Editor’s Pick: Julbo ‘Fury’ Are My Favorite New Sunglasses for Endurance Sports

The Julbo Fury is a high-end sunglass for cycling and running. After a couple of months of testing, they’ve become my go-to eye protection for any brightness.

If you’ve ridden a long mountain bike trail and watched the sunset while still a few miles from the car, you know the problem. Once it’s dark, those sunglasses have to come off. And then your eyes are at risk of flying rocks and unseen tree branches.

One great solution is a photochromic lens. And while several brands do it well, a new model from Julbo, the Fury, applies the brand’s “Reactiv” photochromic lens in an excellent, all-around pair of endurance sport sunglasses.

In short: I’ve been rocking a test pair of Julbo Fury sunglasses through a lot of socially distant workouts this spring. And I’ve come to love their light weight, comfort, and quickly adapting photochromic lens.

Julbo Fury Sunglasses (With Reactiv Lens)

The Fury is a pricey investment for sunglasses — $230 for Reactiv lenses and $130 for non-photochromic lenses. But for those who can keep track of a pair of specs for a long time, I would say they’re worth the cost of admission.

I say this for a couple of reasons. First, having used Julbo products for a few years, I know they stand up to a lot of use and should have a long lifespan.

As long as you care for the lenses properly, I’m guessing a cyclist can get at least a couple of seasons out of a pair.

Second, and maybe more importantly, is that I put a really high value on my eyes. Having a pair of sunglasses I can wear in low light (or even in the dark) is critical for safety when cycling at dusk. It’s also not a bad idea for trail running, where lots of branches hang over trails.

And with the Reactiv lens, which has a light transmission rate of 75% to 17%, from bright sun to dusk, you should be able to pretty much never take them off.

Using these for both cycling and running, I’ve not yet noticed any fogging (even when wearing a facemask in this coronavirus era). This is largely due to exceptional venting, with a gap between the frame and the lens around the outside edges of the sunglasses.

Julbo Fury Review: Fit and Comfort

The Fury sunglasses are quite light at 38 g (1.3 ounces). The frame is hard plastic, but the touchpoints on the nose and temples are very soft, pliable material that the brand calls “Grip Tech.” I’d describe it as soft rubber that doesn’t catch on hair.

These are fairly large sunglasses, with a temple length of 115 mm. I’d tend to recommend this to those with medium-to-large faces. I wear a size large helmet most of the time, and these fit me perfectly.

In both running and cycling, I noticed no movement of these sunglasses. They’re comfortable enough that you pretty much forget you’re wearing them, which, to me, is the goal.

The only negative I’d share about the Julbo Fury is the super-technical appearance. I wouldn’t plan to wear these to a sidewalk cafe, for example, without expecting to look a little goofy. But they blend in beautifully with the angular tech of bike helmets, spandex, and even trail-running vests.

For those who don’t need Reactiv lenses and plan to only wear them in bright light, Julbo also makes the Fury with polycarbonate Spectron lenses. These are a lot less expensive, ringing up at $130.

Personally, I love the versatility of the Reactiv lens and will reach for these glasses any time my rides or runs may stretch from bright into low-light conditions.

Note on buying: Because the Julbo Fury comes in a non-photochromic version (Spectron), be sure to use the drop-down menu when choosing a lens color. There, you can select the Reactiv option.