The classicLeather side shields, unchanged since the 1950s
Julbo Vermont Classic
Still the reference for a reason, and the glass lens is optically better than anything plastic; it is also heavier, and the leather takes days to dry once soaked.
Best overall
Category 4 lenses for a day spent on snow
Julbo Explorer 2.0
Category 4, full side and nose shields
4.2 on Amazon (9 ratings)
The right glasses for Island Peak or a snowbound pass, and the wrong glasses for everything either side of it — Category 4 is too dark to walk into a lodge or read a map in shade.
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What you get
- Category 4 is the only lens that handles high-altitude snow glare
- Full shields, no gaps at the temple
- Tough enough to live loose in a pack lid
What it costs you
- Too dark for ordinary trekking days
- Not legal for driving in some countries, which surprises people
- Steams up when you stop climbing
Do not buy this if: A teahouse trek. If your route never crosses a glacier or a long snow slope, Category 3 with side shields is enough and far more usable.
Treks we recommend this for
Not every route needs it. These are the ones where our guides would put it on your list.
The alternatives
Everything else we recommend in glacier glasses, including the ones we think suit a different trekker.
The classic