 are a suitable replacement for the 2 lens setup I have now. Especially because on fog-prone days, the inserts + lenses ALWAYS fog horribly, and I’m hoping that a single RX lens in the frame will alleviate this.

Thx.

Devin
Devin
8 years ago

@Tim: ImpactX-2 will darken up a bit in the car, but not completely since as you mentioned, the windows are filtering a good portion of the UV spectrum. Personally they appear to transition about half way, but I don’t have an accurate measurement available. I’d recommend purchasing just a pair of the ImpactX-2 Clear to Black lenses for your Noyz sunglasses to try them out and see if that’s what you’d like to have RX’d. You essentially have 90 days to try them out due to our return policy.

The Clear to Laser Black lenses are also available, which are slightly darker due to a mirror finish, but I’d recommend against them if you want to wear these all day, as the mirror finish can be slightly distracting to anyone talking with you while looking at your eyes.

Hope that helps & Happy Friday!

Gabriel
Gabriel
5 years ago
Reply to  Devin

Hello 3 years later hehe. You are saying that Laser Black lenses are slightly darker due to a mirror finish. impact x2 black transmittance is 74% to 9% and laser black is 62% to 13%. I Want to buy impact x2 to replace my oakley. Should i go with the black or laser black? I am from Greece and the sun is killing me hehe.

sanjay
sanjay
7 years ago

Hi, I have a Rudy Project cycling sunglasses with photochromic clear (non prescription) lenses. They tend to get scratched easiliy. What is the process to get replacement lenses under the warranty policy? What lenses will they be replaced with? what is difference between impactx and impactx2 lenses ? I have a suggestion : can u include cleaning cloth with the hardcase and softcase present with the cycling sunglasses in the sunglasses box? most of the microfibers do not seem to do a good job of cleaning.

Marc Hardy
Marc Hardy
6 years ago

I bought a pair of Rudy Project Rydon’s with the Impactx Photochromic Laser Clear lens in 2013 and they scratched up a fair bit. Just wondering if the new Impactx2 lens scratch easily? I mistakenly thought that because they were break-proof, that they couldn’t be scratched as well.

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