The Ultimate Rudy Project Sunglasses & Helmets Gift Guide
At Rudy Project, we design and craft performance sunglasses and cycling helmets trusted by world-class endurance athletes — and by pros on a wide range of courts, courses, and fields. To make your holiday gifting easy, we asked a select crew of our sponsored athletes and loyal customers for their competition-tested picks. Use their go-to gear to give a gift that gets worn on every run, ride, and match, season after season.
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Gifts for the Triathlete
The Gifts: Astral Sunglasses & Wingdream Helmet
Pro Tested by Ben Kanute, Olympic triathlete and Ironman 70.3 champion:
“Astral sunglasses deliver crisp vision, full coverage, and rock-solid fit — essential when I’m charging through tough courses. The Wingdream gives me peace of mind: ultralight, aerodynamic, and uncompromising on safety. It lets me stay laser-focused on performance.”
Why Your Triathlete Will Love Them
Astral sunglasses feature an adjustable nose pad for a personalized fit. This flexibility also allows you to customize fit based on course conditions, snug around the nose for high-speed descents, or propped up on the nose for better air-flow to cool the skin and reduce fogging. Multiple lens colors make it easy to optimize your gift selection for the terrain and conditions your athlete trains in most often.
The Wingdream aero helmet gives the gift of free speed. Wind-tunnel tested, the Wingdream can shave minutes off a triathlete’s full Iron-distance race thanks to its aerodynamic efficiency. It also promotes cooling airflow with a strategically placed front vent. Taking customization to the next level, the magnetic optical shield pops off easily to maximize airflow and stay cooler on training days. Pop it back in for the ultimate streamline on race days.
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Gifts for the Road Cyclist
The Gifts: Spinshield Pro Sunglasses & Nytron Helmet
Tested by Chris S., Rudy Project Customer
Light, fast, forget they are on! Sweat doesn't touch them, perfect fit on the face, super light, never bounce ... I have purchased multiple sport sunglasses over the last few months, and these are hands down the best.
Why Your Road Cyclist Will Love Them
Rudy Project’s Spinshield Pro sunglasses do the impossible — offering high-definition, 180-degree coverage and fog-free protection thanks to integrated lens vents. So what makes them “Pro”? It’s their ultralight, 26-gram frame, which means your favorite athlete will likely forget they’re wearing sunglasses when they’re racing and training in Spinshields.
The Nytron aero road helmet has been a go-to lid for both the DNA Pro Cycling Team and the Pro Tour squad, Team Bahrain Victorious. The Nytron’s innovative design combines advanced ventilation, 360-degree crash protection, and aerodynamic efficiency. From century rides to crit races, the Nytron is ready to go.
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Gifts for the Gravel Cyclist
The Gifts: Kelion Sunglasses & Rebel Helmet
Pro Tested by Heather Jackson, Professional Gravel Cyclist and Ultramarathoner
“I choose Kelion sunglasses because they merge razor-sharp clarity with comfort — even when I’m pushing through wind, sweat, and changing light conditions … on the bike and on the run. The Rebel helmet rounds out my setup: featherweight, huge vents, and designed to perform at the speed and intensity I demand.”
Why Your Gravel Cyclist Will Love Them:
Like Heather — and so many other cyclists — have experienced, Kelion sunglasses merge unmatched visual clarity with a total comfort fit. They also protect eyes from the rocks, dust, dirt, and mud that you’ll encounter during gravel riding, thanks to the shield’s wide and deep coverage over the face.
The Rudy Project Rebel cycling helmet uses sustainable, carbon-reinforced panels to boost strength while 22 vents increase airflow, keeping gravel riders cool on blistering climbs. Its bug-stop padding and protective net keep wayward bugs and pebbles from finding their way inside the helmet. Add the Rebel’s rotational-impact protection and lightweight construction, and the result is a helmet perfectly suited for long days exploring remote gravel roads.
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Gifts for the Mountain Biker
The Gift: Rebel Helmet
Pro Tested by Justin Peck, Collegiate Mountain Bike & Cyclocross Champion
"The Rebel helmet is built for the demands of mountain biking — lightweight, breathable, and rock-solid even on the roughest trails. From trail riding to World Cup racing, it keeps me cool on the climbs and gives me the protection and confidence I need to charge descents."
Why Your Mountain Biker Will Love It:
The Rebel helmet represents the pinnacle of Rudy Project’s safety technology, featuring a carbon fiber construction that enhances the helmet’s structural integrity while reducing the amount of EPS foam required. This allows the Rebel to widen the ventilation slots, producing a helmet that keeps the rider cooler on long, grinding ascents and safer on high-speed descents. If the mountain biker on your list is a cross-country mountain biker, they’ll love the Rebel.
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Gifts for the Runner
The Gift: Turbolence Sunglasses
Pro Tested by Rory Linkletter, professional marathoner
"I run hard over every terrain, and the Rudy Project Turbolence sunglasses stay locked in without compromise. The lens clarity cuts glare, the ventilation keeps them fog-free, and the fit stays steady mile after mile — so I keep my focus on pacing, not adjusting."
Why Your Runner Will Love Them:
With a spherical lens shape, Turbolence sunglasses mimic the eye’s natural shape to produce unmatched clarity and sharp vision in all directions. The wrap lens also protects the eyes from fatigue caused by wind, glare, moisture, and debris that can wear on a runner over the course of a high-mileage training session, bucket-list marathon, or every run in between.
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Gifts for the Pickleball Player
The Gift: Prescription Rydon Sunglasses
Pro Tested by Alejandra López
“The Rudy Project Rydon prescription sunglasses let me see the ball with absolute clarity, no matter the light or speed of play. They stay secure through quick cuts and long rallies, and the lightweight fit means I forget I’m even wearing them — except for the advantage they give me on court.”
Why Your Pickleball Player Will Love Them:
For decades, the Rydon has set the standard in performance eyewear — superb optics, an adjustable fit, and an ultralight feel. One of the most common reviews of Rydon wearers is, “I forget I’m wearing them.” With prescription options that match their pro-level clarity and tints, pickleball players also get shatter-resistant protection that’s perfect for furious rallies and high-speed volleys from just outside the kitchen.
