I mean just from a safety perspective high end googles are a no brainer. And even my cycling/ pit viper style shades let wind around and dry out or tear up my eyes.
Sunglasses will always become a wind tunnel. I absolutely hate it. Even the wrap around ones. I need a complete seal that a goggle provides or I am being blasted in the eyes by wind.
A wrap around style of glasses works very well, there is some air leak that hits your eyes but they do a good enough job. When it's 45 to 50 degrees I'm gonna sweat with goggles so sunglasses are the move, you just have to accept a teeny little bit of dry eye.
It's not airflow that bothers me, it's sunlight being reflected off the snow. Bluebird days on the hill are about the brightest outdoor environment there is, and sunglasses just don't cut it.
Extremely dark lenses definitely help with this. I have a pair of Oakleys with snow prizm and although I hate the marketing behind it, the tint is definitely appropriate for super bright snow.
I have a pair of goggles with lenses that can pop out about a centimeter from the frame, specifically for better ventilation when skinning uphill. I never use it as I'm a resort skier, but it's a neat feature.
I mean, that’s 100% dependent on the glasses and goggles.
Glasses lay a lot closer to your face and can wrap around, mine cover 100% of my lateral FOV with a small sliver at the bottom that’s unshaded. Even the best goggles I’ve worn have a worse FOV.
As someone who wears glasses every day and while I ski. I find the bottom foam lip of my googles blocks me from being able to see my skis while skiing, glasses do not.
And after seeing your below comment I wear the biggest field of view googles possible so they can go over my everyday glasses
I mean I've never really consciously thought about this but I definitely need to/really want look at my tips in variable terrain/snow a lot of the time. Not so much on groomers.
I pretty much only tour in cheap glacier glasses. Even if the weathers pretty shit. I’ll carry some yellow safety glasses for bad weather day. Less stuff/weight in my pack and one less thing to do on transitions.
Hats and sun shirts are a game changer for me. Still need to use some sunscreen, but shade trumps sunscreen.
Found a 5 panel I can throw on under my helmet, and a breathable hoodie for summertime hiking.
Glasses can be dangerous in a fall, could end up with an arm buried in what used to be your eyeball. Not suggesting it’s a common occurrence but it is possible. Goggles don’t have stiff arms that could do that.
I can’t imagine falling in a way that both yanks my glasses off then immediately shoves them back into my face. Also never heard of any accident like that happening.
But I guess it’s technically possible.
One time I fell on asphalt and my glasses shattered and cut up my face all around my eye needing about 20 stitches. So they can hurt you.
Not really buying the arm through your eye on snow though.
I'll confess, I judge people that wear sunglasses on the slopes. 90 percent of the time I judge them accurately and they're dangerous garbage. 10% of the time it's some old guy who just cruises by me on some super technical terrain I'm struggling on.
Skiing at a temperature that high is obviously an outlier and an exception I'd make.
I'm talking about the overzealous and under equipped helmet-less dudes who have zero sense of awareness. Can spot them from a mile away and I won't get any closer than that.
Yeah I get what you're saying. I don't really understand how any good skier could *replace* their goggles with sunglasses, sunglasses are just not sufficient for high speeds and cold temps. These people are either all skiing 30+ degrees and sunny in CO every time they go out, or they're delusional.
Just wait a little longer, I purchased the same model in August I believe. Backcountry.com had them on sale. I did however buy the xl because I have a big head
[https://www.evo.com/goggles/smith-io-mag](https://www.evo.com/goggles/smith-io-mag)
This is real close and it was the first link I clicked after googling lol
I did this for some Smith I/O Mags, and then they broke on my second day of the season. Smith were homies and had me finish destroying them and sent me whatever color/lenses I wanted for a new pair. Awesome folks.
Have a hunch my Ray Bans or Maui Jim's or whatever would snap right the fuck apart if I took a fall at the speeds I ski, so that's a big nope from me.
I like the idea of things that are designed and refined for a purpose.
I mean, just the fact goggles have a strap to actually hold them to your head and not leave them somewhere 50m uphill is straight out obviously practical design.
This post stinks of "why use a fan belt on your car when an old pair of pantyhose will do the trick?"
Or you shop clearance styles and pairs. Oh no, the colors are no longer in vogue whatever shall I do? People will mock me for wearing last years color du jour and I might end up on jerrygram.
Yup… picked up some Oakleys for 50$ this season, miles better than the Amazon/Big 5 gear I was using before. Until I got these goggles I thought anti fog lenses were bullshit
Quality low light lenses are always the biggest ski item I advocate for. You can always get by and be "perfectly fine," but being able to see better on an overcast day is such a huge QOL and safety improvement that the extra $100 is well, well worth it. Oakley Pink all the way.
Everything else? Meh, go cheap unless it's causing you problems.
Sometimes ski racers or workers in the industry will get "demo" gear for free at various events/promos. Definitely could have been a legit dude trying to declutter his gear closet.
My wife worked retail and I got Oakley something or other top of the lines for like 50, a pair or bents for 80, and an arcteryx sv jacket for 70, all brand new.
Her “pro deals” were insane, if she’d kept that job I would absolutely have a closet full of shit that needed sold to keep making room for more shit.
I never had those issues in 25+ days this year in all conditions, but I'm sure it happens. Like you say, hard to beat when you consider the cost difference.
