The Best Ski Touring Sunglasses for Uphill and Downhill

I actually wanted goggles within the backcountry as soon as final season. The wind was completely whipping, the sunshine was completely flat, and I used to be downright nervous concerning the Gore Vary couloir we had been looking for alongside a ridge of indistinguishable cornices. I put them on to calm my nerves and shield my face from an icy sandblasting whereas our crew made some high-consequence choices. Cool heads prevailed and we bailed.

However the remainder of the time I wore sun shades on a regular basis. Huge ski touring sun shades are sizzling proper now. They accomplish 90% of what goggles can within the backcountry while not having to be pulled on and off your face all through the course of the day. Ski tourers understand how valuable these seconds are in terms of transitioning sooner than your companions.

The most effective ski touring sun shades block mirrored gentle from the edges and backside, shield your eyeballs from blasting winds, improve your imaginative and prescient in altering gentle circumstances, and lock to your face whilst you’re browsing by means of the fluffy stuff. It’s not rocket science.

We’ve caught our faces between each pair of massive backcountry sun shades that we will get our gloves on. There are a couple of billion choices on the market and the differentiators might be delicate. Pages of scribbled notes, intestine emotions, and a pile of damaged hinges remodeled into the information to the most effective ski touring sun shades beneath.

SKIP TO THE TOP PICKS

What to Search for in Ski Touring Sun shades

Right here’s the factor – there’s much more subjectivity in choosing a pair of shades than with ski touring boots or pants. So for this checklist we narrowed the sphere down by specializing in greater, goggle-inspired sporty sun shades that usually have a single lens relatively than separate lenses for every eyeball.

Each pair of shades beneath is a strong ski touring companion, whereas some pairs we examined didn’t make the reduce. There are in fact goal distinguishing components – sturdiness, optical high quality, and protection/safety from direct and mirrored gentle. Worth additionally varies broadly. Sussing out these qualities is what we aimed for right here.

Aesthetics inevitably play a giant position in any skier’s choice course of. Glasses that make my medium-to-big face seem like Cyclops are a no-go for me. However we’ll depart the aesthetic critiques as much as you and the feedback part. We simply put our faces between every pair, share our insights, and allow you to resolve what would possibly give you the results you want. Warning: there are sadly plenty of selfies beneath.

Protection

Ski touring sun shades have to guard your peripheries from gentle mirrored off the snow. They aren’t going to beat ski goggles on this face-off, however large backcountry ski (or bike) sun shades lately can do a fairly dang good job.

Glacier-style sun shades are  en vogue for his or her retro mountaineer aesthetic. They double down on protection and on the very least sport facet shields and sometimes extra protection on the eyebrow and nostril to guard the wearer from harsh daylight and albedo from snow and ice from beneath and the edges. Oakley’s Clifden and Smith’s Enterprise are new examples. Julbo’s Defend has been one of the well-liked fashions amongst guides and mountain professionals for a decade.

It’s nice when your eyes don’t get cooked on a glacier. I’m clearly not an optometrist however most skiers don’t see that stage of protection as crucial for many of the winter. And that’s nice as a result of I can get about eight strides right into a tour earlier than any of my glacier shades fully fog up in the course of the colder months of winter. Fogging goes to be an issue for most people in glacier glasses, however we’ve added a number of glacier-style shades right into a condensed part on the backside and as a substitute targeted on non-glacier-style glasses within the meat of the information.

Lenses

I could also be within the minority on this regard, however I don’t swap lenses fairly often even when I’ve the selection. I’m a set-it-and-forget-it ski touring sun shades wearer. For that motive, I desire lenses that may cowl all kinds of lighting circumstances just like the Candy Bixbite. I’ll take a do-it-all lens over a pair of lenses that cowl reverse ends of the spectrum anyday. The caveat is {that a} clear lens is clearly nice for snowboarding at night time if that’s in your ski touring rotation.

In my view, some firms justify a better price ticket by tossing in a transparent lens that in all probability value them {dollars} or cents to make. I like having a transparent lens for night time snowboarding for positive, particularly for touring up the resort and mountain climbing, however many skiers received’t want or need it. So “additional lens included” isn’t at all times price it.

