Goggles
You wear ski goggles for two reasons. The first is protection: ski goggles protect your eyes and face much better than regular sunglasses. Harmful UV rays, snow blindness, cutting wind, and swirling snowflakes won’t stand a chance.
The second and most important reason is safety. Your ski goggles are attached to your helmet. That is, your goggles will stay on in the event of a fall. Ordinary sunglasses can break and thus seriously hurt you – or just disappear in the snow, which is annoying. Moreover, ski goggle lenses are made of an exceptionally robust plastic: polycarbonate. Almost unbreakable, very pliable, and flexible.
One the one hand, choosing the right ski goggles depends on the weather, but it is also important to choose the right type of lens. Depending on the amount of sun you expect (we’re keeping our fingers crossed!), choose goggles with higher or lower light transmission. If it’s foggy, opt for goggles that let a lot of light through. If the sun is shining, choose goggles that only let little light through.
Once you have determined that category, it is time to set your sights on the horizon. The curvature of your lens determines the width of your field of vision. You can choose from:
- A cylindrical lens: wide field of view, cheaper, distorted image.
- A spherical lens: sharper depth perception, more expensive, no distorted image.
- A toric lens: the widest possible field of vision, no distorted image, and without the spherical shape of spherical lenses.
The colour of your lens plays an important role in choosing the right ski goggles. Depending on the weather conditions, a specific shade will give you sharper vision in the snow.
- Orange or brown: all-rounders you can use in all weather conditions.
- Yellow, blue, or pink: improve your visibility when it is very foggy or when there are a lot of dark clouds.
- Grey or green: perfect for a brilliant blue sky.
Do you go skiing or snowboarding often? Is the slope pretty much your second home? Then it’s best to invest in ski goggles with an interchangeable lens. That way, you don’t have to change goggles for every whim of the weather gods!
It’s important that your ski goggles fit properly, not only for your own comfort, but also for your vision. Make sure your goggles are not too big. Goggles that are too big can slip off your face all the time or limit your field of vision. Always try on your new ski goggles while wearing your ski helmet. This ensures that your goggles fit snugly to your helmet and keeps icy winds out.