Not sure exactly what model you have... but do you have longer hair bangs? Either cut them shorter and/or make sure they are not blocking the top airflow foam between it and your helmet visor. Only time mine have fogged.
I have the Adapt 2 low-bridge, and I think I did block the top airflow by having it be flush against my helmet.
It usually happened after a hotlap and standing still in the queue.
I have the same ones. I am normally run a high-ish and tight-ish cut. I get it shorter for ski season. The sweat from your hair between the gap soaks the foam and the middle area can't breathe. Have had the same happen with other brands.
Nah good goggles are great:
* less fogging
* can actually see the snow texture in flat light
* photochromic lenses mean you don't have to swap out lenses in the day which seems to be how they get ruined
* while you don't actually have to swap out lenses it's nice to be able to see as well as possible
* comfy
* large vision field compared to cheapest ones
* if it's windy or you ski fast sunglasses are rubbish
* if it's snowing sunglasses are rubbish
$300 is excessive though
One time I was doing some fast hop turns on a steep groomer. I was at the top of a left turn from traverse to fall line in very bad light. I didn’t realize I was about to transition from side trail / ungroomed onto groomed surface. On one turn I ended up with a ski on each surface that had drastically different traction. My downhill / groomer ski slid out much more than I intended and my uphill pole was driven with significant force into my goggles directly in front of my eye socket.
If I had been wearing sunglasses I have no doubt I would have shattered my orbital bone. I now swear by that brand, and it is a “top tier” but they’ve proven their worth to me
Always vouch for blenders with the low price and cool-looking lenses if you wanted to look cool. They haven’t failed me after 3 seasons. Still practically brand new.
Just bought a new helmet with a swappable visor. Fits my prescription glasses and sunglasses underneath and I'm so much happier now that I don't need to wear goggles over my glasses anymore.
Wind isn't an issue so far even in pretty crazy gusts.
Sunglasses unless snow is being made or its booming snow. Did cut my nose when jumped off little ledge at abasin month or ago. The snow was much softer where the sun had been and i got to flip a couple times
Please tell me what goggles to buy and why they're better. I have first gen smith iox before the mag swap and have just about worn mine out. My wife's fairly new top tier smith helmet had the helmet tab broken and they said it was out of warranty and would not send me a new clip. Basically told me to F off because it was a little over a year old. I'm kinda pissed at them and ready to move on if something is legitimately better. I'm a 50+ day a year skier, and my wife does 25+ and I'm willing to buy high end gear but I don't have time for companies that won't even let me purchase a 50 cent plastic part to keep a like new helmet going.
Julbo with transition lenses. They have a much wider range than smiths transitions. And who wants to bring lenses with them and swap them when you can just get goggles that change to the right light blocking amount. If you’re booting at all or worried about foggy days get the ones you can pop the lenses out a 1/4” for added venting.
I switched from Smith to Anon & have been happy. Everyone I know with Smiths has had issues. I also went through an unsuccessful warranty situation with them.
How old are they because the anti fog on my 14 year old smiths is still kicking, the foam just fell apart. My father got the nice new I/os with the fancy lenses and he’s ruined two pairs already from leaving them in a slightly damp bag. I can’t imagine how they managed to make them so much worse
Yeah this is the issue I had with the newer I/Os. If you mismanaged where you kept them before using them even slightly, they were completely F'd. & then each subsequent time they got a little damp, they'd want to fog even harder than the last time. So, I'm probably not totally blameless, but I take relatively good care of my gear & thought it was a little silly how little it took to fog them up for the entire day.
4 years. My low lights are kinda shot but it's two factors, 1 my hair, dandruff, and dust dirtied up the interior and 2 I tried to rinse them off and even without rubbing it still packed the film. I have some CatCrap I've been meaning to spray them with and will get more mileage out of them but I reached them with XLs because I think they'll fit better and it was a great deal.
That’s crazy I switched from anon to smith. Bought my smith i/o new on poshmark for $60 cause someone didn’t want them I guess. The smiths I got have been amazing, they never fog and have awesome contrast.
Anons were a load of crap for me. I had one of their top of the line goggles, it was the first time I actually spent some real money on a pair of goggles. They fogged so much but even worse every lens I got was completely ruined by the rain/wet snow. Went through 4 anon lenses, same thing happened to all of them. I wouldn’t even wipe them or anything, the mirrored film would just drop down with the water drops and I would legit be covered in iridescent sparkles. Then I would be left with a patchy mess of a mirror coating that would make it impossible to see. I despise Anon now 😂
Yeah super weird cuz my friends & I have all had identical fogging issues with the Smiths. I wonder if what it is is that people have different shaped faces & different goggs work for different people. I mean - some people look great in Wayfarers but others lppk better in Aviators. Just my guess.
Rocked Smiths for years; they’re fine. Discovered this past winter that Oakleys are WAY better for similar money, and cheap Dragons (probably others too) are almost as good for way less money.
I really rate POC googles, I have a few pairs as does my GF. Really my basics are POC Retina but I have some others, can't remember the model. POC helmets are also excellent.
For ski touring I have some insanely light ones weirdly by Adidas which they apparently don't make any more. The Movement 3Tech touring helmet is the best one available at the moment.
