Rudy Project Kelion glasses review: year-round protection from dawn to dusk

Construction

The Kelion is a full-frame, single-lens pair of sports glasses with a relatively shallow base curvature of 5.2, typical of shield-style eyewear. This curvature is relatively flat – most reading glasses are 4-base, while true wraparound styles can be as curvaceous as 10-base.

The benefits of flatter lenses are that they offer a less distorted view of the world and are more likely to accept corrective inserts, which the Kelion does. The drawback is that light can creep in around the edges, although with shield-style eyewear, this potential weakness tends to be mitigated by the sheer size of the lens.

This really is a supersized pair of glasses, with the lens alone measuring 144mm across and 62mm deep (the arms are a more standard 125mm long). Despite these Brobdingnagian dimensions, the Kelion remains remarkably lightweight. Rudy Project claims 36g, but my scales read just under that at 34g, which is precisely the same as my much smaller Oakley Jawbreakers.

The Kelion's lightness is partly due to Rudy Project choosing to build its ImpactX 2 photochromic lenses from proprietary ‘patented polyurethane optical polymers’ that it says are 16% lighter than CR-39 and 10% lighter than polycarbonate. Both of these materials are popular lightweight alternatives, making them a worthy comparison.

Staying with the lens, ImpactX 2 lenses are also unbreakable and highly resistant to chemicals and environmental degradation. What’s more, Rudy Project says they have a lower refractive index and suffer less chromatic dispersion than polycarbonate, suggesting they offer improved brightness, sharper clarity and higher definition.

Interestingly, unlike many brands, Rudy Project embeds the photochromatic pigments – the ingredients that turn the lens light or dark – into the material itself rather than adding them as a coating. This method enhances durability because, over time, photochromic coatings can be scrubbed off during vigorous cleaning. A high dynamic range (HDR) filter is also incorporated within the polymer.

Additionally, Rudy Project employs more traditional coatings to reduce fogging, repel water, and protect against scratches. There are only two photochromic shades available for this model, 2Laser Purple and 2Laser Black, but the Kelion can also be bought in four non-photochromic iridescent, colour-shift hues: Multilaser Yellow, Multilaser Green, Multilaser Sunset, and Multilaser Red. The non-photochromic lenses, branded RP Optics, offer a 20% cost saving.

The ImpactX 2Laser Black lens has light transmission values of 74% to 9%, while the 2Laser Purple lens, which is the one fitted to my glasses, is slightly darker overall at 48% to 8%. The solid lenses are typically around the 10 – 15% region, making them Cat 3. Rudy Project says all its lenses are UV400-rated, meaning they block 100% of UVA and UVB radiation.

Both lenses have ventilation cutouts below the top bar and at the bottom corners.

The frames are unusual in that they are made from a versatile, durable polymer called Nylon 11, branded Rilsan Clear. This material actually dates back to the 1930s and was used a couple of decades later to make fuel lines for the original Citroën DS car. Readily 3-D printed, it’s found favour recently for products that demand flexibility, robustness and chemical resistance, such as medical kit, racket strings, skis and ski boots, pipeline coatings and, of course, glasses frames.

Rudy Project says it has also chosen Rilsan for its environmental qualities. The material is bio-based, made with a high proportion of castor oil, a renewable resource that, in this case, is sourced from the fields of Gujarat, India.

The frame is manufactured in two parts – upper and lower – for easy lens replacement. Dismantling the two sections is simply a matter of pressing the buttons located in front of each hinge, enabling the lens to lift out.

In an attempt to ward off fogging, sixteen tiny slots in the centre of the top bar work in conjunction with the uppermost lens cutout to wash air upwards and outwards.

There’s plenty of adjustment for fit. The replaceable rubber nosepiece adjusts laterally to grip the schnozzle, while generous, flexible rubber tips at the end of the arms provide a snug fit for the temporal/parietal regions. Unfortunately, the arms are not adjustable for length.

A robust hard case and a soft bag are supplied with the glasses.

The ride

I judge riding eyewear on six criteria – protection from the sun’s rays, protection from flying debris, comfort and security of fit, field of view, clarity and definition, and, last but by no means least, aesthetics.

The Rudy Project Kelion neutralises any concerns you may have about harmful UVA and UVB rays damaging your eyes. Not only are all available lenses rated UV400, but the frontal area is so massive it provides comprehensive coverage. With the lens being so flat, I was initially concerned about light creeping in around the sides but, in use, this was never an issue.

The pair of Kelion glasses that Rudy Project submitted for review is glazed with ImpactX 2Laser Purple photochromic lenses that, as described above, have a light Cat 1 base tint with a Visible Light Transmission (VLT) value of 48%. In other words, even in deep shade, they’re not clear. For me, this makes them perfect for cloudy, overcast days, but I’d be uncomfortable wearing them on sketchy gravel trails in dark forests, or for any kind of night riding.

At the other end of the spectrum, in the brightest sunlight, these lenses darken down to just 8% VLT, which is close to Cat 4 (the darkest tier). For most of my riding in the UK, this range – 48% to 8% – hits the sweet spot. I’m protected on the rare days when we have wall-to-wall sunshine, and I’m also covered when the sky is nothing but an endless expanse of grey cloud for weeks on end.

