Your favourite ski goggles and why...Go!

[westcoast21]

I ski in the Canadian Pacific Northwest and started skiing 3 years ago. I have been using goggles that I bought my first year for $40 on amazon and to be honest, they've been pretty good considering the price! But the time has come to upgrade to something more comfortable and hopefully with a bit better view. I have been looking through goggle after goggle online, and I will admit that I need some help figuring out what is best. I am looking for specific colours: I'm hoping for black, grey, silver or light blue lenses, and black or white straps and frame (if there is a frame). I have a smaller, oval-shaped face and prefer to wear my goggles over my helmet. Please let me know your thoughts on different lenses regarding colours, mirrored/non-mirrored, photochromic, framed/no frame, VLT levels, spherical/cylindrical/toric, etc! Thank you for any help you can offer, ladies

 

[Jilly]

First thing is to find a frame that fits with your helmet. Sometimes it needs to be the same make...ie Smith helmet, Smith goggles. If you have a small face, look for the Asian fit. (I think that moniker is changing, as it should, but anyone will know what you mean if you ask for that.) Most companies make one.

Lenses - WB is always foggy, so a lens that is good for that is a starting point.

Smith has this on their site - https://www.smithoptics.com/en_CA/goggle-tech.html

 

[newboots]

It sounds like you're the ideal candidate to go to a ski shop (if there's one near you) and talk to someone who can help you fit the goggles. Even if you can find the same goggle cheaper online, getting one that's right to start with is a big plus, and costs less!

I second what @Jilly said - if you're buying online, get the same brand as your helmet. Most goggles will fit most helmets, but this way you could be sure. And take your helmet if you go shopping for goggles.

The best visibility comes from the spherical shaped ones. The ones that are flat and sort of wrap around are quite hip, but the viz is better in the spherical. Many people feel that Anon goggles are quite superior. I don't know - I haven't skied with them. But they have many great features, and you pay for them! In our shop the least expensive are Scott, and there are models that work quite well for many people.

 

[westcoast21]

First thing is to find a frame that fits with your helmet. Sometimes it needs to be the same make...ie Smith helmet, Smith goggles. If you have a small face, look for the Asian fit. (I think that moniker is changing, as it should, but anyone will know what you mean if you ask for that.) Most companies make one.

Lenses - WB is always foggy, so a lens that is good for that is a starting point.

Smith has this on their site - https://www.smithoptics.com/en_CA/goggle-tech.html

thank you for that link, I'll check it out for any helpful info! As for the 'Asian' fit (I agree that moniker needs to change) I have wondered if this would be a good option for smaller faces such as mine, however, I find that even with 'regular' or 'euro' fit goggles, the nose bridge is sometimes too low and that makes me think an asian fit goggle would be much too low in the nose bridge area for me.
I also have been thinking to try to get goggles that are the same brand as my helmet for sake of best compatibility, which in my case would be Anon. And I might, they are just really pricey that's all Quick question, what is "WB" that you said is always foggy? Forgive my ignorance!

 

[westcoast21]

It sounds like you're the ideal candidate to go to a ski shop (if there's one near you) and talk to someone who can help you fit the goggles. Even if you can find the same goggle cheaper online, getting one that's right to start with is a big plus, and costs less!

I second what @Jilly said - if you're buying online, get the same brand as your helmet. Most goggles will fit most helmets, but this way you could be sure. And take your helmet if you go shopping for goggles.

The best visibility comes from the spherical shaped ones. The ones that are flat and sort of wrap around are quite hip, but the viz is better in the spherical. Many people feel that Anon goggles are quite superior. I don't know - I haven't skied with them. But they have many great features, and you pay for them! In our shop the least expensive are Scott, and there are models that work quite well for many people.

Thanks so much for your reply I'd love to go to a great ski shop and get fitted but the nearest one that is likely any real good is in Whistler and that's a solid 3 hour drive from where I am, each way...so...I'll have to see if I can make time for that! My helmet is the Anon Raven helmet and so I was thinking that Anon goggles would probably be most compatible...I've looked through their goggles extensively online and while I like a lot of them and they seem to be feature-full, you are right that you pay for it! haha!
My current cheap goggles are spherically shaped but I must admit that I like the look of the flatter wraparounds you mentioned. It is looking like I may have to try to buy from an online shop that has a great return / exchange policy just in case!

 

[newboots]

Too bad about the dearth of ski shops! Bummer.

 

[newboots]

WB is Whistler-Blackcomb.

 

[lisamamot]

I also have been thinking to try to get goggles that are the same brand as my helmet for sake of best compatibility, which in my case would be Anon.

I had the Anon WM1 and now have the Anon WM3; both are wonderful, but have a slightly different fit. They are pricey, but I think they are worth it.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

I love my photochromoc dragon s1 giggles. On my 3rd pair already. I tried the smith photochromic and was not sold. I love not having to carry the extra lens. Also, I find that it is more scratch proof than the fancy mirrored ones.

 

[Analisa]

First off - "Asian Fit" doesn't impact the size. The main difference is the bridge fit (is the bridge of your nose level or below your pupils? If it's not, skip these). They also make a few changes to the lens angle and temples to accommodate round and heart-shaped faces, to make sure they don't sit right on top of the cheek bones or round too dramatically between the outer eye and temple. For smaller faces, look for ones marked small (like the I/Os vs I/O or I/OXL). I got a tester pair of Giro Contours that are a large and they squish my cheeks down. Every time I smile, it looks like I'm doing the awkward white people smile.

