Earlier this yr I wrote about how onerous it’s to seek out good prescription biking glasses. Particularly, I wanted for an organization that designs efficiency glasses for prescription lenses from the bottom up. Whereas I’ve but to come across this precise state of affairs, I’ve since made an effort to hunt out high-quality prescription glasses to check out.
Considered one of these is the French firm Julbo, headquartered within the Jura area close to the Swiss border, which has developed a proprietary prescription system that makes use of a “baked-in prescription insert that’s cohesive with the lens.” The corporate is greatest recognized for its climbing and mountaineering merchandise, but additionally has a full vary of biking glasses and sponsors the Groupama-FDJ WorldTour workforce in addition to a number of World Cup XC athletes.
To start the ordering course of right here in North America, I bought in contact with Julbo’s U.S. headquarters in Vermont, the place the customer support workforce requested me for my most up-to-date prescription and MPD (monocular pupillary distance) values for each eyes. They have been capable of then decide which fashions my prescription was suitable with: initially, I used to be within the Ultimates, however they have been dominated out because of the energy of my prescription, so I as an alternative opted for the Fury mannequin. Julbo doesn’t record prescription limitations on its web site, so that you’ll want to talk with somebody to establish what’s going to give you the results you want.
As soon as we sorted by way of this, the Julbo workforce submitted the order to the lab in France, the place the lenses have been made particularly for my eyes. The finished glasses have been then despatched to Vermont for a checkover, earlier than arriving at my doorstep. This complete course of took roughly three and a half weeks, and in response to Buyer Service Supervisor Molly Carolan at Julbo, the vast majority of that point was spent shifting by way of US customs. Julbo quotes a 3-6 week turnaround for many Rx orders.
On the street
(Picture credit score: Tyler Boucher)
I used to be enthusiastic about testing out these glasses. Despite the fact that I get the chance to check high-end bikes and kit incessantly, there’s one thing about sun shades that feels completely different. They modify the way in which you look and the way in which you’re feeling. Good ones disappear in your face comfortably, whereas ill-fitting ones appear to make all the things else worse. My final pair of prescription sun shades, which I wore till just lately, are from 2014. It was clearly time for an replace.
Out of the field, the Julbo Fury glasses are slick. I opted for the considerably flashy Gentle Inexperienced/Pink color, which Julbo paired with Spectron 3 Gold/Pink lenses, as I requested one thing appropriate for low-light circumstances. Julbo additionally gives a light-changing photochromic lens that it calls Reactiv, in a number of color variations, that’s obtainable on some fashions, however not the Fury.
Even with my (considerably thick) prescription lenses, the Furys are impressively gentle at 34 grams. This goes a good distance in direction of making them sit comfortably and unobtrusively in your face. The prescription a part of the lens is just discernible from the skin as a skinny overlayer within the shield-style lens, as the majority of it sits behind the lens on the within. These inserts cowl a big a part of the general lens, making for a pleasant clear visible expertise.
(Picture credit score: Tyler Boucher)
The optics are unimaginable: Bar not one of the greatest I’ve ever skilled. Additionally, that is the primary time I’ve ever worn shield-style glasses with a single, ski-goggle-type lens, and I’m a fan. The visual field is evident and broad, and the flat profile of the lens helps maintain distortion to a minimal. The massive lens additionally does an excellent job defending your eyes from wind and street detritus.
Air flow is strong—each ends of the lens defend sit away from the frames to permit moisture out. There isn’t any venting within the center, nonetheless. Because the lenses are made with the prescription inset, lens swapping for differing circumstances isn’t an choice (except you have been to buy a number of prescription lenses). As such, selecting a body that’s suitable with Julbo’s photochromic lenses can be prudent (I didn’t do that).
My solely qualm with these glasses is the dearth of adjustability. Julbo classifies the Fury as medium-width, which works nicely with my face form and the arms are designed to be quick in order to not intrude with helmet straps. The frames sit near the face, which helps maintain them from shifting round, however the nostril piece is only a rubber pad constructed into the frames, not two separate items that may be tweaked to suit your anatomy. For very bumpy driving, i.e. gravel and cyclocross, this added safety and adjustability can be useful. Due to this design component, these frames won’t match as many individuals as they might. Different fashions supplied by the corporate appear to have extra adjustability inbuilt.
Worth and conclusion
(Picture credit score: Tyler Boucher)
In case your eyes are something like mine, it’s not potential to experience a motorbike with out assistance from glasses. OK, I suppose technically, it’s potential, however the experience can be shorter than the following journey to the hospital. So, for me, good prescription driving glasses are a justifiable value.
For non-prescription lenses, these identical glasses can be found from $139 USD ($229 with photochromic lenses). This prescription model is considerably dearer at $425. That’s some huge cash, however contemplating that every lens is made to order in France, particularly for every individual’s eyes, it’s comprehensible. This value may be offset considerably with some medical health insurance plans, relying on the place you reside. And with the ability to see turns out to be useful, regardless of the fee.
