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

[SqueakySnow]

OK, I just got off the mountain and I wore the Hi Pink all day. It was overcast most of the day until the sun came out at the very end. I was a bit squinty in direct sunlight, but not too bad. The continue to be great in flat light.

 

[Jenny]

Also good to know.

 

[Artis]

Because of all the positive reviews on here I went out to buy the Oakley Flight Deck XM, my old goggles were cheap no-brand ones and I was usually blinded on a sunny day and did not see much on a cloudy day either, haha.

One of the display models was on sale so I decided to go for that one, and buy a second lens. I have the Sapphire and the Rose one. Has only been sunny so far so I've not been able to test it in low light. I am planning on skiing every day next week though and it looks like we're getting all kinds of weather. So I can put the two different lenses to the test and see if it really makes a difference or not. So far I really love the Sapphire ones and I really wonder how I could actually ski before, I see so much more now, haha!

 

[Abbi]

Because of all the positive reviews on here I went out to buy the Oakley Flight Deck XM, my old goggles were cheap no-brand ones and I was usually blinded on a sunny day and did not see much on a cloudy day either, haha.

One of the display models was on sale so I decided to go for that one, and buy a second lens. I have the Sapphire and the Rose one. Has only been sunny so far so I've not been able to test it in low light. I am planning on skiing every day next week though and it looks like we're getting all kinds of weather. So I can put the two different lenses to the test and see if it really makes a difference or not. So far I really love the Sapphire ones and I really wonder how I could actually ski before, I see so much more now, haha!

I looked through a friend’s s pair of the Flight Deck this week. Pretty amazing!

 

[Gidget415]

I got some Scott pink/amber goggles this year and they help me in the afternoons when conditions get shady on my favorite runs. My blue chrome lenses are awesome for bright light, but are terrible in snow/shade for me.

 

[contesstant]

I have Oakley Flight Deck XM with Prizm Hi Pink, Prizm Rose, Jade, and a blue lens. The Hi Pink > Rose in REALLY low light, the Rose is > than the Hi Pink in average flat light. The other two are great on sunny days. I've worn the Rose a lot this season with mixed sun and cloud days.

But, I have found that the Smith Chromapop Storm is better than both. Luckily, BF has a plethora of Smith goggles, so I ordered the Chromapop storm lens for really bad storm or fog days.

I will also say that age plays into this, and every year, the vision in flat light gets worse and more disabling, so to speak. In fact, this might be one of the most annoying things about aging, IMO.

 

[Jenny]

I have Oakley Flight Deck XM with Prizm Hi Pink, Prizm Rose, Jade, and a blue lens. The Hi Pink > Rose in REALLY low light, the Rose is > than the Hi Pink in average flat light. The other two are great on sunny days. I've worn the Rose a lot this season with mixed sun and cloud days.

But, I have found that the Smith Chromapop Storm is better than both. Luckily, BF has a plethora of Smith goggles, so I ordered the Chromapop storm lens for really bad storm or fog days.

I will also say that age plays into this, and every year, the vision in flat light gets worse and more disabling, so to speak. In fact, this might be one of the most annoying things about aging, IMO.

So, Rose isn't too dark in average flat light, for you. wonder how Utah flat light compares to Michigan flat light.

 

[contesstant]

LOL well our flat light varies depending on time of year and just HOW flat--super or stormy and foggy and the pinks come out, just flat but farely bright? The Rose come out. The light in general in the afternoons is flat in December/early January but is already getting better. The sun goes behind the mountain really early those times of year.

 

[SquidWeaselYay]

I just picked up the Giro Ella goggles, and the flat light lens they came with was really good. It has a rose tint. I used it for night skiing too, and I think it worked better than my I/OS Blue Sensor lens.

 

[Serafina]

I have Oakley Flight Deck XM with Prizm Hi Pink, Prizm Rose, Jade, and a blue lens. The Hi Pink > Rose in REALLY low light, the Rose is > than the Hi Pink in average flat light. The other two are great on sunny days. I've worn the Rose a lot this season with mixed sun and cloud days.

But, I have found that the Smith Chromapop Storm is better than both. Luckily, BF has a plethora of Smith goggles, so I ordered the Chromapop storm lens for really bad storm or fog days.

I will also say that age plays into this, and every year, the vision in flat light gets worse and more disabling, so to speak. In fact, this might be one of the most annoying things about aging, IMO.

SO. TRUE. I was skiing in super flat light that even my Prizm lenses couldn't resolve the other day, and got bogged down in a big powder stash that I couldn't see until it grabbed my skis and chucked me off. The next time I skied was in a freezing fog, and I gotta say, the only good thing about that was that my goggles fogging up like mad (and me needing to stop every 200 feet or so to scrape the windshield) distracted me from how astoundingly flat the light was. I don't know how blind skiers do it, I really don't.

And as far as aging, this morning when I was doing my taxes and had to keep switching between my computer glasses and my reading glasses (all the while with my contact lenses in)...ARGH! Too stale for words!

