Julbo Revolution Goggles

I've always been a cheap goggle kind of skier. I never really wanted to drop a pile of money on something that could get so easily damaged, or stolen, or left behind on a table in a lodge. Most of the goggles I've had seemed just fine, and frankly, I never really felt like I needed anything more than my bottom of the line amber-lensed cheapies.

That changed when Julbo sent us a pair of their Revolution goggles for review. These are really nice.

The Details:
I'll start with the lens on these. The Revolution uses Julbo's Zebra photochromic lens. What the hell does that mean? Let me break it down for you. Remember "Transition Lenses" for eyeglasses? Those glasses that turn into sunglasses when you go outside? Basically this is the same thing, but for goggles. When the lens is exposed to UV light, it darkens, and when you go back inside it gets light again. Here's Julbo's explanation of the lens technology: http://www.julbousa.com/lenses/zebra/

The lenses can adapt pretty quickly. While I didn't time it myself, Julbo claims it can go from "Category-2 (59-percent visible light) in low light conditions to Category-4 (95-percent visible light) in powerful light in as little as 22 seconds." The upshot is that you get a pretty quick transition from dark to light as the ambient light changes around you.

The frames are very flexible on these goggles, and I found they were really comfortable. In fact, the goggle frame and the lens are both very twisty and easy to bend, unlike any others I've ever used. The lens material (NXT) was originally designed for the US Army, and is very lightweight and durable. Bulletproof, even (or so Julbo's blog implies).

The straps are fully adjustable and comfortable for those non-helmet-wearing people like me. For those who do wear a brain bucket, or for those with gigantic heads, there's a handy extension for the strap, which clips into the back of your helmet and allows you to clip the goggles in on either side.

The Lens has an anti-fog treatment that really does seem to work well. I experienced no fogging with these, in a variety of conditions and temperatures. They also seem to be very well vented. At speed, I felt no wind blowing into my eyes, which has been a problem with other goggles. Yet at the same time, they were clearly venting properly (or else they'd fog right up).

Testing Conditions:
I've taken these goggles out in varying light and temperature situations -- everything from intense spring sunlight on a warm, bluebird day to thick grey fog. They really do perform well in all of these conditions. Temperature is supposed to have an effect on the responsiveness of the photochromic effect (colder should get dark faster), but I found that even on the warm Spring days, where it reached nearly 65 degrees, they were pretty responsive.

Pros:

• The optical quality of the lenses is very nice, without distortion
• The photochromic lenses adjust quickly to varying lighting conditions, in most cases (see cons, below).
• Contrast is good in flat light, and I never found myself squinting in very bright light.
• The frames are exceptionally comfortable on your face, and are really form-fitting.

Cons:

• In a couple of situations where I went from extremely bright light to a relatively dark situation, the lenses felt a bit too dark. They do adjust pretty quickly, and I never felt like it was dangerous or anything, but it took a little getting used to.
• They're a tad expensive, but compared to other goggles I've tried on in stores in the same price range, the comfort alone is almost enough to eliminate my concerns about cost.

The Bottom Line:
I think I've found my new favorite goggles. I'm pretty much sold on photochromic lens tech for ski goggles after wearing these for a few weeks.