Ever notice that when something hits your radar, you start seeing it everywhere?
That’s what happened with my Julbo mountaineering sunglasses. As soon as I had my own pair to test out for the Snowman Trek, I noticed a lot (I mean, A LOT) of people I’ve been meeting on my hikes are also wearing Julbos.
Visit any outdoor store and you’ll likely find a wide range of Julbos. I’ve got the Explorer mountaineering sunglasses with Spectron 4.
These are specially made for high altitude, where eyes are particularly susceptible to damage by the sun and reflection.
The Explorers come in three different versions:
- Camel polarized (progresses from 3 to 4 reflection depending on the light)
- Alt Arc 4 lens (highly resistant to scratches)
- Spectron 4 (the most reflective lens that are also shock resistant)
The features that I appreciate most about the Specton 4 sunglasses include:
- Wrap-around lenses – provide better protection than smaller glasses
- Substantial weight – these are a bit heavier than any of my other sunglasses which makes me think they are going to last a lot longer than others
- Front venting – this prevents fogging
- Removable wings at the top and bottom of the lenses – I’ve been told by those who wear contacts that these help protect from dust and wind that could potentially bother their eyes
I’ve tried on probably a half dozen different mountaineering glasses and what I found was that these are generally not as dark as other sunglasses I own. I was told by a sales guy at REI that mountaineering glasses generally aren’t as dark because you want to be able to see more clearly while hiking or participating in snow activities. The lighter lens allows you to see more nuances in terrain. The same sales guy told me that just because the lenses aren’t as dark doesn’t mean they aren’t reflecting those bad rays.
If I had my druthers, the only thing I would change with the Explorers would to make them just a tad smaller. But, I’ve found that most mountaineering sunglasses are a just a bit large for my face. This is likely because they are providing maximum coverage, and that I totally get.
Available on Amazon for under $85.
Travel Well,
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