 Poster: A snowHead
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I need a little bit of advice about the best type of lens I should purchase for a ski season. Im gonna be skiing in all different types of light no doubt, so I need to know the best type of lens for all light.
I've heard people mention a pink/violet lens or orange lens, but what is a good all round lens.
My helmet is RED and apparently Anon is the goggle to fit that, so I'm taking it to a few shops to try goggles with them, but I.m looking at Anon mainly.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
James
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Shorter18, ...before the emails start flooding which begin with highly facetious comments, I am going to say the NORMAL SENTENCE
On the question...Im gonna be skiing in all different types of light no doubt, so I need to know the best type of lens for all light....it's like asking for a pair of skis which do everything. Essentially you'd be fooling yourself if you thought you could. You get get some goggles which will do most things averagely or a couple of things really well.
I know what I would (and do) opt for.
Sunglasses for bright days - cat4.
Goggles with a VERY yellow tint and very high transmission for when you need them - snow, flat light, high wind. You CAN be sneaky though. Get some OTG goggles and if push comes to shove you can put on your sunglasses and then the goggles on the sunglasses.
IMHO don't try to get goggles which will do it all. You'll end up with ones which don't work when you need them most - horizontal snow, no definition, and terrible wind (you know which sort....)
and for that you need something like the Scott Amplifier lens, or the really orange or yellow high transmission CEBEs.
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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 have two sets of lenses for my goggles...or did have till i left the goggles somewhere..high iridium for bright and then a 70 ltv gold for poor vis..takes 30s to change in the car park or the first lift of the day.
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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 echo what valais2 said.... When wevlived out there good sun glasses for most days with goggles in the back pack for if light faded whilst we were out.
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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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Shorter18, welcome to Snowheads, as Zero-G, says there is lots of advice on SH's, if you go for Anon then you should find that the better ones come with two lenses, one for bright conditions and the others for low light. If your doing your first season I guess you will be wearing goggles and your helmet all the time and not sunglasses:-D so make sure you get goggles with two different lenes included in the price.
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I have always used only one pair of goggles, it's not a problem at all - orangey lenses seem to be good allrounders. Sunglasses are crap to ski in.
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| clarky999 wrote: |
| Sunglasses are crap to ski in. |
Depends on conditions.... when you live in resort you can ski for over 100 days per year and yes there will be days when sun glasses are crap but equally when goggles are.
If you have one pair of "eyewear" then they will be compromise pair which are "OK" for all conditions but not "great" for any conditions (unless you have changable lens) therefore why not have something different to wear dependant upon the conditions?
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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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| Quote: |
I have always used only one pair of goggles, it's not a problem at all - orangey lenses seem to be good allrounders. Sunglasses are crap to ski in.
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I know many won't but I agree with you. How people ski in Sunglasses is beyond me, my lame-ass eyes start streaming as soon as I get any speed up.
I have a pair of Smith Fuse goggles ( http://www.ski-depot.com/miva/graphics/00000001/fuse_mattwht_lg.jpg ) with a mirrored orangey/pink lens and I wear them come rain or shine. I have never been out in conditions that I've thought, "I wish I had different lenses/eyewear". They've done me well in everything from full on glacial sunshine to navigating of the top of Ben Nevis is full-on Scottish conditions.
I doubt Anon are the only goggles that will fit your helmet. Take your helmet, your budget and an open mind to the shops.
If you don't wear goggles, how will you ever get a goggle tan?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you don't wear goggles, how will you ever get a goggle tan?
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part of the rules for doing a season, if my assumtions are correct Shorter18, is going for his first season, so from a age point of view its goggles and helmet at all times, shades are only ever worn for walking to the bar, in the bar and back from the bar 
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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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| galpinos wrote: |
I know many won't but I agree with you. How people ski in Sunglasses is beyond me, my lame-ass eyes start streaming as soon as I get any speed up.
If you don't wear goggles, how will you ever get a goggle tan? |
Depends on the glases, I've got a pair of Oakleys and rarely do my eyes start to stream and I'm hardly a slouch!
I've also got friends who wear glasses for driving stupid cars with no windscreens (Ariel and XBow) where the speeds are far greater than we manage on skis!
Have you seen the faces of anyone who has worn goggles all season??....... they can't lose the goggle tan by the end of the summer no matter how hard they try!
| livetoski wrote: |
part of the rules for doing a season, if my assumtions are correct Shorter18, is going for his first season, so from a age point of view its goggles and helmet at all times, shades are only ever worn for walking to the bar, in the bar and back from the bar |
Yes, but you really should take them off after sunset!!
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marcellus wrote,
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Yes, but you really should take them off after sunset!!
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or positioned on the top of the head and left there for the whole evening!!
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You know it makes sense.