There’s a giant spectrum of optical high quality and colour contrasting tech throughout all of the completely different choices. I contemplate Oakley’s Prizm lenses, Smith’s ChromaPop, and Candy Safety’s RIG to be prime notch. They add slightly extra distinction and improve colours over what you’d see along with your regular eye, which helps spotlight the subtleties in snow circumstances. That colour and distinction tech can also be dear.

Fogging

Even the fanciest sun shades can fog in chilly ambient temperatures. Whereas ski touring, glasses are inclined to fog when heat, moist air from the wearer’s face settles on the lens. If it freezes on there, it may be a ache to get it off. Huge sun shades can lure extra of that heat air.

Good airflow is the important thing to mitigating the fog issue. A little bit wind or fixed motion helps, however body and lens form play a giant position in airflow. Glasses that sit nearer to your face don’t permit as a lot air to maneuver beneath the protect. The flip facet is that glasses that sit farther out of your face let in additional gentle rays from the facet, prime, and backside. Nailing that steadiness is difficult, particularly as a result of everybody’s face is otherwise formed and runs at a unique temperature. In case your face doesn’t are inclined to get sizzling and sweaty, that’s nice for you. Have enjoyable with all of your sun shades choices. I’ve known as out the most effective choices beneath for warm-faced folks like me.

Let me calm your nerves earlier than you’re overcome by suspicion – not one of the firms on this information paid to get on this checklist. Wildsnow might earn a small fee from some hyperlink clicks. And I do imply small. The authors are usually not affiliated with, sponsored by, or compensated by any of those manufacturers, although sun shades had been usually supplied freed from cost for testing functions.

 

High Ski Touring Sun shades Picks from the Authors:

 

Bergen:

Candy Safety Memento RIG. The Mementos strike a pleasant steadiness of excellent protection with out being gigantic, they usually match plenty of completely different face shapes. Plus the RIG lens is hard to beat in low and altering gentle circumstances–as you’d anticipate from Scandinavian eyewear. They’re one of many cheaper choices on this checklist, too. Learn full overview.

Justin Park:

Tifosi Rail Fototec.  Tifosi’s photochromic Rail Fototec sequence sun shades are low-cost sufficient to get them as devoted touring sun shades (though they’re offered as XC or biking shades). They’re a tad undersized in comparison with among the extra goggly choices, however they’re the most effective all-around pair I’ve discovered. The fast-shifting photochromic can be utilized from low-light morning begins by means of retina-destroying noon solar. Learn full overview.

Steve Andrews:

Zeal Selkirk. These polarized, glacier-style sun shades have a extra trendy look, high quality optics, and the bio-resin body is gentle and feels good across the ears. One draw back is the facet shields really feel considerably low-cost however the glasses are versatile sufficient to work nicely in each full solar and flat, overcast. Learn full overview.

 

Different Strong Ski Touring Sun shades

(so as of protection measurement, cheap to gigantic)

Candy Memento RIG

Worth: $130Lens Kind: CylindricalColor Enhancement: RIG Lens technologyRelative Body Measurement: Medium/LargeFit: MediumSpare Lens: NoneLense Altering Ease: Not notably simple

From the fjords of Norway come the Candy Safety Memento Rig Sun shades which have turn out to be my go-to for year-round use. These sunnies are glorious in a delicate manner like a few of my different favourite Scandinavian merchandise. They aren’t enormous like others on this checklist. They’re as a substitute on the medium finish of enormous when it comes to face protection.

The nostril gap units these shades other than many others and makes them notably interesting for ski touring. The nostril cutout is uniquely deep, which means the lens and backside of the body drop low over my cheeks to dam plenty of the snow’s intense albedo. It’s the other of how Smith’s Wildcat match me – these have a tendency to sit down larger on my nostril. Mixed with a cylindrical lens and form, the Mementos supply plenty of protection whereas offering sporty airflow.

Candy’s RIG lenses are a few of my favorites amongst goggles and sun shades. The RIG Bixbite lens (VLT 25%) is my most popular lens for combined lighting circumstances when the solar is popping out and in of the clouds or gone fully. I’m now working the Obsidian lens (VLT 4%) that’s nice in full solar circumstances, however much less versatile when the clouds roll in.

