Summer alpine glasses

[Todd G]

I use relatively simple glasses but as I’ve gone higher and earlier in the season I’ve contemplated upgrading to photochromic lenses since I’m always having to take mine off in the shadows of the forest, and put them on on the mountains. I’m pretty light sensitive and at a minimum am wondering about more wrap around glasses. I’ve used transition lenses in the past but they’re so slow it’s not very helpful. Any perspectives on lenses/frames for some exposure to snow, high altitudes, and entering and leaving shadowed areas a lot?

[Paul Wagner]

I use one pair of graduated lenses for everything–winter, summer, night and day.  And when I need sunglasses, I wear a pair of oversized polarized glasses (und3er $20 at Walmart) that completely cover my normal glasses. They are quite lightweight, and they cover far more than my normal glasses–so I get much better protection than most prescription sunglasses.

When not wearing them, they fit in my shirt pocket, or get one sideband slipped into the front of my shirt.

[Casey Bowden]

Hi Paul, would you mind posting a link if it’s not to much trouble?

[Paul Wagner]

Try this:  https://www.walmart.com/ip/1-x-Fit-Over-Polarized-Sunglasses-Cover-All-Lenses-Wear-Glasses/546564209

They are called “Solar Shield.”  They obviously keep the costs low by skimping on photos…grin

[SIMULACRA]

The same -my eyes are super light sensitive. Used to use the cheap knockoffs, and they do work to a degree. Wasn’t until I started more alpine routes encountering more snow and glaring sun that I switched to dedicated glacier eyewear. It’s amazing the eye stress you can get by wearing subpar glasses. Night and day differences when I switched. I use the Julbo Explorer with the Cameleon polarized photochromic lenses. They don’t do well in some forests due to transitioning. Too dark. Especially if you’ve transitioned from very bright to dark. These types of things were noted on their website at the time for me. I wear them with the supplied neck harness and then just drop them down when in darker areas. They perform very well in bright very exposed environments. Hence, their market for mountaineers and glacier travel. For being so light sensitive, they’re the perfect match for me.

[Author]

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