One thing I found really helpful when shopping was the VLT chart for Smith. I'm down south in Western Washington, and I've been pretty pleased with the Blue Sensor Mirror. I'd definitely go 60%+ VLT if you're in a cloudy/foggy spot. I tend to wear my low light lens all season and night skiing, but they're also the old school ones that are a PITA to change out. If you think you'll get a few lenses to choose from, getting the magnetic ones is soooo much easier to swap out.

And to piggyback on @snoWYmonkey 's comment, most cheaper goggles have CR-39 plastic lenses. CR-39 is cheaper, and tends to have really clear vision. But it isn't as strong, so tends to be thicker and heavier, and it's not as shatter resistant if you have a tendency to face plant. It also isn't inherently UV resistant, but additional coatings can be added for a price. Most of the fancier lenses are polycarbonate, that are lighter, stronger, and inherently UV protective, but brands have to do some work to them to improve their optics, and they scratch easily (although many brands counter some of that with scratch resistant coatings). I'd think about how much you're willing to baby your goggles to influence how much you want to spend.

 

[santacruz skier]

WB is Whistler-Blackcomb.

and a fantastic ski resort at that !

 

[westcoast21]

Thank you to each of you for your comments and help! I am currently deciding between Oakleys and Anons! To be honest, having tried on Oakleys and Anons now, it seems to me the absolute most epically perfect goggle would be Oakley lenses mated with Anon everything else

 

[Iwannaski]

I came here as a PSA for lurkers or readers. In 2021 I skied with regular adult sized goggles. I am a non-small adult female. I have some anxiety and some claustrophobia. I would feel absolutely smothered sometimes when I was at the top of the slope and assumed it was my anxiety about my technical capability.

I was reading about the Chromapop goggles and decided to give the i/o mag s a try. HOLY SHIRT, you guys, it was life changing. My confidence and comfort have both gone up.

I’m always hesitant to blame equipment for a me failure, but goggles made a TREMENDOUS difference. CHECK YOUR FIT.

 

[Peppermint]

I have goggles from Glade Optics and I love them. They are a very small company from Colorado and the owner grew up skiing at Mad River, Vermont. I have never had fogging issues even with masks/face coverings here in NE. The quality of the lenses is excellent that give you a wide view, customer service is great and the price is very reasonable. I have a different brand helmet as you so I can't say how they would fit with yours but the owner is also customer service (again small company), so you could send them an email about your concerns and they would help you find what's best for you. I have the MagFlights that I believe are flat so if you like the look, maybe check them out.

https://www.shopglade.com/collections/goggles/products/magflight-goggle?variant=36080149790883

 

[Luvs2ski]

@Peppermint I have been seeing a lot of Glade goggles this season; checked them out online, but am concerned over the fit with my helmet (Smith Variance with a brim), since my Smith goggles are a perfect fit. However, the Glades are 1/2 the price of a new pair of Smiths ..so, definitely tempting & I do love supporting a small company! Glad to hear about the no-fogging, as that is another concern.

 

[ski diva]

@Peppermint I have been seeing a lot of Glade goggles this season; checked them out online, but am concerned over the fit with my helmet (Smith Variance with a brim), since my Smith goggles are a perfect fit. However, the Glades are 1/2 the price of a new pair of Smiths ..so, definitely tempting & I do love supporting a small company! Glad to hear about the no-fogging, as that is another concern.

I reviewed Glade goggles in my blog a while back. You can find it here.

 

[Wolfie]

I love my Anon ones...not sure of model but they have the magnetic lenses for switch out. Plus a magnetic face shield. Very handy on cold days and to cover up in line from Covid

 

[ThatJessGirl]

I started with a pair of Dragon X2’s which I wore with a Sweet Protection Trooper II. The quality of the googles just felt creaky if that makes sense. The lens change out was ultra simple however. I wound up suffering massive lens fog on them and I’m fairly sure the frame itself had the issue as multiple lenses (night, sun, etc) were fogging despite using anti lens fog. I turned around and ordered a pair of Sweet Protection Clockwork and Sweet Protection Clockwork Max goggles figuring I would return the ones that I didn’t like the fit. I kept the Clockwork Maxs.
Let me tell you, if my house was burning I would grab these goggles. They’ve never fogged. Ever. They FEEL substantial and not creaky. They feel like an extraordinarily well built goggle and are hefty. The field of view is impeccable. I even tracked down a hard to find limited run high vis lens for them. The literal only downside: swapping out lenses is not exactly an easy endeavor like my old Dragons were. Typically what I do is check the weather and run one lens for the whole day. I truly cannot say enough good things about these goggles.

 

[skinnyfootskis]

I love my photochromoc dragon s1 giggles. On my 3rd pair already. I tried the smith photochromic and was not sold. I love not having to carry the extra lens. Also, I find that it is more scratch proof than the fancy mirrored ones.

Love your quote⛷

 

[SallyCat]

Your face/head size really matters. I love my Smith I/O S goggles because I have a really small head and they fit my face well. I wish I could wear larger-framed goggles because I've noticed that with snowboarding, peripheral vision is really important and I'd like to have more lens space. But "normal" sized goggles just squish my nose and push my helmet up, so that's that.

The ability to swap lenses is amazing and I would never spend big money on goggles that didn't have that feature. I have blue eyes that are very sensitive to sun-on-snow, so If I use my rose lenses for flat light and then the sun comes out, I'm in agony. Again, not a consideration that matters to everyone, but something to consider. I love that so many companies now have magnetic lenses that are super easy to swap!