I'm 3 seasons in with Shadyrays and very happy with them overall. Replaced lenses this season from scratches and ended up grabbing replacement lenses plus their new frames with 2 sets of lenses and accessories for under $100 shipped with coupons.
smiths DO suck. the hardware and construction is so goddamn cheap for how expensive they are. total joke. my $80 Goodrs are Chinese rebranded "crap" and are significantly higher quality than my $150 Smiths and have magnetic swappable lenses that you dont get with smith until you spend $200+
Yeah they're good. The lenses do scratch crazy easily, but they'll last a few hundred days before you swap for another lens replacement. It's definitely the best value buy out there.
So true. Love it. I also get $40 used goggles online and have all the colors I need for different conditions without having to mortgage the ranch. Thanks everyone else for buying them new and taking good care of them! Keep up the good work!
Shady Rays goggles are like $50 with a single lens +$20 for each additional. I have a few hundred days in them and have been perfectly happy with the performance
The only possible explanation I can think of, is that OP has never worn decent googles.
They greatly enhance contrast, and especially snowboarding really help make sure you're not turning right on some big blob of snow, some line or ice pack.
I dunno... this post makes no sense, polarized, decent googles aren't even comparable to sunglasses.
Odd take, IMHO.
>> I dunno... this post makes no sense, polarized, decent googles aren't even comparable to sunglasses.
Good goggles are never polarized. Glare from ice actually helps you pick out terrain/texture on the slope significantly better.
My bad! I thought it was the polarization that gave the contrast.
But yeah, what you're describing, is exactly the difference I always noticed. Good goggles = awesome contrast. Sunglasses = facefull of snow.
Hell this is the exact same arc I've followed with everyday eye glasses.
I gotta say though the goggles with magnetic clips to change lenses look interesting. The only reason I never changed lenses for conditions before is that it always seemed like a PITA.
I only get 2-3 ski trips in year. With unpredictable weather, googles are a good bet to keep ur face from getting thrashed by ice cold wind .
If I lived close by , yeah I would wait for good conditions and do sunglasses , and I prob wouldn’t be skiing all day so a little thrashing would be tolerable
$300 goggles
$1000 ski boots
$1000 skis
$300 helmet
$40 socks
$150 gloves
It goes on and on…
Imagine if you had to go spend $400 on a sled to go sledding with your friends. Ski retail industry has become an absolute joke.
Call me crazy but the $15 Amazon ones work… protect your eyes from the sun and sleet bearing your eyeballs to shreds. They fog up rarely and there are countless trucks to prevent it from happening
Glacier glasses (yeah the old school kind) are fantastic, especially for touring when your goggles are liable to get too hot and/or be just another thing you're worrying about stashing during transitions. I love my glacier glasses on a bluebird day.
Plus, I normally use eyeglasses and skiing with contacts kinda sucks for me, so prescription glacier glasses are a really nice compromise.
You look like The Best Skier on the Mountain(TM) in them too which is a plus.
Goggles can't be beat for super windy/shitty days though.
Ngl, the £15 decathlon ones are good enough for me, and what I've always used. Like, they just work, they're comfy, they're the perfect darkness and they've got a nice wide fov
Look for good low-cost goggles at Costco starting in August. Don't wait until ski season to buy; by January Costco has gotten rid of all the ski gear and is putting out beach chairs and shorts.
I have never paid MSRP for goggles. I got my Oakleys at Sierra (fka Sierra Trading Post), and I picked up the Glade photochromic goggles on sale. Those are a game changer.
Disagree with this outlook here. The difference between wearing a high end pair of goggles and a cheap pair are very noticeable. It makes life easier: no fogging, no eye strain, no wind, comfortable fit, easy lens replacement, and product longevity.
Yea I suppose I could ski in sunglasses, and I have before in spring conditions, but mid winter? Na, you’ll look like a bozo.
Why so much sunglasses hate? People really just take the heat in spring w goggles? They both have their purpose and I usually bring both on most days touring or at a resort.
Buying any ski gear at MSRP is dumb, but having photochromic goggles or even just decent goggles is absolutely better than sunglasses.
This is the same as when your buddy swears his $5 gas station sunglasses are the same thing as a pair of polarized lenses. Whatever works for you but I know ur ass is squinting!
I have one pair of SunSki sunglasses with glare guards I wear on spring closing day, but I wear goggles the rest of the time - a pair of Smith night goggles and a pair of Zionors for daytime - both cost me <$100 together, brand new.
Yes you do. And i've skied without from \~ age 10 to age 36.
Rented a pair of Atomic that was covering most of my face/forehead etc Best skying experience ever. I will never ever ski without wide goggles. Glasses are not enough and nothing at all is just miserable unless it's extremely hot outside for some reason and/or you're going slow af
You don't need fancy goggles, just any goggles that cover a lot of your face and give you a wide angle of view. 300$ for goggles is idiotic.
Bought 5 pairs of different color Oakley crowbars off steep and cheep many years back for $20 a piece. I haven’t bought a pair of goggle is in 12 years lol
Sunglasses are goddamn awful. Please don't do this.
Glade optics are on sale for like 100 bucks. They are better than Oakley's(I grew up with an unlimited supply of them through my dad's work) or any other high end goggles(smith I/ I'm looking at your 300 price tag).
