I'm considering getting new goggles as my cheap Bloc ones steamed up so badly I could not see. Skiing without any eye protection isn't fun!
I question whether any goggles will ever be fog free for me. This is because I naturally sweat a fair bit from my forehead.
This has nothing to do with clothing, or actually being too hot. Whenever I'm active, I get a sweaty forehead. The sweat band was made with me in mind!
The result of this is that the front of my helmet and the top foam of my goggles become saturated. I think this causes fogging as obviously when it dries the vapour has to go somewhere.
I don't have a gap between my goggles and helmet, which I believe is correct.
I also prefer goggles to sunglasses from a safety view.
So any ideas?
Thanks,
R
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The Smith I/O goggles don't fog even when hiking/touring in warm snowfall. Pricey, but they deliver!
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?
Exactly the same with my Oakley Airbrakes - no fogging in any conditions. Again, they're pricey but they work brilliantly!
Smith I/Os don't fog while heliskiing (continuous cycling between extreme cold and dry to warm and humid).
Don't put your goggles on your helmet? If they're on, they should be on your face.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Another vote for Smith I/O goggles. Other goggles I've used, including more expensive ones than the I/O have steamed up, but not my I/O which have done well even in warm, humid conditions. They also come in thee different sizes so will be a comfortable fit for most people.
Sounds like a very good option thanks very much guys.
Out of interest, what do you do with goggles when queuing and on long lift bubbles?
Thanks
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Either keep them on my face or take them off altogether if things are a bit damp. Putting them on your forehead, especially when wearing a hat, runs the risk of getting moisture inside the goggles, and probable fogging.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Another +1 for Smith I/Os best goggles I've ever had. And yes keep them on your face at all times funny thing though these are the only goggles where I've never felt the need to lift them up/take them off, the all round vision from them them is really that good.
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rossyl, I've tried several different pairs of goggles in recent years and never had a fogging problem, even with cheap ones. I'm sure the Smith ones are great, but it's not necessary to spend that much to cure the problem.
My take on it is:
1. Parking goggles on your helmet while on/in lifts is asking for trouble.
2. Logic suggests that a gap between helmet and goggles would actually help ventilation.
3. If it's warm enough to get sweaty and want to take the goggles off on chairlifts, then why are you wearing goggles? Get some padded sunglasses that keep the wind out. Far more comfortable. I've given up wearing goggles for all except v cold or snowy days.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
foxtrotzulu wrote:
My take on it is:
2. Logic suggests that a gap between helmet and goggles would actually help ventilation.
After fogging with two pairs of expensive 'anti-fog' goggles, creating a gap to allow more airflow through the goggle finally solved the problem for me!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
What you don't want is a gap showing skin. My helmet has a fabric insert to prevent.
I find the Smith lenses way better than any cheap ones I've used...
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.
Why shouldn't you have a gap showing skin? Is it some sort of fashion victim thing?
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
foxtrotzulu, no hard and fast rules, so find a solution which works for you would be my advice. Some reasons why having a large gap might be bad:
1. In sunny weather, sunburnt forehead.
2. In cold weather, a big gap lets in the cold.
3. In snowy weather, a big gap lets the snow build up on top of the goggles which then melts as it's close to your head so you get too much moisture in and around the goggles.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Some new Giro (eg edit , seam) helmets have a small (1 inch or so) peaked brim with a vent sat over the top of the google foam which is designed to create an airflow through googles. The brim is also a useful place to position the googles on a gondola ride as they sort of straddle it and air can flow freely around them unlike on a classic helmet.
It works for me - it helps clear the moisture out even after I stack it!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
foxtrotzulu, and although +1 for Rob's reasoned advice you also look like a gaper
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
OP: ski faster, somewhere colder?
Upgrading from some cheap no-name-brand goggles to some mid-range Oakleys made a world of difference to me, but I'm pretty certain I'm less sweaty than you. Your Blocs have two-layer lenses, right? You might consider going for the more expensive option and getting one of the Smith turbofan thingies (is that patented? does anyone else do anything similar?) as though they are a wee bit gimmicky, owners tend to be happy with them.
Oh, also: maybe your helmet is just too warm, or poorly ventilated. I can't make any useful suggestions of things to try there, though.
foxtrotzulu wrote:
Why shouldn't you have a gap showing skin? Is it some sort of fashion victim thing?
I suggest an experiment. Obtain a helmet and some goggles that fit together very badly, and try it for a few weeks.
