Buying guide - Goggles

Named, Low Bridge Goggles are engineered with more foam in the nose area to accommodate those who need an alternative fit style. Some face shapes have a lower bridged nose & when using a regular ski goggle it can create a gap of air between the nose and the goggle foam when being used. Low Bridge Ski Goggles solve that problem by being engineered with more foam in the nose area to eliminate the gap that regular goggles can create. Low bridge goggles deliver a customized fit to those who need it & eliminate the air gap while delivering a plush & comfortable fit.

Finding the right goggle shape

Goggles do have sizes, they come in a large, medium and small size.
It is important you get the correct size goggle as you do not want them to be too big or too small that they cut off your peripheral vision.
You then need to check if there is a seal along the cheeks and nose and that there are no gaps, if there is a gap you may need a low bridge goggle which offer more foam across the nose piece.

We also recommend you try a goggle on with your helmet if you have one to ensure you get the best fit.

When trying your goggles with your helmet you are looking for:

• no pushing down on the nose
• Little to no gap between the helmet and goggle bridge.
• Good seal around the eyes.
• Good peripheral vision
• Comfort

Think about whether you want a goggle that can work in most environments (excluding complete whiteout days) or if you prefer something closer to each end of the scale. Some goggles include a spare lens and some sell a replacement lens as a separate item so you can mix and match for your personal needs.

Cylindrical (Flat) Lenses – These lenses curve horizontally while remaining flat vertically. Cylindrical lenses offer good performance at a lower price point.

Spherical Lenses – Spherical lenses, on the other hand, curve both horizontally and vertically around your face.
Offer better glare defense
More volume between the face and lens for improved ventilation
More optically -correct with minimum distortion
Better suited for those who wear glasses under their goggles.

Toric Lenses -The toric lens is essentially the cylindrical and spherical lenses combined.
It is slightly less curved on the y- axis but a true spherical urve on the x- axis.
The shape of the lens more closely follows the shape of your face so it gives you better optics and you still get an amazing peripheral view.

Nothing is worse than having cloudy vision on a powder day or being blinded when it’s a blue bird. There are dozens of lens colours to choose from that vary from brand to brand, and although one colour might match your jacket better, each colour will filter light differently and offers unique advantages in certain weather and light conditions. The amount of light a goggle lens allows to pass through is called Visible Light Transmission (VLT). VLT is expressed as the percentage of light allowed through the lens falling somewhere between 0% and 100%.

Some lenses are designed to perform much better in low light, low visibility situations, such as when it is snowing, foggy, or the light is flat. These lenses will allow a higher percentage of VLT. Typical colors for low light lenses are yellow, rose, and blue with VLT ranging from 60-90%. Other lenses will function better on sunny days with high visibility where it is more about keeping the light out. These lenses will have a lower VLT percentage and typically come in dark colours of black, grey, and gold, often mirrored and have VLT ranges from 5-20%. Of course, there are lenses in the middle of the spectrum that perform fairly well in all conditions and are great if you experience changing light conditions during the day. Each manufacturer produces a wide range of lens tints for bright days, storm days, and everything in between.

One of the most important tips when buying goggles is to make sure that the goggle forms a firm seal around the whole frame of the goggles. This is important because if any gaps occur around the goggles it will allow air to fill your goggles, which can cause watering eyes and cause the lenses to fog.

Beyond just the lens type and colour, goggle manufacturers apply additional features to their goggles to make them better at doing their job. Some lens features to keep an eye out for include:

UV Protection - Almost all new goggles, even at the lower end of the price spectrum, have 100% UV protection. UV intensity increases with altitude, and protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays will prevent eye fatigue and damage to your retinas.

Mirrored Goggle LensesMirrored Lenses - A coating on the outside of the goggle lens reflects a greater amount of light than a non-mirrored lens. Letting in a decreased volume of light means less glare and increased visual clarity in bright conditions. You also get that cool Top Gun aviator look, although we recommend removing your mirrored goggles in the bar.

Polarized Lenses - When light is reflected off certain surfaces, it tends to be reflected at higher intensity through angles perpendicular to the surface. By acting as a filter of vertical light, polarized lenses can cut glare much more effectively than a standard mirrored lens while improving overall visual clarity and providing increased contrast and definition. Polarized lenses are great for snow sports and reduce eye fatigue and strain.

Double Lenses - These create a thermal barrier that reduces fogging significantly compared to its single lens counterpart – a single lens goggle just won’t cut it for skiing or snowboarding. Double lenses are common on all new ski and snowboard goggles.

Anti-Fog Coating – A hydrophilic chemical treatment to the inside of the lenses can greatly reduce a goggle’s tendency to fog. Some coatings are more durable than others. Be sure to read the manufacturers’ directions because poor goggle care can lead to wiping off the anti-fog coating.

Transition - Photochromatic LensPhotochromic Lenses - These lenses automatically adjust to changing light conditions by darkening when exposed to stronger ultraviolet (UV) light and lightening when there is less UV light. The primary advantage of this type of lens is that it will adjust to changing conditions, making it extremely versatile. Unfortunately, Photochromic lenses don’t adjust instantly - it could take several minutes for the lens to fully adjust to changing light.

VENTILATION

You can count on virtually all quality goggles having vents, but some are better than others. In general, more venting is better in terms of preventing fogging. It is important to check that the venting system in your goggles is compatible with the shape of your helmet, in other words don’t block the vents; otherwise your goggles might be a little more susceptible to fogging. Some goggles even have battery powered fans that move air and defog the goggles.

When wearing a helmet

When wearing goggles with a helmet it is important that they fit properly on your face and are compatible with your helmet. A sign that your googles may be an incorrect fit for you is when you feel pressure points on your face around your goggle frame. This may mean that the goggle is too small for the frame of your face.

Your goggle must also have a strap that closes tightly around the back of your head over your helmet to keep your goggles firm against your face. This will prevent fogging.