Julbo was founded in 1888 in Morez, France providing crystal hunters sunglasses to use in the Jura mountain range. Since then they’ve expanded to every sport possible, making glasses for sailing, skiing, riding, running, and climbing.

Their photochromic lenses may be the best in the world, changing tint quickly with the light in any temperature, often with hydrophobic and anti-fog coatings.

This review is on a base model of the Shield frames with the Spectron 3 Polarized lens. Built for high-altitude use, they work just about anywhere. Polarization cuts glare on snow or water. spandex shields cuts light from the sides.

I much prefer photochromic lenses for most situations but there are some like driving where they don’t work as well. I’ve added a list of the other lenses available for the Shield below.

Specs

Lens

With a large, polycarbonate lens, the Shields cut the light well. Polycarbonate are lighter than glass but still very clear. The red mirror finish helps improve the filtration of light and looks great, in my opinion.

The version I tested has the Spectron 3 lens. It’s a straight category 3 lens with 12% VLT (visible light transmission). They’re good all-around sunny day lens.

The polarization cuts the light from snow, water, or road after the rain. They worked well for seeing fish through the water or just seeing at all when bright sun comes out after the rain

I prefer a cat 2 or 3 lens for driving since car windshields usually filter UV. The UV light is required to trigger the tint in the photochromic versions.

Many other lenses are available for the Shield, each with their own pricing. I have used the Reactiv (photochromic) lenses with other models and they are absolutely game-changing. They tint with the light so you never have to take them off.

• Alti Arc 4 – Cat 4 mineral lens. VLT 7%. Clearer than plastic lenses. Anti-reflective coating.
• Spectron 4 – Cat 4 polycarbonate lens. VLT 5%. Anti-reflective coating.
• Reactiv 2-4 Polarized – (old name Cameleon) – Photochromic cat 2-4 VLT 5-20%. Polarized. internal anti-fog coating. Fast tint change in any temperature. External oil repellent coating. Brown tint for relief and contrast.
• Spectron 3 – Cat 3 polycarbonate lens (VLT 13%) – multipurpose
• Reactiv 2-4 (old name Zebra) – 7-35% VLT – internal anti-fog coating, external oil-repellent coating. Cat 2 to 4 in 22 seconds.
• Reactiv 0-4 High Contrast – 4-86% VLT. Largest photochromic range on market. Clear base. Cat 4 high end. High contrast for reading relief.

Comfort and Fit

The Shield are quite large. I have medium to large head and they’re still a touch big for me. The Shield M are basically the same glasses but slightly smaller.

The nose and temples have non-slip grip on them which grips but doesn’t pull on hair. I don’t have much hair to pull on so that wasn’t an issue! It would be nice if the arms wrapped around my head a bit more to keep them in place. The arms are non-adjustable.

The Shield M has slightly shorter temples and slightly smaller lenses, making them narrower overall.

Silicone Cord

The Shields come with a short silicone cord that fits snug around the back of your head. It was very easy to put on and off. It’s not very long but gives enough space to put them on and off, or hang around your neck.

They can be slid on further to keep them tight against your head if you want.

The ends of the temples have openings for standard leashes as well.

Shield

The Shields come with spandex, clip-on shields for the side of the lenses. They clip on easy put stay put very well. I never had an issue with them moving. They do reduce ventilation a little so if you’re sweating buckets you might want to remove them. They do have small vent holes in them with help a little.

A small tab holds them to the inside of the arm and they are quick to clip on and off. I found they touched my face a bit if the glasses were pushed in tight.

The spandex is heat, cold and water resistant. They don’t absorb anything so you can use them in any conditions.

Case

Julbo includes their standard hard and soft-sided case with the Shields. The top and bottom are hard, while the sides are soft. They pack down in your gear without taking up a lot of room.

Final thoughts

Julbo sunglasses are easily the best I’ve ever used. The prices are up there with the best brands in the world but absolutely worth it, especially for the photochromic lenses.

The Shields are ideal for high-altitude use but I’ve often got them on fishing, driving, hiking and biking. The cat 3, non-photochromic lens are perfect for driving or most sunny days. The Spectron lenses are also $150 less.

My favourite lenses are either the Reactiv 2-4 Polarized for sun and water or the Reactiv 0-4 for low light general use. Being able to wear them all day and still being able to see in any light conditions was game-changing for me. Most of my sunglasses I’ve broken or lost, I took them off because they were too dark or light.

Prices:

SPECTRON 3: $157.49 CAD

REACTIV 2-4 Polarized: $305 CAD

More Photos

I received a free product sample from Julbo to test for this review. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I believe in. All opinions are my own.

The post Julbo Shield with SPECTRON 3 Lens Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

In this review, we bashed around the Moab, a class riding-focused frame with the Light Night Fototec photochromic lenses.

Specs

Photochromic

The Light Night Fototec lenses on our tested Moab’s have 82% to 14% VLT.