The Mementos aren’t essentially the most sturdy on the checklist. I’m on my second pair after I snapped the arm off my first pair. Candy’s guarantee isn’t something to jot down dwelling about. That stated, the RIG lens stood up nicely to a full spring season of ski touring and a summer season of mountain biking and working earlier than the body failed.

At a cool $130, the Candy Safety Memento RIGs are simply considered one of my favorites on this checklist for year-round use. They provide good protection, nice optics, and a sporty match at a value level according to actuality.

Oakley Sutro

Worth: $192Lens Kind: CylindricalColor Enhancement: PrizmRelative Body Measurement: LargeFit: Medium/LargeSpare Lens: NoneLens Altering Ease: Not simple

Oakley’s Sutro checks plenty of containers on any given ski tour. They’re protecting with out being gigantic, supply a large field of regard, they usually match good and tight to my face with out sliding down the bridge of my nostril. All that they usually breathe fairly nicely too due to rubber nostril pads that maintain the lens away out of your face.

Oakley’s Prizm lens know-how is absolutely top-notch. It modified the sport when it got here out round a decade in the past. It noticeably enhances colour and distinction with out making the world look synthetic. After testing many, many pairs of goggles and sun shades over the previous couple of years, Prizm has reliably been the benchmark for high-end color-enhancing optics.

I’ve damaged the hinges off in all probability six completely different pairs of sun shades over the past two years. The Sutro has not been considered one of them and my hunch is that’s as a result of the hinges are burly and the arms are designed to come out with out breaking. That’s an Oakley factor. The frames have been super-reliable to date and the standard seems excessive as common.

The one actual draw back to the Oakley Sutro that I’ve been in a position to sniff out apart from being costly for a single-lens rig is their reluctance to swap out that single lens. Historically that wouldn’t hassle me as a result of I’m a set-it-and-forget-it lens swapper. However people who wish to swap lenses typically ought to look elsewhere.

 

Tifosi Moab

Worth: $79.95Lens Kind: Polycarbonate cylindricalColor Enhancement: NoneRelative Body Measurement: Medium/LargeFit: MediumSpare Lens: low gentle and clearLens Altering Ease: Not notably simple

When you thought these inexpensive Italian shades had been named for the bike-smashing singletracks across the booming desert oasis, assume once more. They match simply as nicely with the pores and skin tracks resulting in Tukunukavitz.

I received alongside nicely with the Tifosi Moabs for a number of months of mountain biking earlier than I lastly dawned them within the snow. On the time, I assumed they had been good throughout, however nothing particular. So once I was attempting to determine the place they’d match into this information, I checked their web site for some specs and I gaped on the price ticket – $79.95. They’d me fooled. You would purchase three of those for the worth of 1 POC Devour.

The Moab sport a medium protection, medium match that ought to match most faces. Adjustable nostril items helped me dial within the match very nicely – they ended up locking to my face like high-quality sport sun shades ought to. The vented cylindrical lens supplied strong optical high quality, good air flow, and perhaps only a hair extra glare than higher-end optics. However for that value? Stellar. Customers who wish to swap lenses typically can be psyched to listen to that the Moab’s include two extra lenses for low gentle and no gentle circumstances.

One caveat, although. I did snap the Grilamid body of my first pair in half once I was attempting to alter the lens out. I wasn’t being delicate, however I wasn’t dealing with them like a grizzly bear, both. Fortuitously, they’ve a strong guarantee in opposition to defects.

If I used to be giving out ribbons, the Tifosi Moab would get the “Greatest Worth” ribbon indubitably. The opposite firms on this checklist are going to want to search out new methods so as to add worth or drop their costs when sunnies this good are flying across the backcountry.

 

Smith Wildcat & Smith Bobcat

Worth: $225Lens Kind: CylindricalColor Enhancement: ChromaPopRelative Body Measurement: Medium/LargeFit: MediumSpare Lens: ClearLense Altering Ease: Reasonably simple

The Wildcats in some ways kicked off the large sun shades craze, but these are a pair of windshields that we maintain coming again to. Actually, that’s partly as a result of Smith has probably the greatest warranties within the enterprise. I’ve snapped the arms off in all probability 4 pairs at this level and Smith has changed them by way of guarantee each single time inside every week.