Please report back, with pics
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I spent a bit more on some oakleys a couple of years back and they have been far better than the cheaper ones I used to use. They cost me £80 but are made well and I expect them to last a bit longer
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?
Looking like a gapper is bad, very bad.
Another vote for smiths, I bought a helmet and goggles at the same time, to make sure they worked together, and they do.
Nah, being a fashion victim who can't ride is bad. If you're fussed about stuff like that, you're missing the point of the sport.
On the OP, I've never had any goggles that fogged, but perhaps I don't work too hard at downhill stuff. On the other hand I see a lot of people with fogging goggles, and they're usually causing the problem themselves.
Tactics to avoid this completely:
(1) Never, ever take your goggles off when you're on snow. If you have to (why?), then don't stick them on your head, take them completely off.
(2) Don't fall over, and if you must, don't fall on your face.
If you do fall on your face then you need to either swap the goggles for a dry pair, or fix it. If you're at a resort, then hand dryers in the toilets would probably do the job; in a helicopter, sit next to the air vent and dry your goggles on it
If you're especially sweaty... you could try the goggles with built in fans. I was given some for a while but I found the noise annoying and as above I don't really need them, but that may do the job. They do work.
jbob, under a new name, The whole gaper thing is just nonsense. It's a bit like having the 'wrong' trainers or some other nonsense. Robrar supplied some faintly valid reasons. #1 is bonkers. Just put suncream on your forehead at the same time as you put it on the rest it your face. #2 is valid on very cold days. #3. Is theoretically valid, although I honestly can't say I've ever noticed it.
The one thing that always seems completely daft to me is wearing goggles when you don't need to. It's a relatively recent phenomenon to wear goggles unless your racing or conditions demand it.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Goggles provide a nice bit of protection in the event of faceplants, something that sunglasses won't do. There was a discussion of this elsewhere, not so long ago (probably about wearing sunnies with helmets, and how much of a fashion faux pas that was) and someone posted a nice picture of their face, after having their glasses smashed into it by the piste. I'll see if I can dig it up. edit: it was mostly a thread of pointless grumpy arguments, so I won't link it here. The face was snowshepherd junior, however.
Also, what makes avoiding the gaper gap a foolish fashion trend, but "wearing goggles at the wrong time" a totally reasonable thing to disapprove of?
After all it is free
After all it is free
foxtrotzulu, you don't ski powder do you?
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I'm no expert on ski goggles, but I do know a lot about being sweaty headed! I could never find any ski goggles that wouldn't fog up as I am restricted by price. The last few times I've been skiing I've worn a pair of wrap around ski sunglasses and they have never fogged up as there is constantly air getting around them. I know that they don't offer quite as much protection as goggles if you fall or crash badly, but being able to see where you are going has got to be an important factor. You can get a pair on ebay for £8 & if you don't like them you've only wasted £8, how much have you already spent on various pairs of goggles? Try combining this with not crashing!
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foxtrotzulu wrote:
#1 is bonkers. Just put suncream on your forehead at the same time as you put it on the rest it your face.
You'd think, but I've lost count of the number of people I've seen with a strip of burnt forehead just above the eyebrows! Small gap to aid a bit of airflow, sure, if that works for you. But a large gap doesn't bring any advantages over a small gap, so when choosing goggles I think it is sensible to try them on with your helmet if you wear one.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
under a new name, no, I don't ski powder. However, that would come under the heading of wearing goggles when you need them as I said above. To conjure up a few stats out if thin air...... 95% of skiers spend 95% of their time on the piste. The number of times I've taken a face plant in the last 5 weeks of skiing? One. Injuries sustained by wearing sunglasses on that occasion? Nil.
I've nothing against goggles, but I just think they are less practical and comfortable than sunglasses on many sunny days. Wear the kit to suit the conditions.
rob@rar, The voice of sense as always. I agree there is no real advantage of a big gap over a small gap, but if people want a big gap and that works better for them, then good luck to them. In fact, I have thought of one major benefit of a gap and that is that it avoids any risk of the helmet pushing the goggles down onto the bridge of your nose. They need to be able to move independently. As a community we tend to do a fair amount of navel gazing. Your typical European skier probably doesn't worry too much about the perfect fit of helmet and goggles.
Back to the OPs original query. IMO any half-decent pair of goggles (double lens, >£20) should do the job. As long as you keep the moisture out and the ventilation clear. Ski sunglasses are also a great option.