82% is almost completely clear and 14% is great for a sunny day. 82 is category 0 and 14 is category 3. Category 4 starts at 8%

At 82% these were great at the beginning or end of the day with little light in the trees. They were basically just wearing a clear lens at that point. When the sun comes out from behind the clouds or the trees, they darken down automatically.

Comfort

The Moab lenses are huge. They easily cover my eyes and more. Any way I looked, was covered by lens. The frame is visible but it’s thin and barely blocks anything.

At only 31 grams, they are nice and light. It’s easy to forget that I’m wearing them. My perfect sunglasses stay in place all day and are light enough to not notice they’re there. The Moab’s fall into that category.

The arms come a bit curved and stay on well right out of the box. They can be adjusted to be tighter or looser which helps get a good fit.

The nose piece and arms have hydrophilic rubber on them, getting grippier as they get wet. I didn’t find them very grippy but they stayed in place no problem.

I didn’t have any issues with fogging riding and running in wet conditions. They sat off my face a bit which helps with the ventilation.

They’re a medium-large fit, which fit my head fine. They will be big on small faces.

Sizing

• 149mm wide total
• 138mm lens width
• 56mm lens height
• 15mm bridge width
• 126.5 temple length

Other Lenses

Tifosi has a bunch of different lenses for the Moab, some interchangeable, some Fototec (photochromic). We tested the Light Night Fototec.

Fototec (photochromic) – $89.95 USD

• Clarion Red Fototec- 65%-14%
• Clarion Blue Fototec – 46% – 13%
• Clarion Gold Fototec – 50% – 12%
• Light Night Fototec – 82%-14%

Interchangeable lenses – $79.95 USD

• Clear
• AC Red – 41.4%
• Smoke/Clarion – 15%

The Clarion coating on some lenses repels water and sweat. Definitely useful for wet or sweaty days.

Final Thoughts

Tifosi are hard to beat for value. The lens quality isn’t quite the same as $200+ frames but you don’t have to pay that either. At the rate I lose sunglasses it’s hard to keep buying $200+ frames.

Getting reliable photochrimic glasses at this price is hard to find. When they’re comfortable, barely fog and have a lifetime warranty, that’s even more rare.

I love the 82% to 14% VLT on the Moab Light Night Fototec. I can wear them all day without having to take them off (and likely losing or breaking them when I lose track of them). The clear in the trees or at night during the winter is still clear and easy to see.

Another great option for these frames is the Clarion Red Fototec with 65%-14% VLT. Still photochromic with a good range but not quite as clear. But then you get the Clarion coating to repel water and sweat.

For another option similar to the Moab, the Moab Lite came out in 2025. It’s just frameless with a similar lens setup.

Price: $89.95 USD

I received a free product sample from Tifosi to test for this review. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I believe in. All opinions are my own.

The post Tifosi Moab Sunglasses Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

Because I took them off.

When the light gets too dim, then they go on the deck of my boat or on my hat or helmet.

And then get lost and broken.

Someone somewhere decided I didn’t have to suffer any more 15 years ago and introduced me to photochromic sunglasses. They change tint with the light, adjust to just the right amount when the some comes out, or it hides behind a cloud. Head into the trees? They lighten. Come back out into the sun? They darken.

Why these aren’t in every gas station and on every corner, I don’t know. They are one of the best pieces of gear I’ve invested in the last couple decades being outside.

Are there different options out there? There are. Not a lot, but some companies are starting to realize the miracle of photochromic. They are harder to make, which makes them more expensive. And to do it well, I’m sure takes time and money.

Some photochromic sunglasses are polarized as well. Some are impact-tested safety glasses too. Some take batteries.

Here are our favourites we’ve tested recently (with a buying guide below).

Smith Guide’s Choice

Just look at the green mirror on those. Looks aside, the Smith’s Choice are built from the ground up for fishing. Polarization cuts glare off the water. Photochromic Category 2-3 adjust light for cloud and sunny days. ChromaPop brightens colors and increases definition, especially for fish.

Spy Rebar and Logan

Most sunglasses can take a hit but few are impact certified. How many are tested by firing a quarter-inch steel ball at 150 feet per second at them?

The Spy ANSI line are. The Rebar and Logan (and a few others) are ANSI Z87-2+ certified, suitable for work requiring eye protection.

Best part is they’re killer sunglasses too. As soon as work is done, head outside and you don’t have to swap shades. They go from a completely clear category 0 to category 3 for a sunny day.

Both are ANSI certified. The Rebar is lightly bigger with a larger lens.

Chamelo Music Shield

Ok, these ones aren’t photochromic, we snuck them in here.

They are electrochromic.

Power them on and slide your finger across the temple and they tint in 0.1 second and stay there.

Oh, and they play music too.

Lol, wut?

Not to mention they are super comfortable, stay on your face even with a lot of sweat and provide great coverage. Not bad for a brand new type of product.

ActiveDim Pioneer

Coming from a golfing background, ActiveDim brings the Pioneer to the game. They’re insanely light, photochromic category 1 to 3 AND polarized. One of the few we could find with polarization.

