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Any goggles that DON'T mist up please!

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
The problem: goggles mist up on me to the point where visibility is really poor - take them off, clean them carefully with appropriate/approved soft cloth - put them back on and soon they mist up again.

I try not to pull them up so they get rising mist from face or head or get inner lens exposed to cold air and so on.

Have tried Uvex, Smith I/O and a couple of others I can't recall ... friends motorised Smith's with little fan still misted up on her a little ... too small to try for me but am tempted if it wasn't for the "geek" factor!

Usually ordinary piste skiing is not usually a problem but if there is a rapid change in altitude or humidity such as in heli-skiing it happens a lot ... this year in February in British Columbia heli--skiing (Revelstoke) I tried the guide's spare pair, changed lenses when I got a chance, bought another pair (only to be told by guide that his spare pair and the new pair of Smith I/Os I'd bought both had a manufacturing fault where the little vent wasn't working on one and in the other a small gap around inside lens causing fogging between the lenses.)

Skiing in deep powder with sunglasses isn't really on - especially with trees and branches around sometimes - but it got so bad I ended one afternoon skiing with nothing - fortunately not too bright that day ... a bit like me you might say!

So, anyone found the perfect goggles?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The problem you have with advice is that what works for someone else, may not work for you.

I use Oakley (which you haven't listed) and they don't mist up...The A Frame 2s have a venting port on the front that help with air flow....but it's too much money to spend without knowing if they'll work for you (unless you can borrow some).

Goggles with a fan may be your safest option....if you can't see, you can't ski (geek factor is of secondary importance).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Use tinted contact lenses (I have never done this but it sounds like a good idea)
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Bigtipper wrote:
Use tinted contact lenses (I have never done this but it sounds like a good idea)


Bad idea when a tree branch takes out your eye
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Ashridge, you must be doing something wrong.
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Not sure what you are doing wrong - good goggles usually do no mist if you keep the vents at the top of the goggles clear and avoid touching the lenses (finger prints give a grip for the fog to hold on to). It interests me that you get it skiing powder - did they mist after a fall (in which case it may be snow in the vents) or perhaps your kit (eg helmet) is not allowing a flow of air? Finally - it might be that you are hot/sweat a lot on your face - i get misting from this on my sunglasses when ski touring (requires me to push the glasses further down my nose to improve air flow vs humidity from the face).
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Goggles won't mist as long as you either have them on your face or completely off. No wearing on forehead. Whether in or out of helos.
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After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Sounds like a technique issue: goggles do work when used carefully. I've obviously not seen you ride so please don't take offence, these are just things I commonly see:

- If your ski technique is off you may be dripping with sweat, in which case your goggles will steam up. Whilst better technique is being developed, you may need some other tactics...

- If you remove them, depending on what you do with them when they're off, they'll likely steam up. Just taking them off in a steamy environment (eg a heli) is a bad idea: leave them on all the time. I never take them off - not for lunch or to take photographs or anything else.

- If you fall over in powder they'll get wet. Don't do that. In normal use, including face shots, the powder's dry enough not to stick.

- Some people use scarves or other stuff in a way which doesn't allow the goggles to vent properly.

Note that you don't want to wipe goggles at all if you can help it. You see people with (noisy) fan assisted goggles, and they're better than they used to be, but not as good as the fan in the heli (see below).

Your guides will have spare pairs. It's not uncommon for those to be "seconds" as manufacturers give those away each season to "insiders".

Some people carry two pairs and rotate them - you can dry them inside your jacket. If you're having trouble that's an approach.

Most helis have a hot air blower - in a 212 it's behind the pilot to his right at floor level. Sit directly behind the pilot and dry the goggles during the uplift. You may need to ask the pilot to turn it on. It runs when he's pulling collective, not when idling. None of the other vents work - you need that specific one. You have to be first or second into the heli to reach that vent, and anyone who's fallen is more likely to be last, so you may need to pass your goggles to someone sitting in that seat. If they're experienced they'd have already offered to take them for you. You can generally clear two or three pairs of goggles in one uplift.

Snowcats are a bit different, and their ventilation varies more with the box design. There you pretty much have to take your goggles off on the uplift as it's so slow. Keep them separate and don't put them on your head/ forehead.
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I agree that it's more likely to be a technique issue than a kit proble, but the OP certainly seems to know what he's doing. My best guess is lack of airflow between goggles and helmet.

Phillip - you really keep your goggles on during lunch???? That is just weird!
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I had this with a mate once and we found that his helmet had the cold weather plugs in place and that was preventing air from drawing through the vents and across the top of the goggles . What headwear have you got on and is it leaving the vents to work correctly?
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I've not suffered with goggles steaming up, but my helmet and goggles are both giro and compatible ie the helmet vents are aligned and designed to direct air flow into the goggle vents.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Do you usually use a facemask or a buff? I don't use one anymore because they always used to cause my goggles to fog up.
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My goggles are Anon and they never, ever steam up. They seem to be very well vented. I rest them on my helmet in bubble lifts, wear a neck/face warmer and EVEN take them off at lunch (!!) and they still don't steam up.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I've had two or three pairs of goggles over the years, most of them cheap and cheerful, and never had any problems since they introduced double lenses back in the 80's. As Richard Sideways says, a buff or face mask may not help and you do need enough ventilation between goggles and helmet. There are benefits to a slight gap between the two!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
under a new name wrote:
@Ashridge, you must be doing something wrong.