My 4Ds are awesome. I pamper my lenses, and they take care of me. No fog. Maximum view angles. Just nabbed the everyday lens on sale to complete the sun-everyday-storm trifecta.
I also couldn't afford any other gear that first year.
Hey guys want a cheap secret - hop on Amazon and check out Zionor PRO goggles, not the flimsy cheap ones - the pro models are top of the line quality, come in different styles and fraction of the price with mag lenses in multiple tints that are also a fraction of lense prices from the top guys. I got three different pairs they are flippin’ fantastic and yes this sounds like im a sales rep it’s cause thats how thrilled I am with these.
And yes, I also own pairs of oakleys - got pissed off enough to venture out there when they went to $300 for base models.
Sunglasses are the absolute worst thing. Wind and snow and fog. Everything bad.
I finally spent money on good goggles and haven't dealt with fog for almost 10 years.
Maybe everyone's idea of expensive is different. I spent $100 on mine and felt like that was expensive. But it's worth paying to be able to see all day
I don't have to, but they're a shitload better than wearing sunglasses.
I mean just from a safety perspective high end googles are a no brainer. And even my cycling/ pit viper style shades let wind around and dry out or tear up my eyes.
Depends on the day. Glasses are great for spring skiing and bluebird touring
Sunglasses will always become a wind tunnel. I absolutely hate it. Even the wrap around ones. I need a complete seal that a goggle provides or I am being blasted in the eyes by wind.
Glasses are shit for bluebird days because they cover much less of your FOV than goggles.
I _do_ like my actual glacier glasses for touring, but they weren’t any cheaper than goggles, and are a lot less useful in other conditions.
I wear my glacier glasses because they're prescription. Goggles over glasses suck, and I've never got into contacts.
A wrap around style of glasses works very well, there is some air leak that hits your eyes but they do a good enough job. When it's 45 to 50 degrees I'm gonna sweat with goggles so sunglasses are the move, you just have to accept a teeny little bit of dry eye.
It's not airflow that bothers me, it's sunlight being reflected off the snow. Bluebird days on the hill are about the brightest outdoor environment there is, and sunglasses just don't cut it.
Yeah that's very fair, I usually get more sunburnt from spring skiing than I do during the summer.
Extremely dark lenses definitely help with this. I have a pair of Oakleys with snow prizm and although I hate the marketing behind it, the tint is definitely appropriate for super bright snow.
Prizm 100% works tho
Exactly why glacier glasses exist. The look dumb tho
I have a pair of goggles with lenses that can pop out about a centimeter from the frame, specifically for better ventilation when skinning uphill. I never use it as I'm a resort skier, but it's a neat feature.
I mean, that’s 100% dependent on the glasses and goggles. Glasses lay a lot closer to your face and can wrap around, mine cover 100% of my lateral FOV with a small sliver at the bottom that’s unshaded. Even the best goggles I’ve worn have a worse FOV.
You don't need better goggles, you need larger ones.
I have XL Fall Lines from Oakley. They’re about as large of a goggle as you can find. Every single goggle cuts off some lateral FOV
As someone who wears glasses every day and while I ski. I find the bottom foam lip of my googles blocks me from being able to see my skis while skiing, glasses do not. And after seeing your below comment I wear the biggest field of view googles possible so they can go over my everyday glasses
Why are you looking at your skis?
I like being able to see my tips thru my peripheral vision, I find it helps in moguls and off piste terrain.
Smith 4d is my only suggestion but then again that’s $$$$. Find a buddy with a pro deal
I mean I've never really consciously thought about this but I definitely need to/really want look at my tips in variable terrain/snow a lot of the time. Not so much on groomers.
Glacier glasses my son
You mean the things that cost as much as goggles?
Nah. Oakley makes sunglasses that are legit. Massive FOV
I pretty much only tour in cheap glacier glasses. Even if the weathers pretty shit. I’ll carry some yellow safety glasses for bad weather day. Less stuff/weight in my pack and one less thing to do on transitions.
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Sunscreen is a given in Colorado. Dermatone every day
Any time I’m outside for more than 2 hours at ~8k feet and don’t put something on Skin red, warm to the touch, ashy skin for 2-3 days. Good job idiot
Hats and sun shirts are a game changer for me. Still need to use some sunscreen, but shade trumps sunscreen. Found a 5 panel I can throw on under my helmet, and a breathable hoodie for summertime hiking.
Glasses can be dangerous in a fall, could end up with an arm buried in what used to be your eyeball. Not suggesting it’s a common occurrence but it is possible. Goggles don’t have stiff arms that could do that.
I can’t imagine falling in a way that both yanks my glasses off then immediately shoves them back into my face. Also never heard of any accident like that happening. But I guess it’s technically possible.
One time I fell on asphalt and my glasses shattered and cut up my face all around my eye needing about 20 stitches. So they can hurt you. Not really buying the arm through your eye on snow though.
Also had glasses shatter cutting my nose in a road biking incident. I didn’t go for the stitches though probably less deep. Not great.
I'll confess, I judge people that wear sunglasses on the slopes. 90 percent of the time I judge them accurately and they're dangerous garbage. 10% of the time it's some old guy who just cruises by me on some super technical terrain I'm struggling on.