So clearly long-term sturdiness isn’t their best asset. However they make up for it in strong protection, an adjustable nostril piece, and crisp ChromaPop color-enhancing optics which are genuinely strong. Airflow was good – the nostril piece propped the body up and barely away from my sweaty face to maintain fogging at a minimal.

The medium to massive match works with a great vary of faces. They’re solely reasonably enormous when it comes to protection at this level, however Smith additionally launched the Bobcat a number of years again, that are much like the Wildcat in all however form, however designed round smaller faces.

The Wildcats and Bobcats include an additional clear lens, which is reasonably simple to swap out and in of the frames. The ChromaPop Crimson Mirror Lens has been my go-to for ski touring throughout sunny and partly sunny days. 15% VLT offers them good versatility over the course of a altering day. I wasn’t a fan of the dearer ChromaPop Photochromic Clear To Grey that each fashions supply – I discovered that they received too darkish in chilly, low gentle circumstances. I caught with the Crimson Mirror lens because the set-it-and-forget-it choice.

One factor that continues to harass me concerning the Wildcats is that the ends of the arms scratch the within of the lens after they’re folded up. Yeah, you may put them in a tough case or slip a chunk of material between the within of the lens and the arms, however actually I ought to be capable of toss these right into a sun shades sleeve and stuff them into my backpack or pocket with out them slowly destroying themselves.

I actually leaned into the critiques on this one, however the Wildcats and Bobcats total are nice pairs of shades they usually’re powerful to not advocate. They do every part fairly dang nicely and the protection is excellent for ski touring. The Wildcats specifically are a pair I maintain pulling out of the sunglass pile.

Dragon Amped

Worth: $150Lens Kind: Cylindrical 4-base polycarbonate lensColor Enhancement: Lumalens Coloration Optimized lensRelative Body Measurement: LargeFit: MediumSpare Lens: NoneLens Altering Ease: Not notably simple

Dragon Alliance has been late to the large sun shades sport however they’ve made up for it with their new Amped shades. They’re large, daring, and slightly bit retro. And so they get some enviro factors for being manufactured from plant-based resin.

Whereas they positively purpose to strike a steadiness between sporty and classy, I discovered that they’re a strong ski touring companion when it comes to match. The arms held the shades onto my face tightly in order that they didn’t bounce round. However in contrast to many sport-first shades, they don’t have adjustable rubber nostril pads to assist dial within the match – it’s simply nostril on body. It wasn’t uncomfortable in any respect, however they weren’t fairly as locked to my nostril because the Oakley Sutro for example. No nostril pads additionally meant my sweaty eyebrows pressed in opposition to the highest of the lens once in a while inflicting lens smear.

For such large shades, I didn’t have any downside with fogging. That’s partly as a result of the cylindrical lens is extra of a windshield than a wraparound. The flip facet is that they aren’t the most effective on this checklist for blocking mirrored solar from the edges. Your eyeballs would get cooked on a glacier in the summertime.

I discover only a slight quantity of colour distortion within the vertical peripheries of the Lumalens. That didn’t actually impression me whereas ski touring, but it surely’s price noting nonetheless. So the optics aren’t fairly as crisp as among the different shades on this checklist just like the Candy Memento or the Oakley Sutro, however they’re nonetheless top quality.

Regardless of a number of nitpicks, the Dragon Amped made this checklist as a result of they’re good large shades at a great value. Others on this checklist supply higher protection, extra adjustable match, and higher optics, however the Amped strike a pleasant steadiness of these traits with an sincere price ticket.

Smith Ultralite

Worth: $175Lens Kind: ChromaPop Black LensColor Enhancement: ChromapopRelative Body Measurement: LargeFit: Medium/LargeSpare Lens: NoneLens Altering Ease: Not notably simple

I used to be drawn to the Ultralites for ski touring primarily based on the extensive, wraparound protection and the vented lens. However actually, it’s that Smith guarantee that retains me coming again to attempt new types.