I wasn’t sure if the price was correct on these ones and it is. Too good to be true.

Tifosi Moab

Quality photochromic sunglasses are always expensive right? Not Tifosi. They’ve managed to make lightweight, comfortable riding and running glasses with photochromic lenses under $100. With a lifetime warranty to boot. The Light Night lenses go all the way from 82% to 14% VLT. Same shades for low light and bright sun.

Buying Guide for Photochromic Sunglasses

Photochromic

Photochromic lenses change with the light. Like a transition lens on a prescription glasses. They are still somewhat rare with sport sunglasses but some industries, like biking, are really picking them up because of their versatility.

A film of liquid crystals are built in between multiple layers of the lens. UV light triggers them to change orientation. This darkens the lens, blocking some of the light, keeping your eyes happier.

Electrochromic

Another way to orient the liquid crystals and darken the tint is electricity. This requires a battery but is very fast. It doesn’t require UV light on the lens.

The Chamelo Music Shield are electrochromic.

Polarized

Polarization is like a venetian blind for reflected light. It let’s most light in, blocking light reflected from other surfaces like the road, water or snow. This reduces eye strain and increases the clarity of the fish or trail in front of you.

While still rare combined with photochromic lenses, some companies are seeing the light. Lenses for fishing or sailing are often polarized.

The Smith Guide’s Choice and ActiveDim Pioneer are photochromic and polarized.

VLT (Visible Light Transmission)

The amount of light allowed through a lens is measured as Visible Light Transmission or VLT.

0% is totally blocked, 100% completely clear.

Photochromic lenses use a range to show the transition from light to dark. For example the Chamelo Music Shield starts at 63%, and darkens to 17%. The Spy Rebar is almost clear at 85% and darkens to 13%. 

Regular sunglasses have a set VLT. Photochromic lenses will have a range.

Category

The Category on a lens represents the VLT in a simpler number. 0 is clear, 4 is so dark it’s not safe for driving.

The Spy Rebar starts at category 0 to 3.

Color filters

Some lenses have additional filters on them to boost the colors or filter certain wavelengths of light.

Smith ChromaPop filters crossovers between distinct colors of light. This makes each color brighter and increases the definition between them. The Guide’s Choice has ChromaPop.

Spy Happy Boost filters out wavelengths of light that cause eye strain, leaving wavelengths that boost alertness and mood. They also increase contrast and color slightly leaving you with a clearer picture. The Spy Rebar has an option for the Happy Boost lens.

The post Best Photochromic Sunglasses: Automagic Tinting first appeared on Pack & Trail.

Big, photochromic lenses.

Big lenses than protect your eyes from the sun and sharp things. AND they tint with the light so you can wear them longer, during cloudy days or into dusk.

And, wait for it. there’s something better than big photochromic lenses.

Big, photochromic, impact-tested lenses.

The Rebar from Spy check all those boxes. We tested them in the Pacific Northwest riding, fishing, hiking, driving, and working in the workshop.

Specs

Photochromic

I can’t say it enough. Photochromic lenses are amazing. Some are darker going Category 2 to 4. These are great for open water or glacier travel. Really bright days.

Others go from Category 1 to 3, starting with a little bit of tint and getting darker for a bright day.

The Rebar’s are Category 0 to 3. They go perfectly clear for working inside, in the workshop or dark, shady areas. As soon as the UV hits, they darken to Category 3, enough for bright sun. They are the perfect do-everything tint.

The lenses tint automatically. No need to do anything on your part. It starts to darken instantly in the sun and takes less than a minute to darken all the way. It’s a smooth change and I don’t even notice them tinting.

One spot every photochromic lens I’ve tested falls down, including this, is riding through trees with harsh, flickering side-light. They don’t change fast enough. It’s a big ask though. I haven’t found any that do in the dozens that I’ve tested.

ANSI Z87-2+ Certified

I do a lot of work around the house, the cabin and my favourite trails. The safety glasses I have are garbage, scratching easily, and fogging quickly.

The Rebar frames and lenses have are impact tested and certified under the ANSI Z87-2+ rating. This means they get are built and tested to withstand a 1/4 inch steel ball fired at 150 feet per second and a 1.1 pound weight dropped from 50 inches.

I hope I never I have steel ball flying at my face at 150 feet per second. Hitting rock with a pick, shards of wood from the saw, and big metal fishing lures probably don’t reach that speed but I feel better that they’re not going straight into my eyeballs.

The bigger lenses and tall temples give even more protection from crap flying around and light coming in.

Happy Lens

The photochromic lenses on the Rebar are ‘Happy’ too.

Happy lenses filter the wavelengths of light that cause eye strain. They let through the light that that boosts your mood and increases the definition of things you see. It’s hard to tell a difference looking through them that they mood-boosting wavelengths are coming through but I’m good with it. They are very clear and pleasant to look through.

The Happy Boost on some of the other lenses actually filters colors and makes things brighter. There is a bit of color different with these ones.

