We’ve all been there. You check the weather forecast in the morning—sun!—so you grab your favorite goggles with bright-light lenses and you’re out the door. But then the clouds unexpectedly roll in and suddenly, you’re skiing with reduced visibility, fumbling your way down the slope in what feels like a darkened closet.

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Not being able to see properly might be the biggest hindrance to performing your best on the mountain. Don’t let your goggles (or a poor lens choice) ruin your day. With the right lenses, you’ll gain clarity and perspective and the world will shine a little brighter. No quality goggles these days should fog up. Ventilation, no-fog lenses, and breathable foam are must-haves. The goggles that rose above the rest offer superior clarity and a broad field of vision, so you’ll never have to ski in a closet again.

The Winners at a Glance

• Editor’s Choice: Sweet Protection Connor Rig
• Best For Wide Faces: Atomic Four Pro HD Photo
• Easiest Lens-Swap System: Dragon RVX Mag OTG
• Best Single-Lens Option: Glade Adapt 2
• Best Over-the-Glasses Goggles: Scott Sphere OTG Amp Pro
• Most Streamlined: Smith Blazer
• Best Value: Goodr Snow G

The Reviews: The Best Goggles of 2024

Editor’s Choice: Sweet Protection Connor Rig ($220)

Lens shape: Toric
Number of lenses included: 1
Face fit: Medium to large
Pros: Massive peripheral vision given how low-profile the goggles look
Cons: It comes with one lens; spare lenses need to be ordered separately at an additional cost

In order to increase the field of vision, goggles these days have gotten massively oversized. But the new Sweet Protection Connor Rig offers a large field of vision without dramatically increasing the span of the goggle. These sleek frameless goggles do that thanks to a toric sculpted lens that gives you an understated feel with ample side vision. “Medium-sized fit with large-sized vision,” one tester wrote. “I felt like I could see twice as much peripherally as other goggles. Extra good news on a crowded resort Saturday when you need to have your head on a swivel.” The lens swaps out easily, and the one we tested—which Sweet Protection calls Bixbite—was quite versatile. “Excellent in challenging light conditions,” tester Jessica Hamilton wrote. “Made things pop but still true to color.” The foam against the face felt “plush and pleasing,” according to another tester.

Bottom line: All-day resort rippers looking for a wide field of view and a lens that can handle most conditions will love these goggles.

Best For Wide Faces: Atomic Four Pro HD Photo ($230)

Lens shape: Cylindrical
Number of lenses included: 2
Face fit: Medium to large
Pros: High-quality lens that adjusts as the weather and light changes
Cons: Swapping out the lens took longer than it should

Testers described the Atomic Four Pro HD Photo as “well designed” and “resilient.” The cylindrical-shaped lens punches above its class thanks to a photochromatic high-definition lens that automatically adjusts to changing light. It delivered some of the finest contrast and clarity in the test. “Felt durable with no gimmicks,” commented tester Karl McDade. “Lens clarity and peripheral vision is outstanding.” The goggles come with an extra clear lens for night skiing (because you do so much of that, right?) or very low-light days. Ample ventilation means they never fog and they let in a breeze if you’re on a hike. A flat lens and anti-scratch treatment on the exterior means you’d have to try hard to put a nick on them. The goggle strap and frame are made with 32 percent recycled materials. They’re a bit larger in size, which means they would work well for those with wider faces.

Bottom line: As tester Kate Shaw said, “These goggles are stylish enough for the most discerning, and sweaty-faced, park rat. And functional enough for every other sweaty-faced skier.”

Easiest Lens-Swap System: Dragon RVX Mag OTG ($290)

Lens shape: Cylindrical
Number of lenses included: 2
Face fit: Medium to large
Pros: A youthful, urban vibe and the easiest magnetic lens to swap on and off
Cons: These goggles have a distinctly premium feel to them, so it’s no surprise they’re among the priciest goggles we tested

You know those days on the mountain that are so blindingly sunny that at the end of the day, even if you never took your goggles off, your eyeballs feel scorched? That’s because some lenses still let harmful infrared rays through, and that can damage your eyes and cause optic fatigue. With the frameless RVX Mag OTG, Dragon’s designers focused on advanced lens technology that blocks unhealthy radiation and reduces stress on the eyes. In terms of fit, it’s a Goldilocks: not too large, not too small. “The size was spot on for the modern goggle without being too big on the face,” one tester said. The lens comes off in a flash, thanks to the magnetic changing system that’s very intuitive (even if you don’t like reading instructions). “I never look at the lens change guide and I was quickly able to figure out how to swap out the lenses,” another tester chimed in. “The lens felt sturdy and locked on. The crisp lens adapted well to direct morning sun as well as low-light storm days. These goggles are over-the-glasses compatible, too.

