 Poster: A snowHead
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My old goggles are scratched badly so I need some new ones. I don’t care what they look like or what brand they are but I do want something that:
1. won’t fog up
2. is good in “flat light”
3. is comfortable
What’s the difference between a £30 pair and a £130 pair other than the name on the band?
Any suggestions?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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II
1 - good goggles with vents shouldn't fog up - don't put them up on your forehead when not skiing/boarding
2 - depends on the lens not the goggle
3 - depends on your head!
There's been lots written here on goggles if you do a search - personally I have Adidas goggles and have found them great. Good vision - and depending on your lens, good in flat light.
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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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cathy,
thanks just noticed the search button at the top of the page 
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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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I love oakleys. find them very comfortable and have never hd probles with fogging since I learnt the advice abvove, viz, don't put them up on your forehead...
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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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From experience I can only say Oakley have the best optics I have ever come across, but my Carreras that I use for brighter light are good enough that I don't feel the need to change. I have Oakleys for flat light (the pink iridium so they can handle a change to brighter conditions too) and Oakley sunnies which, by cost per wear, are the best value sunnies I've ever had. Mr Eng has some Uvex goggles for bright light and if I had them, I'd be changing them for Oakleys pronto!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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eng_ch, Agree with you re the optics.
I currently own Uvex, Scott x2, Oakley x2, Spy, Carrera.
Have borrowed and skied with anon, von zippers.
Out of all that lot, the optics (clarity, distortion, contrast) of the Oakleys are the best IMHO.
II, Try to get a "double lens" goggle, look for good venting. As for comfort/fit - each manufacturer and model have different profiles, so you have to try them. Also 3 later foam is a good thing to have.
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veeeight, agree - it's like the difference between tape and CD for sound, or the difference between 2D and 3D if you prefer. You can see (hear) perfectly well with other brands, but the depth of field is so much greater with the Oakleys, once you've tried them you'll never go back to anything else.
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As a general rule with everything you do get what you pay for - I'd suggest the best way to do it would be to decide on your max budget and look for whats available at that price - the list could just be endless otherwise 
Smith are good - both me and the missus use them and I'm very pleased indeed.
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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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Got some basic Oakley O Frames with Persimmon (Orange) lenses. These were the best I tried for low light and are invaluable when the light is fading in mid winter. For me they take enough glare off that I can wear them in bright sunshine as well. I have got a uvex pair with a darker tint and I used to switch for sunny days but now I can't be bothered. I don't look after them very well now as they just live on my helmet but the lenses are not noticably scratched and I've had them for 8 years.
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II, the best lens I've ever seen for flat light is the Oakley HI Blue - I have this lens and it's like having a light switched on.
I have also read that the Smith Sensor Mirror lens is excellent in flat light too - I haven't seen them though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I use Oakley A frames with Fire Iridium lenses, which work very well for my eyes.
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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 used to have a very old pair of Oakleys with persimmon coloured lenses which were OK in poor light, but maybe a little dark.
Baggage handlers did for them, so good old ebay got me two pairs of up to date Oakleys - Wisdoms - one pair with Hi-Blue lenses for bad weather, one pair with black iridium for sunnier weather.
Chose Oakley because the fit is always comfortable, optics are (reputedly) the best and they look pretty good in night camo frames 
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I have a pair of smith anthem goggles. I really like them as they are designed for smaller heads, something like the oakley wisdom dwarves my face and looks more like some kind of scuba gear/welding mask.
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You know it makes sense.
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I use Bolle XP and they're good. I just can't justify the price of Oakley's
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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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adam_button, I also use Bolle, cost round about £30 - iridium lens, silver frame. I cannot remember model name but it was recommended in Ski and Board. I find them very good.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I was looking at getting a par of oakley goggles to ware in flat light last year, but strugeled to find someone out in the alps with a decent range (La Plange, VT and 2Alps). So this year i want to make sure that i get them over here, so everything is ready should i manage to find a couple of weeks skiing...
Question is, is there anywhere in particular where they have a wide range of lenses etc avilable.
Also, I see that Oakley sell lenses seperatly, is it easy to change them so that you dont need one pair for bright light and another for dull?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The Oakley lenses are fairly easy to change, I have a persimmon lense and a blue iridium and this seems to work well for me.
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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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adam_button, Latchigo, I agree that Bolle works, but have you tried to compare them to Oakleys in really bright or really flat light? I can get headaches in really bright sun (like a sunny day of April skiing or an August day at the beach in Cyprus) - i tried using Ray Bans and Cebe. Bought Oakleys cause they were cool in 1994, and found out Oakley sunnies are a god sent for me. Five years ago i tried using Bolle (they were OK, really sturdy frame -didn't break when i accidentally stepped on them) and after 2 months i just had to go back to Oakleys. So maybe it also depends on how sensitive your eyes are.
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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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I've used Smith for ages - good value, spares usually readily available although for some reason some models sold in the UK have been long discontinued in N America. Last year I picked up a cheap double screen pair as a spare from Tcibo however and ended up using them full time - excellent construction quality , helmet clasp etc
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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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to add balance to the oakley love-in, i switched to smith prodigy goggles this season and don't plan to switch back any time soon
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| the_fatadder wrote: |
| Also, I see that Oakley sell lenses seperatly, is it easy to change them so that you dont need one pair for bright light and another for dull? |
No idea, but you can whole goggles off ebay for only slightly more dosh than replacement lenses, so I didn't bother.