Gotta agree with this tbh - and you won't get less fogging than with the Smiths!

The first thing you are doing wrong is wiping the inside. You want to do that as little as possible, but never when it's wet (obv when they're fogged then the inside of the lens is wet) as you'll wipe off the anti fog coating. You have to rigorously avoid getting any sort of water - particularly snow, but also sweat if you're really overheating - inside the goggles or they'll fog. Make sure the vents on top/bottom are clean of snow too.

If you're going to take the goggle soff and rest them on the helmet, make sure the helmet is clear of snow and dry or you'll get water inside.

If the worst happens and they do got up, go to the toilet and dry them under the hot air hand dryer.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Thanks for the fulsome reply Phil - yep, found and used the hot air vent - yes it was Bell 212 - often not much time to do this as I always seemed to be sitting right over that vent BUT also near the cartons of water & juice and I seemed to spend all my time passing these around instead of sorting myself out!

The technique angle is a good one - certainly as a long-term on piste skier I've spent my life getting on to one ski, angling that edge, completing the turn and so on - basically doing all sorts of things that one is supposed to try and not do in deep powder.

So yes, I suspect I do make it too much like hard work - should just go faster and turn less out of fall line each time and so use less effort ... I definitely found rhythm and less effort over the course of the 4 days - bear in mind this was my first ever heli ski trip so a bit of a baptism of fire.

Helmet is clear of goggles, don't think vents above goggles were blocked and yes, I do tend to overheat - though since buying a really well ventilated helmet I'm much cooler ... could I be fitter and lighter? Undoubtedly ... Would that help? Probably.

But I am convinced that larger volume goggles are better than my small volume Uvex ones I use for piste skiing, which I switched to having skiied for many years with glasses until I seemed to hit every blizzard and white out going one year.

I am going to buy a pair of large volume Smith I/O or similar ... but from a shop in resort so I can take them back if there is a problem as it seems there are many with manufacturing defects - and yes, the guides do get them free as they told me.

By the way, if you've ever thought of doing heli ski I can only recommend it ... my wife and I didn't stop grinning and talking about for weeks afterwards ... quite possibly the most intense, tiring but enjoyable skiing and holiday experience ever ... and made some great friends as well!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Solved the problem! New, cooler, better vented helmet (Smith Vantage - very pleased) and the Oakley LineMiner Prism Inferno goggles - these have the heated lens and I persuaded others to buy them as a Xmas present!

Very pleased with these (though lens is not interchangeable so be careful which lens you buy them with - I wish I'd bought mine with a lower light - higher transmission - lens as it's in those conditions one can overheat more easily) AND I worry about the little cover for the charging socket - will it last?

Problem solved ...
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Ashridge wrote:
Solved the problem! New, cooler, better vented helmet (Smith Vantage - very pleased) and the Oakley LineMiner Prism Inferno goggles - these have the heated lens and I persuaded others to buy them as a Xmas present!

Very pleased with these (though lens is not interchangeable so be careful which lens you buy them with - I wish I'd bought mine with a lower light - higher transmission - lens as it's in those conditions one can overheat more easily) AND I worry about the little cover for the charging socket - will it last?

Problem solved ...


Glad you got it sorted. I think your experience confirms the general view that the solution usually lies in increased ventilation rather than special coating or fans. The 'gap' conversation has been had too often already and while I accept the fashion logic of minimising the gap I still think it's important to have enough of a gap to guarantee good airflow.
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Or you could just go to a visored helmet.
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Not good if one falls into powder - a face and helmet full that is - one never sees guides/instructors using them.
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@Ashridge, I didn't get along with Smith I/O goggles as they would mist up occasionally, usually, on tricky runs off-piste runs through trees. I never used to get this problem with my old, front vented Oakley A-Frames. Now gone back to Oakley and bought the Canopy model that has front vents and the misting problem has gone away.
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POC
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Ashridge wrote:
Not good if one falls into powder - a face and helmet full that is - one never sees guides/instructors using them.

Ah yes did not read your whole post. I do use mine in powder / off piste but keep some regular goggles in backpack in case it all goes wrong 😉
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@Ashridge,
What about heated goggles
https://www.abom.com/
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I have used Bollé goggles for a long time, I've had several pairs, but have used others in between (Smith, Cebe), Bollé have never misted up.
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HoneyBunny wrote:
My goggles are Anon and they never, ever steam up.


