Julbo, a French company, has been making glasses for alpine mountaineering and high-altitude glacial exploration since 1888. In more recent times, they have expanded their line to include a vast array of active lifestyle optics, from cycling glasses to snowboarding goggles.
About two years ago I got a pair of Julbo’s Epic glacier glasses. While this specific model is not shown on Julbo’s website, a quick internet search will yield a few outdoor retailers still selling them. The Epic glasses are a smaller version of Julbo’s popular Nomad glacier glasses.
The Epic sunglasses are definitely designed for smaller faces, measuring 4.75 inches temple to temple and are curved to wrap around your head snugly. While this is a great feature for me (as I struggle to find glasses small enough to fit my face), these glasses would be a tight squeeze on anyone with an ‘average’ or larger-sized head. They feature brown polycarbonate Alti Spectron X6 lenses (blocking 95% of transmitted visual light) and CE class 4 protection for strong sunlight.
While I have not had the opportunity to test these glasses in glacial conditions, I can attest to their comfort and quality during long hikes in the bright summer sun. Soft, textured nose pads prevent the glasses from sliding down the bridge of your nose, even over layers of sunblock. The removable side shields block plenty of light from entering; I found they do not inhibit peripheral vision, so I prefer to keep them attached. The brown lenses provide sharp contrast, even while blocking so much light. As someone who prefers amber lenses for the vision clarity they provide, I was happy to have found a pair of glacier glasses that feature the same benefits. They also come with a lined, hard plastic case, which is great for protecting them when stored.
Overall, if you are someone who has had trouble finding small enough glasses, I definitely recommend giving the Julbo Epics a try. The MSRP is $74.