Oakley have very good after sales service too. Kinda no quibble replacement.
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I've always been an Oakley fan but the double lense seal 'leaked' at Snowbird this year & I couldn't see a thing. Could have been a baggage handling thing as I use a soft holdall. Thanks to the loan of Martin Bell's goggles I managed to ski down. I'm not sure waht make Martin's were but their red tint was very good in the poor visibility.
Oakley replaced the lense foc by return postage as soon as I got home. I reckon their best lenses are the Hi Blue for low-mid light & Fire Iridium for mid-bright light.
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I had a pair of Bollés that became hoorendously scratched, a pair of Smiths that didn't fit too well and finally splashed out on a pair of Adidas Yodais which are bl00dy amazing 
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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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| sugardaddy wrote: |
| adam_button, Latchigo, I agree that Bolle works, but have you tried to compare them to Oakleys in really bright or really flat light? I can get headaches in really bright sun (like a sunny day of April skiing or an August day at the beach in Cyprus) - i tried using Ray Bans and Cebe. Bought Oakleys cause they were cool in 1994, and found out Oakley sunnies are a god sent for me. Five years ago i tried using Bolle (they were OK, really sturdy frame -didn't break when i accidentally stepped on them) and after 2 months i just had to go back to Oakleys. So maybe it also depends on how sensitive your eyes are. |
I am a cheapskate, whereas your moniker suggests you are not.
If Oakley had goggles on trial I would do the comparison but I am not going to buy some just to find out. On sunny days I use sun glasses.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'll carry 2 pair, Spy for allrounders, and an old pair of Smiths for the really bad, must get home stuff.
For Glasses, I do the same..old Bolle glacier glasses.... superb lenses and light filtration...best I've ever used and had them since '85, and a general cheapish pair which I lose about once a season...
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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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Latchigo, "sugardaddy" is really toungue-in-cheek - i'm nothing but a poor graduate student. I figure that if i bought my Oakley sunnies 5 years ago fro 100 us$ (straight jackets with the gold iridium lense), wore them for everything from walking and driving to skiing and rock climbing, then 20$ per year is not that much. Also, last month, i scrached my lenses at the beach (playing football) so i got replacement lenses for 50% off, so i recon they should last me at least 3 more years. My goggles are L frames, that are the cheapest Oakleys, and only come with persimon lenses. I've used them for 6 or 7 years and are still like new, much better than my previous Cebe that disintegrated after 4 years.
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thanks all,
it seems that "Oakley HI Blue" seem to be worth a try and also some "bolle xp's"
hope that Carigdon has them both in as i am in inverness next week.
when at ellis brigham Braehead a month ago they had 3 pair of goggles total!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
What’s the difference between a £30 pair and a £130 pair other than the name on the band?
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About £100.
Do I win a prize ? 
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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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anyone skiied in the fog at Big White? If so any recommendations for lens colour or is it a hopeless case?
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Poster: A snowHead
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riverwhy, welcome to 
I'd suggest a yellow tint - but try any of the Oakley Hi-visibility ones, and get the ones that work best with your eyes.
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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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| cathy wrote: |
| Best advice, in the fog, stay in the trees |
Excellent advice - when it gets foggy, head into the trees, or at least close to them.
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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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The Black Forest area has been gladed so you can actually quite happily spend quite a few hours there - or at least we did!
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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 am Cathy, in Feb, - but i spent 3 months there last year - & you are dead right about heading for the trees, especially when you can't tell where the sky meets the ground!
it's a weird feeling alright! and some of those catwalks are lethal when you can't see the edge..
i'll look out for some yellow hi-vis anyway, but was also interested in the Oakley hi-blue. i won't really know what suits my eyes without taking several pairs into the mist, & that could prove expensive.
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riverwhy, ah well - you're in a much better condition than me to talk about the bad conditions! What were you doing out there for 3 months and did you enjoy it? We really loved it there last year and are keen to go back - I wonder if we met you there (about mid-Feb) as we did meet a few 'longer-term' brits, I think working towards instructors quals.
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cathy, Ah, just the person! I have some Adidas Yodai goggles, which I like very much. I bought them with the orange mirror lens which is fine most of the time. But in poor flat light in April I couldn't see a damn thing. Can you recommend which lens I should get for that? The Adidas website isn't as helpful as Oakley's when it comes to lens choice. Are the lenses easy to switch on piste?
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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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cathy, Sorry - being thick - already answered, apart from the ease of switching question!
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noggy, glad to have helped! Yes, the Yodai are sold with the orange mirror which didn't suit me in flat light either. Snow & Rock sell replacement lenses (in season) and I found the plain orange to be much better. I also found the orange to be fine in sunny conditions although they don't give so much protection (re my link above, click on the lenses & it gives the different light absorption/protection). They just pop in and out but mine seemed to be a bit harder to swop than the OHs, so I ended up not changing them. He was able to change his very quickly & easily.
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FAQ