The Ultralights are large on retro ski goggle styling, however they maintain the performance-oriented options of the Wildcats together with a rubber however non-adjustable nosepiece and ChromaPop color-enhancing lens. They ditched the additional clear lens and related price ticket, bringing the Ultralights all the way down to $175, which is sadly a discount given how costly sun shades are lately.

The Cylindrical lens offers plenty of protection. I suppose since I can’t cease evaluating them to the Wildcats, the Ultralites supply extra wraparound protection deep into the periphery. Along with blocking mirrored rays, additionally they managed to cease whipping winds from blasting my contact lenses into brittle flakes.

I didn’t expertise any out-of-the-ordinary points with fogging regardless of the wraparound protection. And to be sincere I’m unsure that the vented lens made a major distinction over a non-vented lens. That may take laboratory-like circumstances to suss out. I can’t think about these little cutouts damage, although.

Regardless, the Ultralites‘ system works. They provide a full protection body, glorious ChromaPop optics, and a stellar guarantee at a less expensive value than the Wildcats.

 

 

POC Devour

Worth: $250Lens Kind: Cylindrical. Made by ZeissColor Enhancement: Readability Lens TechnologyRelative Body Measurement: Additional LargeFit: LargeSpare Lens: ClearLens Altering Ease: Straightforward

The Devours are downright enormous when it comes to protection they usually have a comparatively massive face match to match. POC walked proper as much as the “too large” line with out crossing it. Whereas ski touring they blocked the rays and the wind from virtually all instructions. However for such an enormous protect, the POC Devour truly breathed fairly nicely and fended off fog decently due to a closely vented body design that allows loads of airflow.

The lens extends far to every facet for wraparound windshield-like protection. Between these two layers of enormous, these POCs received’t work for everybody, particularly people with smaller faces. However those that match with the match can be handled to a near-goggle expertise that only a few shades match.

Although the Devours solely include one tinted lens, it’s high-quality. I’ve been a fan of POC’s lenses (made by Zeiss) over the previous couple of years. They have an inclination to do rather well in low gentle circumstances as in the event that they had been designed in Sweden (they had been). The Partly Sunny Cat 2 lens was a superb set-it-and-forget-it choice that I skied with extensively. The Cat 3 was protecting in brilliant circumstances, but additionally supplied sufficient gentle transmission when the clouds rolled in unexpectedly.

Adjustable size arms let you go from additional massive to about medium/massive, however even with a medium/massive sized head, I wished them tighter on my face. I discovered myself pushing them up on my nostril typically, which in fact received annoying.

For glacier glasses diehards, the POC Devours (geared toward mountain bikers) additionally are available a glacier model with facet shields and a few extra safety across the body, which I’ve not examined.

 

uvex mtn carry out V

Worth: $190Lens Kind: Spherical. Photochromic.Coloration Enhancement: None.Relative Body Measurement: Medium-Massive.Match: Medium-LargeSpare Lens: N/ALens Altering Ease: N/A

These outsized sport shades are the anti-Pit Vipers. As an alternative of leaning laborious into neon-and-mohawks 90s nostalgia, the mtn carry out V are all German engineering and performance. I just like the understated aesthetic. They sport a non-interchangeable photochromic lens and after they’re darkish they’re kinda cool blue mirror, after they shift to smoky clear, they seem like security glasses.

And go determine, uvex makes loads of security glasses and these, whereas polycarbonate sport shades, are as much as the identical requirements. I began sporting them for working energy instruments they usually’ve supplanted my crappy Lowes clear specs and so I’ve to recollect to seize them off the workbench for biking or ski excursions.

On the snow, they cowl plenty of floor with their Variomatic lens which modifications slowly to the ambient gentle ranges. (uvex estimates the lens takes 25 seconds to regulate totally.) It is a constructive factor for essentially the most half since I’ve used some photochromic sun shades and goggles that modify too rapidly which might be jarring to your eyes and make it more durable to adapt to shifting circumstances. The draw back is should you’re flying downhill from full solar to darkish forest, your eyes need to deal with many of the instant adjusting.

