 Poster: A snowHead
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If it is very evenly overcast, it is hard to make out the texture and thus it is hard to see where the ground lies.
Lots of claims are being made for different lens colours.
In terms of optics, it is fundamentally impossible to create a passive system (one comprising of "materials", rather than a camera and a screen with a computer in between) which increases contrast on a single colour scene.
What is possible, with a multi colour scene, is to make some colours stand out. For example, for a pilot, green lenses can make white buildings (surrounded by forest) more visible (this is from vague memory; I fly with neutral sunglasses for many other reasons).
But snow is all one colour (different shades of grey), so any objective claims of improved contrast have to be nonsense (or placebo).
Is there some other effect which improves things for that kind of "early morning + overcast" light? It is the best time to ski otherwise, before the slopes fill up with kids and snowboarders 
I ski with prescription sunglasses, based on a Julbo frame which works well to keep the cold air out. No goggles.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have tried a few colours and find yellow/pale yellow is a winner for me but everyones eyesight is different. You really have to try some colours actually in a shop and walk outside in the snow.
I did try the Oakley Prizm lenses. They cost a lot but the definition and contrast is amazing. They make them for golfers as well to be able to read the subtle undulations and read greens better when they are putting
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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?
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@peter_h, multiband filters can increase the contrast because they are not continuous across the grey range.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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PS there is theoretical contrast and perceived contrast. I'm talking about perceived contrast
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@peter_h, Scott Chromapop and Oakley Prizm are meant to work rather well... I think they are selective frequency filtering as GC mentions.
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Can one get prescription lenses made in such a material, by a normal optician?
Oakley probably can for their own frames, but they want about £300 just for basic lenses.
BTW I am really sure that the two side by side images here
https://www.oakley.com/en-gb/prizm/snow
are faked.
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@peter_h, friends have the chromapop and they definitely work better than the regular Smith.
Everyone who comments seems to like the Prizms.
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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.
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@peter_h, not sure about the prescription lenses. I work in microscopy so we buy static filters from the USA and China (just a good these days).
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I might try bringing a photo (on a tablet, perhaps) of a "difficult" snow surface to a ski goggles shop and seeing if it looks any different with them
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@peter_h, i don’t think that would work. The reflectivity/absorption of paper is not the same as water.
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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.
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@peter_h, I have the Oakley Prizm lenses, on Air Brake XL (rose and iridium lenses). Couldn't find the Hi Pink replacement lens at a reasonable price.
And indeed the terrain's texture seems magnified and clearer. Also found this: https://oureverydaylife.com/347794-why-would-yellow-lenses-in-ski-goggles-improve-visibility.html
Can you try them on in a bleak day in the resort and see for yourself? If you'll leave the shop for a minute and take a good look outside it would be clearer
@GlasgowCyclops mentioned a PubMed paper which is correct IMHO albeit a small number of participants.
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From the above link, it suggests that certain textures of the "snowscape" return more blue light than others, so attenuating the blue light increases contrast:
Visible Light Transmission
The yellow tint affects how much visible blue light is allowed through your ski goggle lenses. The visible light transmission for yellow goggles is 68 percent, according to REI.com. In comparison, dark brown lenses only allow 10 to 18 percent of visible light in. Because the yellow lenses transmit more light than their darker counterparts, they allow sufficient visibility to see on overcast or foggy days, yet filter some of the brightness reflected off the snow.
Blue Light
Blue light is a concern for skiers, because blue light rays scatter easily, creating a light that reflects back at the eyes. This glare makes it difficult to see what is ahead of you, limiting your vision. Yellow is the neutralizing color for blue light, so yellow lenses neutralize blue light and prevent glare. As a result, your vision improves because you do not have the sun’s rays bouncing off the snow and reflecting toward your eyes.
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You know it makes sense.
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A few years ago I was still playing Call on Duty on PS and bought a yellow lens slightly magnifying gamers glasses. It was supposed to enhance contrast and reduce fatigue, but I was still lousy.
On the snow it's different, the Prizm makes me see better.
I'll be in Verbier for the next days, at the end of Jan in L2A then I'll be in Les Arcs 1800 for the first week of Feb. If by any chance you'll be in the area, I'll be glad to meet and you can see for yourself.
I just bought the black iridium lens on Ebay, in anticipation of the EOSB
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Thank you very much for your offer but I am back home now
Is the "ski" version of the Oakley Prizm yellow?
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Poster: A snowHead
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It's a slight red-orange tainted lens.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Out of interest why no goggles? If even the smallest amount of snow in the air I find it used to get behind sunglass lenses and make visibility worse due to blinking /eyes watering 
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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?
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I use the Julbo sunglasses, with prescription lenses (with reading inserts) done by an optician.
They work great, in light snow, and in heavy snow one cannot see much anyway.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| peter_h wrote: |
I use the Julbo sunglasses, with prescription lenses (with reading inserts) done by an optician.
They work great, in light snow, and in heavy snow one cannot see much anyway.
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If you ski fast then those little leather side pieces are very helpful and reduce tearing. At least they do for me.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@peter_h, thanks for the clarification, merry
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@peter_h, personally I think there is a better way...
But... in a nutshell. Think that every blend of bright to dark is continuous. But if you didn't allow that continuous blend (which has minimal contrast) but only had jumps between different regions of intensity then you would see the "jumps'...... hence more contrast.
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Are polarised lenses any good for skiing?
I know they dramatically improve vision in certain specific scenarios but skiing isn't one of them as far as I can see.
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Polarising lenses are most effective on subjects with, I think, planar reflective surfaces.
Think flat water, window pane, broad tree leaves that are shiny, etc.
Almost no perceptible effect on snow which is almost entirely "specular" in light reflectance. In effect scattered by billions of reflective light points aimed in differing directions.
To polarise reflected light you also have to have it travelling in specific directions to the observer's position, which ( in skiing) is changing continually while moving.
As far as I'm aware, you'd not see any affect when skiing apart from a drop in density from light transmission.
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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.
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It looks like there is a consensus on yellow lenses.
Oakley charge a huge fortune for their prescription products.
I wonder if anyone here has got prescription sunglasses made with yellow lenses? Or just glasses with just a yellow tint? I would think some opacity will always be needed for snow, because the whole scene is always pretty bright.
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| peter_h wrote: |
Are polarised lenses any good for skiing?
I know they dramatically improve vision in certain specific scenarios but skiing isn't one of them as far as I can see. |
There are people swear by them....but there is a view that they can remove the glare off icy patches, making it harder to recognize.
Generally for skiing....I don't think it's worth paying the premium.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi pink or pink ion or whatever the particular brand calls it is my new fave for very flat light and white/ fog out. I've taken to using a hi yellow most of the rest of the time bar spring.
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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.
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I've just been to an optician who says yellow or pink are most popular for skiing in poor light. He sells Bolle, which come to about £400 all done.
It looks like the two yellow ones at the bottom of here are what Bolle do
https://www.absolute-snow.co.uk/buying-guides/the-absolute-guide-to-buying-bolle-snowboard-and-ski-goggle-lenses
You cannot get Bolle lenses in other than Bolle frames, and I prefer the Julbo frame because then you can do most skiing with no visor or goggles. So maybe just a yellow tint will do the same job...
I don't think there is an issue in bright light because you can see the texture really well. I wear quite dark grey sunglasses then - again distance prescription with reading inserts. UV protection is a key thing, but all half decent lenses do that.
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