Question: The unicorn of skiing - a goggle for flat light. Does it exist?

[Lise]

I have Julbo Zebra Light (bought new last year) and found them very good - so much so that I became unaware of the light conditions.

 

[nopoleskier]

I have vermillion lens made by Bolle, been using them for years in flat light.

 

[liquidfeet]

"High yellow" lenses work wonders in flat light. They increase the contrast by reflecting away the blue light and leaving all the rest; you lose next to nothing. But many people find the yellow unpleasant. Yellow is the go-to lens color for target practice, dim light driving, and for hunting.

Yellow lenses can be hard to find in ski goggles, I guess because they don't sell as well as other colors. Oddly, Costco carries a cheap pair of goggles with two interchangeable lenses, one of which is yellow (not "HIGH" yellow, but yellow enough to do the job). They work well in New England where most of the winter is overcast. I just replace them as needed; they are about $30.00 or maybe even less. Nothing fancy, but they do the job.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

For those seeking Smith BLUE SENSOR MIRROR, they seem to be back; quite a few at Level 9.

 

[Belgiangirl]

I've read a lot about the Oakley Prizm Rose lenses here, most people seem to love them. I'm a bit confused personally about the difference between the Rose and Hi-Pink Iridium I see on their website. It seems to let through even more light than the Rose ones but I don't think I've seen them mentioned here, which seems weird. Maybe it's a new lens?

 

[Jilly]

Two different lenses in the optics, not just the colour. Prizm reflects the light differently than the Iridium lens

 

[Belgiangirl]

Hmm, so it isn't part of the Prizm line? I thought it was, based off articles like this one: link . I find the Oakley website very confusing, can't seem to find a one-page summary with all the lenses and their specs.

 

[diymom]

Here's one from Evo: https://www.evo.com/guides/oakley-goggle-lens-tint-color
A year or two ago I swapped out my persimmon lens for hi yellow. Much better in flat light.

 

[Jenny]

Hmm, so it isn't part of the Prizm line? I thought it was, based off articles like this one: link . I find the Oakley website very confusing, can't seem to find a one-page summary with all the lenses and their specs.

They do also have a Hi Pink in their Prizm line. I've been paralyzed for a couple of years as to which one to buy . . . Afraid that the Rose will be too dark but the Hi Pink will be too light and since I only own one pair of goggles at a time (especially when they cost this much) the indecision is winning.

 

[Belgiangirl]

Here's one from Evo: https://www.evo.com/guides/oakley-goggle-lens-tint-color
A year or two ago I swapped out my persimmon lens for hi yellow. Much better in flat light.

Thank you so much for that link!!!

 

[Belgiangirl]

They do also have a Hi Pink in their Prizm line. I've been paralyzed for a couple of years as to which one to buy . . . Afraid that the Rose will be too dark but the Hi Pink will be too light and since I only own one pair of goggles at a time (especially when they cost this much) the indecision is winning.

I got the Oakley Flight Deck XM's with the Prizm Sapphire Iridium lens for my birthday this summer and thought I might add one more low-light lens but whoa, at that price point I really get you don't want to choose and maybe end up with something that doesn't perform exactly as you want...

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I found that the Prizm Rose is dark for me. I use it in sunny conditions. HI Pink (high intensity) has a higher visible light transmission (VLT). It could be your answer.

To those hankering for Smith Blue Sensor, Level 9 Sports has quite a few in stock.

 

[Jilly]

My bad, I though you were talking about the Iridium, but not the Prizm line. I need to get to the local shop and look things over.

I'm heading to the Ottawa Ski Show this weekend. As opposed to the Toronto show, the rep's do show up and exhibit. So you can ask them about stuff. I don't see Oakley on the list of exhibitors, but in Canada they are rep'd by a company that I can't remember.

 

[newboots]

I’ve wondered why there aren’t pulverized goggles.

I saw some on the floor of the bar at the Bear Mountain Lodge on a busy spring party day at K-ton. I didn’t know you wanted them! I’ll keep an eye out for some next spring. These were the super-pulverized type, stepped on by multiple ski boots.

 

[Abbi]

I saw some on the floor of the bar at the Bear Mountain Lodge on a busy spring party day at K-ton. I didn’t know you wanted them! I’ll keep an eye out for some next spring. These were the super-pulverized type, stepped on by multiple ski boots.

Damned AutoCorrect! Of course there are a lot of pulverized ones around too!

 

[mountainwest]

I also use Oakley Flight Deck goggles with Prizm Rose lenses for flat light (and fog, which I often ski in at Grand Foghee).

 

[Belgiangirl]

I also use Oakley Flight Deck goggles with Prizm Rose lenses for flat light (and fog, which I often ski in at Grand Foghee).

Is there a particular reason you chose the Prizm Rose lens over the Prizm Hi-Pink for those circumstances? Just asking out of curiosity!

 

[mountainwest]

Is there a particular reason you chose the Prizm Rose lens over the Prizm Hi-Pink for those circumstances? Just asking out of curiosity!

I had to Google what the Hi-Pink lenses were - I don’t think they had been released yet when I bought the Prizm Rose. But it does sound like Hi-Pink might be a little better for fog, although less versatile if conditions change and the fog lifts or the sun pops out (sounds like I would have to change the lenses at that point, so it’s a toss-up). I haven’t felt like the Prizm Rose are too dark personally, although I also haven’t tried something lighter, and might prefer the Hi-Pink if I did.

 

[Belgiangirl]

Thank you, @mountainwest ! It's always nice to hear people's thoughts and why they decided to go for a specific product. I also feel like the Hi-pink might have been added to the Prizm collection after the Rose. Good to read though that you haven't felt like yours are too dark for foggy days.

 

[Soujan]

I had laser eye surgery back in 2006 and since then my low light/night vision has not been so great. Once afternoon rolls around and shadows cover the slope or its a cloudy day, I have a lot of problems seeing the terrain. It just all looks white and I can't see the bumps and rolls in the terrain. Last year I decided to spend good money on goggles. I bought Giro goggles with a yellow tinted Vivid lenses. It makes such a huge difference. The Vivid lens has much better contrast than regular lenses. DH has Oakley with the Prizm lens which is comparable to Vivid.