They’re almost $200, so I want they got here with a tough case, however they’ve survived 6 months of at the least weekly use by a identified destroyer of sun shades. That $190 additionally will get you fairly superb anti-fog, a characteristic typically touted, however these are actually tough to fog up. If there’s a draw back to the mtn carry out V, it’s that they skew slightly darkish which may depart you straining to see in these first or final hours.

 

Tifosi Rail Fototec

Worth: $79.95Lens Kind: Cylindrical. Photochromic.Coloration Enhancement: None.Relative Body Measurement: Medium-Small.Match: Medium-LargeSpare Lens: N/ALens Altering Ease: N/A

Assessment by Justin Park

Photochromic lenses sound like they must make altering lenses out of date. They darken when the solar will get brighter or lighten to just about clear in low-light circumstances. The fact is that they don’t cowl all circumstances and are at their finest in quickly shifting partly cloudy days the place swapping lenses can’t occur quick sufficient.

The place most photochromic lenses fall quick is ultra-low-light circumstances the place you’re struggling to see even with out shades on. Irrespective of how gentle they go, photochromics nonetheless don’t get fully clear. The Tifosi Rail Fototec max out at 64% VLT, whereas actually clear lenses method 100% VLT, in order that low finish is the place most will nonetheless need clear ski touring shades.

However as somebody who’s often too lazy to swap lenses within the discipline, I’ve discovered the Tifosi Rail Fototec sun shades cowl virtually each situation and, regardless of being marketed for baseball and biking and costing lower than $100, they adapt as rapidly as any of the opposite half-dozen or so photochromic shades I’ve examined snowboarding. Some discover quick-shifting lenses jarring but it surely’s useful once you blast in or out of bushes on the descent. Even in full solar, the 14% VLT blocks sufficient gentle for me by shifting from almost clear to a smoky pink mirrored lens.

The change is drastic sufficient I as soon as had a touring associate ask me if I had modified sun shades after we moved from shaded forest to full solar on a pores and skin. In comparison with different photochromics, the Tifosi lens skews lighter. I’ve in contrast them side-by-side with different photochromic ski touring sun shades and the Rail Fototec lens stays lighter in all gentle ranges. It’s laborious to quantify how gentle however they seem clearer to the attention behind them in addition to from the surface when it comes to how clear they give the impression of being. That is enormous if, like me, you typically discover sun shades too darkish and both need to take away them or swap lenses.

The value is surprisingly low for such a succesful pair of touring sun shades however that’s type of Tifosi’s factor. There are limitations, in fact. Lenses aren’t interchangeable, they don’t supply the huge wind- and snow-blocking actual property of different choices, and there’s no fancy anti-fog nor contrast- or color-enhancing tech. However the construct is gentle (32g) and the rimless design means there’s minimal blockage of your field of regard from a body. Mine have endured a 12 months of use with out scratching or breakage, however I’ve to think about the rimless construct is extra fragile. There’s additionally no particular anti-fog tech, however the airflow (thanks principally to an adjustable nostril guard) is sweet sufficient that it’s hardly ever been a difficulty for me on the skintrack.

 

 

Glacier Glasses for Ski Touring

There are such a lot of nice glacier glasses hitting the market this 12 months that we needed to give them a nod and some preliminary ideas.

Zeal Selkirk

Assessment by Steve Andrews

Professionals: Out there as a prescription. Nice picture high quality + distinction, oversize frames

Cons: Lenses aren’t interchangeable. May be too large for smaller faces. Forehead piece can get misplaced simply

Zeal’s Selkirk felt like the one glacier glasses I examined that might look good round city. Usually, glacier glasses have a selected want and design that lends itself nicely to alpine snow and ice, however down within the valley it’s a bit overkill when a great set of shades will do exactly positive. The Selkirks have a uncommon mixture of efficiency and elegance, bringing a Twenty first-century tackle glacier glasses. 

Due to the detachable facet shields you may nonetheless have safety whereas out within the mountains, however you’re in a position to take that in addition to a bridge piece for the nostril away once you simply need them for aprés. It might have been good if that they had a devoted stash pocket for these items, although, as a result of they’re simple to lose in the event that they aren’t used on a regular basis. 

