15 of this season’s best goggles
Protect your precious eyesight with a pair of goggles – and to help you choose we’ve picked out 15 of the best…
1. ADIDAS
ID2 PRO
£150
Not as wide a field of view as many here, but ace venting, nano-foam retains shape well (we’ve worn ours for 50 days plus) and good helmet fit. Best of all is the lens system. Sunny: clip on the reflective top lens. Dark: pull it off and stick it in your pocket. Sounds basic because it is. But it works brilliantly.
2. BOLLÉ
DUCHESS
£77
These tick all the right boxes: the frame is small/medium fit; the spherical-cut lens is designed to maximise the wearer’s field of view; the flow tech venting keeps things fog free; the Carbo-Glas resists scratches, and the triple-layer face foam means they’ll be comfy until last lift.
3. CÉBÉ
HURRICANE
£59
A large fit and compatible with your glasses if you can’t deal with contacts. Solid price point and obvious tech: polycarbonate double lens to stop things steaming up, cylindrical-cut lens, three-layer foam, and a silicone strap to stop helmet slip.
4. DRAGON
APXS SPLATT
£175
A little brother to the APX, this still has great peripheral vision, and remains the shizzle in terms of tech, with all the usual colour/design options including the Nike tie-up. Perfect if you’ve a smaller face.
All their kit looked rather nifty at ISPO this year, and the key here is less frame, more vision. A good balance between flex and solidity also makes them really comfortable yet tough. The Universe features spherical, ventilated Zebra or Cameleon photochromatic lenses; and they’re made from NXT – light, virtually unbreakable and optically perfect.
6. OAKLEY
A FRAME 2 PRIZM LENS
£130
These rebooted classics are rather wonderful if you’re not bothered about massive peripheral vision. As to the Prizm lens, that’s the cutting edge bit. We tested them in the trade show simulator and, WOW. Lots more contrast than usual and better able to deal with a wide range of conditions.
Oooh, it’s got some game this one! Partially polarised to filter excessive glare (but still let you distinguish snow from ice), plus a photochromatic filter and mega-tough NXP polymer lens. Anti-scratch, anti-fog and hydrophobic. Plus triple-layer face foam for comfort.
Unisex, like the rest of the Salice models, and in many ways a sensible, safe option. Nothing too outrageous, but all the crucials ticked-off: good optics (by Zeiss), mid-frame size, anti-fog coated double lens, decent helmet fit. Interestingly, lenses go through a surface mirroring process (RW) to reduce light blinding/glare, enhancing the filtering power.
A great, tough, seasoned goggle. Now with extra add-ons, such as photochromic, if you pay a bit more. Key X-Max goodies: great field of view, solar lens plus low light lens interchangeable system (so you’re covered for all conditions), extremely flexible inner frame so it somehow moulds to your face better than other goggles.
New for this season, this is a smaller, lower profile option than the LCG. And we love the skeleton frame. Ideal for anyone with sallow chops, it’s got all the usual Scott goodies – like OptiView lenses,
No Fog treatment and an excellent field of vision.
11. SHRED
SMARTEFY
£135
Best for medium/small faces, the NO BS lens replacement system on these makes us laugh (you’ve probably guessed what that stands for). It makes changing-out a doddle, thanks to its system crafted through an updated mix of polyurethane with reduced friction parameters and improved installation notch shape/positioning.
Ultra-wide lens on these for a good field of view, and simple, unfussy design. Like all the Sinner range, well priced and enough tech to see you through all conditions. Good fit with most helmets, the venting works well and good on boosting contrasting so you see the bumps.
13. SMITH
SQUAD
£85
All new, slim and sleek, this is ideal if you want a no-nonsense well-priced goggle. All the obvious is there (silicone-backed strap, 2-layer face foam, articulating outriggers, decent field of view) plus cylindrical Carbonic-X lens with TLT optics, and free bonus lens.
14. UVEX
G.GL 300 TOP
£139
German-made, green, glare-resistant, glorious… groovy? Oh, come on – we’re working the ‘Gs’ here! Change lens with nifty mini magnets to hold in place, compatible with glasses and supravision technology to ensure goggles don’t mist up. The TOP bit stands for ‘take off polavison’ by the way.
15. ATOMIC
REVEL 3M
£130
Medium-size frame, great fit (thanks to Atomic’s Live Fit with adaptive foam and Y-cuts) and a banging good lens due to it being a spherical double by Zeiss to provide peak visibility in snow. Quick lens-switch system too.
Find more goggles, plus skis, jackets, boots and clobber, in our 2014/15 Gear Guide