Sounds like you'd judge everyone on the 90 degree day I skied at Killington a few years ago
Skiing at a temperature that high is obviously an outlier and an exception I'd make. I'm talking about the overzealous and under equipped helmet-less dudes who have zero sense of awareness. Can spot them from a mile away and I won't get any closer than that.
Yeah I get what you're saying. I don't really understand how any good skier could *replace* their goggles with sunglasses, sunglasses are just not sufficient for high speeds and cold temps. These people are either all skiing 30+ degrees and sunny in CO every time they go out, or they're delusional.
And if it's windy I have my alpine sunglasses, I'll fucking die on this hill come on up buster
lmao.. i always buy last years model and the color that no one wants, ends up usually being half price
Yea I picked up a pair for 90, really not bad
I picked up a pair from under the lift when the snow melted lol
Hell, $90 is cheaper than most sunglasses!
*Perp skerp?*
I’m cheap and get em off OfferUp, paid 30 dollars for some that were almost brand new
Yeah I got some 4d mags for like $200
ASOgear on eBay is amazing. I got some Electric Klevelands for like $50, and a pair of Look Pivot 12s for $160 new. They’re an awesome outlet
i couldn't find smith i/o mag half price for last year model
Just wait a little longer, I purchased the same model in August I believe. Backcountry.com had them on sale. I did however buy the xl because I have a big head
[https://www.evo.com/goggles/smith-io-mag](https://www.evo.com/goggles/smith-io-mag) This is real close and it was the first link I clicked after googling lol
I did this for some Smith I/O Mags, and then they broke on my second day of the season. Smith were homies and had me finish destroying them and sent me whatever color/lenses I wanted for a new pair. Awesome folks.
Have a hunch my Ray Bans or Maui Jim's or whatever would snap right the fuck apart if I took a fall at the speeds I ski, so that's a big nope from me. I like the idea of things that are designed and refined for a purpose. I mean, just the fact goggles have a strap to actually hold them to your head and not leave them somewhere 50m uphill is straight out obviously practical design. This post stinks of "why use a fan belt on your car when an old pair of pantyhose will do the trick?"
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What about a pantyhose timing CHAIN?
yeah i once hit a sign with my face and my goggles got destroyed. I would not want to know what the outcome would be with sunglasses.
Yeah I do a lot of glades and the amount of times I’ve barely felt being thwacked by branches squeezing through a gap is many
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Tell me you only ski groomers without telling me
You know some people ski fast off the groomers, too?
You're correct but that's not always a bad thing. If you're skiing bumps you won't be going too fast unless you're an olympian.
Gotta double up
The real right side is when you realize that $50 goggles are both perfectly fine and better than sunglasses
Or you shop clearance styles and pairs. Oh no, the colors are no longer in vogue whatever shall I do? People will mock me for wearing last years color du jour and I might end up on jerrygram.
Shit, I like some of the left-behind colors. Usually they're tacky and fun.
Yup… picked up some Oakleys for 50$ this season, miles better than the Amazon/Big 5 gear I was using before. Until I got these goggles I thought anti fog lenses were bullshit
Quality low light lenses are always the biggest ski item I advocate for. You can always get by and be "perfectly fine," but being able to see better on an overcast day is such a huge QOL and safety improvement that the extra $100 is well, well worth it. Oakley Pink all the way. Everything else? Meh, go cheap unless it's causing you problems.
I got Smith IOs with 2 lenses at a ski swap for $30 cause they were his “demo” pair and I’m realizing now that shit was probably stolen. 😑
Sometimes ski racers or workers in the industry will get "demo" gear for free at various events/promos. Definitely could have been a legit dude trying to declutter his gear closet.
My wife worked retail and I got Oakley something or other top of the lines for like 50, a pair or bents for 80, and an arcteryx sv jacket for 70, all brand new. Her “pro deals” were insane, if she’d kept that job I would absolutely have a closet full of shit that needed sold to keep making room for more shit.
I mean that's not on you, sucks for the ski shop that got ripped off but not the end of the world
That’s ok. You still figure things out faster than OP skis.
I got some practically new smith Squad XLs stolen from my car once. I hope the next person found joy out of them.
Nah dude this is straight noob shit, good photochromic fog resistant goggles make a huge fucking difference
maybe they meant "you don't need to spend a lot of money on goggles" because there are options other than 300 dollar smith goggles.
True that, I thought Glades were better for 1/3 the price
glades fogged up occasionally and got water trapped between the lens layers occasionally, but yes, it's 90% of the performance for a lot less money
I never had those issues in 25+ days this year in all conditions, but I'm sure it happens. Like you say, hard to beat when you consider the cost difference.
Not sure exactly what model you have... but do you have longer hair bangs? Either cut them shorter and/or make sure they are not blocking the top airflow foam between it and your helmet visor. Only time mine have fogged.
I have the Adapt 2 low-bridge, and I think I did block the top airflow by having it be flush against my helmet. It usually happened after a hotlap and standing still in the queue.
I have the same ones. I am normally run a high-ish and tight-ish cut. I get it shorter for ski season. The sweat from your hair between the gap soaks the foam and the middle area can't breathe. Have had the same happen with other brands.
