- Bollé Ascender | £135
- Dynafit Sky Pro | £220
- POC Devour Glacial | £250
- Smith Bobcat | £175
- SPY+ Helm Tech | From £130
Bollé Ascender | £135
A performance and fashion set of sunnies 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 sharp, high-contrast optics. bolle.com
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
Dynafit Sky Pro | £220
Dynafit’s first ever sunnies, these come with Italian-made photochromic lenses and bags of fast and light style. Built for adventures in the high alpine, they come with a light Grilamid frame, anti-fog ventilation system, grippy arms, plus a removable side shield and brow pad for everyday use. dynafit.com
SPY+ Helm Tech | From £130
Functional and adventure-ready, Helm Tech sunnies give low-key style and high-tech performance with removable side blinders and SPY+’s own Happy lens, tuned to boost mood and alertness as it enhances colour and contrast. Happy days. spyoptic.com
Smith Bobcat | £175
Slight wrap-around glasses with large coverage and a lightweight feel, the Bobcats are designed for serious business in the alpine environment. The non-slip nose pads mean glasses stay put on sweaty ascents or high-speed descents, and a bonus clear lens is included for low-light needs. smithoptics.com
That’s the shortlist – for our full selection of the best sunglasses of 2023 subscribe here for access to our mega Winter 2022-23 Gear Guide featuring more sunglasses, as well as skis, boots, bindings, helmets, backpacks, jackets and more…
Gobbledegook explained
❄ 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: these reduce 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 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.
