Julbo Explorer 2.0
Best protection
Brand: Julbo
Model: Explorer 2.0
Our take
Instead of packing both goggles and shades, our testers liked splitting the difference with these glacier glasses. They function like high-performance sunglasses thanks to Julbo’s Zebra lens, a photochromic lens that transitions from light yellow (42 percent light transmission) to dark amber (7 percent), depending on UV intensity. Large, removable shields give them goggle-like protection against the sun and light precip, and ventilation via a vent on the bridge kept us fog-free on high-output climbs. Tacky inserts along the temples provide grip. Note: The Explorer 2.0 is available with a non-photochromic, high-light lens for $50 less.
Trail cred
“The approach to 14,059-foot Sunlight Peak involved about five hours of crossing snowfields and ascending aprons above treeline,” one tester says. “I came back with a raccoon tan and fresh eyes.”