Comfort

The Rebar’s are on the large size. Sizing is large to extra large which seems accurate.

Spy says they’re for those with ‘big dome energy.’ I’ll take it.

I have got a big, but not huge, head and they fit well. Staying in place. They’re snug but not tight. I can easily wear them for hours on end.

The frames are thick. The end of the arms don’t fit under hats as well as thinner arms do but I didn’t find it a problem. If you wear your hats tight, they might not fit.

Spy’s ‘Scoop’ ventilation keeps air moving through to prevent fogging. I never had an issue with fogging unless I was sweating hard and breathing hard, and not moving. A bit of air coming through and it was gone.

Other Lenses

Include prices of other lenses.

• Clear – $180 CAD
• Happy – $180 CAD
• Happy Polarized – $240 CAD
• Happy Boost – $260 CAD
• Happy Photochromic – $260 CAD

The prices are from SpyOptic.com in CAD. There are often sales around. Be careful to get the right lens. The base versions are less expensive but are different lenses.

The Rebar SE is very similar to the Rebar but slightly different measurements. The Rebar is 62-18-130 compared to 60-18-125 on the SE. Slightly narrower lens and slightly shorter temples.

The Spy Logan is similar as well, just with a bit shorter lens. Same ANSI certification.

Final Thoughts

The Rebar is now my go-to for any work outside. Digging, building, or otherwise questionable work is much nicer when you can see what you’re doing and keep your eyeballs intact while you do.

The photochromic lenses tint with the light so you can wear them all day long. They tint just the right amount, all the way from clear to dark for bright days. Big lenses protect more from the sun and impact.

They cost a bit more than the cheapo safety glasses but you don’t ever have to take off (and lose) the Rebar’s. When you’re done work, you’re read to fish, ride, and hike.

Price: $260 CAD

More Photos from Testing

The post Spy Rebar Sunglasses Review: Photochromic, Impact Tested first appeared on Pack & Trail.

I don’t work trades but I’ve certainly been hit by rocks and lures (sometimes my own doing). I’d like to keep my eyeballs intact thanks. Regular sunglasses can take small hits but aren’t impact tested or have any sort of rating on them.

The Logan Sunglasses from Spy change tint with the light of the sun, perfect for going in and out of the trees. They are also ANSI rated for high impact, perfect for going in and out of the workshop.

I wanted to find out if these are the perfect blend of safety glasses and photochromic sports glasses or a poor mix of both.

Let’s find out.

Specs on the Spy Logan

The Logan sunglasses from Spy are high impact tested with photochromic, Base 8 polycarbonate lenses that are “Happy”.

Photochromic

Switching sunglasses or lenses can be a pain. With photochromic lenses you can be working in the shop inside or fishing at sunrise and walk right out into bright sun.

The category 0 to 3 lenses on the Logan’s darken with UV light, blocking just enough light to keep things comfortable. Inside or where there’s low UV light, they lighten to category 0, or almost clear.

At their lightest they have 85% VLT (visible light transmission). The darkest is category 3 or 13% VLT. As a comparison, Category 4, the darkest lenses for glacier travel or open water, start at 8%.

Category 0 to 3 is an extremely useful range and my absolute favourite for all-day, do anything use.

ANSI Z87-2+ Certified

Most sunglasses aren’t certified for impact in any way. If you are working or just want a certified lens to smash around with lures and rocks, you have to swap sunglasses and safety glasses.

The Logan’s are ANSI Z87-2+ certified. This means they are rated for high impact. What do all those letters mean?

The Z87 portion of the rating means they are impact and shatter tested firing a steel ball at them and dropping weight on them.

“-2” means they can hold prescription lenses.

“+” means they have been tested with higher mass and velocity than just the standard Z87 level. To meet the standard they have to survive a quarter-inch steel ball fired at 150 feet per second and 1.1 pound weight dropped from 50 inches.

I don’t use them for work but I can throw high quality sunglasses on when cutting wood or break rock around the house is very useful. The safety glasses I have fog up instantly and seem to scratch any time I put them down.

I have been hit in the face with rocks mountain-biking and dirt-biking, so useful there. And while I haven’t been hit in the face with a large fishing lure, I’ve come close, so helpful there too. Eyeballs are important.

The ANSI rating applies to the lenses as well as the frames. The wider temples on them increase protection.

For even more protection the lenses on the slightly larger Rebar frames are ANSI certified as well.

Happy Lens

SPY adds their Happy tech to most of their lenses, these included.

Happy means the lenses block wavelengths of light that cause eye strain leaving wavelengths that boost mood and make things clearer.

It’s hard to tell the difference it’s making as there’s no color change. That said, I do appreciate that they don’t change the color. Some lenses take that too far and make things look like clown land.

Comfort

The Logon’s are very comfortable to wear. Even with the impact-tested frame and lenses, they’re only 35 grams, right around most other sunglasses.

