Looking to find your ideal snow goggles in Australia for this next ski/snowboard season? Take a look at what you NEED to pay attention to!
Lenses
First things first. If you’re going to buy snowboard or ski goggles, you care about the lens, because you care about how well you will be able to see and how protected your eyes are going to be. Additionally, of course, the better your vision the less likely you are to suffering any injuries!
There are two main things you must take into account when considering which lenses are best for you:
Type: cylindrical vs. spherical
This refers to the vertical curvature of the lens. While all lenses curve horizontally in order to fit better and give you better peripheral vision, some are also curved vertically, and others are not.
Cylindrical, also called flat, lenses have a flat surface vertically. Spherical ones, as you would expect, have a vertical curve. While flat lenses perform well for a lower price, spherical lenses will give you less glare, less distortion, better peripheral vision and even less fog.
Tint: lens category vs. VLT
Now let’s look at the tint or colour of the lens. While some colouring seems to be mostly aesthetic, there is a very important factor that you must consider: VLT, or visible light transmission.
VLT is measured as a percentage, and it expresses how much light the lens allows to pass through. As a general rule, low percentages work best in sunny, bright days or environments, while high percentages are best suited for cloudy weather and low-light conditions.
Make sure to check a number of options, as there are also adaptable lenses such as photocromic ones, and there are also goggles which allow for interchangeable lenses.
Size
This, as the other features that we will expose later on, is best to be tested in real life. If you can, go to a store and try on different sizes to see which one fits. This is, maybe, even more relevant when it comes to kids. Even if you know the general size you or they usually wear, it may vary from brand to brand — and goggles must fit you perfectly!
Ventilation
All good snow goggles have good ventilation. What this means is that the heated air that comes from your body goes outside without causing any fogging.
There are different ways in which this can be achieved; usually it is done with a combination an anti-fog coating to the lens and vents. The only downside to vents is that, depending on the type, cold air might be allowed in and you will feel cold.
Bottom line: when you’re browsing through your options, make sure to pay special attention to the anti-fog features.
Other important features
Strap
Almost all goggles include wide straps. Just make sure they’re 100% comfortable.
Foam
Again, this should make your goggles comfy while fitting tightly.
Compatibility
You should also check for compatibility with the helmet that you have, and with other accessories you use such as glasses (or order prescription goggles)!
