ProView – Julbo Razor Edge Goggles Review

They say if you don’t like the weather in Colorado, wait five minutes (do they say that everywhere?). But as the weather turns I wonder … do I have the right goggle lenses to be able to safely and confidently perform my ski patrol duties? Enter the Julbo Razor Edge goggles with Reactiv Photochromic lenses – I’ll never have to think twice about having the right lens, because these crystal clear lenses automatically adjust to the light for me. 

As a ski patroller, I don’t have the luxury of choosing when I am on the mountain based on the weather – we go out in all conditions. Some days, we are on the chair lift as the sun is rising and sweeping the mountain as the sun is setting, and the clear skies may turn into storms rapidly. In the past, changing light required me to swap goggle lenses or even swap goggles all together, which meant I had to lug around extra goggles and lenses. Constantly changing lenses is cumbersome and risks getting your lenses dirty or scratched. Since I started wearing the Julbo Razor Edge goggles there have been bluebird sunny days, dumping stormy days, and flat-light overcast days. With the Reactiv photochromic lenses, I haven’t had to worry about throwing extra goggles or lenses in my pack. These goggles adjust so well that I barely even notice that they transition and can count on crystal clear vision in nearly all situations. 

Function/Performance

For function and performance, let’s focus on what sets these goggles apart: the Reactiv photochromic lenses. The Reactiv lens is designed to adapt to the amount of light in the environment by getting lighter or darker so that your goggles are always the perfect shade. The goggles I tested were the Reactiv Glare Control lens with a range of 45% to 10% VLT (visible light transition). VLT is the amount of light that passes through the material to your eyes, so lower VLT is ideal for brighter conditions and higher VLT is ideal for low-light conditions. Julbo makes a handful of different Reactiv lenses, and these are the third widest VLT range offered (I would love to test out the widest 80% to 7% version Julbo makes). The 45-10% adaptability range covered nearly all conditions from dawn to dusk, other than the strongest sun days and night time. In my opinion, that is the perfect goggle range since I usually wear dark sunglasses on the sunniest days and clear lenses in pitch black anyway. The transition happens quickly and smoothly, so I never really noticed the change. I tested the Razor Edge in temps down to -10 degrees Fahrenheit and did not notice a change of photochromic function. 

The feature that I liked second most about the Razor Edge goggles is the wide rimless view. Oversized rimless goggles are not unique to Julbo, but the clarity of the lens combined with the large field of view makes it seem like nothing is in front of your eyes. This means that I could go about my work without anything obstructing my peripheral vision. 

Fit/Comfort 

The dual-density foam around the rim of the Razor Edge is comfortable and breathable, and the adjustable extra wide strap makes getting a snug fit straight forward. The breathability of the fitting foam is good and on par with other goggles in this price range and the anti-fog coating works well for moderate activity. However, I did sweat in them while doing early season avalanche mitigation and they fogged up as expected. For high output, I would be interested to try the Julbo Lightyear goggle which has a lens that can securely pop off the frame for maximum ventilation. The size of the goggles felt just right for me – not too oversized, but if you have a very small head/face, the oversize style may be too big for you. The top of the Razor Edge fits well with the brim of other brand’s helmets.

Look/Style

The Razor edge comes in nine different options that vary in strap design and lens. When choosing your goggles, make sure to not only pick the ones that look the best, but also consider when and where you will be using them and pick the lens that will work best. Julbo has multiple comparison charts that help you make that decision. Regardless, all of the Razor Edge offerings look very sleek on the wearer thanks to the simple frameless design. 

Features

The Razor Edge came with a semi-hard case that cushions the lens on one side and is microfiber cloth on the other side so the lens is protected but the bag fits in a pack easier than a hard case. 

What sets this product apart?

The huge adjustment range and amazing clarity of the Reactiv photochromic lens are what set these goggles apart from other brands.

Who is this product for?

This product is for people who want to spend more time doing what they love in the mountains and less time worrying about or fiddling with multiple pairs of lenses. 

Friendliness to the Earth

I gave the Razor Edge a 2 out of 5 for friendliness to the Earth simply because I could not find anything on the web page about sustainability. After a search of the Julbo website and blog for environmental buzzwords, I still could not find anything. 

The Final Word

After several weeks of wearing the Razor Edge goggles, I have been converted to Julbo’s Reactiv photochromic lenses – I don’t think I will ever want to go back to goggles with multiple lenses. 

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