To goggle or not to goggle...

A snowHead

paulio, same here. Had conjunctivitis once but it was bad. I also have green eyes, the gene for which predisposes you to light sensitivity. I wear sunglasses on days most other people don't and even wear them in winter in London.

I used to ski with sunglasses (very good quality polarised lenses) on sunny days but struggled with the glare leaking in around the edges and found my vision was blurred by the end of the day and my eyeballs were scratchy.

Last season, I bought emerald iridium lenses for my goggles for sunny days (you'll find them on that Oakley lens tint tool) and they are the bomb!

I will never go back to skiing with sunglasses again. With these lenses in my goggles, I have eliminated glare leakage, squinting, blurred vision, scratchy eyeballs and headaches.

A snowHead

Also in the words of my GP at the time: maybe caused by me having some... nasty habits.

Could anyone suggest what he might have meant by that?

My goggles cost about £15, and I've had them for 4 years.

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

There are many causes for conjunctivitis but in your case, I understand your GP's implication Toofy Grin

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I will add that I don't wear a helmet when skiing, so it was perfectly acceptable to wear sunglasses. Heh.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I wear sunglasses pretty much 365 as well.

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Mainly so that women don't realise that I'm furtively checking them out. But also for that other reason.

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

After all it is free

Also, I have massive saucer-resembling eyes. Most normal people seem to have little narrow gashes for eyes, which must regulate the amount of lux hitting the retina by quite some amount. I'm forever in a situation like that scene in A Clockwork Orange where Alex has his eyelids held open with paperclips.

I furthermore have eyelashes like fake ones, and quite a long neck.

Basically, I'm a giraffe.

Zero-G, those are quite some green eyes, by the way. Also an excellent moustache.

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stuarth, Horse. Water. rolling eyes

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paulio,

snow reports

LMFAO

You know it makes sense.

Zero-G, gives an excellent explanation. If it snows on your week you WILL need goggles. Personally I wear goggles all the time with 2 interchangeable lenses. Just much more comfortable esp as I wear contacts. I have Adidas yodai which provide really good peripheral vision but they are expensive. Goggles are something you will always need to have, unless you are very lucky - or unlucky! Personally I wouldn't buy cheap as you'll only end up buying a better pair the following year Embarassed

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

What makes (besides Oakley) should I keep an eye out for? So if I see them on ebay or in a shop for a good price, I should consider getting them.
People have said that TKMaxx get outdated stuff for good prices. Would that be true for the goggles?

A snowHead

A snowHead

Thanks for that list.

I am even more confused than ever now. I tried some goggles on at Snow&Rock as they were the only place that had them when I was looking around. Honestly, I feel like a tit with those big things on my face NehNeh

. I know I would look fine when on the slopes with others wearing the same, but I still feel stupid. Also, my problem is that since I won't be buying a helmet for when I go (will be renting if I snowboard), I can't test any goggles with them to see how they fit. I am really thinking on getting some sunnies instead (they look a lot better) but then I'll be in poo-poo if it's bad weather or I go boarding and use a helmet. So I thought about just getting a cheap pear of goggles online as well, just in case..... but the cheap ones got bad reviews for using with helmets...... arrrrggggggg. I'm stumped.

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

You're probably over-thinking it. Just buy any old things from your local ski shop for about 20 quid, and you'll probably be alright for your first trip or couple of trips. Or indefinitely if you get lucky and buy some you end up really liking.

Don't worry about looking like a wazzock either. We all do.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

AlanB1976, When the snow is hitting you horizontally you will look like a right Wazzock if you're not wearing goggles. Toofy Grin

To me goggles are a vital piece of safety gear. I prefer sunglasses even with a helmet but I always carry a pair of goggles in case the weather changes.

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

I suppose I will get some.... like you say.... just in case

I had a look around ebay and they have some used stuff starting at low bids. I just never know (because they hardly ever give model numbers) if I can get replacement lenses for them. I would want a set of low light and sunny lenses.... or I must get a pair of sunnies as well. I will maybe post some item descriptions here after I've had a look at TKMaxx's stock and just get some advice.

After all it is free

p.s. Do you all take 2 sets of goggles with you for sunny/poor conditions?

I take two sets of trousers, and one set of goggles.

"Just in case".

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AlanB1976, No I take sunglasses for sunny conditions and one set of goggles for poor visibility.

