Julbo Race Performance Sunglass

Overall HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - for certain uses. The Zebra lenses are specialized for running and biking, especially in changing light conditions. Because they are not polarized they are NOT recommended for driving, or use on water or snow/ice, where glare is a common problem.I've had these frames about a month, and have used them for running, road biking, driving (I don't recommend them for driving) and have worn them around town a bit. I live in Italy, and at this time of year, the sun is bright, but we get frequent clouds and afternoon showers. Bottom line is that for running and biking in these conditions, these sunglasses really shine. The Zebra lenses are simply the best at giving you crystal clear consistent vision of tiny details around you even as light conditions change.This will really be two reviews in one. First I'll cover the Zebra lenses, and then I'll talk about the frames. Before I do, I should say that these lenses are not for everybody, and even for those of us who appreciate what they offer, they are not well suited to every use. But there is good news, you can buy alternate lenses from the Julbo website (click on service, then click on parts, then find the link for "Race" and you can order normal polarized lenses, Camel NXT, or Octopus NXT, each very good for its intended application).Zebra lenses:When used for running or biking these lenses are spectacular. They are photochromatic with a range from 7% all the way to 45% of visible light allowed through the lens. What this means to you is that they do a very good job of attenuating sunlight to a level just within comfort range. Put another way, these lenses will keep out just enough light to keep you from squinting except in the brightest of conditions. The reason this is a good thing for running and especially biking is that during performance activities, your goal is to see everything around you as clearly as possible. Not only will these lenses NOT overly darken shaded areas, but because they allow in as much light as comfort allows, they will keep your pupils from dilating any more than they absolutely need to. This is important, because the smaller you pupils are, the more sharply you will be able to focus your vision - especially on small objects or over long distances. This is something any good photographer understands - the smaller the hole letting in the light, the greater the potential depth of focus. If your sunglasses are too dark, your eyes dilate, expanding your pupils to compensate, limiting your eyes' ability to focus on fine detail. This is simply not the case with these lenses, and I noticed it the first time I put them on and walked outside. The mountains off in the distance were incredibly sharply focussed. When I went for my first ride with them, I was amazed at how easily I could read the road signs from far away.So, to sum that up in a digestible bite: If you want to see all of what's around in the finest detail possible, these lenses are perfect... but...They are not polarized. That's good if you want to see your bike computer screen clearly from any angle. However, if you're on the water, around lots of snow or ice, driving, or just generally around a lot of shiny objects, that could be a real problem. These would be especially bad for use on snow and ice when the snow glare would compound a bright sunny day and simply overwhelm the lenses.Basically, if you are looking for a pair of sunglasses to wear around all the time, Zebra lenses are not for you. But if you are looking for performance lenses for running or biking, or any activity where you need to see everything in great detail, even in constantly changing light (trail running through a forest - mountain biking - hiking on a partially cloudy day, etc. etc.) these are perfect - simply perfect.A couple of add-on items:1. The anti-fog treatment on the inside of the lens works very well. You'll feel it the first time you polish the lenses - the outside is smooth but the inside of the lens feels "grippy" and the cloth won't slide across it the same way. Combined with the venting the frames provide at the temples it is highly effective (more on the frames later). The only time I've been able to fog these lenses up was on a day nearing 90% humidity (fog banks were forming), and even then, I had to breath directly on them to fog them up and it only lasted a few seconds before they were pretty clear again. I've done some pretty sweaty runs in these on hot hot days in moderate humidity and not had a problem.2. The photochromatic process takes about 30-40 seconds from extreme to extreme, and since they are so lightly tinted, be prepared for a bit of squinting the first 10-15 seconds after you walk outside on a bright sunny day.3. For those really bright days, I recommend pairing these with a good running hat (meaning the underside of the brim is black to reduce glare).4. They are very light weight, and very strong (NXT was developed for military use).5. They can be popped out of the frame pretty easily for cleaning or changing the lenses. I haven't had any trouble with them coming out when I didn't want them to, but I did read one reviewer's comments that it was a problem for him.The RACE frames:I love these frames with only one tiny quibble (teeny tiny, really).1. They are very light. Not the lightest frames I've ever worn, but pretty close.2. They are VERY comfortable for me. I have a slightly larger than average head, but these feel like they were molded to my face (with one tiny exception...). Obviously, you're results will vary.3. The wrap-around provides pretty much completely unobstructed view of your full frame of vision. I can just barely see the frames at the top and bottom of my field of view, but not in the periphery at all.4. There are vents between the lenses and frames at the temples, and vents on the earpieces, also near the temples. Combined with the anti-fog treatment on the insides of the NXT lenses, it is very difficult to get these sunglasses to fog-up (see above).5. The earpieces have a wrap-around fit that is snug enough to prevent any slippage, but does not feel tight or uncomfortable in any way. I've tried to shake these frames off, and they don't budge except when I bend over and look straight down. When I do that there is a tiny bit of up-down wobble, but they still don't slide forward at all.6. I find the nose pads to be comfortable, but I've read other reviewers who disagree. My nose is a little larger than average, but it's a bit narrow at the bridge. Obviously, your results will vary.7. OK, here's the exception I mentioned above, and it is so teeny-tiny I feel almost silly saying it. Really, these frames feel about 95% as if they were custom built for my face... but... the lenses are angled very slightly too much forward for the frames to be a truly perfect fit. By that I mean the bottom of the frames rest on my cheeks with a bit less than an 1/8 inch gap between the tops and my brow... I know it's silly, but when something is that close to perfect (for me and my head) even the smallest discrepancy just kind of... stands out.So, the overall recommendation for these shades is this: if you are planning to use them for certain activities, they are ABSOLUTELY 5 STAR. I only knocked off a star because they really are so specialized that they don't work well for activities where you need polarization and a slightly darker lens. I will say that I love the fit of the frames so much, I'm planning to buy a pair of Camel NXT lenses for them, and maybe some Octopus lenses as well. Then I can use the Camel lenses for everyday wear, pop in the Zebras for running or biking, and keep the Octopuses around for sailing or a day at the beach.

