Photochromic lenses?

A snowHead

I need to replace the lens on my Smith I/0 goggles. is it worth paying the extra for photochromic lenses? do they provide the versatility claimed? Or is it better to get two separate lenses for different conditions?

I prefer goggles to my sunglasses in al but the very brightest of conditions.

Thanks

A snowHead

No, no & yes!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I’m skeptical.

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I had some allegedly photochromatic Scott googles. Ditched them for Oakley with interchangeable lenses.
I think the problem is that whilst photochromatic lenses can get lighter /darker they can't change the tint to the one that is most helpful for the conditions

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I just find, that in the main, my usual medium tint lens works, unless it’s a covered day, so I go light, or it’s sunny end of season and I go dark.

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Thanks all, good advice - I'll go with two separate non photochromic lenses. Just need to avoid face planting now so that they will last longer

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@On the rocks, I haven't used anything other than photochromic lenses for maybe 10 years. But not Smith, Bolle Modulator. You will find loads of recommendations for them if you do a search on here.

After all it is free

Yes, yes and no.

I have a pair which I got a couple of seasons ago and they're the best thing ever. I use them in all conditions including the very brightest.

You can easily check the transmission of the lenses - there's a standard scale. You probably do need to be aware of the range you want and make sure you buy the right thing. I find these particularly good for late afternoon use, or just when the light switches during the day which it often does.

They're not clear, so not great for night-riding, but for everything else, these are brilliant. I get interchangeable lens goggles for free, but I choose to pay for these. I'll never go back to fixed-transmission lenses.

I'm stunned that there's a wide range of opinion on these - it's just brightness control.

As a migraine sufferer i’ve gone through the full range of oakleys from persimmon to fire iridium and a few odd colours in between, i then bought the Zeal photochromic polarised gps goggles and i think they’re the best by far.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@philwig, i know you are a fan.

Do they really change quickly enough?

Are you really in condistions where the speed and range of change make such a difference?

I don’t find myself often wanting to change lenses during a day, unless a big weather change is occurring, and even more rarely changing twice a day...

I see the appeal, would consider, ...

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Another vote in favour.

For me the very slight compromise in performance range is more than compensated by the fit'n'forget convenience and anti-faff factor. Mine are Julbo, 'zebra' lenses.

snow reports

@red 27, +1. Mrs g7 also has the Julbos with a Zebra lens and loves them.

Alpina Quatrroflex are excellent. Tried every Oakley combination and they just aren't as good as the Alpinas

You know it makes sense.

Depends, got mine at a discount out of season, they are versatile, don't know.
What I do know is that I bought these
Bolle Y6 OTG Ski Goggles – Shiny Black with Modulator Citrus Gun S1-3 Lens
a couple of seasons ago and they have been fine for me. They do react quickly to change of light especially going from bright sunlight into shadow which often happens. In about 10 weeks skiing I haven't yet come across a situation where I wish I'd had different goggles although they are still to be tested in a "white-out". Their latest model will certainly be top of the list for consideration next time I need to change.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

They don't change very quickly, but it's a lot quicker than stopping to change lenses.

A snowHead

Another satisfied user of photocromic lens here who wouldn't go back to swapping lenses (Julbo + Zebra).
But I've been wondering about these:

http://youtube.com/v/TyHhgIfmvqk

They seem to utilise the tech straight off the Uvex Apache 2 Variotronic (Decatlon bought the tech?), but at about a 1/3 of the price of the Uvex.
In the video they talk about developing a sensor which will change the tint automatically, but their latest model already features this.

Just wondering if anyone's tried them? If yes, what they thought?

A snowHead

Do they really change quickly enough?
Are you really in conditions where the speed and range of change make such a difference?
I suspect there may be different performances out there, which could be partly why you see different opinions. It is possible, for example, that older technology isn't as quick as newer...

Mine do change quickly enough; it's a solved problem for me. Conditions - typically it matters a little bit in forest transition zones, which used to be a nuisance for multiple-lens-swapping systems, because the light changes several times. That's no longer an issue. The other time for me is early evening, which used to be an issue. The main thing is more than I can carry one pair of goggles with one lens and it all works, and I don't need to know in advance what the weather's going to do.

I don’t find myself often wanting to change lenses during a day, unless a big weather change is occurring, and even more rarely changing twice a day...
I see that - I never used to change at all, before they invented interchangeable lenses. I would just put up with the poor light here and there, and if it "went off" at the end of the day I'd even resort to removing my goggles and riding slowly if I had to - not great but better (for me) than carrying two pairs of goggles (I manage my goggles carefully, hence I don't need a spare pair).

--
But there's still a huge market for backpack people who like to carry two pairs, plus another one for people who carry multiple lenses. Pay money, make choice..

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I'd add: get polarised lenses if you can. They will help a lot on fast transitions from sun to shaded areas, contours still much easier to see.

I'm covered every way: main goggles are photochromic and polarised, but I still carry with me an additional cheap pair with a yellow lens for low light + emergency replacement in case something goes wrong (eg faceplant followed by fogging) + to lend it to someone who forgot theirs (has happened a couple of times).

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I have 3 pairs of Oakley goggles (clear, hi yellow and a quick dark one I can't recall) but last year switched to a photochromic lens. Superb, they are not far off the low light and bright condition goggles and I just tend to wear them for the average day unless I know there will be very low light conditions.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Bolle have what they call the Modulator 2 Light Control Lens

- NXT Lens for superior optics
- Covers Cat. 1-3 (15% - 45%)
- Mildly Polarized ie. enough to cut a bit of glare, but still allow you to recognize ice
- Faster transition

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@philwig, " typically it matters a little bit in forest transition zones, which used to be a nuisance for multiple-lens-swapping systems"

"early evening, which used to be an issue"

yes, can see that, and definitely get your, "I don't need to know in advance what the weather's going to do"

I have all 3 (point taken!) lenses in my pack (if it's a day when I don't need my pack I'm unlikely to need different lenses). So there's no ultimate problem - but yes, I see the appeal. Especially if they really work well enough. Which they clearly do.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

As a multi lens user, save yourself a lot of money and buy a second set of goggles, rather than just a second lens. Lenses are easily broken when not in a goggle frame. I replaced loads but haven't replaced a single lens since buying them as a set of goggles.

I'd like to the see the 2.0 of the Decathlon ones.

After all it is free

I have the POC NXT photochromic lense and i am very happy with them.

I have Bolle's Emperor modulator shiny black from last year (£85 off Amazon) bought as a 'one size fits all' as I don't really ski enough to justify an expensive multi lens solution.

My first goggles so I've no baseline comparison but they worked very well across a lot of conditions in St Anton last year. Certainly better than my Anon and Smith goggle wearing buddies using one lens and who couldn't be bothered to faff changing.. or had left the alternative in the hotel Happy

.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well they performed and I'd happily buy them again if I lost/broke 'em.

Help!!

Photochromic lenses?

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