Julbo Quickshift MTB goggles review

Julbo’s Quickshift goggles are aimed at enduro racers. They use a system called SwitchAir that’s based around two 'drop-outs', which detach from the bottom of the goggle frame to boost ventilation.

These attach via magnets, and it’s quick and easy to take them in and out (but also potentially lose them).

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Julbo Quickshift details and specifications

The aim of the SwitchAir system is to prevent the goggles steaming-up during hard efforts and increase comfort due to there being less contact with your face. The cylindrical, impact-resistant polycarbonate double lenses also use an anti-fog treatment.

They feature a 40mm strap with a silicone strip to keep the goggles in place and come with a single-layer foam with a soft-touch lining for next-to-skin comfort.

At just 132g they are light yet feel reassuringly well built. This red/black colourway comes with an additional tinted lense.

Julbo Quickshift goggle performance

When riding with the drop-outs removed, the goggles felt just as comfortable as with them in place and I did notice the increased airflow.

The goggles weren’t as breezy as expected, though, so I still took them off for extended pedalling stints. However, the drop-outs certainly help keep the lens fog-free during hard efforts.

Installing the drop-outs is definitely not an on-the-go job. It’s far easier to stop to insert or remove them. Plus, there’s a lot less chance of poking yourself in the eye. Changing the lenses isn’t any more fiddly than other goggles, though.

One issue, however, is the potential to lose the drop-outs. While wearing the goggles they’re secure, but it doesn’t take much handling to knock them out of the frame when they’re not held against your face. And, when you’ve removed them, you need to store them somewhere.

They're a good set of goggles and the strap is thick and secure, holding the goggles in place without a slip. The soft-touch liner wasn't itchy or irritating either.

The frame is compatible with both open and full-face helmets, and lens clarity seemed decent. I didn’t notice any distortion in my vision, but after the first day of muddy riding, the lens had a few more faint scratch marks than I’d have liked

Julbo Quickshift goggles bottom line

With the drop-outs clipped-in, the Quickshifts functioned just like regular goggles. I can see these being useful for the enduro racer, or anyone using goggles on long, high-intensity, low-speed trails.

That said, they’re not cheap enough to be easy to justify the purchase just for those limited situations.

I’m happy to have these in my bag for when the time comes that I need them and I like the idea, which works well, but I’m just not sure how often I'd use them.