The bio resin materials is definitely greater than a feel-good sustainability gimmick. It felt easy on the face and had a stage of consolation that common plastic didn’t have. It has a delicate matte really feel that’s most welcome in comparison with laborious plastic on the face, particularly within the chilly. These glasses are well-designed, and supply a bigger protecting space than smaller glacier glasses whereas nonetheless rocking a extra trendy look.

 

 

Oakley Clifden

Oakley’s new Clifden are usually not solely the closest becoming glacier shades on the checklist, they’re additionally a throwback to a golden window of mountaineering. I wouldn’t be shocked to see these precise shades on Conrad Anker’s face twenty years in the past excessive on Himalayan peak in Jimmy Chin’s There and Again: Pictures from the Edge. Regardless of blocking all airflow and fogging heartily on my sweaty face, the Oakley Prizm lens is hard to not fall in love with at decrease coronary heart charges. The field of regard is on the small facet for snowboarding, although.

 

 

Smith Pursuit

I’ll be sincere, the Smith Pursuits are usually not my favourite glasses on this checklist for day-to-day ski touring. Sure, I do know Cody Townsend wears them from daybreak until nightfall all 12 months. Right here’s what I like about them: The Pursuits supply huge protection from mirrored gentle they usually’re simply the glacier glasses with the most important field of regard on this checklist. The removable nostril cowl is a superb characteristic – it protected my nostril throughout a number of scorchers on Mt. Rainier final summer season. The facet shields do what facet shields do. And the small, packable carrying case is by far the most effective I’ve come throughout. I want I may purchase 5 of them a-la-carte. Oh, and naturally the ChromaPop optics are stellar.

However right here’s the rub. The Pursuits fogged up rapidly with facet shields put in very similar to different glacier-style glasses that forestall cooling airflow. They’re detachable although, in order that’s a simple one to resolve. Smith’s photochromic lenses work nice for brilliant circumstances, however they have a tendency to get very darkish in low gentle and cloudy circumstances, which is strictly once you’d need them to let in additional gentle. That’s not a difficulty with the Pursuit per se, since you will get the Pursuit with a typical (and glorious) ChromaPop lens as a substitute. My final critique is that the arms of the Pursuits scratch the within of the lens after they’re folded up. So a recent lens in a $305 pair of sun shades scratchy and smudgy rapidly. Okay, one final jab – the match is large in order that they slid down my face typically. However in fact, match is subjective. They do include a strap to lock them to your head, although, which will help clear up that problem for people with small- and medium-sized faces.

That each one stated, skiers who spend plenty of time on glaciers or snowboarding within the spring and summer season months can be hard-pressed to discover a pair of high-coverage shades with such a giant discipline of view. Most of my qualms might be solved with out an excessive amount of trouble. However for $305 I believe I ought to have fewer qualms.

 

Smith Enterprise/Embark

Smith’s Enterprise and Embark Glasses are comparable to one another in most methods except for body form, therefore the grouping right here. Each types supply very good safety from mirrored daylight and wind. Whereas I haven’t been in a position to tour in both one for very lengthy mid-winter due to the fog issue, considered one of my least sweaty touring companions wears them year-round and appears good doing it.

I typically just like the match of every of those shades, however I’d love for them to include adjustable nostril items as a substitute of the body sitting immediately on the wearer’s nostril. I discover that they will slide round once I’m getting jostled by chunky snow. However I like the adjustable arms that may match most face shapes.

Revo Traverse

American heritage model who simply occur to be celebrating their fortieth anniversary, Revo, entered the glacier glasses market with the Traverse years in the past. They haven’t modified a lot since then as a result of Traverses merely work. Perforated leather-based facet shields block the rays and may detach inside seconds once you want extra airflow (which is principally at all times for me).

The Traverse frames and lenses are large and supply a wider discipline of view than the Smith Enterprise’s and Oakley Clifdens, whereas nonetheless retaining a basic aesthetic. Revo optics are crisp and the face maintain is stellar – these are handsome glacier shades truly constructed for snowboarding and climbing. At $299, these premium shades come at a premium value.