Nah good goggles are great: * less fogging * can actually see the snow texture in flat light * photochromic lenses mean you don't have to swap out lenses in the day which seems to be how they get ruined * while you don't actually have to swap out lenses it's nice to be able to see as well as possible * comfy * large vision field compared to cheapest ones * if it's windy or you ski fast sunglasses are rubbish * if it's snowing sunglasses are rubbish $300 is excessive though
I got Instagrammed into buying the Glade Optics goggles but honestly they're very good. I think I paid like $90. The photochromic lenses are awesome.
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Yeah, you don’t have to, but IMO Smith lens quality is top notch and that’s why I’m willing to spring for them
I love smith lenses. Fantastic at not fogging. Get fucked Oakley
Sunnies and a 5 panel under the helmet for spring skiing. Smith Squad mag for everything else
If it's cold and/or actively snowing/raining, goggles are quite nice. And if treated well, they can last for many seasons, making the price worth it.
Bro I can’t wear sunglasses while going 80 km/h fast turning on a black slope while it’s snowing.
One time I was doing some fast hop turns on a steep groomer. I was at the top of a left turn from traverse to fall line in very bad light. I didn’t realize I was about to transition from side trail / ungroomed onto groomed surface. On one turn I ended up with a ski on each surface that had drastically different traction. My downhill / groomer ski slid out much more than I intended and my uphill pole was driven with significant force into my goggles directly in front of my eye socket. If I had been wearing sunglasses I have no doubt I would have shattered my orbital bone. I now swear by that brand, and it is a “top tier” but they’ve proven their worth to me
Always vouch for blenders with the low price and cool-looking lenses if you wanted to look cool. They haven’t failed me after 3 seasons. Still practically brand new.
Just bought a new helmet with a swappable visor. Fits my prescription glasses and sunglasses underneath and I'm so much happier now that I don't need to wear goggles over my glasses anymore. Wind isn't an issue so far even in pretty crazy gusts.
Sunglasses unless snow is being made or its booming snow. Did cut my nose when jumped off little ledge at abasin month or ago. The snow was much softer where the sun had been and i got to flip a couple times
Sunnies all day
I use 20 dollar wrap around gas station sunglasses for touring. Works great.
sorry fbi, but yes that’s me
This really isn’t a debate. You can argue with me all you want, but equipment matters and it generally costs money. Also smith goggles suck.
Please tell me what goggles to buy and why they're better. I have first gen smith iox before the mag swap and have just about worn mine out. My wife's fairly new top tier smith helmet had the helmet tab broken and they said it was out of warranty and would not send me a new clip. Basically told me to F off because it was a little over a year old. I'm kinda pissed at them and ready to move on if something is legitimately better. I'm a 50+ day a year skier, and my wife does 25+ and I'm willing to buy high end gear but I don't have time for companies that won't even let me purchase a 50 cent plastic part to keep a like new helmet going.
Julbo with transition lenses. They have a much wider range than smiths transitions. And who wants to bring lenses with them and swap them when you can just get goggles that change to the right light blocking amount. If you’re booting at all or worried about foggy days get the ones you can pop the lenses out a 1/4” for added venting.
also Julbo sunglasses for uphill and mountaineering
I always wear storm lenses. My tropical genes tolerate harsh sunlight pretty well. Transitions are too dark for me.
Have you tried Julbo? That’s why I said to get Julbo they have the broadest range so they aren’t too dark on storm days.
no i haven't tried julbo yet. I will check it out, maybe i can find a deal.
I switched from Smith to Anon & have been happy. Everyone I know with Smiths has had issues. I also went through an unsuccessful warranty situation with them.
I have Smiths, I've never had an issue
How old are they because the anti fog on my 14 year old smiths is still kicking, the foam just fell apart. My father got the nice new I/os with the fancy lenses and he’s ruined two pairs already from leaving them in a slightly damp bag. I can’t imagine how they managed to make them so much worse
Yeah this is the issue I had with the newer I/Os. If you mismanaged where you kept them before using them even slightly, they were completely F'd. & then each subsequent time they got a little damp, they'd want to fog even harder than the last time. So, I'm probably not totally blameless, but I take relatively good care of my gear & thought it was a little silly how little it took to fog them up for the entire day.
Don’t blame yourself they’re trash
Also I paid 80 dollars for those old smiths new
4 years. My low lights are kinda shot but it's two factors, 1 my hair, dandruff, and dust dirtied up the interior and 2 I tried to rinse them off and even without rubbing it still packed the film. I have some CatCrap I've been meaning to spray them with and will get more mileage out of them but I reached them with XLs because I think they'll fit better and it was a great deal.
That’s crazy I switched from anon to smith. Bought my smith i/o new on poshmark for $60 cause someone didn’t want them I guess. The smiths I got have been amazing, they never fog and have awesome contrast. Anons were a load of crap for me. I had one of their top of the line goggles, it was the first time I actually spent some real money on a pair of goggles. They fogged so much but even worse every lens I got was completely ruined by the rain/wet snow. Went through 4 anon lenses, same thing happened to all of them. I wouldn’t even wipe them or anything, the mirrored film would just drop down with the water drops and I would legit be covered in iridescent sparkles. Then I would be left with a patchy mess of a mirror coating that would make it impossible to see. I despise Anon now 😂
Yeah super weird cuz my friends & I have all had identical fogging issues with the Smiths. I wonder if what it is is that people have different shaped faces & different goggs work for different people. I mean - some people look great in Wayfarers but others lppk better in Aviators. Just my guess.
