Article by Jeff Valliere
Dynafit Ultra Pro Sunglasses ($220)
31 grams
Photochromic Lens - 15-75% VLT (visible light transmission range)
Introduction:
Made in Italy, the Ultra Pro Sunglasses are large and protective,yet very lightweight for their size . They feature an adaptive photochromic lens to accommodate for changing light conditions. With max coverage, good ventilation, a comfortable secure fit, unobstructed field of vision, the Ultra Pro is an ideal pick for mountain adventures be they running, biking, ski touring, or mountaineering, all sports Dynafit supplies other top notch gear for.
Features:
The Ultra Pro is packed with features, from the high quality build, to the vented lens, no slip nose pad, secure fit, photochromic tint and unobstructed field of vision.
The fact that they are hand made in Italy is an obvious advantage given the obvious quality and how well thought out the Ultra Pro is.
The Photochromic lens spans a wide range of light conditions, transforming from 75% VLT (visible light transmission) for low light conditions as shown above and once exposed to sunshine, darkening to 15% VLT for bright conditions.
I have used a variety of photochromic lenses in the past from Julbo and other brands (as well as my daily prescription glasses) and have experienced varied results. Very few lenses that I have used actually adapt to changing light conditions, especially if it is cold out and most of them go dark when exposed to light and stay that way for the duration of my activity even if the light changes significantly. The Ultra Pro are like the majority of photochromic glasses, as they pretty much go dark and stay that way, so I would say that the Ultra Pro is better suited for an early morning start than they would be for a sunset run.
The tint of the lens however and 15% VLT seems to work well for me in most conditions during the day, from bright sunny conditions and snow reflection, to intermittent light intensity in the woods, cloudy to partly cloudy days. The lens tint and hue are great and bring out trail definition well.
While these are large glasses, they are lightweight feeling and secure, with great fit even for my small face. To aid in ventilation, they have slits in the lens at the top and bottom to allow for extra air flow.
I am not sure how much of a difference this actually makes, but I think it helps a little. On most days, even hard uphills, it is rare that I will get any fogging, but if I do, I just pull them out from my face by a mm or two and that seems to solve the issue and they defog quickly.
Performance/Conclusions/Recommendations:
I find the overall performance of the Ultra Pro to be amazing! I appreciate the lightweight feel (for the size and coverage), the unobstructed wide field of vision, lens quality, and the hue/tint.
While so far the glasses go dark and stay dark, I mostly run in the mornings, so it is nice to have eye coverage at 75% VLT before the sun comes up and then be protected from the sun once it does rise.
I have not run in temps warmer than the 60s F so far running mostly in temps below 40, so perhaps like some photochromic lenses, they will go back to a lighter tint in a reasonable time once the weather warms (and I will update here as I use them more in warmer temps). $220 is not inexpensive, but the price is very much in line with similar photochromic glasses. With all that the Ultra Pro offers and the hand made in Italy high quality, I highly recommend them for a wide range of mountain sports.
Tester Profile
Jeff Valliere loves to run and explore the mountains of Colorado, the steeper and more technical the better. He has summited all of the 14ers in the state and can be found on mountain trails daily, no matter the weather, season, conditions or whether there is daylight or not. On the side he loves to ski (all forms) bike and hike, often with his family, as he introduces his 12 year old daughters to the outdoors. Jeff was born and raised in New Hampshire, but has called Colorado home for over 25 years. He is 5’9” and 145 lbs.
The Ultra Pro Sunglasses are available at Dynafit and at our partner
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Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.
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