The quality of sports sunglasses you wear plays a direct role in your overall experience. Whether out skiing for the day, basking in the sun while on holidays or hiking lush forests during a long weekend, having optimal sun protection is essential.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult determining whether the sports sunglasses you’re wearing provide you with enough protection. Julbo Canada is here to help you find a suitable pair of sports sunglasses that are just as safe as they are stylish.
The Things Your Sports Sunglasses Should Protect You From
It’s a common misconception that sports sunglasses are to protect your eyes from the harmful UV rays. This is certainly a significant benefit since ultraviolet light is highly damaging to the eye. However, there are many other elements sunglasses protect you from, such as pollution, sun damage on the skin surrounding your eyes; dirt, dust, and debris from the outdoors - and that’s just to name a few.
Additionally, a good pair of sports sunglasses will be designed to protect your eyes from visible light as it too poses many potential dangers, such as glare, interference, fatigue, and reduction in vision. This can easily be taken care of with a great sunglass frame that provides wider, fuller protection that expands beyond your eyes.
However, not all forms of light are as intense as UV light. To protect your eyes from UV rays and visible light, photochromic lenses that adapt to the lighting situation surrounding you is imperative.
Elements of a Good Pair of Sports Sunglasses
Various features make up a good pair of sports sunglasses that protect you from a wide range of potential threats, damage or temporary sight reduction.
The Lens Tint Categories Explained
Sunglass lenses come in four categories (five if you include clear lenses) that describe the quantity of light that passes through. Take a look at the amount of light each lens allows:
- Category 0: 80-100% of light passes through the lens
- Category 1: 43-80% of the light passes through the lens
- Category 2: 18-43% of the light passes through the lens
- Category 3: 8-18% of light passes through the lens
- Category 4: 3-8% of light passes through the lens
Break this down and the lower the category level, the more light that passes through and the lighter the lens tint.
Different Sunglass Lens Materials
Many different materials can be used to make up a pair of sunglasses. Whether or not they’re quality materials can be difficult to determine. When it comes to sports sunglasses, you need a material that provides physical protection against external elements (as mentioned previously), as well as good vision. Add in the type of activity you’re doing while wearing your sports sunglasses, and you may need a pair that offers good resistance to different forms of impact, without taking away from the lightweight and comfortable feel you desire.
Julbo uses polycarbonate for sunlenses and NXT for technical sun lenses that adapt to the light situation.
Polycarbonate Lenses: Lightweight, impact-resistant
NXT Lenses: higher crispness, photochromic
Deciding on a Photochromic Treatment
With the prior mentioned, you’re likely wondering whether your sports sunglasses need photochromic treatment. This is a treatment used to provide filtration that varies depending on the intensity of the light surrounding you. In other words, your lenses will automatically become darker or lighter depending on the darkness or brightness of the environment.
These types of lenses for sports sunglasses are not only convenient, but they are exceptionally versatile, providing you with a wider range of use. Being able to have the ideal amount of protection also ensures optimal protection.
Deciding on a Polarizing Treatment
Chances are, you’ve likely heard of polarized sports sunglasses as well because there are hugely popular. This treatment does not allow your lenses to adjust to the environment around you like the prior automatically. Instead, polarized sports sunglasses involve a treatment of the lens that eliminates glare by forbidding rays of light that reflect off of flat surfaces, such as water, snow, puddles on the road, etc.
Additionally, polarized sunglasses intensify color and improves contrast and relief, allowing you to see all the beauty surrounding you comfortably.
Deciding on Other Lens Treatments
In addition to photochromic lenses and polarized lenses, there are many other lens treatments you can choose, such as:
- Anti-reflective: prevents glare caused by reflections
- Anti-fog: prevents fogging and condensation
- Oil-repellent: encourages liquids to run off the lens (fingermarks, grease, creams, etc.)
- Water-repellent: encourages liquids to run off the lens
- Mirror: increases the filtration rate which makes the eyes less visible (more aesthetic than anything else)
What Lens Colours are Best for Sports Sunglasses
As you may have noticed, sports sunglasses come in a wide range of different colours. Yes, the tone does give each pair a unique look, but the lens colour also determines how light is filtered.
Yellow/Brown Lenses: accentuate and highlight relief (ideal for outdoor sports)
Grey Lenses: genuine colour reproduction (ideal for watersports and everyday use)
Red / Purple Lenses: accentuates red contrast
Blue Lenses: accentuates blue contrast
Green Lenses: accentuates green contrast (ideal for golf or other sports on grass)
Pink/Copper Lenses: accentuates contract and increases viewing comfort (ideal for traveling and driving)
Whether you’re exploring at the top of a 9,000 m peak where the sunlight is near blinding or are strutting down the sunny sidewalks, Julbo sports sunglasses have the right lens that adapts to each situation. Shop today and harness the benefits of optimal protection from our premium line of sports sunglasses.
