The Absolute Guide to Buying Ski or Snowboard Goggles

Cylindrical lenses are the cheapest goggle lenses available. They are cut from a flat sheet of material meaning it curves from left to right only, giving a flat face to the goggles. This is the classic ski goggle design and provides a lower profile look.

Because cylindrical lenses are cut from a flat sheet and then curved to fit the goggles frame you can get distortion on the peripherals of your vision. This gives a watery, hazy effect to your vision which can increase eye fatigue.

Cylindrical lenses have 3 main advantages over spherical lenses. They are much cheaper to produce, are very flexible and are easier to remove from the goggles frame. This means that replacement lenses are cheap to buy allowing you to own multiple lenses for varying conditions or cheaply replace scratched or damaged lenses. Their flexibility also makes them ideal for placing in a pocket without having to worry about easily damaging them. This makes them ideal for people who prefer to ski or snowboard with sunglasses and only have goggles for lower light conditions.

Cylindrical goggles are ideal for people on a budget or who wear sunglasses most of the time and want a pair of goggles for lower light conditions only. Click this link to see all of our Cylindrical Goggles.

Spherical lenses are more expensive than cylindrical lenses due to their more complex shape. If you image a flat cylindrical lens and being 2 dimensional then a spherical lens is 3 dimensional. This means that instead of just curving left to right, it also curves top to bottom.

Because spherical lenses are cut from a ball shape rather than a flat sheet you end up with a larger volume frame and wider peripheral vision. This also reduces distortion on the lens meaning optical clarity is improved no matter where you are looking out of the frame.

Spherical lenses have 3 main advantages over cylindrical lenses. They offer a wider field of vision, distort your vision less and are less prone to fogging or misting up. This makes them great for people who want to ride all day long from first chair to last without stopping. Spherical lenses are more expensive but are better quality than cylindrical lenses. If your budget allows, you should look for a spherical lens goggle.

When it comes to ski and snowboard goggles, a bigger price tag usually means better quality. Click this link to see all of our Spherical Goggles.

The most common base lens tint, bronze and amber lenses are great at increasing shadow contrast and are found on most goggles designed for all round conditions. By increasing shadow contrast these lenses help pick up variations in terrain, giving you more confidence and better vision. These lenses are good for bright to partially cloudy conditions but are not ideal for overcast, snowy or flat light conditions.

Click this link to view all of our Bronze / Amber Tinted Goggles

These lenses are becoming increasingly popular for people who want one lens for all conditions. This lens helps filter out blue light and increase contrast. This aids depth perception and allows you to ride in less than ideal conditions without losing confidence. These lenses are good in flat light, snowy or overcast conditions but can still perform in brighter conditions.

Click this link to view all of our Persimmon Tinted Goggles

This lens tint is used exclusively by Smith and is designed to work in all conditions. This tint works like a persimmon lens to filter out blue light and increase contrast and depth perception but also has a very light mirror coating which increases it's bright light performance over persimmon lenses. Designed to be an all day, all season lens this tint also helps reduce eye fatigue.

Click this link to view all of our Ignitor Tinted Goggles

Yellow or orange lenses were the original colours used for ski and snowboard goggles. This is because they filter out blue light and increase contrast and depth perception. These lenses are still very popular due to their all round ability. Most goggles that come with two lenses will come with a bright light lens that is usually mirrored and an additional orange or yellow lens for lower light conditions. This is also the most popular lens tint on children's goggles.

Click this link to view all of our Yellow / Orange Tinted Goggles

Grey lenses offer the least colour distortion of any lens tint. This gives the most natural view with colours looking the same as they do with the naked eye. The level of tint on a grey lens can vary. Darker grey lenses are better for brighter conditions whereas lighter grey lenses are ideal for part cloud, part sun. Grey lenses are popular for people who want a blacked out goggle look.

Click this link to view all of our Brown Tinted Goggles

Similar to bronze tints, brown tints filter out soft blue light. Brown tints are good for both glaring sun and reduced light as they cut down on the suns glare as well as helping to improve contrast. Brown tints are not ideal for overcast conditions but can still perform well all round.

Click this link to view all of our Grey Tinted Goggles

Rose tints are similar to yellow tints and are good for lower light conditions. This makes them good for overcast days or snowy conditions. Rose tints are favoured by some as they are softer on the eyes than yellow lenses. This does mean however that they are not suitable for bright sun. Rose tinted lenses are good as a secondary pair of lenses when teamed with a bright light lens.

Click this link to view all of our Rose Tinted Goggles

Blue tints filter out white light and can be worn in low light on their own, or in bright light with a mirror coating. Blue tints are often teamed with other colours to alter their use. For example a blue tint teamed with a yellow tint works well in low light whereas a blue tint teamed with a bronze tint is good for brighter conditions.

