TreeLineBackpacker

The Julbo Aero Performance Sunglasses are designed to be ultralight, aerodynamic sunglasses that target trail runners and mountain bikers. They provide a wide field of view while emphasizing clear vision and comfort.

The Julbo Aero glasses are designed for moments when clarity is of utmost importance, such as reading the terrain while trail running or mountain biking. As reviewed , the Julbo Aero sunglasses came equipped with Zebra Light lenses, which are photochromic, meaning they provide protection from UV and harsh bright light by darkening upon contact with certain types of harsh light. The frames themselves implement several interesting technologies such as flexible temple stays to absorb vibration and to improve grip, with flexible and adjustable wingtips on the nose to dial in the fit, and vented lenses that let air flow through. They also include an anti-fog application and clips for prescription optics. The glasses include a soft case with a hard plastic lens shield to protect from scratches and a fabric pouch that doubles as a lens cleaner. As tested, the Julbo Aero with Zebra white retails for $189.

What I liked

I’ve been using the Aeros primarily for mountain biking, and they’ve been amazing. The biggest benefit here are the lenses. Unlike most sunglasses that darken everything, smothering ever important details of the trail beneath the tint, the subtle tint allows everything to be bright, sharp, and clear, while still looking surprisingly natural. Instead of muddying up the rocks, roots and ruts under darkness, they manage to make everything pop just a little bit more, making reading the terrain at high speed effortless. Even so, they filter out the brightest of brights, softening reflections off of leaves and rocks while dulling ever blinding sunshafts as they trickle through on bright evenings. Another huge plus is that the lenses don’t manipulate the perspective or throw off depth perception, meaning everything is exactly where it appears to be and it arrives at your wheels or feet when you expect it. I’ve found that these sunglasses make everything look and feel entirely natural, making riding far more comfortable than anything I’ve used in the past.

They’re also relatively comfortable to wear. The nose and temples both sit gently against the surprisingly lightweight and soft feeling frame, with the elastic ear pieces absorbing vibrations while also keep the glasses in place. The nose-piece is completely adjustable, meaning it can be moved to a comfortable position, and the soft rubber texture feels nice even after several hours of hard riding.

I really appreciate the excellently ventilated design. The lenses have a small gap between them and the frame, allowing some air to flow through the glasses. They block wind (and bugs and dirt) from contacting the eyes directly, but also allow air to flow entirely through. This keeps the glasses from steaming up, and makes for much cooler hot summer rides.

Aesthetically, they look pretty nice. They do have a lot going on, with vents by the lenses, at the nose, on the sides, multifunction arms extending back, colorful lense and other details, but the result is fairly understated for a pair of glasses with this much technology inside them.

What I didn’t like

While the included case does a great job of protecting the shades from scratches with the hard plastic plate providing direct protection against the lenses, they do little to protect the sunglasses from being crushed. Pair this with the impressively lightweight build of the glasses themselves, and I’m left with little in the way of confidence in their ability to take the weight of my helmet or shoes bearing down on them in my gear bag. They’ll require a little TLC when packing, but so far durability hasn’t been an issue with general use at all, so that’s a plus.

I also found a couple instances where especially rough trail jostled me hard enough to force the nose of my glasses to bounce up and down just a bit. They certainly stayed on (no worries there) but it was a little distracting to feel them bouncing up and down, if ever so slightly. It’s only happened on two occasions that I recall (out of dozens of rides) so it’s not a big deal in the end.

Overall

When it comes down to it, the Julbo Aero glasses provide a spectacular view of the trail. The anti-fogging lenses perform admirably, even in conditions of above 80% humidity, while the careful choice of tenting highlights the important details, while not leaving any of the smaller details behind. They’re light, comfortable, adjustable, and allow for a level of breathability that felt unmatched in my experience. They’ve quickly become my go to glasses for hitting the trail, making them an easy recommendation for those who don’t mind investing in something of exceptional quality.

Highly recommended

For more information on Julbo and and their wide range of gear, check out their website, https://www.julbo.com

For information on our rating system and our testing procedures, check out our About us/ Contact us page.

I want to extend a huge thanks to Julbo for providing this product for review. We couldn’t do it without their help. Our full disclosure can be found here.

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