 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello everyone, what’s the best set of goggles for flat light, preferably OTG although I am prepared to buy contact lenses if the solution goggles aren’t really glasses friendly. I currently use Aon with a decent range of lenses. Budget is quite generous so higher end Oakley/similar with some extra lenses would be ok if I can get some good suggestions. My confidence falls off a cliff with the uncertainties of flat light and I know I need to adjust my skiing stance/speed to help with this but I think some new goggles would also help... all suggestions gratefully received.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There is no magic bullet I'm afraid and googles can't manufacture contrast when there is none (Lessons in flat light will likely help more than any one specific lens)....but saying that my recommendation would be Oakley:
Depending on personal preference:
Prizm Hi Pink
Prizm Persimmon (might be a bit better if sun comes out)
If you you want a more versatile lens - Prizm Rose
I have the Flight Deck and really like them. If too big, there is the XM version.
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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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Sonar Infrared for Anon
Unfortunately, the absolute steal deal on the M3's with a second green lens is now out of stock though: LINK
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I upgraded to Oakley Flight Decks a couple of years ago and have two prism lenses. Torch Iridium for general use and the Prizm Hi-Pink for flat light.
Best purchase I've ever made. All the Prizm stuff is very, very good.
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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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I actually have some Decathlon cheap ones I carry to use in flat light. They have yellow lenses and make whiteout conditions bearable for me. I actually love poor visibility days, often so quiet it feels like I have the whole mountain to myself
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Whackerlondon, Get Oakley prizm but buy spare lenses. Oakly change their frames every couple of years and suddenly you cant buy replacements.
Carl Zeiss have good lenses and they make Anon lenses. They do make Addidas lenses also. I've seen them in the Zeiss Shanghai factory.
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Smith Chromapop are a similar technology to the Prizms. We have I/Os from 2013 with various lenses and are very pleased that when Smith updated the frame, the lens mechanism remains the same.
Pleased with the durability as well as we typically ski ~50 days a year with them on helmets.
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@Whackerlondon, as GlasgowCyclops says Zeiss make some good lenses, I have some Giros with a pair of "Vivid" lenses by Zeiss that are the best I've had so far for contrast. I don't know wether they do a similar tech for your existing frames?
I'm a specs wearer too, but on the mountain I use contacts. If you're particularly interested in low light/foggy type days that's the days I used to have fogging issues - go for contacts if you can. I just pick up a couple of packs of daily disposable types and use them.
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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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Wait until flat light in resort, go to a shop and try various lenses and buy the best for you. What is good for one person does not mean it is similarly as good for the next person. There will be one set of lenses that lights up the mountain for you; when you find them, buy then
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^ This. +1
Like you, I hated flat light. It ued to scare the living daylights out of me.
I tried yellow lenses, rose lenses and others. Nothing worked for me. Then I tried Oakley High Pink prisms. Brilliant, worked great. I can see more than enough detail to relax.
What lens and what colour will very much depend upon your eyes. What works for others may not work for you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| We have I/Os from 2013 with various lenses and are very pleased that when Smith updated the frame, the lens mechanism remains . |
What do you mean updated the frame ?
I've had I/O, I/O XL and I/O7 and none of the lenses would fit in the other frames ?
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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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| calbris wrote: |
| I actually have some Decathlon cheap ones I carry to use in flat light. They have yellow lenses and make whiteout conditions bearable for me. I actually love poor visibility days, often so quiet it feels like I have the whole mountain to myself |
I'm the same. £20 well spent!
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Dragon do a Lumalens at a pricepoint which means you can afford multiple pairs of goggles for the price of an Oakley set up.
The sad news is that as your eyes age, tech can only do so much to compensate and a whiteout is still a whiteout. Where the newer pink and yellow lenses have the edge is in flat light and greyouts, but you may need an alternate to switch in when it gets brighter as they can do weird things to your vision in bright sunlight. E.g. too much pink lens makes me see yellows as white etc.
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You know it makes sense.
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My ageing, shortsighted, RGP-lens-covered eyes struggle in flat light too. And also in low light. And in surprisingly bright light.
I carry Oakley rose prisms (good definition in Alpine flat but too dark in overcast cloudy to low light) and Smith blue mirrors (which are very mild yellow and great in very low light, not much worse than RP for flat, useable in UK brightness too), but ended up selecting completely different grey-tinted S2 Decathlon ones last time up at Glencoe in a bright cloud-out, and then bought some mild yellow S1 Bolle photochramics in a dull Glenshee white out.
I can't cope with strong yellow, orange or pink goggles at all: just messes up my brain and doesn't help sight at all 
In other words, for me nothing works in all conditions in all countries. I suitcase pack a good selection and usually rucksack at least 2, maybe 3 if it looks dubious.
Oh, and on the glasses front, I don't have any issues getting any goggles frames over my glasses if I need; not even on kids' goggles, which fit my small face. Mind you, I just wear very small frames.
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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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All the above is great and I know where to start my research now, thank you very much
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Poster: A snowHead
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I have Oakley Airbrake frames with a selection of lenses. Hi pink and Prizm Rose are great. The pink view is weird for about 10 minutes then your eyes adjust and the definition is great. I also have the old persimmon which is OK in medium light and fire iridium for when the sun comes out.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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It's personal preference to an extent. I have the Smith I/OX frame which I managed to get with a bright light and low light option (it's a rose colour, can't remember the exact name) for about £38. I've since added the 'clear' lens which is absolutely superb in murky conditions imo.
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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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Thanks for the additional advice above. I am really liking the look of the Anon M4s with a couple of lenses, so expensive but I pretty much haven’t been to the pub in seven months so have some cash on the hip... most sales points online are pretty poor in specifying what VLT the extra lenses are and the anon web page doesn’t have much stock showing the last time I looked. Next trip is Christmas L2A if possible so there’s time to await shelves to be filled. I will visit a couple of ski gear shops in passing tomorrow and see how Goggles are regarding trying them on in shop versus COVID safety.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
| There is no magic bullet I'm afraid and googles can't manufacture contrast when there is none (Lessons in flat light will likely help more than any one specific lens)... |
This is a great truth for sure: contrast can’t be “manufactured“. And lessons are a great help, if the light is very flat or visibility is bad, I was taught a trick of letting the tips of my polls just drag behind me slightly touching the surface of the snow.That way, you are getting some feedback on the shape of the mountain as you ski.
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@Poogle, so you know that that sinking feeling was indeed a precipice?
Not entirely sure how historical data helps in that circumstance.
The only thing I find that helps in truly jack viz is rapid short turns - I am presuming that this is simply giving more (current) data on what you are skiing on.
But if I am resorting to that sort of nonsense, I am heading in a pub like direction, cursing at myself for being so stupid.
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