Bollé Skyrun sunglasses review: light, stable, built to read the trail

Running in sunglasses looks good. But that's not all. Only people who have never laced up a pair of running shoes think it's about showing off. For a start, glasses act as a shield against all the unidentified flying objects that can mess with your vision while you run. Like a car windscreen, the lens takes the impact of countless gnats, mosquitoes and other debris, especially in the mountains or the green spaces you cross on a trail run.

But above all, and this is the primary job of any pair of sunglasses, they are meant to sharpen your view so you can run as smoothly as possible, dodging the obstacles littering the path and picking up the slightest change in relief. They are essential for reading the terrain, which changes constantly on the trail.

On the trail, light conditions change constantly, and that's precisely where Phantom technology shows its full potential. It adjusts its tint instantly to give you the best possible read of the terrain at all times.

You get the picture: wearing sunglasses when you run is neither a fashion statement nor a footnote. If they also improve your look and become part of your style, that's just a bonus.

The new Bollé Skyrun delivers on both fronts, practical and stylish.

A year after the launch of the Trailchaser, which was also celebrated in style in Chamonix during the UTMB, the French brand did it again last August to present the Skyrun. It's a sign that Bollé is stepping up its running game, after decades of proving itself with its ski goggles in particular.

© Bollé

© Fabian Bodet/bollé

The Skyrun is a lightweight, secure-fitting pair aimed at the most demanding trail runners. Its first strength is a very wide field of view that also covers a good part of the face. That lets you move safely and anticipate before the next stride.

Another asset is the Phantom lens fitted to the Skyrun. It's photochromic, meaning it adapts its tint very quickly to the ambient light, so you can read the terrain properly whatever the intensity. In practice, the lens lightens in shady forest and darkens in full sun.

© Bollé

© Bollé

The lens sits in a frame rated at 27 grams (the total weight was confirmed on our scale). On the run, you forget you have them on, and they stay perfectly in place, thanks to S-Fit temples with Thermogrip inserts and an adjustable nose piece.

Bollé adds all the right coatings: anti-scratch, anti-fog and oleophobic (it repels grease). There's an eco touch too, with a frame that is 45% bio-based, made from castor oil.

© Bollé