These are the quintessential Smith glasses. Smith advertises them heavily as fishing glasses though they have certainly found their way to places much further afield. I’ve taken them trekking and splitboarding in the Coast Mountains and Japan. Their fantastic optics mixed with a heavy base curve make them perfect for protecting your vision in high glare situations.
The Guide’s Choice XL is the quintessential Smith frame. While Smith markets them heavily toward the fishing community, these glasses have found their way much further afield. I’ve taken them trekking and splitboarding through the Coast Mountains and across Japan. Their combination of world-class optics and a deep base curve makes them ideal for protecting your vision in high-glare, high-consequence environments.
The Smith Guide’s Choice XL review
- Frame Material: Evolve™ bio-based frame
- Lens: ChromaPop Glass PolarChromic Yellow Blue Mirror
- Lens Material: Glass
- Frame Color: Matte Black
- Weight: 47 grams with leash
- Accessories: Hard Case, Soft Case, Leash
- Country of Origin: unknown
Why the Guide?
Life for the Guide’s Choice began on rivers, lakes, and oceans. They are heavily marketed toward fishing guides for good reason: they feature an 8-base curve, which is quite aggressive. This wrap-around fit sits so close to the face that they perform almost as well as dedicated glacier glasses at blocking stray UV rays—all while looking like a standard pair of sunglasses.
I suspected this design would fare well on sunny days on the snow, and I was right. Their deep curvature negates the need for side shields, as they hug the contours of the face to seal out light leak.
What is an Evolve bio-based frame?
The Smith Guide’s CHoice XL glasses are made with a bio-based frame material that Smith has dubbed Evolve. Evolve is made by using renewable, non-GMO plant-based material derived from castor oil.
The Guide’s Choice XL has a base curvature of 8. This is a very tight curve and ensures the glasses stay very close to the wearer’s face. This effectively blocks light leaks from above or below the glasses.
The arms are also chonky. Chonky enough that they act as glacier shields do on glacier glasses. The arms are lightly sprung which makes for a very comfortable fit. Unfortunately, it does mean the arms can flex outwards which removes a little of their gripping power to keep the glasses from sliding down the wearer’s nose.
The nose piece is made of Smith’s Megol. This is a specialized, hydrophilic rubber compound used specifically for its non-slip properties. When it comes into contact with moisture—like sweat or water—it actually increases its grip, ensuring your frames stay securely in place during your most intense activities. I don’t have a particularly sweaty nose so I cannot vouch nor deny this claim.
A True “Glass” Act
I don’t believe I’ve worn a pair of spectacles made with actual glass since 1994. When given the chance to test the Guide’s Choice XL with glass lenses, I jumped at it, though I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.
The clarity of these lenses is unlike anything I’ve tried. My vision honestly feels upgraded the moment I put them on. While some of that is likely the latest version of ChromaPop tech, I’m convinced the glass material plays a major role. After months of use, they show zero signs of wear or scratching.
ChromaPop Glass PolarChromic Yellow Blue Mirror
That lens name is a mouthful, but it’s a good one. The Guide’s Choice XL comes with a staggering 13 lens options. Some are highly specialized, like the ChromaPop Glass PolarChromic Yellow Blue Mirror I tested, while others, like the ChromaPop Glass Polarized Black, are better suited for general use.
Chromapop
According to Smith, ChromaPop™ is a proprietary technology that enhances natural color, boosts contrast, and improves clarity by filtering specific light wavelengths. By blocking “color-wave intersections” where blue/green and red/green light overlap, it eliminates color confusion, allowing the brain to perceive truer, more vibrant colors faster.
PolarChromic
This is a portmanteaux of polarized and Photochromic. Polarization blocks reflections off surfaces such as the water, snow, or glass. Photochromic lenses automatically change tint based on light conditions. On this specific lens, the Visible Light Transmission (VLT) ranges from 11% to 23%.
Yellow Blue Mirror:
The blue mirror looks like the Aegean Sea. Beyond the aesthetics, the blue mirror is functional: it reflects harsh glare from sea, snow, or sand, making it perfect for both fishing and high-altitude skiing.
However, I hadn’t accounted for how aggressive the yellow base tint would be. While yellow is beneficial for cutting glare and boosting contrast, it makes everything look like a “dusty sunset” when worn away from the snow or water. My eyes never quite adjusted to this tint in casual settings, essentially relegating these sunglasses to sunny alpine days only.
Overview
On sunny days on the snow, these compete with the best sunglasses on the market. With a low-end VLT of 11%, they would even fare well on a glacier. I’ve no doubt they do fantastically on sunny fishing boats as well.
When the clouds rolled in, the Guide’s Choice XL continued to perform. Despite the 23% VLT ceiling, I didn’t feel the need to take them off until the sky was truly overcast. The photochromic transition worked exceptionally well in both cold and warm temperatures. Notably, I never experienced the “dark line” effect sometimes seen on photochromic lenses where the sun hits the side of the lens more directly than the center.
The primary trade-off is the weight of the glass. With the leash attached, the Guide’s Choice XL weighs 47 grams which is 15 grams heavier than my next favorite pair of shades. That might not sound like much, but it’s enough to make the glasses slide down my nose during anything faster than a brisk walk. For me, the leash is a mandatory accessory.
I would be interested to know how heavy the non-glass lenses weigh. If they could shave even ten grams off the weight I’ve no doubt they would excel on speed pursuits.
Who are the Smith Guide’s Choice XL for?
The takeaway from my testing is to choose the version that matches your activity level. If you are in high-glare environments with casual movement (like a fishing boat or a steady skin track), go with the glass version—the clarity is unbelievable. If you need shades for more active pursuits where every gram counts, look toward the polycarbonate (plastic) lenses.
Either way, you will be stoked with the performance. I am now handing these off to a tester to take them back to where they were born: the water’s edge.
Looking to pick up a pair, head on over here: Smith Guide’s Choice XL
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BlackSheep was provided with a free sample of the Smith Guide’s Choice XL for this review. This in no way affected our editorial stance. This post also contains affiliate links; if you choose to purchase gear through these links, we may earn a small commission which supports our independent testing at no extra cost to you.
