ProView – Julbo Legacy Sunglasses Review

It is one of my favorite times of year in NW Montana. The Larch trees turn yellow, the peaks are topped with snow, and the air is crisp and filled with anticipation for the coming ski season. The shoulder season is an interesting time for activities, as you are often trying to decide what the weather will allow and what you can get away with in the mountains. This uncertainty usually requires a wide range of gear to be prepared for anything throughout the day. The Julbo Legacy Sunglasses take some of that uncertainty out of the equation and make sure you are prepped for any type of day in or out of the mountains. 

Most of my life, I have worn corrective lenses of some kind. My eyesight is horrendous and it causes me to be very light sensitive as well. I have been looking into the “glacier glasses” style for many years but never pulled the trigger because, honestly, I have always been a cheapo sunglasses type of guy.

However, I was over the moon when I received my Legacy sunglasses from Julbo. I have literally worn them every day without fail. I do a lot of trail running, hiking, and ski touring in the winter. With those activities this time of year, the lighting can be anything from pitch black to bluebird and blinding sun.

Having the REACTIV photochromatic lenses in my Legacy sunglasses made the transitions incredibly smooth. I had a big traverse day in Glacier National Park in October, and the sky was constantly moving from very dark storm clouds to bright sunshine throughout the day. I usually would be taking my sunglasses on and off my head, which I’m ashamed to say, has caused me to lose many pairs during recent adventures. On this day, I didn’t take my sunglasses off the entire route! The Legacy’s have completely changed the way I move through the mountains. 

Fit/Comfort

I found the Legacy sunglasses to be very comfortable, and they fit my face well. My wife tried them for a few days and found that they did not fit her smaller face frame quite as well. I utilized the removable side shields during day-to-day wear to and from work since they somewhat hinder my peripheral vision. I can see how the side shields could get a bit annoying for some folks, but I didn’t even notice them after a short time. I took them out for a few runs as well and found the “Grip Tech” and no slip bridge locked them in place without bouncing or any other issues. 

Look/Style

The Legacy is one of the more stylish glacier sunglasses I have found, and the removable side-shields allow you to dress them up if you want. They have a solid selection of colors, and I think there is something for everyone if you like the round “vintage-inspired” frame style. 

Features

The Legacy sunglasses are marketed for “Mountaineering, Hiking, High Glare, Fishing/Watersports, and Everyday Use”. I feel that they are a perfect versatile option for all of these uses and more. The REACTIV photochromatic lenses are great for a variety of settings and times of day. The removable side-shields are very easy to deal with and provide a ton of glare protection from snow and sun. Julbo also offers many types of non-polarized options so you can tailor your pair to what you need. 

Function/Performance

I cannot wait to put these to use during ski season. The Legacy sunglasses have far exceeded my expectations and perform well in so many circumstances. I did find one interesting factor with the REACTIV photochromatic feature. When the sky was changing often, or I was in and out of dark trees and sun, they sometimes had dark or light streaks in the lens that would take a few minutes to totally fade away. This didn’t really bother me personally, but it was odd the first few times I noticed. 

Durability/Construction/Weight

The Legacy frames feel very well-built and durable. I am a huge fan of their attention to detail, and the “shock absorbing” areas of the frames will come in handy come ski season, I’m sure! The combo of metal and plastic feels like a good call for weight and durability. 

Friendliness to the Earth

Under the “FAQs” section at the bottom of their homepage, Julbo has a short section on their sustainability practices. In short, they speak to their active research of sustainable materials in their production methods, packaging, and products. They have some cool facts about their bio-sourced production materials and methods. It is better than nothing, but I would love to see some links to take me to more details about their practices and methods. 

The Final Word

Julbo has been innovating and focusing on quality since 1888, and you can tell by the attention to detail and thought put into their products. I am a huge fan of my Legacy sunglasses and will continue to use them on most adventures. They are versatile, ready for anything, and the REACTIV photochromatic lenses remove the need to choose a “perfect” lens for the day.

The fit and comfort of the frames and removable side-shields could be an issue for some folks, but they offer many similar models that might work better for people with smaller face frames. I would love to try out more of their products and see how their innovation shows up in other areas!

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