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Glasses
Julbo Fury Reactiv photochromic glasses Julbo Fury Reactiv photochromic glasses Julbo Fury Reactiv photochromic glasses Julbo Fury Reactiv photochromic glasses Julbo Fury Reactiv photochromic glasses
2020 Julbo Fury Reactiv photocromic glasses

Julbo Fury Reactiv photochromic glasses

7
by dave atkinson
Sat, May 23, 2020 09:45
0
£155.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Comfortable photochromics that react quickly – good for almost any riding conditions
Comfortable
Lens clarity
Photochromic range
Price
Soft case doesn't offer much protection
Weight: 
25g
Contact: 
lyon.co.uk
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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What a difference a lens makes, eh? A couple of months back I tested the Julbo Fury sunglasses and the lens really let them down. But Julbo's Reactiv photochromic lens is excellent, making these glasses ideal for changeable conditions. Or any conditions, pretty much.

At 25g these glasses are very light and they sit easily on the head; the arms grip well even when you're sweaty, and the nosepiece, though it's not adjustable, fitted me very well.

> Buy these online here

The lens is big, and covers a wide field of view. There's a gap between the frame and the lens at the edges to get a bit more airflow; I found these photochromic lenses fogged less than the standard lens, although that might be down to conditions rather than the lens itself. The shape fills the space to the base of the helmet pretty well and wraps around the face effectively, giving you good protection from wind and rain.

2020 Julbo Fury Reactiv photocromic glasses - frame detail.jpg

The clarity of the Reactiv lens is excellent, and its hydrophobic coating is pretty good at shrugging off the rain. It has a pretty neutral colour cast, and a 17%-75% transmission depending on the conditions. That's a big enough range for it to be clear enough for riding at night, and dark enough for bright sunshine, and everything in between.

2020 Julbo Fury Reactiv photocromic glasses - lens changing.jpg

They're reasonably quick to adapt, going from fully light to fully dark in about 20 seconds if you take them out into the sun. So they won't be adjusting from light to shade if you're flitting in and out of tree cover, but they cope well with whatever the prevailing conditions are, and I never found myself thinking they were too light or too dark when out riding. If you're heading from bright sunlight into a dingy café you might need to take them off, but then you probably would anyway.

2020 Julbo Fury Reactiv photocromic glasses - dark lens.jpg

There's no doubt that these are fairly pricey, with the Reactiv lens pretty much doubling the price from the standard one. You can get photochromics a lot cheaper – Decathlon's RockRider XC Race Photochromatic sunglasses are under £50 – but plenty of photochromic options from the likes of Oakley and Rudy Project will set you back more.

> Buyer’s Guide: 26 of the best cycling sunglasses

Anyway, I didn't like the standard lens at all, and I very much do like this one. It's everything you'd want a photochromic lens to be: quick to adapt and slow to fog up, with excellent optical clarity. If you're looking for a set of glasses you could wear on pretty much any road ride without having to root around and change lenses, these are they. It's a pity they don't come with a hard case so they're better protected on your travels; the soft case supplied is nice enough but won't offer much protection in a packed kit bag.

Verdict

Comfortable photochromics that react quickly – good for almost any riding conditions

road.cc test report

Make and model: Julbo Fury Reactiv photochromic glasses

Size tested: Lens depth 53

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Julbo says, "With a striking and radical style, wide cylindrical lens and perfect venting, FURY is made for speed! Lightweight and designed to fit under any helmet, it offers top quality grip. Sharp lines go perfectly with the latest trends in cycling and heighten the tech credentials and performance of these frames. Available with our Spectron polycarbonate lenses for perfect clarity of vision and protection."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Julbo:

Lens depth : 53

Distance : 15

Temple length : 115

Base : 5

Hinges : Non

Lens size : 0

Age : Adult

Masse nette en g : 38 g

TECHNICAL FEATURES

Nose Grip : Flexible, shock-absorbing grip insert on the bridge.

Air Link Temple system : This elastomer shock absorber insert fitted at the end of the temple makes the glasses lighter and more comfortable

Full Venting : Highly vented sunglasses structure allowing full circulation of air to prevent fogging.

Grip Tech : Exclusive soft-comfort material on the temples that doesn't stick to hair, giving perfect grip and comfort

Panoramic view : Wide lens surface for maximum field of vision.

Total Cover : Maximum protection from sunlight in extreme conditions.

CLEAR VISION WHATEVER THE CONDITIONS

Photochromic lenses (cat. 1 to 3 - visible light transmission rate: 17% - 75%), they get darker or lighter to match changing light conditions and therefore adapt to any time of day and to the terrain. Internal anti-fog coating and external oil-repellent coating (prevents marking, makes cleaning easier and facilitates water runoff). Ideal for trail running and mountain biking.

NTS (Non Temperature Sensitive) technology: the lens gets darker or lighter regardless of the temperature.

Color : Yellow

Sun protection : Photochromic

VLT (visibility light transmission) : 17% - 75%

Material : NXT

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Good quality specs, well finished, nice hinges.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Really good clarity, lens changes effectively, usable in pretty much any conditions.

Rate the product for durability:
 
6/10

Marking them down a bit here for the lack of a hard case.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
9/10

25g isn't going to slow you down much.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
8/10

Try before you buy if you can as they're not adjustable, but fitted me really well.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

£155 ain't cheap; they're okay value for money, photochromics come more expensive and also quite a lot cheaper.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well: I liked them a lot.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfy, good lens clarity.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Expensive, soft case a bit stingy for the money.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Oakleys with a photochromic lens are around £200 RRP, the Rudy Project Impact X glasses we tested were nearly that too. On the other side of the coin, Decathlon's Rockrider specs are under £50.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

They're an 8 on performance, but the overall price and the lack of a hard case marks them down a touch. Still good, though.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 47  Height: 189cm  Weight: 94kg

I usually ride: whatever I'm testing...  My best bike is: Kinesis Tripster ATR, Merida Scultura, Dward Design fixed

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track

Julbo Fury Reactiv photochromic glasses 2020
Julbo Fury Reactiv photochromic glasses
Julbo 2020
Julbo
Dave Atkinson

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

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