 

[Polly]

I am on a mission to find a goggle with lenses work best in flat light. I usually wear Smith Chromapop Storm lenses but they don't provide enough contrast for those days when the light is flat or I'm skiing in a storm. I find that if I wear my polarized sunglasses under my goggles, I can see the terrain much better than with the goggles alone. Not only is that uncomfortable, I end up with "HTIMS" stamped on my forehead from having the goggles tight enough to hold my sunglasses on! Does anyone have any recommendations for a flat light lens/goggle system that provides enough contrast in flat light? Thanks!

Omg I just got one from prolens.com or something like that! I have Oakley flightdeck XMs (smaller flightdecks for women) and I bought the yellow lens. It isn't a prizm, but it's yellow and it's freaking awesome. It works GREAT for storm days, flat light, and even night skiing if well lit. Get it!!!!!!

 

[skinnyfootskis]

Hello, Divas-
After checking out Oakley, Giro, Smith, Anon and Spy goggles - I chose the Giro Contact goggle ($$$) with the Vivid Infrared lens. Changing the lenses on the the Contact google is easy- magnetic contacts with a small clip- I can do it with gloves on. The vivid lenses have similiar technology as the Smith chromapop but I find the Giro lenses were better during overcast conditions. They actually are a good all-around lens- I wore them all day on sunny days at Squaw and on overcast flat light dasy at Alpine and I my vision was fine in both situations. They work well in transition light when clouds temporarily block the sun. So far, these goggles get at 4.5 out of 5. The half point ding is because the I don't like the fasteners on the strap.

I just bought the Eave (Giro) and I cannot wait to try them. I have only owned Smith in the past. They are too hard to change lenses on.

 

[MissySki]

I just bought the Eave (Giro) and I cannot wait to try them. I have only owned Smith in the past. They are too hard to change lenses on.

Smith are super easy now if you get the magnetic models.

 

[skinnyfootskis]

Smith are super easy now if you get the magnetic models.

True, but I got a great deal less than half of a Smith. I hope I like them. I would have purchased the ios, but they were a bit big.

 

[sibhusky]

My I/O goggles leaked. Not going to get anything again without a gasket that goes above the lens. Would rather wrestle over lens changes than have water coming in and freezing on the inner lens.

 

[KKL2018]

I have the Oakley Prizm goggles...love them so much I bought three. The Rose does really well on flat light days that the sun might come out, the Hi Pink does well at night and on stormy very low light days (but no tint so if the sun comes out be prepared). I got the jade lens for full to partial sun days. It does really seem to help bring out any contour on the slopes. It's not foolproof, but helps that little bit more than any of the other lenses I have tried.


Fyi for those trying them the first time, everything looks super red at first, then after a few minutes your brain/eyes adjust and everything looks normal after that. It's really weird, but it helps.

 

[skinnyfootskis]

I have the Oakley Prizm goggles...love them so much I bought three. The Rose does really well on flat light days that the sun might come out, the Hi Pink does well at night and on stormy very low light days (but no tint so if the sun comes out be prepared). I got the jade lens for full to partial sun days. It does really seem to help bring out any contour on the slopes. It's not foolproof, but helps that little bit more than any of the other lenses I have tried.


Fyi for those trying them the first time, everything looks super red at first, then after a few minutes your brain/eyes adjust and everything looks normal after that. It's really weird, but it helps.

I like the flight deck xm, but they were hard for me to change.

 

[SkiGAP]

I also have Flight Decks, for about 2 seasons now. Both Prism Rose and Black lenses. I have a problem though, suddenly my last time out, the Prism Rose lenses fogged up - internally. That is, somehow between the plys/layers of the lens, so that the exterior of the lens both inside and out was still dry to the touch. I haven't yet found explicit instructions on how to fix the issue, and not sure what triggered it after many days of problem-less skiing. It's frustrating, especially as it was a foggy day and I really needed to see. Any thoughts are welcome...

 

[tinymoose]

I gave up. There's no perfect lens for me in all lights so I just went with a Dragon Transitions lens. Coming form Smith IO/S... no regrets.

 

[SnowSeeker]

Based on Brave Ski Mom’s review, I bought a pair of Sungod goggles last year. They are out of the UK -$140US and $65 for extra lenses, includes shipping and arrives in less than one week (no extra duty to be paid either). I absolutely love these goggles ( I rarely wear my smith IO and IO/s goggles now). They are fully customizable. I have a blue lens that is fantastic in flat light and low light; and I have a silver lens for bright sun to partial cloud. I look a bit like a fly because they are large (like some of the Oakleys), but they fit so comfortably on my small face and under my Smith helmet. They are double padded and lightweight. I bought them for a particular reason (reconstructed broken nose which equaled discomfort from goggle pressure) but I loved them so much I ordered another lens and a pair of glasses.

https://braveskimom.com/best-new-ski-goggles-from-sungod-glade-optics-and-habervision