Measurements:

• 61-14-127
• 61mm lens width
• 14mm bridge width
• 139 total width
• 42mm lens height
• 127mm temple length

SPY says they’re a small-medium fit. I agree. they’re on the small side of a medium. I’ve got a good-sized noggin and they fit slightly on the small side. I can wear them all do no problem. They sit on my head and hats snug.

One thing I ran into with the fit was that the arms aren’t as curved at the back and push on my hat a bit. I prefer sunglass arms that curve down a bit more to avoid this.

Other lenses for the Logan

The Happy Photochromic isn’t the only lens the Logan comes in. There is a standard Happy and Happy Polarized versions as well. Happy Boost has the mood and clarity enhancements with an additional 30% increase in color contrast.

• Happy
• Happy Polarized
• Happy Boost
• Happy Photochromic
• Clear

This review focused on the photochromic version going from category 0 to 3. Keep in mind the lenses aren’t interchangeable. They just come with the ones you buy.

Final Thoughts

The Spy Logan’s are amazing sunglasses. ANSI rated with photochromic Happy lenses is a great combo. The category 0 to 3 lenses are so useful going in and out of the shade, trails or workshop, working inside and outside without changing glasses.

Riding and fishing always carries some risk of projectiles flying at your face. Fishing lures don’t usually carry the same weight as a steel ball at 150 feet per second so I feel pretty good with that ANSI rating on there.

Though I do miss polarization on the water or driving after the rain but at the end of the day, I’d take photochromic over polarization. Having both would be dream glasses but they are extremely rare.

Highly recommended for all-day and work use.

Price: $220 CAD

More Photos from Testing

The post Spy Logan Sunglasses Review: High Impact Certified first appeared on Pack & Trail.

Chamelo Sunglasses is pushing the boundaries of sunglasses that can change tint at the push of a button, well….slide of a finger.

Chief Brand Officer NBA all-star Stephon Marbury says their new shades are high performance….. and a bit different.

We’re looking at the Music Shield model of their new line of sunglasses to see if they can hack it out on the trails….and what electrochromic really means.

Specs

Electrochromic

The Music Shield lenses aren’t photochromic but electrochromic.

Photochromic sunglasses tint when exposed to UV light. Electrochromic sunglasses change with a button or touch control. A liquid crystal film on the lenses change as you slide the controls. The crystals align in a certain way when voltage is applied, blocking some of the light.

A slide touch control on the right arm adjusts the tint from 63% visible light going through to only 17% visible light going through.

Some brands of photochromic sunglasses can take minutes to adjust to different light. Chamelo’s Eclipse HVL lenses do it in 0.1 seconds.

The tint control takes a little bit of practice to get your finger on it every time but it’s pretty quick once you know where to touch. A little bit more of a guide on the arms would be nice.

Chamelo has 3 different versions of the Eclipse lens. The HVL on the Music Shield adjust from 63% to 17%. 63% is a light Category 1 tint. 17% just catches the light end of Category 3.

Their Alpha lens (like on their Falcon frames) adjust from 38 to 4%. A new version that hasn’t been released yet, dubbed Xpanse, will range from 63 to 6%. If they can make these work, they’ll be the ultimate all-condition lenses.

63% VLT is good for low light conditions. It’s a bit dark at late dusk or a dark, rainy day but nice for everything else. 17% is a good mid-range tint but isn’t quite enough for bright sun on the water when you really need a dark tint.

Because photochromic sunglasses usually react to UV light, they don’t usually tint in the car as most windshields filter UV light. With the Music Shield you can set the tint to your liking.

One downside to the electrochromic lenses is they require power to tint darker. You can wear them any time at the lighter end (63%). To darken the lenses, they need to be powered on. I don’t know how they fit a battery in these things but it’s amazing it can still power the lenses for 100 hours.

Music

The Shield has 2 versions, regular and Music. The Music comes with, you guessed it, music. They have built-in speakers and microphones.

The speakers are small and don’t have much bass but you can hear things around you. They’re standard speakers and not bone-conducting. They sound good. Riding through traffic, you can still hear vehicles beside you or animals on the trails.

They automatically connect to your phone when powered on. Most of the time this is good but sometimes I want to be connected to my truck instead. The bluetooth tends to stay paired if it’s already connected with something first.

There is one multi-function button under the right arm. It’s easy to find and a convenient placement. Holding it turns it on or off, but has a couple other functions. There are no volume controls so that’s all handled on your phone.

Music Controls on multi-function button:

• Long Press: Power on/off
• Single press: Play/Pause
• Double press: Next song
• Triple press: Previous song

With most headphones, the speaker is buried in your ear, but with the Music Shield, they’re on the arms. Other people can hear the music a little bit if you have it on loud but it’s very quiet. They are pointed straight down into your ears and keep it focused.

Phone Calls

The Shield’s can actually take calls fairly well. The mic is good for picking up your voice. It sounds a bit like being on speakerphone but it’s clear. The speakers are very quiet to hear the other person. It would be good if the volume could be higher.

