There’s no sun like glacier sun. The sky is crisp, the wind sharp, and everything around you—ice, snow, granite—throws light in every direction. When you’re moving for hours at altitude, it doesn’t just hit from above. It radiates from below. Reflects off the skin. Soaks in through the seams. And eventually, it leaves a mark.
Most of us grew up thinking sunscreen was the fix. And for a while, it worked—until it didn’t. Chemical sunscreens break down under intense UV exposure, especially with sweat and time. Even the cleaner versions—zinc oxide or titanium dioxide—start to wear off after a few hours of skin friction, moisture, and movement. Reapplying at 3,000+ meters in glacier wind is inconvenient. We found ourselves skipping it. And we paid for it—with sunburns, chapped lips, and damaged skin that took weeks to recover.
Over time, we started looking into the science more closely. Many chemical sunscreens contain ingredients linked to skin irritation or hormone disruption. Some have even been banned in certain countries due to environmental impact or safety concerns. And beyond the question of what’s absorbed into the skin, there’s this: all sunscreen eventually stops working. That’s just not good enough when you're relying on it, day after day, in the harshest environment your skin will ever meet.
So we turned to physical protection—not as a backup plan, but as a staple. Clothing, barriers, shade. Things that don’t fade, wash off, or need reapplication. The evidence backs it up: physical forms of sun protection block UV rays better, last longer, and carry none of the health or hormonal concerns linked to chemical filters. For people who spend long days on snow, at altitude, in high-albedo environments like glaciers, it’s the only option that truly holds up.
But the problem? Most physical barriers aren’t built for endurance. We’ve tried everything—from neck gaiters to veils to makeshift bandanas. And every time, something didn’t work. Fabric clings to your face when you sweat. Moisture from breath builds up inside. Anything too close to the skin gets hot and wet. Coverage is inconsistent—especially under the nose, ears, and jawline, where reflected light does serious damage. And most setups aren’t built to fit under a helmet, or stay in place in alpine wind.
So we’re building our own. Not just a product—but a system that works in harsh conditions. Right now, we’re in the design and testing phase. We’re experimenting with fabrics that balance breathability and UV-blocking performance, with shapes that create space between the face and the shield, and with structures that stay stable under a helmet or in a gust. It needs to cover from above and below—without overheating or shifting. And it has to feel good enough to wear all day without thinking about it.
What started as a fix for sunburns has grown into something more essential. When you spend enough time on snow, the damage adds up—sun spots, aging, deeper UV exposure. It’s not just about comfort. It’s about long-term health.
The best protection isn’t something you reapply. It’s something you wear and forget is there. Because when the gear disappears, the focus returns—to the climb, the cold, and the good kind of tired.
