January 19, 2010

Ski and Snowboarding Goggles: Buying Guide

Posted in Beginner's Guide, Questions, Snowboarding Gear by Rami | Tags: Anon, Bolle, Guide, Oakley, Smith Optics, Snow goggles, Spy Optic

Ask and ye shall receive. Or something along those lines. I’ve gotten quite a few emails asking about ski and snowboarding goggles (say goggles 50 times…), what to get, what to look for, etc… So I put together this handy buying guide to help you find a good pair of snow goggles.

Generally speaking, your choice of goggles is pretty straight forward. Regardless of your riding style, how low hanging your snow pants are, or how funky your head gear is, goggles are goggles. Things to watch out for in snow goggles are:

Fit
Frame Features
Lens Features
Lens Colors Explained
Tips
Recommended Brands

Fit

Just like snowboarding boots, fit is very important. In fact, so important, brands have created ‘racial’ fit types for e.g. the ‘Asian Fit’.
Make sure there are no uncomfortable pressure points from the goggle outline pressing against your face. Generally speaking, good quality goggles use better designed foam lining that eliminate these pressure points.
Make sure there are no gaps between your skin and the goggle foam outline. Good goggles have air vents designed into them for a reason.
If you wear a helmet, make sure you try on the ski/snowboarding goggles with your helmet on. I didn’t do this with my first goggle purchase and ended up with goggles too big to fit with my helmet on – money down the drain.
Same goes for riders and skiers who need to wear prescription glasses under the goggles. Though, I highly recommend contact lenses or prescription snow goggles. It’s just so much more comfortable that way.

Frame Features

Good goggles have well designed foam outline made from good quality foam (Yes, there’s good foam and there’s bad foam!) The test: 1. Press on the foam outline with your thumb, hold for 5-7 seconds, and release. If the foam reverts back to its original shape in 2-3 seconds, then that’s good foam. If your thumb’s outline doesn’t disappear quick enough, then that’s bad quality foam.
Make sure your goggles have well designed and enough vents. These are foam covered air portals, to let air flow through the skiing goggle to keep them fog-free. Generally speaking, the more expensive a goggle is, the better their ventilation system is.

Lens Features

Double lenses prevent fogging and create a thermal barrier to keep you warm.
Cylindrical double lenses provide good optics for a reasonable price.
Spherical double lenses provide superior optics and fog-free vision.
Polycarbonate lens material is generally the most durable.
Look for an anti-scratch/anti-fog coating on the lenses.
Make sure the lenses provide 100% UV and blue light protection.

Note: Look at the packaging to tell which of the above the goggles have.

Lens Colors Explained

Clear lenses are best for extremely stormy conditions or for riding at night.
Lemon/yellow lenses are best for stormy conditions and overcast days since they increase contrast and brighten up the landscape.
Vermillon/pink lenses increase contrast in most conditions. This lens with a silver mirror is ideal for most riding conditions.
Citrus/orange lenses also increase contrast and are great for bright days. Choose an option with a mirror to get a darker lens for the brightest conditions.
Purple lenses are good in low-light conditions such as overcast and snowy days, because they bring out shadows and contours in flat light.
Modulator or photochromic lenses change from a light pink/orange to a dark pink/orange depending upon the light conditions. They are a very light, high-contrast color for stormy weather and dark enough for the brightest days.
Polarized lenses can cut the glare that reflects from snow or ice.

Tips

The better quality goggles are more expensive and a good pair will run you anywhere between $100-150. But it’s a good investment. You’ll just regret getting cheaper goggles, as you’ll just pay more in the long run having to replace them more frequently.
If you do a lot of park riding, considering investing in a cheaper goggles so you don’t worry too much about them getting knocked around.
Always store your goggles in their protective pouch.
Clean the outside of your goggle lenses with fresh water and a soft cloth
Never wipe the inside of your goggle lenses; it can damage the anti-fog coating. If you get snow/ice on the inside, shake them out, put them back on and keep riding. As you ride, the lenses will air-dry.
To keep your goggles from fogging, keep them on your face. Removing them while waiting in line for example can cause them to fog up, but don’t worry about that too much if the line is too long.
If you’re goggles do fog up, just keep them on, and ride. The ventilation system will clear them up in seconds.
Goggles with replacement lenses provide the benefit of being able to replace damaged lenses without having to pay for a whole new goggle.