Call controls

• Answer/end call: single press
• Reject call: double press

Comfort

I was surprised with how comfortable the Music Shields are. I assumed anything electronic hanging off your face was going to be heavy and annoying.

At 50 grams, they’re slightly heavier than regular sunglasses but only by a few grams. But they don’t feel heavier than regular sunglasses. the weight is further back and balanced. I’ve worn shades with glasses lenses that were more difficult to keep on.

Wearing them driving, paddling, hiking, and at the beach was no issue for the grip. They stayed in place very well. Even mountain biking in the rain, I was dripping with sweat and rain, they easily stayed exactly where I wanted them.

Battery and Charging

Having a battery is a double-edged sword. It means they can change tint in 0.1 seconds for 100 hours and play music. It also means you have to charge them.

The charger is a proprietary magnetic attachment. The other end is just plain, rectangular USB-A. The pins are easy to line up with the magnets on the outside. It’s strong enough to hold the charger to the pins but not too much that it makes unplugging a hassle. I would have preferred a USB-C since I have many but the magnets are easier to use.

A small LED on the inside of the right arm blinks red with low battery and the glasses beep softly every few minutes about 20 minutes before the battery dies.

That LED shows red when it’s plugged in and charging as well. It goes blue when fully charged.

Changing tint barely takes any power so you get 100 hours of only doing that. If you’re playing music, then it’s less, only 6.5 hours. A combination of both will be somewhere in between the two.

Charging gets to 80% in only 30 min so a few minutes of charging can easily last the day if it’s low.

When the battery dies they go back to their slightly tinted 63% VLT. I’d prefer it to be darker when the battery dies but I’m not sure that’s possible with the liquid crystals.

Final Thoughts

Version 1 of a totally new type of product is often clunky, hard to use, and uncomfortable. Chamelo have done an amazing job making something brand new for the industry but also comfortable, lightweight, and easy to use.

The small speakers are perfect for listening to music while being aware of your surroundings. If you need to chat with anyone or listen for cars or animals, you still can. I listen to music constantly but don’t always have my earbuds with me. It was nice to start some tunes anywhere.

Driving with them was great. I could set the tint to what I wanted quickly. Working out, riding, and hiking in them was also great. They provide a wide field of view and stayed exactly where I wanted them even with sweat and rain.

If you want darker lenses, the Xpanse lenses are coming soon. The 63% to 6% VLT will make for an absolutely do-everything lens. I have my fingers crossed for a polarized style for these. They will be the perfect sunglasses.

Just don’t forget to charge your sunglasses.

Price: $349 CAD ($249 USD)

Highly recommended for working out, hiking, biking, and running.

More Photos

The post Chamelo Music Shield Sunglasses Review: Instant Tint Change first appeared on Pack & Trail.

ActiveDim, however, has managed to include both features in all of their models, and at a surprisingly accessible price point. This raises the key questions: How do they compare to more established brands? And does the budget price signal lower quality?

ActiveDim Pioneer Sunglasses

ActiveDim may not be a household name, but they got my attention during my extensive search for photochromic polarized lenses, a quest that led me through dozens of manufacturers’ websites.

The Pioneers by ActiveDim are wayfarer style, with medium-sized lenses, metal frame, and slightly wrapped arms. The lenses are photochromic, changing tint with the light, as well as polarized.

First some quick pros and cons, specs and then into the review.

Specs

Photochromic

The Pioneer’s are photochromic, so UV light will trigger the crystals to align, darkening the tint. With no UV they start quite light, good for cloudy days or around sunset. While the exact VLT numbers aren’t published, the range likely spans Category 1 (light tint) to Category 3 (dark tint).

When exposed to UV light they darken, reducing the light coming in. They don’t darken drastically but enough to cut the light from a sunny day. For extreme brightness on snow or water, I’d pick a darker lens but for all-around use driving, hiking, fishing and camping the VLT range on these work well.

The change is fairly quick, under a minute. They seem to change faster in higher UV. The chemicals in photochromic lenses are usually sensitive to UV light.

During testing in over 35° C weather, the heat noticeably limited the maximum darkness—a known effect for most photochromic lenses. They darkened about half as much as they did in cooler conditions. Below that threshold, however, they performed as expected.

Polarized

Photochromic sunglasses with polarization are my dream sunglasses. They cut the glare on the water and snow, or driving after it rains. It makes it easier to see through the water and around high glare in general. Without things glowing with reflected light, you’ll see better color and definition.

The polarization performs well, effectively cutting glare off water and wet pavement. A minor critique is that they seem to give a slight blue tinge to wet objects, which slightly alters color perception.

Comfort

Comfort is a major strength. At just 27 grams, these are extremely light, making them easy to forget you’re wearing them. The silicone touchpoints are grippy but not grabby. The spring hinges open when you put them on but don’t grab your head too tight. They stay in place well moving around.

The frames are constructed from an aluminum and magnesium alloy, balanced by soft silicone touchpoints on the nose-pieces and the backs of the arms.