I've got Anon's and last time out on a powder day they were 'poor' to say the least. Goes to show.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Buy a better jacket - and, yes, I am being serious.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Ashridge, Oakley Flightdecks
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Ashridge wrote:
(visors...) Not good if one falls into powder - a face and helmet full that is - one never sees guides/instructors using them.

I tried one a few seasons back and although they were pleasantly "airy", in deep "blower" snow I would get powder up under the lens. That was a deal breaker for me, although that stuff tends to be dry it's not what you want.

I like the sound of the electrically heated elements. Smith have had some problems with their fan-assisted goggles in the last season or so, I hear, although their warranty is excellent.

Personally I'm really liking a photochromic lens as it covers all light conditions. Yeah, I don't take them off for lunch if it's outdoors, but then lunch is really for wussies. Are we there to ride or eat?

Heli: yeah, you're doomed for life once you do it, best avoided I'd say wink
I spent many years sweating by those heater vents.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I never used to wear goggles - hated the damn things - always fogging up. Finally gave in and bought some POC Iris Stripes last autumn. What a revelation. No fogging at all, comfortable and have survived he rigours of a season. Recommended.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I've got a couple of pairs. Both pretty cheap ones I bought in the sales at the end of the season. Probably paid around £30. One pair is around 20 years old, the other around 8. Neither pair have ever had any problem with misting. Except sometimes when sitting in a gondola on a hot day before I get around to taking them off.

My point is that there really doesn't seem to be an obvious answer to why some goggles mist up and others do not. Plenty of people have mentioned expensive goggles that mist up and others with the same or cheap goggles that don't.

My completely unscientific conclusions are as follows:
1. The fundamental problem is down to insufficient ventilation.
2. Certain temperatures (and humidity levels?) may exacerbate the problem.
3. High moisture levels inside the goggles caused by sweaty faces (yuck) or getting the inside/foam of the goggles wet will make misting more likely.
4. Fans and heating may help, but don't tackle the fundamental problem.
5. I don't see that special coatings can actually prevent condensation. Presumably, like rain-ex, they just give a low-friction surface upon which droplets are likely to 'congregate' and run off. Nothing wrong with that, but it still doesn't tackle the basic problem.

The real solution has to be ensuring sufficient airflow. Both inflow and making sure the outflow is unobstructed. So, beware of buffs or face coverings that block the former or helmets that block the latter.
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clavboy - my Oakley Line Miner Inferno DO have the heated lens! Works well.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
One point I couldn't see mentioned was was the maybe delicate subject of being overweight (ducks and runs for cover).

Everyone I know who suffers badly with fogging, is also on the larger size of the fat spectrum. Leaving aside the cases due to rapid temperature changes (lifts/helicopters), in my experience those who are fatter sweat more, and therefore fog up more.
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I have the Smith's model with the electric fan, I bought the larger size that go over regular spectacles, for me they work a treat. This is the 3rd year with them, steaming up is now history. Smile
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king key wrote:
I have the Smith's model with the electric fan

Ah, so you're the one, I always wondered.
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I can thoroughly recommend them Dr John. Plenty of lenses options too. Smile

The only issue I could see with the heated lenses design is that it may not prevent spectacles steaming up, only the goggle lenses, but I don't know for sure having never tried them. Puzzled
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PowderAdict wrote:
One point I couldn't see mentioned was was the maybe delicate subject of being overweight (ducks and runs for cover).

Everyone I know who suffers badly with fogging, is also on the larger size of the fat spectrum. Leaving aside the cases due to rapid temperature changes (lifts/helicopters), in my experience those who are fatter sweat more, and therefore fog up more.


I have no doubt that being a bit lardy would be a contributing factor although I'm equally sure there are plenty of string beans who suffer from fogging and plenty of bunter-esque skiers who never must up at all. I think I touched on it under point #3 above. When filling in a Snowheads skier profile should we be obliged to include BMI? No thanks. Very Happy
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Agreed - obesity maybe a factor but I suggest fitness is a bigger one - poor technique (guilty - who isn't at times!?) and lack of fitness definitely leads to excess exertion and hence sweating - as can dehydration paradoxically, too much alcohol the night before and so on ...
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Ashridge wrote:
Agreed - obesity maybe a factor but I suggest fitness is a bigger one - poor technique (guilty - who isn't at times!?) and lack of fitness definitely leads to excess exertion and hence sweating - as can dehydration paradoxically, too much alcohol the night before and so on ...


I'm not a great skier by a very long chalk, but I can't think that I've ever broken a sweat when skiing. Lugging skis around when walking or when poling perhaps, but never when skiing. Not that I push myself excessively hard.

One factor we haven't considered is the weather. In extremely cold conditions one may be less likely to sweat and the air generally drier, but the dew point inside the goggle must be much more achievable (do I mean higher or lower). Any thoughts on how weather affects fogging? I do know that fogging is more likely in the rain.
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As my partner would say when I claim not to have fallen ... you're not trying hard enough! Smile
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