Bottom line: If you want goggles that make you feel cooler than you are, you’ve found them. Everyone from soul skiers to park devotees could rock these.

Sponsor Content
Outdoor Master Seagull Foldable Snow Goggles ($39.99)

Take your winter pursuits to the next level with the Outdoor Master Seagull Foldable Snow Goggle. The innovative foldable design permits excellent packability and convenience. If you’re looking for a lightweight goggle to fit your on-the-go lifestyle, the search is over. These goggles offer complete UV protection and have an impressive fog-resistance performance of 270 seconds—much higher than the 30-second standard. Plus, with a dual-layer, high-definition lens for clarity and durability in extreme conditions, the Seagull Foldable Snow Goggle is exactly what you need to ski or ride all day, every day.

Best Single-Lens Option: Glade Adapt 2 ($149)

Lens shape: Cylindrical
Number of lenses included: 1
Face fit: Medium to large (also comes in a smaller version—the Adapt 2S—for smaller faces)
±Ę°ů´Ç˛ő:ĚýHighly adaptable lens that works well in all light conditions
Cons: The strap was a little tricky to adjust and tighten

Imagine this: a goggle that doesn’t require toting around a second lens. The Glade Adapt 2 is the second iteration of Glade’s beloved one-lens solution, the Adapt, which comes with an all-conditions lens that can be swapped out, but probably won’t need to. The Adapt 2 has a new photochromatic lens with a drastically wider range for what kind of light conditions it can handle. Meaning you can truly wear this goggle in blazing sun or milky storms. “The lens really did adapt to various conditions throughout the day. The name isn’t a joke,” one tester commented. Tester Kate Shaw added, “If I were traveling or didn’t want to deal with multiple lenses, this goggle is the answer.” The shape is compatible with helmets across brands and a grippy surface on the underside of the strap clung well to the helmet without slipping. The Adapt 2 fits medium to large faces best; an Adapt 2S was designed for smaller or more narrow mugs.

Bottom line: Any skier or rider looking for a reliable one-lens option will be happy with these.

Best Over-the-Glasses Goggles: Scott Sphere OTG Amp Pro ($140)

Lens shape: Spherical
Number of lenses included: 1
Face fit: Small to medium
Pros: Simple one-lens goggles that take the guesswork out of what lens to wear today.
Cons: The goggle strap is extra wide, and some testers had a hard time squeezing it into their helmet’s goggle clip.

The new Scott Sphere OTG Amp Pro was designed to wear with prescription glasses, but even our non-spectacled testers praised the fit and comfort of this easy-to-please goggle. The lens doesn’t swap out, and this year’s version of this goggle comes pre-installed with Scott’s new Amplifier Pro white chrome lens, which enhances contrast on overcast days and reduces eye fatigue from the sun’s rays on brighter ones. “The world looked more beautiful through this lens,” one tester said. A curved spherical lens offered wide peripheral vision and glare was non-existent. “This was a great flat-light lens,” tester Kate Shaw added. The size of the frame is moderate and not overbearing, and this goggle fit testers with small to medium faces best. Three-layer face foam felt breathable on short inbounds hikes and pleasantly soft against the face.

Bottom line: If you don’t want to deal with multiple lenses for different days or if you wear prescription glasses, these are your goggles.

Most Streamlined: Smith Blazer ($90)

Lens shape: Cylindrical
Number of lenses included: 1
Face fit: Small to medium
Pros: Comfortable on the face with solid optics in bright light.
Cons: Only thing it didn’t score above average on was its peripheral vision.

The new Smith Blazer is a simple, lightweight goggle—with no bells and whistles—but testers applauded its optics in full sun and low light. “It has minimal standout features,” tester David Anhalt said. “It’s a no-frills goggle that’ll do the job pretty darn well.” Two-layer face foam held up in wet and sweaty conditions and fog was never an issue. “The lens provided great contrast and did not steam up on a hike,” added another tester. This is a modest-sized frame, so it’ll fit those with smaller- or medium-sized faces best. (If you’re looking for an oversized or large goggle, this is not it.) The Blazer was most compatible with Smith helmets, but it sat decently flush with other brands, too. It’s a fixed lens—so not interchangeable.

Bottom line: Perfect for weekend warriors who want a get-the-job done goggle without any extra frills at a good price.

