 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey lovely snowheads!
I am an experienced reader and a newbie when it comes to practical experience. Having booked my UCPA trip to Flain for March this year, I started collating the bits of gear that i'd need. Today my queries relate to eye-wear.
(1) I have opted for a beginner course so am guessing ski googles or sun glasses won't be mandatory or necessary. What do you think?
(2) I've researched the ski google industry and understood that there different VLTs for various weathers. Some sources recommend to have replaceable lenses or two pairs for sunny and rainy/ snowy days. Given I am a beginner, would you agree that for sunny days I can just used regular sunglasses, and just buy one set of ski googles for dark days? Perhaps go for photochromic sunglasses that I can use after for hiking, cycling and other outdoor activities. Get a decent pair of Julbo and forget about having tons of different eye-wear..
(3) If you were to get one versatile pair of ski googles but not break the bank, what would you choose? I am an hassling between OutdoorMaster Ski Goggles PRO (budget Amazon around £35) or HypeSnow (from SportsPursuit - but I couldn't google much reviews on those).
Many thanks in advance for your pieces of advice.
M
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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'd go with goggles every time, best if they fit close to your helmet as well
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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 will need goggles for skiing and sunglasses for sitting on a terrace with a beer afterwards. Buy the best you can afford.
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@mihail439, @davkt, well…..deep breath…both my partner and I have trashed our eyes by climbing and skiing at altitude (she has had to have prosthetic lens in her mid-forties due to premature cataracts). I have spent a hell of a lot of time up Alps and now wear goggles whenever in snow. The amount of UV as you get out of January is substantial.
So I would go for something very well spec’d. Oakley Prizm Rose is excellent. incredible lens giving great low light performance and with low VLT, good for mixed days. Smith latest lens are great, but I prefer Oakley. Don’t skimp, just bite the bullet and get something good. And then once you get used to wearing them, you’ll feel weird not wearing them - it will be second-nature.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Mon 7-02-22 14:25; edited 1 time in total
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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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@telford_mike, bang on
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Goggles, every time. The sun's rays reflect off the snow so are coming at you from every angle, and are much stronger at altitude. Goggles fit to your helmet and remain there all the day. Goggles protect you from the wind. Make sure they fit your face well. Sun glasses are for sun bathing not skiing. If\when you fall over, goggles will protect your eyes, sun glasses will break/cut your face/bruise you. Get the best goggles you can afford, because your beginner course will be just the start of your ski journey!
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Goggles, but to answer point “1” it is essential that you wear some form of protective eyewear. Probably not mandatory in terms of your course, but almost certain your instructor will question a lack of eyewear. Going without is foolish in the extreme.
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I'd also throw ventilation on goggles into the mix. Particularly for beginners, you'll be working hard and building up heat with the occasional refreshing faceful of snow on a trip to the ground so you want goggles with decent ventilation to help prevent misting up.
Like @valais2, I'd recommend a 'brand' like Oakley, Bolle, Smith or Scott for quality - if you have a helmet then look at same-brand goggles to ensure that they fit well. I always found an orange/persimmon lens to be a good compromise single lens option.
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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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| mihail439 wrote: |
| ...am guessing ski googles or sun glasses won't be mandatory or necessary. What do you think? |
Mandatory if you aren't planning on early cataract surgery. As is sun screen, even on cloudy days.
The problem with sun glasses is that it's hard to block indirect light, and they don't protect your face,
so you'll end up either unable to ride in snow/ cold conditions, or having to buy both.
In days of yore people would use sunglasses on very bright days, and a pair of (fixed lens) goggles for other times.
Then someone invented interchangeable lenses, and you'd carry one lens for bright and one for less bright, although not as many people change them as carry them.
Finally someone invented photochromic, so now you can get away with one lens, and you don't have to change it when riding from the open into a forest.
My current photochromics come with a clear lens for indoor/ night skiing, and the photochromic lens for everything else.
That is adequate for all conditions, but not quite as dark as the darkest fixed lens would be.
As you usually "go in" before going out night skiing, that's the perfect mix.
Modern goggles are ferociously expensive. If cost is important, avoid high-fashion named brands.
I've never had a goggle which didn't work perfectly as expected.
It's hard to compare specifications as they don't all quote them in the same way.
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@mihail439,
You absolutely must have some eyewear with UV protection. It is a health and safety issue.
I'd be surprised if UCPA would take you on the mountain without.
As a keen skier I think good goggles are a sound investment. But different to other comments, I wouldn't recommend splashing out on Oakley etc on your first trip.
I ski in goggles in all weather. I suspect you already have some sunglasses that would do for drinking beer on terraces.