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AlanB1976, you need to relax man.

Any old goggles, any old pants, any old rubbish generally really*. It doesn't matter much if you'll only be bumbling around. Just get on with it.

*exception that proves the rule: socks.

snow reports

Have to agree with Paulio

Unfortunately everyone goes through the same learning curve as everyone is different. I wear goggles all the time (Oakleys as it happens but they were the first thing that came to hand when I was on the first run of the day in falling snow and couldn't see a thing through my sunnies - straight into a shop and bought what I could afford) - others don't.

Looking like a wazzock? Sure, if you walk round Bristol shopping centre in them but not in Tignes where everyone knows that some people just prefer wearing goggles.

I'm trying to avoid going into a shop in Tignes. Budget is really tight at the moment and would rather go prepared having spent £20 than getting caught there and spending £60.
I will try relax NehNeh

I'll get a pair of cheap low light goggles and hope that my normal cycling sunglasses do for the sunny conditions.

You know it makes sense.

Goggles and gloves are the only things that it's really not worth scrimping on at your stage. However you still don't need to spend loads - get a pair of mid range Scott (or similar) googles for £30/40, double lens, anti-fog, orange/all-rounder (light-wise) lens and you won't need anything else.

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

clarky999 +1, I had my old Scott goggs for nearly 10 years before i replaced them, probably payed about US$40, fixed orange lens, and never really needed anything else - fitted over helmet and over glasses. Took plenty of abuse and never let me down, only replaced them when I saw a bit of a bargain on some Oakley OTG's on SH. Still take them on trips with me, just-in-case.

A snowHead

so you wear the goggles over sunglasses. That can't be comfortable?

A snowHead

Some goggles are made especially for wearing over normal spectacles.

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

I've tried (and failed) to not rise to the bait, so here goes.

DECENT GOGGLES DO NOT RESTRICT PERIPHERAL VISION. If they do, they're utter rubbish and you should never have purchased them in the first place. Here's a test; put goggles on in shop. Swivel your eyes to the left and to the right. Can you see the edge of the goggles in your peripheral vision? If yes, do not buy. If no (90% of the time), then you can be fairly certain (i.e. 100%) the googles will not effect your peripheral vision and you are free to purchase, wear, and enjoy.

Thanks, I feel better now.

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AlanB1976, Dude, seriously, it really isn't this damn complicated. Buy some sunnies that have UV protection (£20). Buy some goggles that fit your head/helmet and comply with the test described above (£30). Wear what is appropriate for the days conditions, stick the other in your pocket/bag. Job done.

ps. For context - cost of a round of 4 beers in your average alpine bar = £20.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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I bought goggles before my first ski holiday because everyone said I needed them. I already had decent sunnies so I bought them for snow/bad light conditions. I carted them around with me for my first 3 holidays - and never needed them because the weather was always fine! When I did actually need them, they were rubbish for bad light conditions, for my eyes, although they may have been fine for some people. (Some people swear by yellow lenses, others orange, pink, even blue?) I ended up going into a shop in resort, trying pairs on, then going outside in them to see what I could see in the actual conditions there, rather than the artificial lighting in an English ski shop.

(Sorry, probably confused you further ...... )

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

AlanB1976, If you're a 1 or 2 week a year holiday skier, then £30 Bolle or Bloc should last you many years. EB have some £30 Bloc on sale for £14, for example. A quick look a the web-site and this looks like a very good deal indeed - http://www.ellis-brigham.com/goggles/giro/768007/signal-matte-black_tonal-black.

I agree with the people who say don't skimp. I'd be wary of £10 goggles from Lidle etc. That £10-£20 spent above the bargin basement stuff will pay-off many times over if you get stuck in bad conditions.

After all it is free

My first time skiing, I neglected to use goggles. All great for the first four sunny days, my confidence was growing in the group lessons. Cut to day 5 and the snow was coming down heavy. Great for conditions. Not so great for me as I tried to ski headlong into horizontally driving snow wearing only dark sunnies for protection. I ended up in a drift clinging to the leg of the instructor, confidence shot. Bought goggles that day!

googles everytime!! i cant understand how people can ski in sunglasses, they hurt my eyes and make them water like crazy!
personally I love dragon goggles - they are expensive, but definately worth the money (and they have really cool designs!)

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To goggle or not to goggle...

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