Rudy Project Agon Sports Glasses Review | 2017

Back in 2013, Rudy Project debuted one of their newest models for sport performance sunglasses called the Rudy Project Agon.  At the time the Agon was off our radar and it wasn’t until we saw them at an expo that year, that we knew we wanted to review them.

The name Agon is derived from an ancient Greek term “Agon”, which loosely translates into “competition in athletics”.  This makes perfect sense, performance eye wear to help athletes excel in competition.  Of course you don’t have to compete to appreciate all the great features the Agon has to offer from their cool styling with an Italian flair to how they perform when worn.

Rudy Project Agon Overview 2017

Fast Forward to 2017 and the Argon still is kicking it in the Rudy Project lineup.

A key aspect to the Argon is their half-rim structure.  It allows for a greater field of view over full rim glasses.  The glasses also come with side slits, allowing air to pass through, preventing potential fogging.  The nose piece incorporates ErgoIV, which is designed to provide both a secure and custom fit.  The temple tips on the glasses arms are also completely adjustable and customizable for a person’s head and temple area.

When changing lenses is required, the Rudy Project Agon utilize Rudy’s Quick Change lens system.  Simply hold the glasses where the arm hinges with one hand and lightly unsnap the lenses with the other.

The glasses come in a multitude of colors including Frozen Ash, Matte Black, White Gloss, Yellow Fluo, Green Fluo, & Graphite.  Since the lenses are replaceable, you also have an option from choosing normal to radical colors like multilaser green, polarized and photochromatic lenses.

Back in 2013 when the Agon’s arrived they came in a nice box that included a brief overview of some of the key features as well as a cloth bag and eyeglass case.  Our glasses are called White Gloss and came with ImpactX Photochromatic Red lenses.  For me, they felt comfortable right away.   I didn’t have to mess with the temple adjustment or nose bridge.  For those that do, you have lots of adjustability at both the nose and temple areas.

The 2017 Rudy Project eyeglass cases have changed since we received ours back in 2013, but they are essentially the same shape as the older version, but just look a little more fancy.

The cloth bag is your typical high end eyewear cleaning cloth used for cleaning lenses.  The eyewear case is one of those plastic shatter proof types.  Certainly not as elegant as the Rudy Project race sunglass protective case or an Oakley case, but it’s light and keeps your glasses secure.

Below are two different glass cases offered by Rudy Project.

After wearing them a while, I have dubbed them my happy glasses.  The red color Photochromatic lenses seem to give everything a light rosy appearance, brightening everything up.  Heck they may even make the walking dead a little more cheerful, which hopefully, I will never have the chance to find out.

The frames themselves fit great and since the frames come in a half-rim structure, the field of view seems better than many of my full framed glasses.  As far as fit and performance is concerned, they rate as good as the Rudy Project Rydons, which we love.

Below we have the Rudy Project Rydons (Right) and the Agons (Left).  The glasses have a slightly different tapered profile in both the arms around the eyes.  The Agons look to also have a slightly higher profile.

Before writing this article I didn’t realize our lenses actually would change shades like my Rydons do.  The reason for this is because they are also photochromatic lenses.  Just like the Rydon lenses, these lenses react to lighting changes and adjust accordingly.  This makes them the prefect companion when light conditions are constantly changing during a workout or competition.  The other advantage to the rosy lenses is they seem to highlight contrasts, making it much easier to see terrain differences.

Safety Features

Most people probably don’t think about safety features when buying sunglasses or performance glasses.  It’s usually the case that most people are looking for some type of sun protection for their eyes, but rarely think about much more.  Rudy Project’s engineers went beyond sun protection and added a few cool safety features to the Argon and lenses.   The lenses are basically unbreakable and are guaranteed for life.  The lenses are also bendable, which also provides some safety during a fall or crash.  The lenses are not replacements for safety glasses, which are designed specifically to protect the eyes, but they are about the next best thing.  The glasses have 2 safety hinges, which are supposed to reduce potential eye injury during a fall or accident.

If you’re looking for a good pair of prescription sports glasses, the Agons make a perfect choice that will not disappoint.

Are there any negatives to the Agon?  The only thing that people will be turned off by is the price tag.  At $249 retail, they are quite expensive, but so are Oakleys and many other top name brands.  I have purchased no name sun glasses before and have always been disappointed by the quality and craftsmanship.

Here is Olaf our dog showing off just how cool one can look when wearing the Agons.

The Rudy Project Agon glasses are another top notch set of performance glasses from Rudy line, great to wear and simply fun.  Check out Rudy Project’s website for the Agon and all the other cool stuff they make.

Update: July 2017.  The Agon’s are still killer glasses for riding or running.  The glasses themselves have remained in great shape with one exception.  The red rubber that is/was used on the arms of the sunglasses has turned almost white.  The combination of sweat and wear are the most likely culprits.