While hiking, biking, camping, fishing, and paddling at his home in Breckenridge, Colorado, Glade founder Curt Nichols realized that good, quality sunglasses truly made a difference in his activities. When he tried to replace a pair of sunglasses that he lost in the river (that’s a story for another time), he was blown away by the price tag for quality optics. And he would know: he built and grew his own ski goggle company from the ground up.

Using his knowledge of ski goggle optics and manufacturing, he realized that most high-end sunglasses shouldn’t actually cost as much as they do.

“My previous sunglasses got the job done, but I was always carefully packing them away and treating them as if they were precious jewelry. Designing a quality pair of glasses that could keep up with my lifestyle was a revelation. It allowed me to focus on what really mattered: having fun and challenging myself outdoors.”

Curt Nichols, Founder

Virtually every outdoor athlete agrees that the best sunglasses are those that you don’t have to think about. 

Sunglasses are a basic building block of any outdoor activity kit. Unlike cheaper sunglasses, a high quality pair of sunglasses will add contrast and reduce glare, allowing you to see, (and therefore perform) better.

Point is, it’s a piece of equipment worth investing in. The problem has been the astronomical price tag that comes with a pair of sunglasses that is suited to keep up with your lifestyle.