The downside to the metal is the frames can get very warm when left out in hot sun. The metal doesn’t touch your skin when wearing them though, only silicone.

Final Thoughts

For a surprisingly lightweight pair of sunglasses offering both polarized AND photochromic lenses, the ActiveDim Pioneers are an exceptional value. The metal frames with silicone are very light and comfortable.

They’re less for going hard running or riding but they work well for everything else. They stayed on no problem but the smaller lenses and wayfarer style were less suited to those activities.

The lenses start at category 1 so you can wear them sunrise to sunset outside. For long days on the snow or water, you might want a darker lens but the more tinted end of the lens is still plenty for bright days.

It’s rare to find polarized and photochromic lenses together. The ActiveDim Pioneer is the first I’ve ever seen at this price.

Price: $86 (normally $143)

The post ActiveDim Pioneer Sunglasses Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

Polarized sunglasses are required to not smash into anything, see the fish, and not wrap lures around all the logs. This is a problem for me. I prefer to wear photochromic sunglasses, lenses that change tint with the light.

The Smith Guide’s Choice sunglasses are polarized, photochromic and bump colors and definition with their ChromaPop tech. they have wide lenses and templates for better coverage, anti-slip nose and template pads and Italian spring hinges.

This frame has other lenses as well in blue, green, brown, black around 12-14% VLT (Visual Light Transmission) or yellow with 30% VLT as well.

Details

ChromaPop

One of the main features of many Smith sunglasses is their ChromaPop technology in the lenses. It’s supposed to make colors show up clearer with more definition. Does it work?

Smith says, “The eye has trouble distinguishing colors where the blue and green as well as the green and red wavelengths cross over.”

“ChromaPop filters these crossovers, allowing for greater definition, natural color, and clarity.”

When I first put the Guide’s Choice on I noticed a huge improvement in the color and definition of everything. Greens and blues are a lot of what I look at being outside on the water or in the woods and they are all a bit more saturated. It’s still natural color just a little ‘more’ of it. Green’s are greener, blues are bluer.

It’s not like look at an HDR photo thought, with the colors all pushed to the max. It’s just a slight increase but a good one.

Smith tunes the ChromaPop to the type of environment the lenses will be used in. Snowboard goggles will be used on the snow, with some rock and trees around. Biking glasses are in the trees with lots of green and brown. Fishing glasses are on the water with a lot of blue and bright sun.

For being on the water and fishing these water tuned lenses let you see through the water better because of the polarization but they also help separate the water colors from other things. Logs, vegetation, and most importantly, fish are more defined and easier to see under the water.

Polarized + Photochromic = Polarchromic

Polarized sunglasses reduce glare. This can be reflected light off the surface of the water, off wet vegetation, or the road when it rains.

Polarization is required on the water. There’s just no other way to see properly. If there’s too much glare, that’ll be reduced. If you need to see through the water for obstacles or fish, they help so much with that too.

But most polarized lenses are dark. They filter out a lot of glare and a lot of light. This is great in the middle of a bright sunny day.

When it’s cloudy or you’re on the water at sunrise or sunset, it’s not as bright. There are some sunglasses out there that have lighter lenses but are still polarized. I’m not fond of carrying around extra gear. I’d rather sunglasses that can go from sunrise to sunset.

Enter Photochromic lenses.

Photochromic lenses tint automatically when the light is brighter. The change in tint happens in only a couple of seconds and it’s very smooth. I never notice it on the Guide’s Choice.

The tint change on the Guide’s Choice goes from category 2 to 3 (11-20% VLT). Categories in sunglasses goes from 0 to 4. 0 being completely clear up to 4 for glacier travel, open water, and too dark for driving. 2 is perfect for overcast days or under cover in the trees and 3 is great for brighter sun and out on the water. I find I rarely need cat 4 as it’s quite dark.

I would love to see a version of these that tint cat 1 to 3. Cat 1 is great for dark, dusk and darker days. It would really make these all day, every day sunglasses. 2 to 3 still handles all but those darker times of day.

After wearing photochromic sunglasses, I can’t go back. Pair that with polarization and they are the ultimate lens.

Leash

I prefer my sunglasses on my face at all times. They are the most secure there and actually serving their pupose to protect my eyes and see better. But there are just always times when they need to come off. All but the tightest frames have always fallen off my head if I forget their there and move too fast. Leashes just don’t work well with beards.

The Guides’ Choice comes with an integrated leash that’s removable. It’s made from thin, line wire, I think made out of plastic. The cord is quite stiff so it easy to loop around your head.

The temple pads that are built into the leash are tough to get back into the glasses. I like that their tight so they’ll stay in place. They’re aren’t the easiest to take on and off though. I used pliers to get the other pads out and the leash attached.

Fit

Smith says the Guide’s Choice is a Medium-Large fit with Medium-Larges lenses. This seems accurate to me. I love the large lenses with lots of coverage. I’ve got a good size noggin and they were on the wide side. I like my sunglasses quite snug so they stay in place. With the glass lenses they are slightly heavier than plastic lenses.

