Edit #2 (9/4/2014): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Many months down the road now, since Amazon replaced the original set.. I have dropped and abused these shades. I have worn them in and out of heavily chlorinated water, used a small angle grinder while wearing them... all around abuse at every turn... As of today they show only the lightest of wear. As I initially suspected, the first pair was just a dud. I am not really sure what that says about Tifosi's QC, but it is to be expected, when you mass produce something.... ANYTHING.... that one or two bad ones will slip through the cracks. Still a very safe bet in my opinion. Take care. Edit: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Having spent some time with the Tyrant 2.0, I feel it's time to chime in with an opinion... They are far more comfortable than the Tyrant, especially across the bridge. The frame is noticeably lighter, and I completely forget they are on my head sometimes (obviously not while wearing them on my eyes) which has led to me dropping them once or twice... which leads me to my only complaint that I have found..... The original Tyrants were built like a brick wall. I am not hard on shades, necessarily. I do however PLAY hard, and put them through the grinder on occasion. I was doing a LOT of trail riding when I had the originals, and wore them when I trimmed my yard... needless to say, things hit the lenses. NEVER, I mean NEVER did they scratch. They were practically bullet proof. After a week with the Tyrant 2.0 I found that the film on the edge of the lens has started to come off a bit for NO apparent reason whatsoever. Hadn't even put them through a hard job yet. I contacted Amazon, and they were kind enough to replace them (quickly I might add). I have been wearing the replacement pair daily since, and have dropped them (on the lens!!) since then and had no issues at all... MAY have been a fluke, but I feel like you deserve to know before you run out to get a pair. Could just be spotty QC practices. My view of this pair of shades remains very positive. My four star rating stands. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Last year I was on a hunt for some good, mid-priced sunglasses with polarized lenses. I was immediately drawn to the Tifosi Tyrant. It's styling is very similar to the Oakley Half-Jackets of the 90's, without compromising the certain aspects of Tifosi designs that make them unique. The price was right too... Picked my Tyrants up in the heat of July for 60 shipped for the polarized, matte black and gunmetal set. Since then, someone has walked off with them (the very reason I do not buy things in the Oakley range anymore) and I came looking for another set, only to find that the Tyrant has been discontinued and replaced with the Tyrant 2.0 As I have only had the 2.0 for a few days now, I feel that instead of laying out an opinion piece, I should simply list what sets them apart from one another, for anyone else who may be in my position. Frame- Tyrant frame was TR-90 Grylamid (bendable plastic) across the brow, but the temple pieces were made of a posable aluminum alloy. They were durable and light, and very easy to get into just the shape you wanted. 2.0 frame is fully TR-90 Grylamid a decision that (I imagine) was a cost effective on for Tifosi (though this is odd, because this model is substantially more expensive). As far as I can tell, there is literally no difference in the weight of the two models, but I imagine that in the long run the TR-90 can take a bit more abuse than the aluminum. The (T) logo has now been updated on the temple piece, a change from the Tifosi that used to adorn them. Aesthetically, the frame is a bit more aggressive, which I find pleasing. Lenses- Not too much to say here.... The lenses on the 2.0 are actually not quite as wide as the Tyrant lenses were, but the coverage seems identical. Optical quality is, as always, on par with (or better than) some of the big names out there. I have a friend who is an ex US Forest Ranger that swears by bigger names, who couldn't believe the clarity that the polarized lenses Tifosi uses offer. Comfort- I think this is going to be hit and miss with some people. Out of the box, these are NOT as comfortable as the originals. They are a millimeter or so narrower overall than the Tyrant, and as such they require a bit more shaping than the first model did. This is where the issue of the TR-90 temple pieces comes into play. Not everyone is patient enough to shape their frames, and you really have to work with these for a minute to get them just right. That said, I am finding them MORE comfortable NOW (after shaping them), than the originals were after breaking them in. A side note, The bridge piece is highly improved over the first, now held in place with two screws (Tyrant 1.0 used only 1), and made of what is clearly a superior (hydrophobic) rubber. They hold their pose much better than the original bridge piece did as well, thus adding more comfort to the glasses. Overall, I would say the 2.0 are a marked improvement over the original. The quality is definitely there, and the comfort/style/price ratio is obvious after taking them out of the box and fitting them to your head. If you are thinking about upgrading, DO IT! If you are thinking about trying them out, and have never owned Tyrants/ Tifosi sunglasses before, give it a shot!