This is the second pair of Julbo shades I have owned, the first being Julbo Reflex. As I get older I do less mountaineering than I used to, but still wanted a pair of shades suitable for the occasional backpack, ski trip, and everyday driving. I like the way the frames wrap around my face with very little room. I wear baseball hats a lot and I like to wear them pulled down low, which makes wearing sunglasses difficult, as the frames prevent the bill from being worn too low. Not the case with both Julbo's I've owned. Because the frames hug my forehead and temples so close, this means very little sunlight/glare can get in under the frames, offering better protection than most wrap-around style frames. The weight of the frames is also a high point. Not the lightest I've ever owned, but close. I opted for the 3+ polarized lens. Darker than the average pair of sunglasses, the 3+ cuts glare much better than my Reflex pair they replace and the color green in particular pops nicely. Very soothing while driving, the nosepiece pinched my nose during a recent 8 hour drive which my Reflex pair never did - probably due to the nosepiece on that frame being a molded part of the frame as opposed to the grippy rubbery nosepiece on the Race. Haven't tried them skiing but looking forward to seeing how the lenses perform on the slopes with the unique lens venting of the Race. The retaining strap took some massaging to detach. I've heard many people break them right away as it's not intuitive to remove, but they really weren't that tough, would be nice if Julbo included a little drawing on how to pop them free. Also, for $130 I would've liked to see a small microfiber lens wipe included with the frames. The protective molded sunglass case is a nice touch, my old Reflex pair didn't come with that. I like these shades, I will buy Julbo again, they fit like a glove.

I use these glasses for outdoor sports and on the beach. They do a great job of eliminating glare and are very rugged. I bought this second pair because the first finally were just too scratched. That was my fault, not the manufacturer, from use. In fact I previously had some issues with the first set and the manufacturer replaced them with a new pair.Only thing to consider is that when you wear them for a long period it hurts the back of your head where they grip.

These glasses would have been perfect if it wasnt for the fact that they fog really easily because of the tight design. They fogged 5 mins after i entered the car first time i used them. Would suggest Julbo remove this model and test better their glasses with different people before putting them out. The anti-fog of the lenses just can't keep up , specially if im sweating and i see the sweat on the lenses also. They're just too close to the face and little vent.

Excellent

Had these over the, summer, OK, but the photochromic bit either doesn't work or is so slow, that by the time it has adjusted - your out of the sunGot 2 stars for comfort.Going back to Oakley..........

Optimal in Preis und Leistung!Ob beim Radfahren, Segeln, Angeln oder Wandern.Ein Begleiter, den man nach kurzer Zeit nicht mehr missen will.

Las he usado co ñn diferentes situaciones climáticas y responde muy bien. No es empañan, protege del viento y se adaptan bien a la cara y a al sol

Cumplen de sobra cambian rapido y son validas para dias de sol o muy nublados, ventilan bien aunque se haga deporte

envio rapido , son comodas y para la moto van bien, con casco abierto no entra nada de aire y no se empañan, se puede conducir con ellas con poca luz