If you’re hunting for a pair of glasses that react instantly as you ride from bright sunshine to tree cover and back, then frankly, you’re being unrealistic about the speed at which photochromic glasses can transition. In the riding conditions I regularly experience, the ImpactX lenses are fast but, just like their competitors, they’re not instant.

Instead, these glasses excel on rides where I expect to spend extended periods both in the shade and sunlight, rarely switching much between the two. This might be a woodland ride that ends with a long open section, but more commonly, it’s when cloud cover at the beginning of a ride is burned off by the afternoon sun. Additionally, photochromatic glasses, like these, are near essential for early- and late-season riding when, at the extremes of the day, the sun is blindingly low in the sky.

Rudy Project says that its ImpactX lenses are ‘unbreakable’, a claim it backs up with a lifetime guarantee. Fortunately, during my riding, I didn’t get to test my glasses to destruction, but all of the brand’s lenses meet or exceed US (ANSI Z87.1) and European (EN 1836-2003) standards for impact resistance, which is reassuring. I found their generous coverage protected not only my eyes but also my lower forehead and upper cheeks from wind, flying insects and debris.

Inevitably, comfort and security of fit will vary from person to person. I have a 59cm head circumference and found the arms to be just about right in terms of pressure, but I would have preferred them to be a touch longer. At this price, it is a shame they are not adjustable for length. The nosepiece fits snugly, resisting movement even when I build up a disgustingly moist coating of sweat. With the arms and nosepiece working in tandem, I find no amount of ducking or diving can dislodge the Kelions from my face. Nor can a good old shake.

The field of view is simply outstanding – an enormous, uninterrupted expanse of what’s directly laid out in front of you. Peripheral vision is undisturbed; I can make out the bottom of the frame and the hinges at my temples, but only just. Ventilation through the lens cutouts and the small slots in the frame appears to work well. I have only suffered slight lens misting once, when waiting at the lights on a warmer-than-expected autumnal morning. I was baking, having overdressed for the ride, so I only have myself to blame.

To my eye, clarity, resolution, and definition are all excellent. The ImpactX lens doesn’t introduce any loss of detail, with fine lines and textures rendered just as clearly with or without the glasses (possibly helped by increased contrast). Chromatic aberration is minimal with no visible coloured fringing or halos.

The large, yet relatively flat, wrap ensures there is no discernible distortion across the entire field of view, and the absence of light intrusion from the sides helps minimise internal reflections.

It’s impossible to argue with Bootsy Collins’ call to arms: “That's the law around here, you’ve got to wear your sunglasses, so you can feel cool.” Well, I feel cooler with the Kelions on than off, and I can only hope that they help me look convincingly ‘fashionista’ too.

Appearance matters because few of us make rational decisions when selecting riding glasses. Inevitably, we are attracted to what we believe looks good. The design team at Rudy Project has done a great job with the sleek, minimalist Kelion, but there’s no doubt that this style is better suited for those with larger, rectangular faces. If you are blessed with softer features, you might want to look elsewhere.

Similarly, check that the tall, deep frame works well with your current cycling helmet. The top of the Kelion frame sits quite high, which is perfect when you’re looking forward from a tucked position. However, this means that the top of the frame may come into contact with the front lip of cycling helmets designed to sit deeply over the forehead. Believe me, there’s nothing more irritating than riding for hours with your glasses rattling against your cycling helmet every time you roll over a small bump in the road.

The purple lens colour fitted to my sample glasses filters blue and green wavelengths, which should reduce glare and haze. At the same time, reds, oranges, and yellows should pop, making it easier to spot brake lights and traffic signals. In truth, out on the road, I don’t find that coloured lenses make that much of a difference. Call me shallow, but I genuinely believe that most of us choose one hue over another to match our cycling jerseys, helmets and shoes. If you find that coloured lenses do have a noticeable effect, and dislike the blue/green filtration, then the black photochromic lenses should prove more neutral.

Value and conclusions

There’s no doubt these are desirable riding glasses, made from quality materials to a high standard. Six months after first wearing them, they still look brand new, with no yellow discolouration to the bright white frames whatsoever, an issue I have experienced with less expensive glasses.

The ImpactX lens provides an expansive view bursting with detail, and I found its tint adapts quickly to changes in ambient light. Protection from shield-style glasses, whatever the brand, is unrivalled when compared to smaller glasses with less coverage, but whether they suit your face or not is a different matter.

At £208.99, the price for the photochromic version of the Kelion is eye-wateringly high, yet it is comparable with other prestige brands. Oakley Sutro glasses, with Clear to Black Iridium Photochromic lenses, cost £179, while a pair of similarly configured Oakley Jawbreakers will set you back a jaw-dropping £240. POC Devour glasses, in photochromic guise, are even steeper at £270. Meanwhile, a pair of perfectly serviceable Decathlon Perf 500 photochromic riding glasses is yours for just £39.99. You pay your money, you take your choice.

Nevertheless, I rate the Kelion. My purple-lensed version might be too dark for night riding, but at every other time of day, year-round, it keeps me protected.