Review: Our Favorite Sunglasses
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In a nutshell
Stay protected and stay stylish with a variety of eyewear options for spring touring and resort ripping.
Intro
Protecting your eyes is a pretty crucial part of skiing in my opinion. Especially as days get longer and we start to transition to spring skiing, having reliable eyewear is a crucial part of your kit. I have pretty sensitive eyes, so I spend a lot of time thinking about and trying sunglasses.
I want ones that don’t fog up for high output activities, can fit well under a helmet or hat, and actually do their job of allowing me to see in variable light conditions. Style and shape matter, too. And, nowadays, there are some pretty high-tech lens options out there.
When it comes to sunglasses, I don’t think there’s a right answer. Style is in the eye of the beholder and the shape of your face will dictate what type of glasses feel good. But knowing what to look for and what options exist is a pretty important part of figuring out what’s going to work for you.
You’ll see a LOT of Pit Vipers at your local ski hill, and there is a reason for that. In the last ten years, they seem to have found a good balance of style and function. For me, the Flip-Off is one of the best Pit Viper models out there right now. As the name implies, the lenses of these can flip up (to sit kind of like a visor) while the nose piece and frames stay in place. When light conditions are variable but you’re wearing a helmet (or bulky hat) you can’t just slide your sunglasses up on top of your head. The flip off feature saves the day in these cases. I have definitely been in a boot pack when the sun went behind a couloir wall and I just flipped the sunnies up, flipping them back down when I emerged from the shady patch back into the sun.
I will say that I have a narrower face and the Flip-Offs feel a little wide, which can be uncomfortable when I wear them under a helmet for a long day out. But generally these are comfortable, functional, and have a fun, unconventional feature that can be really handy for all types of ski adventures. Plus they come in amazing colorways!
In addition to Pit Viper’s Flip-Off, I’ve found myself reaching for the Pit Viper Admirer a lot this season. The main reason being the style points these glasses offer. Looking for a fun apres eyewear? Want to impress on the skintrack? The Admirer will deliver, elevating whatever else you’re wearing and signaling that you’re fun and psyched to party wherever your skis take you.
I had pretty low expectations for the functionality of the Admirer, so was very surprised to find that the lenses actually hold up really well in high light conditions. They don’t have as much side protection as most performance glasses, but they can definitely hold their own. The frames are super solid, too, and are accented with rubberized contact points, so they stay on well for high-output adventures.
The Julbo Frequency is a lightweight, comfortable, high-performance option for big mountain days. The Frequency features the REACTIV photochromic lens, meaning the lenses automatically adjust to UV light conditions. It’s pretty striking to notice the tint change while I’m out in the mountains. I’ll pull these glasses out of their case for an alpine start in the dark and the lenses will look relatively clear. But as soon as the sun pokes out, the lenses darken and I’m comfortable in high-altitude sun exposure for the rest of the day.
Aside from the lenses, the Frequency has a light, but durable, construction. The glasses sit well on my face, are light enough that they don’t make the back of my ears or nose hurt if I wear them for too long, and they fit under a helmet well. Given how reliable and high quality the Frequency is, they are a great option for days where I want to move fast through consequential terrain and need glasses that do their job well and feel good.
With the Alpha, Revo offers glasses with removable side panels, allowing you to rely on maximum eye protection when needed but transition to a more classic type of eyewear when the occasion calls for it. I personally found that I liked keeping the side panels of the Alpha on. With the accent, the glasses offer maximum eye protection and are still really comfortable. And the polarized lenses on these make them ideal for bright, snowy environments.
These glasses are designed for men in mind and I definitely found myself wishing that they made a women’s version. The Alpha fit decently and weren’t falling off my face, but they were a bit on the bigger side for me.
I see the Smith Wildcat all the time in the Utah mountains so I was pretty excited to give these a try and they did not disappoint. The Wildcats feature a ChromaPop? lens for bright light, which enhances natural color and contrast. The glasses also come with a clear lens that can be swapped in for low light conditions. While they definitely feel a little wide, I like how much coverage and protection the Wildcats offer. They basically feel like lightweight goggles but are infinitely more comfortable and breathable than traditional goggles. I skied in these on a bluebird powder day and they did a decent job at filtering both light and snow.
I did find that these got a little uncomfortable behind the ear when worn under a helmet for a full day, but for most ski tours they’re a great option for sun and snow protection.
Built with big alpine adventures in mind, the Smith Venture is a great option for the dedicated ski athlete. The Venture is Smith’s version of a glacier goggle, so these feature removable side panels to protect from light reflecting off of snow and ice. The side panels are really easy to put on and off so you can change mid-tour as needed or take them off for a more around-town look. I really like the added protection of the side panels so I mostly kept them on.
The Ventures feature ChromaPop? Glacier Photochromic lens meaning the tint adapts changing light conditions (with lower temperature sensitivity) and the lenses enhance natural color and contrast. I found these to be a bit on the bigger side for my face, but they still fit well under a helmet and hat and were at no risk of falling off my face. In addition to being highly functional in bright sun and technical ski touring, I really like the classic, round frame style these offer.