Julbo Reissues Their Timeless Vermont Classic
The French company brings back their classic mountaineering glasses
French eyewear company Julbo began making protective glasses for the crystal-hunters of Chamonix back in 1888 and in 1950 released classic mountaineering glasses, The Vermont. The latter were worn by mountaineers and rockstars at the beginning of climbing’s golden years—with iconic climbers from that era almost always wearing Julbo in summit photos. Since the Vermont, Julbo continued updating their designs and tech for modern-day mountain athletes, but understanding the significance of The Vermont, the company decided to reissue the design in two colorways.
“Two new options: browns and red/blue were issued in the past. Bringing them back is a testament to the longevity and love of the brand style” says Dave Crothers of Julbo. “The Vermont Classic is a staple in our sunglasses line and it signifies our rooted history in the mountains, it is one of our oldest frames. Some of our customers have had the frame for over 40 years, and the fact that it’s still in the sunglasses line after all these years just shows that it has withstood the test of time. It’s truly a historic and functional piece that won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.”
The process to make the Vermont hasn’t changed much. “They are simple materials really,” Crothers continues, “Metal wire. Glass. Leather. The biggest difference is the shade of the eyewear has been lightened a touch so it can be used in everyday application as compared to the high altitude mountaineering options.” That glass is still extremely protective and is made from ultralight polycarbonate with a Spectron 3CF rating, so when Crothers says “everyday” he means every day, even in extreme conditions.
The Vermont Classics are available online now for $150.
Images courtesy of Julbo
