When spring and summer skiing rolls around, I typically wave goodbye to my goggles. What鈥檚 better than ripping off-season corn in sunnies? But not all sunglasses are cut out for the demands of ski touring. Spending all day on snow, it鈥檚 crucial to have an extra line of defense from the sun鈥檚 reflection, so some sort of sun shield or wraparound design is a must. Plus, the extra protection from the sun will work the same way with snow and wind on days when you aren鈥檛 quite as worried about solar input.
We put a bunch of pairs to the test, and these were the clear winners.
The Top 4 Wraparound Sunglasses for Summer Shredding
Dynafit Sky Evo ($180)
We were impressed with the coverage and wind blocking the provided, making them our top choice for a glacier trip (or for long pushes in the alpine). The removable brow pad was a nice touch for soaking up moisture during sunny slogs, and mimics the way goggles seal out air and moisture. The side shields are also removable and ratchet up the protection, but all three pieces can be removed for summer use in less extreme environments. Bonus points go to the rectangular hard sided carrying case, which we ended up repurposing as a small first aid kit.
Julbo Density ($250)
A brand new offering from Julbo this spring, the sat so light on our faces we sometimes forgot we were even wearing sunglasses at all. Reactiv lenses adapt to the light, which we loved while transitioning in and out of the trees and on days when there was a mix of sun and clouds. We were impressed with the venting, which felt significant compared to other wraparound shades we tried this season鈥攊deal for those who run hot. Extra grip (which extends almost the length of each arm) stuck nicely on our hats and faces, resulting in almost no slippage while we skinned, booted, and ripped fast turns.
Smith Bobcat ($209)
is our favorite pair of shades for skiers with smaller faces鈥攖hey鈥檙e essentially a mini version of the popular Wildcat sunglasses. The grippy temples and nose pads allow these shades to stay securely on our faces鈥攅ven when we were dripping sweat鈥攐r perched on top of a hat. The Bobcats come with Smith鈥檚 signature color-enhancing ChromaPop lenses, as well as an extra clear lens, which we love for night skiing at our local hill. The interchangeable design is easy to pop out mid-ski tour; just pull them out with a little force and pop a new one in.
Sweet Protection Memento RIG Reflect ($200)
We鈥檝e loved the clean look and lightweight feel of the (we dubbed these the 鈥渓east dorky鈥 of the wraparound shades we鈥檝e tried this spring), with a wide fit that never had us missing goggles while clocking high speeds on spring corn lines. These had some of the highest field of vision of any glasses we鈥檝e tried, with Sweet鈥檚 RIG lens technology which enhances contrast and reduces distortion. Three different nose pad options are a nice touch too, which you can easily swap out to customize the fit.聽