If you love skiing you may well decide to spend the money later but we've been able to get perfectly decent goggles for 40 Euro in resort (e.g., cheaper Bolle range). You don't need to spend Oakley money.
I don't know either of the brands you mention - so can't help with those.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As others have said you definitely need suitable eye protection. Instructors rightly insist on it.
Goggles are much better than sunglasses. Particularly when learning, as you will likely fall over a few times. General purpose lenses will be fine, but if you can afford it a set of low level lenses will be useful for poor visibility days.
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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'm guessing you already have a helmet - it used to be sensible to take your helmet with you when trying goggles to make sure that the goggles would sit well and be comfortable.....perhaps, these days when bargains can be had online this is no longer the case......
Have a look at the stuff in Decathlon if you have doubts about what you want at this stage.
There's another thread on snow heads (somewhere) where the discussion includes how people perceive light differently so what may be the best lens for Person A isn't necessarily the best for Person B even in the same light and conditions.
With that in my mind, and because you've mentioned Julbo (albeit in sunglasses) I'll share that my "go to" goggles are Julbo Zebra Light Red - absolutely fabulous for runs that go in and out of shade quickly.
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I skied quite a lot in goggles when I started. Personally I prefer sunglasses. Wrap around ones with a good fit do keep the sun out from all angles.
I like the air flow and peripheral vision with sunglasses compared to goggles. Only time I wear goggles now is when it is snowing as sunglasses can't keep the snow out.
I struggle to see how photochromic can react quick enough going from light to shady areas but I've never used them so maybe I am wrong. I have different lenses for both sunglasses and goggles. I don't constantly change them - I will ride things out for a bit - for example if you get a little bit of sun on an overcast/snowy day I'd stick with the low light lens (it still has the UV protection just feels a bit bright).
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You know it makes sense.
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| Layne wrote: |
I
I struggle to see how photochromic can react quick enough going from light to shady areas but I've never used them so maybe I am wrong. |
You are. Although let's quantify that with me only skiing at 20-30 Kms/hour when it happens..
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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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@Layne, ….yep…I used to like the airflow from sunglasses. Then I decided I didn’t like my eyeballs being painfully scoured by the ice which came up from my partner’s twintips….or indeed, as you say, having them flailed with snow. Goggles for me…
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Poster: A snowHead
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Bolle photochromic goggles are a good choice for quality and price.
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I struggle to see how photochromic can react quick enough going from light to shady areas
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They don't react that quickly, but they change a lot quicker than you could stop and swap lenses.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@mihail439, what @telford_mike, says above
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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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Many thanks everyone for taking the time to read and also respond!
With your help, I have now made my decision to actually buy a pair of googles.
If you have any sort of googles in mind that are in a range of £40, I would highly appreciate the recommendation.
Also, if you were to choose one pair only, what VLT or lenses color would you go for?
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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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| Layne wrote: |
| ... I struggle to see how photochromic can react quick enough going from light to shady areas but I've never used them so maybe I am wrong. I have different lenses for both sunglasses and goggles. I don't constantly change them - I will ride things out for a bit - for example if you get a little bit of sun on an overcast/snowy day I'd stick with the low light lens (it still has the UV protection just feels a bit bright). |
Well they're all slower to brighten than they are to darken, but way quicker than swapping lenses, so you only have to "ride things out" for a couple of seconds.
In my experience by the time I think: "oh, it's a bit dark in here", it brightens up again.
I would say: if people don't understand the problem, then they certainly don't need photochromic, if that makes sense.
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Bolle always seem good value.
Decathlon is worth a look.
If "one lens has to do it all", I'd look at off-brand goggles without interchangeable lenses and
see what they're generally using for transmission. Most people won't carry back-ups, so that's what those are intended for.
I don't personally care about colour; people get precious about that for low light, but that's
not relevant here anyway. Buy some which match your helmet (fit and colour). They last a
few seasons if you read the instructions and treat them with care.
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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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No problems about using sunglasses on good weather days - but they do need to be completely wraparound, your eyes can easily get damaged by UV entering from the side. And you will definitely need goggles for when/if the weather turns snowy. If you aren't prepared to carry both, just use goggles all the time.
However ... having started out with my sunglasses this year I found that they steamed up totally when I needed to pull my buff up to act as a mask in gondolas (and queues). I couldn't easily take them off and put them on again without taking my helmet off. Whereas the goggles could just be parked on the top lip of the helmet, and then pulled down again.
I didn't use my sunglasses again having swapped at our first coffee stop.
