Ski Goggles - Buyers Guide
Ski Goggles – Buyers Guide
Ski Goggles are one of the most essential pieces of your ski gear. They provide the ability to differentiate snow forms, keep snow and wind out of your eyes, and most importantly, protect your eyes from harmful UV rays that bounce around on snow. Any good snow goggles will provide adequate UV protection, what makes a pair of goggles great is ease of use and performance.
Fitting a Pair of Goggles
One of the most important things to look for in a pair of goggles is fit. There are no facial measurements that dictate whether a Small, Medium or Large goggle size will work. Its something that is often instinctively known or worked out through trial and error. We typically aim to fit people with the largest goggle their face shape can allow as it allows for maximum range of vision.
| Frame Size | Description | Helmet Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Low Profile Goggles to suit smaller faces | Limited to Kids, Small or Small/Medium Helmets |
| Medium | Medium sized goggles providing good field of vision & fitting most face sizes | Great |
| Large | Massive goggles aimed at providing maximum field of vision | Limited to Large or X Large Helmets |
When trying on a pair of goggles for the first time, hold them up to your face with a little bit of pressure and check that the foam is in contact with your face all the way around. The aim is to have them feeling secure but gentle. How tight the strap is has a huge effect on the pressure the goggles exert on your face, so if they feel too tight, loosen it off a little.
For one reason or another, traditional goggle shapes don’t agree with the stereotypical face shape of Asian skiers. To counter this, goggle companies add an extra layer of padding around the nose area in ‘Asian Fit’ or 'Low Bridge' models. This often minimises any gap between the foam and the face that can lead to increased airflow through the goggles.
Goggle Features
The Main features to look out for when purchasing goggles are Lens Technology and Quality, Number of Lenses, and Lens Interchangability.
Most Brands have a proprietary lens technology, Oakley Prizm, Smith Chromapop, Anon Perceive etc. These all function slightly differently but aim to improve the quality and clarity of your vision out on the hill. The development of these lenses have improved the overall quality of goggles massively compared to goggles of yesteryear.
The Quality of each lens can be hard to define, but it is often dramatic between low and high end goggles. In many cases you get what you pay for here, the more expensive goggles will likely come with nicer features, multiple lenses and better interchange systems, but also much more premium lenses that will last longer and be more resistant to fogging and scratches.
Our favourite goggles here in the store all come with multiple lenses and rapid fire lens interchange systems that allow for near instantaneous lens change. Having the wrong lens for a sunny or low light day can sap the enjoyment of skiing.
Many of the high end, fast interchange systems use magnets, or a combination of magnets and manual locking mechanisms. This allows for auto aligning of the lens and rock solid connections.
Anon deserve a specific call out for how quick and easy the interchange system is on their Magna tech goggles (M3, M4 etc.) These goggles pioneered the Magnetic interchange revolution and are still the fastest option on the market.
Read More Here
Ski Goggles Glossary
Most companies have goggles that are compatible with people who wear glasses while skiing. To allow the goggles to sit comfortably over the glasses, the goggles have to have a fair bit of room on the inside of the lens, so lower profile goggles often don’t work very well. Additionally there is small gap in the frame to allow for the arms of the glasses.
Shop All OTG Goggles
Toric Lenses are sculpted to match the shape of our eyes. Featuring a rounded shape, that isn't as curved vertically as a typical Spherical shape, they minimise distortion and provide maximum clarity. These are typically found in high end goggles and can look quite flat from the outside.
Spherical lenses are curved lenses that were originally produced to reduce distortion from light bending through the flat lenses of the time. These lenses are quite comfortable to wear and often are the best options for OTG goggles.
Cylindrical lenses are the cheapest and easiest to produce but may provide a little distortion, especially at the top and bottom of the Field of View. These lenses are making a come back in terms of style and the functionality has improved. Brands have worked out how to minimise the impact of distortion and make flat lenses optically correct.
Lens Technologies
Amplified Definition- Anon's Perceive lenses enhance contrast and clarity across every tint level. They define 3 categories: Sunny, Variable and Low Light aiming to simplify the decision making.
LUMALENS® is a colour optimised lens technology offering ultra-high definition optics across the entire spectrum of light conditions. Engineered to improve and optimize visibility in all environments, Dragon’s exclusive LUMALENS® technology delivers superior colour vividness, enhances contrast, improves depth perception, and reduces eye fatigue for better performance.
VIVID lets you ride with the feeling of a bluebird day, even when the skies turn milky. An age-old problem for skiers and snowboarders is flat light—when clouds or haze compromise your ability to see terrain with the naked eye. Then your confidence diminishes.
The goal in creating VIVID was to kill flat light and give you high-contrast vision so you can read terrain clearly and ride more freely, more powerfully, and more decisively.
Decades of research into creating the most kick-ass lenses on the market led to Oakley® Prizm™ Lens technology. Understanding the workings of the brain and eye enabled us to fine-tune vision and optimize contrast across light and weather conditions so that “WTF!” is everyone’s natural reaction to seeing the world through Prizm™.