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.
foxtrotzulu, why would I be any sort of voice of any reason?
Skiing, for most people, is a fashion statement. End of.
P.s. No, I didn't think you did.
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
foxtrotzulu, and sunglasses look less sensible with helmets
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Blues ski shop in Glasgow has own-brand sundown goggles. They don't steam up and are £35
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
under a new name,
Quote:
skiing, for most people, is a fashion statement. End of.
Please tell me you're being ironic. That would be so pathetically sad if it were true.
Why would sunglasses look less sensible with helmets than goggles? I understand you want sunglasses that don't dig into the side of your head, but otherwise, what's the logic?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
[/troll]
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
foxtrotzulu, ignore uann, he's a fool.
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?
foxtrotzulu wrote:
... I've nothing against goggles, but I just think they are less practical and comfortable than sunglasses on many sunny days. Wear the kit to suit the conditions.
Agreed. I didn't ride powder until I could afford to, and until I could, I found that sunglasses worked best on piste in most conditions.
In powder, and when the temperatures mean naked skin is a bad idea, the equation is different, so I discovered the necessity for goggles. You'll probably not find anyone in a heli without goggles other than in late spring.
I used to carry sunglasses as a back up to goggles for when it got really bright. With interchangeable goggle lenses (I refuse to carry a second pair), that need went away, so now I just carry darker lenses for that circumstance.
The "gaper" thing is some TGR wanker fashionista bollocks - if they managed to persuade you to worry about it, the joke's on you. Next they'll be coming up with bizarre rules about how I should eat my food, or what I should wear at work. A pox on all those people.
In the admittedly small sample of one mate who tried a pair (and with the qualification that the idea was so he could wear his specs under them which was what the model in question was marketed for) they didn't work, at all. Truly I think it comes down to not taking them off & never putting them on your hat/helmet. As has been mentioned several times above.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
foxtrotzulu wrote:
under a new name,
Quote:
skiing, for most people, is a fashion statement. End of.
Please tell me you're being ironic. That would be so pathetically sad if it were true.
Purely a fashion statement? I think for a small number of skiers that's not far from the truth. For the rest of us, how many can say that style/fashion/appearance/choice play absolutely no part in the clothing we wear, or accessories we use? The only things I don't care what they look like are skis and boots which are chosen purely for performance, for everything else fashion (in the sense of what I like, rather than following a style) is one of the factors I consider when choosing clothing and kit.
rob@rar, Agreed. Few of us pick the first ski jacket on the rail regardless of colour etc., but it doesn't go much beyond that.
Interested to hear what you say about not caring what skis and boots look like. Totally agree. Some people seem to get so excited about the graphics on their skis or boards which seems a touch daft as they are covered in snow 99% of the time.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Whether it's fashion or practicality most people rocking a helmet who do a lot of skiing where goggles. Personally I think sunglasses are for the beach, for reasons of sun protection, weather protection, field of vision, comfort of fit with a helmet and inability to splinter into face shredding shards, goggs are where its at and you don't have to do that eyewear shuffle all day
After all it is free
After all it is free
philwig wrote:
Agreed. I didn't ride powder until I could afford to, and until I could, I found that sunglasses worked best on piste in most conditions.
What? I've never been charged any differently depending on the type of snow I've been skiing??
foxtrotzulu I wear goggles all the time, my eyes water too much if I don't. Sunglasses and helmets look stupid, everyone cares what they look like to some extent otherwise there would be more people blading
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
lynseyf,
If your eyes water too much when wearing sunglasses then try the ones with padding around the edge. Used them this year for the first time and they worked brilliantly.
Not sure why you think sunglasses and helmets look silly. Loads of people wear them, including instructors.
Dave of the Marmottes, Regarding the eyewear shuffle, do you still wear your goggles when sitting in the sun, eating lunch outside a mountain restaurant?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I always get too much wind blast in my eyes if I wear shades. I do wear contact lenses so the cold and wind contribute to making my eyes water every time I go fast. Goggles all the time for me.
My old Oakley A frames finally started to fog after 10 years hard use, so I just replaced the lenses in them and back to perfect. I have two pairs, one clear for night skiing and really dim conditions, one quite bright. The only cheap pair of goggles I had for my first years skiing fogged like hell.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
funny thing though these are the only goggles where I've never felt the need to lift them up/take them off, the all round vision from them them is really that good.