Ski goggles aren't really usable for anything else, so as a beginner I would buy a basic pair which will do fine - if skiing becomes a habit you can upgrade and use them as a spare. As people have said, Decathlon have a good reputation for value for money, but the less fashion-oriented French optical brands like Cebe and Bolle are also OK.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| j b wrote: |
| Ski goggles aren't really usable for anything else, so as a beginner I would buy a basic pair which will do fine - if skiing becomes a habit you can upgrade and use them as a spare. As people have said, Decathlon have a good reputation for value for money, but the less fashion-oriented French optical brands like Cebe and Bolle are also OK. |
This! I would spend a decent amount on decent sunglasses, which you will use much more than ski goggles and for other things, and I would buy reasonably priced googles (We've found that Cebe are good for this as j b says) for low light situations. You'll find that the goggles spend most of their time sitting on top of your helmet.
Speaking of which, are you getting a helmet! 
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| Quote: |
Have a look at the stuff in Decathlon if you have doubts about what you want at this stage
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Agreed. There's no need to spend a fortune. And definitely try goggles WITH helmet. They don't all fit well and last time I did it, I was surprised how many goggles had straps too short, even at maximum extension, to go round a helmet.
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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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Or speaking of Decathlon they had quite a few helmets with visors when I was in the Nottingham one last week.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@valais2, I dont know. I can't look though them when they're up there!
But honestly I only use them when I can't avoid it, which is rare, I prefer sunglasses as I find goggles a bit restrictive in terms of range of vision.
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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"m a sunglasses man, i also dont wear a helmet, but i suffer from claustrophobia, and the one time i tried goggles and a helmet together i had a panic attack.
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You know it makes sense.
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Goggles on a helmet don't steam up the way goggles on a beanie do. I'd get a pair of inexpensive goggles, and a cheap and sittable-upon pair of expendable sunglasses for lunches and coffee stops etc.
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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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@pam w, ...welllll…...that depends. Just to be really picky (what? on Snowheads??) having goggles on your helmet means that the vents in the top of the goggles are exposed, and any snow, rain, moisture etc can get onto the surface of the inner lens. Also the inner lens gets cold when they are off your face...so that when you pull them down onto your face, you can get quick fogging. Often just when you don't need it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@valais2, I'm not suggesting it's a good idea, but when you go into a dingy toilet......
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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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@pam w, …ah….indeed yes…we have an amusing and life threatening version of that when mountain biking…you choose some bright sun Cat 3 glasses, ride in the open sun and then plunge into the forest on singletrack AND CAN’T SEE A THING….
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I know nothing about this brand. A Goggle lives and dies by its lens and how suitable it is for the conditions. Even though they say it is suitable for all conditions, I don't see any detail about its colour/VLT.
IMV. A safer bet, is a Photochromic lens that covers Cat 1-3. I linked to a known Goggle, with a photochromic lens that has had good feedback, for £26.85 from Glisshop.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 11-02-22 20:46; edited 3 times in total
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If unsure, always Oakley. In my experience, they fog less, fit better and are... easily worth the money. The model called Canopy was recently discontinued, so cheaper but still out there and excellent (expect to pay around £60-80). The Flight Tracker (that's basically the new Canopy) super too.
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@Old Fartbag, are you now recommending photochromic? On the basis of your previous posts I persuaded my wife to solve her problems by buying prescription glasses in Oakley Prizm Rose (sufficiently wrap around) which have been magic for her but very expensive. I had hoped to buy myself goggles in the same but last time I visted an Oakley store none of their goggles seemed a good fit (I am sure there must be some, but at that price I want to feel confident); not that it matters, my wife has provided me with a shelf full of hand-me-downs of goggles that promised to go over her glasses but failed (currently Scott).
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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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| j b wrote: |
| @Old Fartbag, are you now recommending photochromic? On the basis of your previous posts I persuaded my wife to solve her problems by buying prescription glasses in Oakley Prizm Rose (sufficiently wrap around) which have been magic for her but very expensive. I had hoped to buy myself goggles in the same but last time I visted an Oakley store none of their goggles seemed a good fit (I am sure there must be some, but at that price I want to feel confident); not that it matters, my wife has provided me with a shelf full of hand-me-downs of goggles that promised to go over her glasses but failed (currently Scott). |
Not per se - as I personally use the Prizm Rose/Prizm Torch.
If the OP was prepared to spend the extra, that would be my recommendation. If looking at a very minimalist budget (£40?), the linked Bolle are fairly unbeatable as an all weather option.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 11-02-22 22:00; edited 2 times in total
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Going by the name isn't this a motocross goggle- ie may have a single lens which makes it likely to steam up? My smith bike googles only have a single layer lens and cost way less than my smith ski goggles - good as they are for biking, definitely won't be using the bike ones for skiing!
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Fri 11-02-22 21:39; edited 1 time in total
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FAQ