Click this link to view all of our Blue Tinted Goggles

Clear goggles are used most often by competitive skiers riding indoors or on slalom courses at night. This is because the lenses do not distort colours or light giving the most natural view. Clear lenses can be worn during very low light conditions as most come with UV protection.

Click this link to view all of our Clear Goggles

Combining lens tints alters the light transmission, adjusting the conditions that the goggles are suitable for. Manufacturers experiment with combining different tints to create their own unique lenses. For example combining rose and bronze tints gives a very good all round lens whereas combining rose and persimmon can gives flat light performance.

Good ventilation in a goggle is very important. A poorly vented goggle with fog up preventing you from being able to see properly. Increasing air flow through the goggles frame helps to keep goggles fog free. Larger volume frames offer better ventilation meaning spherical lensed goggles usually fog up less than cylindrical lensed goggles. Keep an eye out for vented lenses and vented frames as these make a lot of difference.

More expensive goggles will utilise better air flow systems and better materials to reduce the risk of fogging up. Triple layer face foam, vented lenses and vented frames are all important features to look out for. Some goggles even utilise electronic ventilation systems which have a small fan to draw the warm, moist air out of the goggles frame. These work well, especially for people who wear prescription glasses under their goggles. Below you can see an integrated electronic ventilation system.

Prevention is much better than cure. Even the best goggles in the world can fog up if not treated properly. Wearing your goggles on your head will cause them to fog up quickly. This is because the top of your head is much warmer than your face and warm air rises. This air rises into the goggles frame and condenses on the lens which is colder due to its contact with the outside air. If you're not wearing your goggles, always place them into a protective case or pocket.

If your goggles get wet or you get snow inside the frame, take the time to clean them. Any moisture caught inside the frame or anything that cools the lens faster will cause air to condense, making the goggles fog up. Most goggles come with a soft case which doubles as a cleaning cloth. Riding fast will also help clear your goggles as this increases the air flow through the frame.

A good anti-fog coating is essential, especially if riding in warmer weather. As a general rule, the more expensive the goggles, the better the anti-fog coating will be. As with ventilation it is important to remember that no anti-fog coating is 100% effective on its own. You must also ensure you keep snow and moisture out of your goggle frame and keep the lenses clean. A greasy goggle lens will fog up faster than a clean one so always clean off any stray fingerprints. Don't leave your goggles on your head, always keep them in a dry pouch or case when not wearing them and if you're getting hot and sweaty when you're riding, remove a layer or open your jacket to help prevent your goggles fogging up. The most effective anti-fog coatings are those which use chemical washes to increase the surface area of the lens. This makes it harder for water to condense on the lens helping you stay fog free.

Polarized lenses have been popular with certain professions for years thanks to their glare reducing properties. Polarized lenses work by altering the way light enters our eyes, cutting down on glare from shiny surfaces such as water, snow, ice, glass or metallic objects. This is what has made polarized lenses popular with drivers. Some high end ski and snowboard goggles now come with polarized lenses which help to reduce glare and eye fatigue. One of the main advantages of polarized lenses is that they allow a goggle to work well in low and bright light conditions simultaneously. This helps reduce the number of lenses you need and makes transitioning between low and bright light areas much more comfortable. If you have sensitive eyes then polarized lenses are a good option for you. The image below demonstrates the difference that polarized lenses can make.

Photochromic lenses are growing in popularity thanks to their unique colour changing properties. Photochromic lenses have a special coating which reacts to UV light. This means when it's dark outside the coating is fairly inactive and you get a very light tint on the goggles. When it get's brighter or the sun becomes stronger the lens coabting reacts with the UV and darkens. This means that you can have a lens which is perfect for almost every condition you could imagine. The image below shows how a photochromic lens will be a different colour in different conditions.

All ski and snowboard goggles come with a head strap which keeps the goggles on your face whilst you ride. Goggle straps are elasticated and feature sliding adjusters which allow you to change the fit of them. This means that most goggles can be worn with or without a helmet without becoming too tight or too loose on your face. More expensive goggles often have a silicone layer on the inside of the strap which helps keep it firmly in place whilst you ride. This prevents them from sliding around and becoming uncomfortable whilst you ski or snowboard.

Goggle lenses can be constructed in two ways; single glazed or double glazed. Just like with a house window, double glazed lenses keep a layer of warm air trapped between the two lenses. This increases the temperature of the lens itself which prevents moisture from condensing on it. Single layer lenses are characteristically hot on your face side and cool where they are in contact with the outside air. This condenses moisture on the lens, making them foggy!

More expensive goggles will usually be double glazed. Also look for goggles which have a better seal between the two lenses. This stops moisture from getting into the lens and condensing on the inside.

GPS systems are only found on the most expensive goggles. GPS systems have a small heads up display on the inside of the goggle which can show things such as location, speed, altitude and distance. Some of these systems are even bluetooth enabled which allows you to link your phone to them to receive text messages and phone calls in the heads up display.