Look Closely When Buying Goggles Make A Safety, Not A Fashion, Statement With Your Choice

As an examiner for the Professional Ski Instructors of America, Butch Graves has skied in every weather condition imaginable. When the mountain is open and sometimes even when it’s not he has to be out there.

So when it comes to choosing protective equipment, Graves knows the importance of a good pair of goggles.

“It’s probably one of the most important things you’re going to put on, outside of your skis and boots,” Graves says. “I can do with cold hands, but I can’t do without seeing where I’m going.”

He knows what to look for when buying ski goggles, and his list doesn’t start with a big sticker price. Graves usually finds a good pair that meets his needs for $30 to $40.

For that, Graves expects a lens with good optical qualities, the right color for the conditions he’s skiing in, and a good fit.

Getting the right pair of goggles can be challenging. There are lots of styles, colors and brands to choose from.

Finding the goggles that are right for you involves more than grabbing one off the shelf because it looks cool.

Experienced skiers and industry representatives offer several tips to help you find a good pair of goggles that meets your needs without eating a hole in your wallet.

Before you buy a pair, know what weather conditions you’re most likely to use them in. If you prefer sunglasses on bright days and only use goggles when its icky outside, don’t opt for a mirrored lens. While they do cut glare, they don’t provide much contrast in low-light conditions. Vision is the priority.

If you like to wear goggles all the time, one option you might consider is such anti-fog technology as air vents. Some double-layered lenses are vented so air can get between the lenses, evaporating any vapor and maintaining a temperature balance to prevent fogging. Others offer vents that boost air flow behind the lens to keep your forehead cool and limit sweating that can lead to fogging on warm days.

If you wear prescription glasses, you can buy goggles with clips behind the lens to hold a set of prescription lenses. Other models are designed to fit over prescription glasses.

Make sure goggles fit properly. Some people’s heads are narrow, others are broad and millions are somewhere in between. We’ve got different noses, eyes and ears. So it makes sense that one style of goggles, or even one brand, is not going to fit everyone.

Since you’re going to wear these goggles for hours while sliding down a mountain at high speed, they need to be comfortable and provide a good range of peripheral vision. Halfway down a narrow chute is no time to readjust your goggles because they’re sliding around your face and you can’t see.