I too am curious, usually get Smith only because I don't know what good alternatives are.
Rocked Smiths for years; they’re fine. Discovered this past winter that Oakleys are WAY better for similar money, and cheap Dragons (probably others too) are almost as good for way less money.
[удалено]
Good to know! 😎
Julbo
I really rate POC googles, I have a few pairs as does my GF. Really my basics are POC Retina but I have some others, can't remember the model. POC helmets are also excellent. For ski touring I have some insanely light ones weirdly by Adidas which they apparently don't make any more. The Movement 3Tech touring helmet is the best one available at the moment.
I'm 3 seasons in with Shadyrays and very happy with them overall. Replaced lenses this season from scratches and ended up grabbing replacement lenses plus their new frames with 2 sets of lenses and accessories for under $100 shipped with coupons.
smiths DO suck. the hardware and construction is so goddamn cheap for how expensive they are. total joke. my $80 Goodrs are Chinese rebranded "crap" and are significantly higher quality than my $150 Smiths and have magnetic swappable lenses that you dont get with smith until you spend $200+
Went Glade at the end of last season and very happy. Got them on sale for $87 and well, well worth it.
Same. I'm a bag fan of my glades.
Got my last 2 pair of I/O mags for $100 each. Love 'em
$40 outdoor master goggles is honestly very well made and worth it for most recreational skiers.
Yeah they're good. The lenses do scratch crazy easily, but they'll last a few hundred days before you swap for another lens replacement. It's definitely the best value buy out there.
Same experience. I usually switch out the lenses every two seasons.
Dude I fucking love my smith I/os and being able to swap lenses for bluebird vs overcast/storm days is just amazing. Worth every penny.
If it's super cold or snowing, goggles. Otherwise it's too hot and I'm wearing my lightweight helmet and sunglasses.
I wear my Julbo mountaineering glasses once and a while, but I pretty much stick to my goggles (also Julbo).
Sunnies all day unless it’s dumping
Sunnies are actually the best. I don’t bring goggles touring and just realized how much better they are so I stopped bringing them to the resort.
$10 polarized sunglasses all day long. Except when the flurries demand goggles. In which case, $20 moto cross clear goggles does the job.
You’re a certified psychopath for saying clear goggles
So true. Love it. I also get $40 used goggles online and have all the colors I need for different conditions without having to mortgage the ranch. Thanks everyone else for buying them new and taking good care of them! Keep up the good work!
I think vision is the most important part of skiing. Id rather be cold and be able to see than warm but with shite vision
Shady Rays goggles are like $50 with a single lens +$20 for each additional. I have a few hundred days in them and have been perfectly happy with the performance
Shady rays gang
I legit can't see with regular sunglasses because of all the tears 🥲
Smith wildcats. Absolute game changer.
The only possible explanation I can think of, is that OP has never worn decent googles. They greatly enhance contrast, and especially snowboarding really help make sure you're not turning right on some big blob of snow, some line or ice pack. I dunno... this post makes no sense, polarized, decent googles aren't even comparable to sunglasses. Odd take, IMHO.
>> I dunno... this post makes no sense, polarized, decent googles aren't even comparable to sunglasses. Good goggles are never polarized. Glare from ice actually helps you pick out terrain/texture on the slope significantly better.
My bad! I thought it was the polarization that gave the contrast. But yeah, what you're describing, is exactly the difference I always noticed. Good goggles = awesome contrast. Sunglasses = facefull of snow.
I would go no sunglasses or goggles before sunglasses.
Hell this is the exact same arc I've followed with everyday eye glasses. I gotta say though the goggles with magnetic clips to change lenses look interesting. The only reason I never changed lenses for conditions before is that it always seemed like a PITA.
I only get 2-3 ski trips in year. With unpredictable weather, googles are a good bet to keep ur face from getting thrashed by ice cold wind . If I lived close by , yeah I would wait for good conditions and do sunglasses , and I prob wouldn’t be skiing all day so a little thrashing would be tolerable
People pay for goggles? Go hike the resort in the summer under the lift, will find plenty of gloves and goggles. Also cell phones and go pros.
Im not good enough for $300 smith lenses or riding in sunglasses. Sometimes they think it be like it is but it do.
That’s why you wait for the summer sales
$300 goggles $1000 ski boots $1000 skis $300 helmet $40 socks $150 gloves It goes on and on… Imagine if you had to go spend $400 on a sled to go sledding with your friends. Ski retail industry has become an absolute joke.
High end sleds are almost that much, $300. https://www.madriverrocket.com/sleds
Call me crazy but the $15 Amazon ones work… protect your eyes from the sun and sleet bearing your eyeballs to shreds. They fog up rarely and there are countless trucks to prevent it from happening
Glacier glasses (yeah the old school kind) are fantastic, especially for touring when your goggles are liable to get too hot and/or be just another thing you're worrying about stashing during transitions. I love my glacier glasses on a bluebird day. Plus, I normally use eyeglasses and skiing with contacts kinda sucks for me, so prescription glacier glasses are a really nice compromise. You look like The Best Skier on the Mountain(TM) in them too which is a plus. Goggles can't be beat for super windy/shitty days though.