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Shorter18, from an earlier post "went for the Scott Unlimited OTG, Light Sensitive Bronze Chrome (cat. 1-3), and what a difference to my old OTG's they were good in flat light and in the sun, they reacted well to the change in conditions, got them form Vision3K, who were happy to send me two different makes of OTG, to try and the speed of delivery and price was very good"
I know you didn't ask about OTG, however the lens worked for me and there was plenty of flat light and Vision3K where very helpful and I'm sure would have shipped more than two pairs.
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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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Shorter18, ....OK....let's get a bit more technical.
'orange lens that do it all' - maybe that people are happy with that...up to them. And if such folk stay in on the worst days then this 'orange will do everything' may be OK. But I have taken a rather more strict approach. There's science here; transmission rates and physiology of vision.
I've been in frankly awful conditions in the Alps (like these kind of days, no one on the hill) - really zero vis, heavy snow, high wind and very low temps. The type of goggle you use in these conditions makes a lot of difference and can be life-saving - ie avoiding falls, since vertigo and confusion through lack of visual signals and reference points can be a real issue.
Look at this if you're interested
http://www.sporteyes.com/smithcolors.htm
The yellow lens have much higher transmission and the yellow tint works differently - the rods in the eye are most sensitive to yellow light (see http://www.antonine-education.co.uk/Physics_A2/Options/Module_6/Topic_1/topic_1.htm) and thus if you filter out anything else, the brain is operating on processing the 'highest sensitivity' input to the nerves and visual cortex, which gives higher resolution - ie you can see the subtle shapes and shadows in the snow which clear or other tints do not reveal. The point it that this is empirically true. I select my goggles by holding the lens over one eye and staring at a white surface half in shadow, half not, (or snow outside the shop) - and repeatedly looking through the lens, then not, etc and looking at the effect re highlighting contrast. Whichever lens tint increases most the contrast between the shadow and the lit area, is the one I buy. It's always a yellow tint.
This then gives the best result on flat light days - and on hyper steeps in rubbish weather, this can make the difference between falling and not falling - it's not just a question of seeing the surface of the snow, but also of not succumbing to vertigo.
I would want to continue to argue for high transmission yellow tint goggles for low light days (maybe 68-80% transmission) and sunglasses (cat 4 brown lens - Category 3: 8% - 18% visible light transmitted. Suitable for Alpine and Himalayan mountaineering for most uses, but for prolonged exposure at high altitude Category 4 is recommended.. Category 4: 3% - 8% visible light transmitted. For prolonged exposure at high altitude. Will be found too dark for everyday use such as driving a car).
well that's all a bit anal but I hope it clears something up....not sure what...but I feel better...
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Poster: A snowHead
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| marcellus wrote: |
| clarky999 wrote: |
| Sunglasses are crap to ski in. |
Depends on conditions.... when you live in resort you can ski for over 100 days per year and yes there will be days when sun glasses are crap but equally when goggles are.
If you have one pair of "eyewear" then they will be compromise pair which are "OK" for all conditions but not "great" for any conditions (unless you have changable lens) therefore why not have something different to wear dependant upon the conditions? |
I've done more than my fair share of skiing, and have never wished for anything else than my orange lense goggles - from full-on November blizzards to dull January flat light to late April bluebird sunshine. Maybe a different lense would give some flat light advantage, but it isn't that much of an issue - personally there's other things I'd rather spend the money on.
The only time I prefer having sunglasses on for skiing is when skinning - but the goggles are always on for the down (too much wind in the 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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Continuing valais2's excellent geeky vein, some good and succinct info on the effect of UV on the eyes at the WHO website.
What the WHO site doesn't mention is pinguecula, which is also associated with prolonged UV exposure. Almost all of the surfers I knew in my youth had pinguecula on both eyes. Lots of time spent out on the ocean without protective eyewear and loads of UV bouncing around is the cause. I only have to look in the mirror to see the effects...
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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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Cheers everyone. I'll take everything on board n have a good look around.
It is gonna be my first season and im a novice, so i wasnt too sure on lenses for being out for 6months and being in different conditions.
I tried wearing my sunglasses when i was in alpe d'huez in march, which was my first time skiing, and it didnt feel comfortable. Think goggles all the way for me. I used a cheap pair of sinner goggles which were bought as a gift but they were small and not the most comfortable pair.
Thanks again for the advice 
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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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Now that fashion dictates larger sun glasses (see GP drivers in welding set up) a pair of wide Vuarnet 3 band glasses can be enough unless it is snowing. They avoid pink eye and the side protected glacier glass can be skied at GS speed, both give a great snow definition in flat light and are available in presciption.
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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 have Oakley A-Frames with hi intensity amber polarized lenses that cope with all light conditions really well. Also have some hi intensity yellow lenses that I used to use on bad light days. These make things brighter but the contrast with the amber polarized lenses is far superior.
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