Need-to-know sunglasses spiel
Polarised lenses: when sunlight reflects off a surface it can become concentrated horizontally, resulting in glare. Polarised lenses provide 100% protection from this.
Mirrored lenses: thesereduce glare, but not as much as polarised lenses.
Tints: different colours offer different benefits, e.g. amber accentuates relief detail.
Photochromic lenses: these automatically adjust to cope with changing light intensities and conditions. They also cross lens categories (see below).
Lens categories: range from 0-4. Higher figures mean higher UV protection and stronger glare reduction, so you need a higher figure for brighter light.
Optical classes: all the ski-focussed sunglasses here have Class 1 lenses, which means they’re suitable for all-day use. You’re unlikely to see Class 2 (intermittent use) or Class 3(occasional use) ski sunglasses, and we wouldn’t recommend them either.
Whether you’re a sunglasses-whilst-skiing kinda guy, or just keep them for sunny lunches and après, we’ve pulled together a (tried and tested) list of the best high performing mountain and ski sunglasses of 2024.
1. Bollé Ascender £130
Built for the summit and the city with their flat panto shape and removable side shields. The mineral lenses give ultimate protection at altitude (cat 4) with high-contrast optics. bolle.com
2. Dynafit Sky Pro £220
Photochromic-lens glasses for high-altitude travels. They come with a Grilamid frame, anti-fog ventilation system, grippy arms and removable side shield and brow pad for everyday use, along with a microfibre bag and zippered hard case. dynafit.com
3. Oakley Wind Jacket 2.0 £161
The new Wind Jacket sunnies are inspired by seeing Oakley athletes rocking Eyeshades in the mountains. They provide huge coverage, not just for your eyes but, when fitted right, down over the top of your cheeks too. They come with multiple-sized nose pieces, a removable foam brow pad and a leash, which you can attach and remove – and is handy when it’s blowing a gale or you don’t want to risk dropping them. You can buy spare lenses, and swapping them is super easy. The Prizm Snow Sapphire lens works incredibly well at altitude. We use this colour in our other Oakley glasses too, and love it. The Wind Jackets are big, so for something smaller look at the Radar line. oakley.com
4. POC Devour Glacial £250
No UV shall reach the eye in these bad-boys, with the extra-wide field of view, and brow and side shields, blocking any peripheral light: it’s goggle-like protection. Ri-Pel lens treatment protects from dirt, oil and water, and an anti-scratch coating ensures your vision is as clear as can be. pocsports.com
5. Scott Cervina £130
Retro in style but with modern engineering, the unisex Cervina range gives strong protection with cat 3 or cat 4 (depending on model choice) lens performance and flexible, lightweight frames. The blinders and nose part are detachable for multi-season use when you’re not feeling the glacier-vintage look. scott-sports.com
6. SunGod Zephyrs £70
Sturdy sunglasses that look good, the Zephyrs are adventure-proofed with a lifetime guarantee. If they break, or if you break them, SunGod will fix them for free because keeping gear in play is better than throwing it away. Made from flexible plastic built to last a lifetime, the frames are also 100% recycled, with triple-layer scratch-resistant lenses. sungod.co
7. Sweet Protection Shinobi RIG Relfect £165
This is Sweet’s premium sports sunglass model, and they feel so light and secure on your face you don’t really notice they’re there. The lens has the RIG tech for max contrast and clarity, with excellent colour handling. This is one of those pieces that makes your eyes feel relaxed. It will depend on the lens you get, as we’re all different, so, as always, try some on first. The straight legs work well with beanies, caps and going ‘au naturelle’ on the skin up. If you buy more lenses, there’s a little sprung catch on each side so they’re a doddle to swap in and out. sweet-protection.com
8. Vallon Ski Aviators £97
With retro ’70s style, the hand crafted iconic-looking Ski Aviators offer great coverage, and are light on your face. Vallon claims their V52 lenses offer the highest optical clarity of any performance sunglasses. The lens has a relatively dark tint, which was very welcome on the bright sunny days we used them for. They come in a stylish faux-leather case, adding to that retro feel. vallon.com