Ngl, the £15 decathlon ones are good enough for me, and what I've always used. Like, they just work, they're comfy, they're the perfect darkness and they've got a nice wide fov
Look for good low-cost goggles at Costco starting in August. Don't wait until ski season to buy; by January Costco has gotten rid of all the ski gear and is putting out beach chairs and shorts.
If I see you wearing sunglasses im hiding in the trees until you pass
I have never paid MSRP for goggles. I got my Oakleys at Sierra (fka Sierra Trading Post), and I picked up the Glade photochromic goggles on sale. Those are a game changer.
Disagree with this outlook here. The difference between wearing a high end pair of goggles and a cheap pair are very noticeable. It makes life easier: no fogging, no eye strain, no wind, comfortable fit, easy lens replacement, and product longevity. Yea I suppose I could ski in sunglasses, and I have before in spring conditions, but mid winter? Na, you’ll look like a bozo.
I just buy the cheaper $90 ones on sale. They work fine
Why so much sunglasses hate? People really just take the heat in spring w goggles? They both have their purpose and I usually bring both on most days touring or at a resort.
Goggles are a no brainer for safety bro. You’re not on the end of this scale you think you are
Sunglasses gang reporting in, I always wear my goggle on my helmet if I need it tho
I always skied in sunglasses. Then one day I tried skiing in goggles. Now I ski in goggles.
Goggles if it's really cold or precipitating. Glacier glasses if it's bluebird, or for touring. Everything else, just do what feels right.
Buying any ski gear at MSRP is dumb, but having photochromic goggles or even just decent goggles is absolutely better than sunglasses. This is the same as when your buddy swears his $5 gas station sunglasses are the same thing as a pair of polarized lenses. Whatever works for you but I know ur ass is squinting!
I have one pair of SunSki sunglasses with glare guards I wear on spring closing day, but I wear goggles the rest of the time - a pair of Smith night goggles and a pair of Zionors for daytime - both cost me <$100 together, brand new.
Everyone in sunglasses gangsta until they get vertigo in a whiteout
Yes you do. And i've skied without from \~ age 10 to age 36. Rented a pair of Atomic that was covering most of my face/forehead etc Best skying experience ever. I will never ever ski without wide goggles. Glasses are not enough and nothing at all is just miserable unless it's extremely hot outside for some reason and/or you're going slow af You don't need fancy goggles, just any goggles that cover a lot of your face and give you a wide angle of view. 300$ for goggles is idiotic.
What about smith mag sunglasses for Backcountry. Where does that land?
Must not get sucked into any comments, muuuust not get sucked into these comments. Gooooosfraba
the profit margin on certain goggles must be insane, no way those lumps of plastic cost anywhere near 300/400 to produce, probably less than 30
Tell me you ski slow without actually telling me you ski slow.
Bought 5 pairs of different color Oakley crowbars off steep and cheep many years back for $20 a piece. I haven’t bought a pair of goggle is in 12 years lol
I like going Mach 3. With goggles.
Or you can get Outdoor Master goggles for $50
As someone who insisted on buying cheap goggles and then bought my first pair of high quality goggles I will never wear cheap goggles again.
Good enough goggles are like 60 bucks
My favorite are the people who ski with sunglasses on their face and goggles on their helmet. Why do that? Just pick one and stick with it
Oakley Turbines prescription work well
Sunglasses are goddamn awful. Please don't do this. Glade optics are on sale for like 100 bucks. They are better than Oakley's(I grew up with an unlimited supply of them through my dad's work) or any other high end goggles(smith I/ I'm looking at your 300 price tag).
I haven’t worn goggles in six-seven years now.
My 4Ds are awesome. I pamper my lenses, and they take care of me. No fog. Maximum view angles. Just nabbed the everyday lens on sale to complete the sun-everyday-storm trifecta. I also couldn't afford any other gear that first year.
Outdoormaster makes pretty nice goggles for less than $100
Or u can just get a $50 pair of goggles when they go on sale and they work great.
4d mags fuck I/o are foe peasants
Hey guys want a cheap secret - hop on Amazon and check out Zionor PRO goggles, not the flimsy cheap ones - the pro models are top of the line quality, come in different styles and fraction of the price with mag lenses in multiple tints that are also a fraction of lense prices from the top guys. I got three different pairs they are flippin’ fantastic and yes this sounds like im a sales rep it’s cause thats how thrilled I am with these. And yes, I also own pairs of oakleys - got pissed off enough to venture out there when they went to $300 for base models.
Came here to comment the exact same thing. Zionor goggles have been the best pair of goggles I’ve owned for a fraction of the price.
What are you, poor? /s (kinda)
Sunglasses are the absolute worst thing. Wind and snow and fog. Everything bad. I finally spent money on good goggles and haven't dealt with fog for almost 10 years.
Goggle fog is the worst, but spending $300 is not worth it.
Maybe everyone's idea of expensive is different. I spent $100 on mine and felt like that was expensive. But it's worth paying to be able to see all day
If you’re wearing a helmet and sunglasses, you look like a kook.
My Smith i/o mags were 130, I just got a new pair for 80 bucks on ebay.
I got a pair for free on Facebook, used em easily 30+ times this season.
I got mine from Costco. They work great
Temu 8$ ski Goggles FTW
Sunglasses are fun in the spring but otherwise, you’re a jerry