Good ski goggles and good snowboard goggles are essential.
Here are our criteria for choosing the best ski goggles.
How To Choose the Best Ski Goggles and Best Snowboard Goggles
1) Good Goggles Have Excellent Lenses. Good ski goggles have hardened lenses to withstand impacts, are coated with an effective anti-fog treatment and provide 100% eye protection from the sun.
2) Good Goggles Have an Excellent Fit. I consider both goggles and helmets indispensable. So good goggles must work well with helmets. This means attention to details like the shape of the lens, especially along the top edge, where the goggle meets the helmet. A good fit also means careful positioning of strap fasteners and adjustment buckles, so that these pieces of plastic do not interfere with the helmet’s goggle strap or buckle.
3) It’s Easy to Change Lenses on Good Goggles. We ski on cloudy days, sunny days, during conditions with flat light and in snow storms. While I don’t mind using an all-purpose lens, it’s nice to quickly and easily change out lenses when necessary.
Today, positive reviews of affordable ski goggles and affordable snowboard goggles from SunGod, Glade Optics and HaberVision. Each of these companies sells only on the Internet. This direct-to-consumer model helps them save money and keep costs lower.
SunGod Revolts Goggle
From the moment I put on the fully customizable SunGod Revolts goggles, I loved them. They fit my face better than any other goggle I’ve tried.
The frame fits snug against my helmet and the triple-layer foam seals out wind and cold, meaning my eyes don’t water when I’m wearing these goggles.
The secret to this great fit is a flexible frame that conforms more closely to the user’s face than more stiff frames.
I’m using an all-purpose 100% UV protective lens with my Revolts and have nothing but praise for my vision, especially on cloudy days.
Additional lenses are available and the lens swap-out system is relatively easy with a flip fastener on each side.
As for the customizable features, you get a choice of frame color (white, gray or black), one of six lens colors and one of 15 strap designs.
Shipping from the UK, SunGod goggles are $140 US. Additional lenses cost $65.00 each. Shipping is free for orders of $140 or over and $12.95 for orders of less than $140.
Total for goggles with two lenses: $205 US.
Glade Optics Challenger Goggles
The lenses come in various colors and different degrees of visual light transmission (VLT). A handy table on the Glade website shows how much light will come through each lens, so that you can customize the goggles to meet specific winter conditions.
We tried two lenses, low light orange for flat light and cloudy days, and a green sunny day, all-purpose lens. The lenses are easy to change with plastic pegs on the back of the lens that snap into holes in the goggle frame.
A one-size product, these goggles fit my husband perfectly, but are a bit large for me.
Because goggle fit is personal, Glade Optics offers free return shipping if the goggles don’t work out. According to Glade founder Curt Nichols, the return rate has been exceptionally low and the feedback they’ve received has been highly positive.
The Glade Optics Challenger goggle is $89 – $99, depending upon the lens. Additional lenses are $45 to $55 each and shipping is free, both ways.
Total for goggles with two lenses: $134 – $154 US depending upon the options you choose.
HaberVision Baccarat Ski and Snowboard Goggles
If you find yourself changing goggle lenses frequently, say because you ski both during the day and at night, or you ski during changing weather conditions, the HaberVision Baccarat ski and snowboard goggles are game changers.
Of the three goggles reviewed today, HaberVision “Attractive” lens retention technology is the easiest to use. As the lenses are attached by strong magnets, removing a lens means simply pulling it off the frame. Putting a new lens is as easy as aligning it above the frame and letting the magnets pull it in. A small bit of adjustment may be necessary, for example ensuring the lens is snapped in around the bridge of the nose. Otherwise, it’s a fairly seamless process.
I really like the magnetic system because it is quick, easy and helps me keep my fingers off the lens. The magnets are strong and I have no concern about the lens shifting, or coming off, while I’m skiing. Baccarat lenses are 100% UV protective and come in a variety of colors and degrees of visual light transmission.
As for the fit, these goggles are a bit more stiff and have a less “forgiving” fit. That doesn’t mean they don’t fit well, but they don’t conform as easily to different size faces.
Baccarat goggles come in varying frame colors and with different strap colors. Pricing varies from $99 to $139 (regular price) with the higher priced goggles sporting polarized lenses. All Baccarat goggles come with a primary (sunny day) and secondary (heavy weather) lens.
HaberVision has a 30 day guarantee, so if you purchase the Baccarat goggle and decide it’s not for you, you can easily return them.
Total for goggles with two lenses: $69 – $97, with free shipping (they are currently on sale).
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What about googles that fit comfortably over glasses? That is my biggest problem with googles is that they are not comfortable with glasses on, I am not comfortable skiing without my glasses. Love your blog!
Hi Gwen such a good question! Let me do a bit of research and I’ll ask on social media. We will find you an answer! Really appreciate you asking. Cheers!