Bolle Ascender Sunglasses – Phantom Black Gun Photochromic Lens

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Elegant yet adventure-ready, the Bollé Ascender offers adaptable, reliable eye protection in any light condition.

Bollé says: 

Elegant and refined, the ASCENDER is a mix between performance and fashion style. With its flat panto shape and removable side shield, this base 6 model is as comfortable on the summit as it is in the city. Comfort, fit, and stability are ensured thanks to the Thermogrip rubber on temple tips and on its adjustable 3-position nose piece. Removable side shields guarantee maximum light protection. The ASCENDER leaves nothing to chance with its snap hinge, a hole for a cord included with the frame and its rubber front clip.

Available with Phantom, the best photochromic lens in the market and Solace4, Bollé’s new mineral lens for the mountains.

What is Phantom? Phantom is Bollé’s first photochromic lens with phenomenal optical clarity. It adapts to any light condition, ensuring precise visual acuity whatever the weather. The lens tint changes with the light from cat.1 to cat.3. Enhanced vision whatever the conditions. Phantom+ combines all of our 3 technologies adding a 4th additional element: polarization. Polarized lenses are largely recognized today for their benefits in terms of blocking parasitic light reflections. So it felt right to add them to our already unbeatable lens technology to improve its level by yet another step. Equipped with Phantom+ lenses, you will be ready to take on any adventure.

Our Verdict

The Bollé Ascender Sunglasses blend high-performance features with an elegant design, making them as suitable for city outings as for alpine adventures. Equipped with Phantom Black Gun photochromic lenses, these sunglasses adapt from Category 1 to 3 based on light levels, ensuring sharp vision in dim or bright conditions. The lenses provide 100% UV protection and filter up to 95% of visible light, making them a solid choice for varied outdoor environments.

These frames use Bollé’s Thermogrip® technology, with temple and nosepiece grips that increase stability, even with sweat or moisture. The adjustable nose piece offers three positions for a custom fit, while removable side shields provide additional glare protection, especially handy in exposed mountain settings. At just 35 grams, the eco-conscious frames—made from 45% bio-based nylon—are lightweight yet durable, offering lasting comfort on extended hikes.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Thermogrip® Technology: Our Thermogrip® thermoplastic rubber is specifically engineered to get grippier when in contact with water and sweat. Inserted at strategic touch points of our frames such as the temples or the nosepiece, it ensures a perfect fit no matter the intensity of your activity.
• Eco Design: At Bollé, we don’t claim we are going to save the planet, but we do strive to reduce our impact. From SS23 onwards, all our new models are eco-designed with more than 20% recycled or bio-based materials (percentage in weight). For instance, we use renewable castor oil for our frames and our Thermogrip® rubber. Our Volt and SLF photochromic lenses are made from 60% bio-based PC, an our SLF+ lenses are 60% recycled. 
• Removable Sideshields: For high-altitude adventures, our mountain frames come with side-shields for the ultimate solar protection.

Specifications

• Weight: 35g
• Fit: Medium
• Lens name: Phantom Black Gun Photochromic
• Lens category: Cat. 2 to 4
• Base tint: Brown
• % Visible light trans: 20-6%
• Our Mountain Phantom photochromic lenses provides 100% UV protection and filters up to 95% of the visible light to ensure your eyes stay safe up there.

Material & Construction

• 45% Bio-Based Nylon

Help & advice:

• Choosing Sunglasses
• Choosing Sunglasses – UV, LVT and Lens Categories explained