Whatever the mountain weather throws your way, Prizm™ Snow lenses help you identify terrain and detect snow contours. Breeze through changing light conditions while looking sharp as you carve your way through the pow.
Out Of are on the forefront of lens technology development, especially with Photochomic lenses. The IRID lenses are powered by a Solar Chip that transitions the lens darkness instantaneously. These lenses can be found in the Out Of Electra Goggles.
Out Of's other Photochromic lens: The One Lens, is a more traditional lens. But differentiates itself with its polarisation and reasonable price.
Clarity lenses intensify contrast and light for enhanced vision. Exclusive Spektris mirror coatings have been developed for different weather conditions: sunny, partly sunny and overcast, giving unparalleled vision in any weather.
ChromaPop™ is a proprietary Smith lens technology that enhances color, contrast, detail, and clarity in all light conditions. It helps reduce eye fatigue for athletes, outdoor enthusiast of all levels, and anyone struggling with eye strain or looking for increased contrast.
RIG® is a revolutionary lens technology developed by Sweet Protection to provide superior contrast enhancing vision, minimum colour distortion and reduced eye fatigue. Developed based on the physics of light transmission, RIG® works by controlling which wavelengths of light are transmitted through the lens, thus enabling the eyes’ to see more details, and protecting them from harmful light.
RIG® technology is available in all our eyewear models, so you can enjoy Class 1 optics through whichever eyewear best suits your needs. By choosing to 'RIG® your experience', you are choosing game-changing vision that allows you to push your limits no matter where you play.
Helmet & Goggle Compatibility
Fitting your Goggles to your Helmet is the best way to optimise the anti-fog of your goggles. As well as minimise any cold spots on your face by not introducing the dreaded gaper gap.
Aim to look for a Goggle that is approximately the right width of the helmet opening and the contour matches the lip of the helmet.
Whilst most goggles are pretty good with most helmets these days. Brands work hard to optimize their set ups together, most of the time you will have the best luck matching Brands together.
We offer a package inventive to purchase them together, just add them to the cart and watch the savings come in.
Caring for your Ski Goggles
There are a few important steps you can take to keep your goggles in tip top shape:
- Avoid touching the inside of the Goggles lens
- Don't wear your goggles on your Beanie or Helmet
- Clean your Goggles with a Microfibre Bag
- Store your Goggles in a Microfibre Bag
Read more details in our full Care and Cleaning guide below
Ski Goggles Care and Cleaning GuideKey Goggle Styles
"I want the cheapest good goggles I can get"
These goggles are the best bang for buck at lower price points. They only come with a single lens but its a top quality lens combined with excellent fits and colour offerings.
Oakley Line Miner
The Oakley Liner Miner is a popular single lens goggle. Its got great field of vision, fits amazingly with tons of helmets and a single Prizm lens. Available in multiple sizes to suit all face shapes
Oakley Line Miner LOakley Line Miner MOut Of Void
The Out Of Void is a value packed option featuring a single Zeiss lens and a modern thin framed design. Alternatively available with a Polarised, Photochromic lens at a higher, but still value packed price point.
Out Of Void Ski Goggles
"I want the most feature packed goggles without breaking the bank"
Featuring 2 lenses, an easy interchange system without being the most expensive of the lot. These goggles are our top sellers in store because of the balance of price and specs.
Giro Axis & Womens Ella
The Axis and Ella are the bread and butter Giro goggles in this range for easy interchange and 2x VIVID lenses. These goggles are the same size, but the Ella comes with more feminine prints/colours to match up with Giro's womens helmets.
Giro AxisGiro Womens EllaAnon M3 MFI & WM3 MFI
The M3 and WM3 MFI are the Mens & Womens equivalent models that offer 2 lenses with category leading, lightning fast Magna Tech interchange and a bonus magnetic Facemask. The Facemask enables the ultimate, gapless protection between neckwarmer and goggle.
Anon M3 MFI GogglesAnon WM3 MFI Goggles
"I want the best goggles money can buy"
The ceiling on how good goggles can get has been broken a few times recently. These goggles have all of the features, maximum field of vision and the best fitting and feeling goggles available.
Smith 4D Mag
The Smith 4D Mag goggles seem to break the laws of physics. They are a sleek, medium framed goggle, that has a more expansive field of vision than the largest goggles on the market. 2 Chromapop Lenses that swap instantly with magnets round out the package.
Smith 4D Mag Ski GogglesAnon M4 / M4s Toric MFI
The M4 and M4s Toric are Anon's flagship models with all of the tech they muster. Instant interchangeability Magna Tech lenses that can be swapped between Cylindrical and Toric, MFI facemask included and the sturdiest lens on the market make the M4 & M4s a killer option.
Anon M4 Toric GogglesAnon M4s Toric Goggles
Anon M5 / M5s
The M5 and M5s are what we predict to be our top selling Anon goggles with the demise of the M2. It has many of the bells and whistles of the M4, but in a more modern frame shape with great helmet compatibility.
Anon M5 GogglesAnon M5s Goggles