The spring hinges feel really good. They expand slightly sliding them on but aren’t too tight. They feel solid and tight at the end of the opening range.

The nose and temple pads are a Megol rubbery plastic. They are grippy and keep things in place well. I find they slide down a little on my nose when I’m sweating a lot but I think if the arms were slightly tighter with my head they’d be perfect.

Conclusion

The Smith Guide’s Choice are one of the best sunglasses you can get for fishing, and really just wearing all the time. The price is a far cry from the plastic gas station sunglasses but the quality and technology in the lenses certainly warrants a higher price tag. Having polarization and photochromic lenses is very rare and difficult to do. The ChromaPop color puts Smith sunglasses into a class of their own.

Highly recommended.

MEC has the Blue Polarized ChromaPop Lenses for $274 CAD (not PolarChromic)

Corbett’s Ski has the Grey Polarized ChromaPop Lenses for $179 CAD (not PolarChromic)

SkiWest has the Brown or Grey Polarzied ChromaPoop Lenses for $274 CAD (not PolarChromic)

More Photos

The post Smith Guide’s Choice Sunglasses Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

What is Bone Conduction?

Sound is just little vibrations caught by our eardrum. Most of what we hear gets funnelled into your ear which vibrates your eardrum. Have you ever noticed when you touch your head on the window of a car or plane? Those vibrations make it to your ears through the bones in your head and you can ‘hear’ it? That’s bone conduction.Sound vibrations don’t have to go in through your ear to hear them. They can go through the bones in your skull or the cartilage in your ears. It all ends up in the same place.

The OptiShokz Revvez sunglasses with bone conducting headphones

AfterShokz, the company that makes the successful Trekz series of headphones, have launched OptiShokz, a line of sunglasses with built-in bone conducting headphones. From the front, the Revvez sunglasses look like a normal pair of sporty sunglasses with slightly bulky arms.Hiding around the back are 2 little arms that flip down onto the back of your ears. These are the transducers, basically speakers that send vibrations through the cartilage.First, a few specs:

• 4 styles of lens available
• 6 hours play time, 10 days standby
• 48.5 grams
• Integrated microphone
• Premium Teijin lens
• 2H hardening treatment
• Moonstone grey polarized, Sapphire blue, Diamond Transparent, Amber Yellow lenses available
• Leakslayer tech reduces the sound leakage
• Bluetooth 5.0

Three buttons up underneath the right arm control everything. The multifunction button controls power, receives calls, skips songs, mute and change the equalization. The rubber buttons are raised off the arm and easy to find with one hand. Once I remembered that the multi function button was closer to the lens and spaced apart from the other two it’s easy to feel which is which.Charging is through a micro USB port just in front of the buttons on the underside of the arm. A small rubber cover keeps the sweat and rain out. It takes about 2 hours to charge the 180 mAh battery.The Revvez are water and dust resistant with an IP55 rating. For something that’s meant to touch your skin while you’re working out this is sort of required. The sweaty runs and rides I’ve done so far with them have been completely fine. I doubt you’ll be out in the rain with these headphones much as they’re also sunglasses. If I’m running and it starts to rain a bit, I usually just keep my sunglasses on though. They’re my headphones too, and I keep them on as long as I can.

How do they feel?

Picking up the Revvez they’re slightly heavier than other sunglasses but not much. With a battery and headphones attached, I thought they would feel much heavier but it barely amounts too much. Once they’re on your head, it’s not noticeable at all.The lenses have good coverage and are clear and nice to look out of. I got the Sapphire Blue lenses to test but there’s also grey polarized, clear and amber lenses. The nose piece is interchangeable.

How do they look?

Aside from having thicker arms, which some sunglasses do anyways, it’s hard to tell you have headphone sunglasses on. From the back you can see the transducers but they’re fairly discrete.

How do they sound?

The bone conduction is an interesting experience when you first try it. Your ears are open but there’s still sound there. What’s more interesting is that I tried putting the transducer on my forehead and it still sounded pretty good.The sound doesn’t have the bass that good in-ear headphones do but the clarity is very good. My favourite songs come through nice and clear. At very high volumes the transducers tickle the back of my ears a bit. At the normal volumes I use for running, I can’t feel it at all. When I’m near the road and want to hear traffic, I don’t want music too loud anyways.

The big question

The big question for me usually ends up being do I want to keep wearing the sunglasses when I’m not listening to tunes or a podcast. The transducers can flip on and off your ear and they just stay tucked beside your head so they’re very comfortable whether you are listening to tunes or not. Driving with them is easy and comfortable as well.When it’s sunny out I’m in sunglasses 100% of the time. And if I’m running I’ll always have headphones in too. It’s nice to have both in the same device without having to plug my ears to get the tunes.Find out more about the OptiShokz Revvez headphone sunglasses. 

The post OptiShokz Revvez Bone-Conducting Headphone Sunglasses Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.