The Julbo Ultimate is a wraparound sport sunglass with a single panoramic Trivex lens, available with Julbo's REACTIV photochromic lenses. Engearment wore the REACTIV 1-3 high contrast version Nordic skiing and mountain biking and made it its new go-to for changing light: the lens adapts very rapidly across a 13% to 72% light transmission range, and the moldable CustomFIT temples and shapeable 3D nose pads give a snug fit it barely felt. It is the most expensive pair on this page.
Full review
Engearment's new go-to for changing light
Engearment's Paul Gallaher wore the Ultimate with REACTIV 1-3 high contrast photochromic lenses Nordic skiing on bright bluebird days and mountain biking through forest on cloudy late afternoons, and calls it his new preference for outdoor activity in changing light. His conclusion: Julbo knocks it out of the park with these light, great-fitting sunglasses.
Lens
The single wraparound lens is about as panoramic as lenses get, in Engearment's words, and blocks bright sunlight and glare across any normal range of view, though the wearer can still sense its outside and bottom edges peripherally. It is made of Trivex, which Engearment says offers better clarity and less distortion than polycarbonate. The REACTIV lens it tested adapted very rapidly to changing light, varying light transmission between 13% and 72%.
Fit
The CustomFIT temples are pliable, so they can be shaped around the head and hold that shape, and their soft material kept Engearment free of hot spots and headaches over hours of exercise. The glasses fit snugly enough that it did not worry about them falling off while mountain biking, skiing or running, and the temples spring to fully folded or fully open so they are easier to put on one-handed. The soft 3D nose pads can be shaped to fit, with venting built in around the nose piece.
Price and lens choices
Julbo's US store lists the Ultimate at $254.95 with four REACTIV lens options, including the 1-3 High Contrast lens Engearment tested. Julbo describes the model as designed for running and cycling.
Strengths
- +REACTIV photochromic lens adapts very rapidly to changing light, per Engearment
- +Wide light transmission range, 13% to 72%, per Engearment
- +Pliable CustomFIT temples hold the shape they are molded to, and Engearment got no hot spots or headaches over hours of exercise
- +Soft, shapeable 3D nose pads with venting around the nose piece
- +Panoramic wraparound lens blocks direct sun and glare across a normal range of view, per Engearment
Watch-outs
- −Engearment could sense the outside and bottom edges of the lens in its peripheral vision
How it compares
The only photochromic lens on this page: the Goodr OG uses a fixed polarized lens. At $254.95 on Julbo's US store it costs more than the Ombraz Refugio ($195) and the SunGod Ultras Air ($205), and about ten times the $24 Goodr OG.
Rating sources
“The new Julbo Ultimate Sunglasses with REACTIV 1-3 high contrast photochromic lenses is my new preference when doing outdoor activity, especially in changing light conditions.”
Our 4.5 score is the average of the 1 scored review above; 2 more reviewed it without printing a score and are not in the average. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