Best Value: Goodr Snow G ($75)

Lens shape: Cylindrical
Number of lenses included: 2
Face fit: Medium
Pros: That price tag isn’t a typo. This goggle is silly cheap—and performs way above its price bracket.
Cons: The magnetic lens is really easy to swap out, but it also pops off unintentionally if you tug the goggles the wrong way.

We’re not quite sure how they did it, but Goodr’s first foray into the goggle market is a slam dunk. Goodr, which launched in 2015 with $25 polarized sunglasses, essentially makes lenses at the same price point as those you’d buy at the gas station but way more fun and better quality. Their first goggle, the Snow G, comes in candy-bright colorways with names like Bunny Slope Dropout (pink), Here for the Hot Toddies (orange), and Après All Day (black). Like much more expensive goggles, it comes with a magnetic lens detaching system that swaps out in a second for an included low-light lens. The lenses come with an anti-fog and anti-glare coating. Our testers didn’t know the price of these goggles, and they all praised the lens quality on sunny and cloudy days and were in awe of how easy it was to swap out lenses.

Bottom line: If you’re someone who loses or scratches goggles on the regular, this budget-friendly option will ease your concerns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose ski goggles?

There are three different shapes of lenses on the market these days: spherical, cylindrical, and toric. The shape impacts how the lens performs, the width of field, and the cost. Spherical lenses have more of a rounded, bubble-like effect, with wide peripheral vision that curves away from your eyes on both axes. Spherical lenses tend to be inherently fog-free thanks to increased volume, offer undistorted vision, and cost a bit more. Cylindrical lenses curve across your face but are flatter up and down. They have a more low-profile, smaller volume look and they’re easy to keep scratch-free since they’re flatter against your face. They tend to be less expensive. The third shape, toric, is newer to the scene and combines aspects of the previous two shapes, making it a low-profile goggle that retains peripheral vision.

Besides shape, consider what frame size would work best on your face. If you have a larger or rounder head, you’ll want a more oversized goggle. If you’ve got a slight or narrow face, opt for a goggle that runs on the smaller side. Some goggles come in a small version. Another thing to keep in mind is whether you want a goggle with lenses that swap out—so you can fine-tune your vision based on the weather and light conditions—or if you prefer a more universal lens that can handle most conditions. If you wear prescription glasses, look for goggles with the OTG (over the glasses) indicator.

How do you prevent ski goggles from fogging?

Newer goggle models have extensive ventilation and an inner lens coating to prevent fogging. However, physics dictates that if there is sufficient moisture being provided from within, combined with warm and moist outside conditions, the goggles might eventually fog up. When backcountry skiing, it is best to keep goggles in your backpack and get them out for the descent to avoid fogging issues. Don’t hike with them on your hat, helmet, or worse yet, around your neck. When you’re skiing at the resort, keep your goggles on your face as much as possible. A trick for tram or gondola riders is to take them off and hang them from a window or tip of your skis to help keep them dry and shed some moisture. If you just put the goggles up on your helmet, they will not air out sufficiently, and the vents on your helmet could also pump additional moisture inside the goggle.Ěý.

How We Test Ski Goggles

• Number of testers: 10
• Number of goggles tested: 31
• Inches of snow received during the Tahoe-based test: 710
• Storm days skied while testing: 41
• Sunny days skied while testing: 11

To determine which goggles were the biggest crowd pleasers, we took dozens of new-for-this-season goggles and distributed them amongst ten hardy skiers and riders based in California’s North Lake Tahoe. Ranging from ski-industry veterans to weekend shredders, these hard-working testers spent over seven weeks wearing a multitude of goggles while resort skiing and backcountry touring. The test happened to coincide with one of Tahoe’s snowiest winters on record, with over 700 inches of snow and 178 percent above average snowfall. We asked testers to wear the goggles in all kinds of weather and light conditions, then fill out a feedback form that indicated everything from face fit to lens quality to helmet compatibility. In this test, we looked for adaptable, versatile goggles that were compatible with a wide range of helmets and fit on a variety of face shapes and sizes. Using tester feedback, we narrowed the 31 goggles down to these seven models that earned the highest marks.

Meet Our Lead Testers

Category manager and şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř contributing editor Megan Michelson is a freelance journalist and lifelong skier based in Tahoe City, California. She’s been covering the ski industry as an editor and writer for over 15 years. Other key testers quoted here include Palisades Tahoe ski race coach and ceramics professor Karl McDade, attorney and former big-mountain competitor Kate Shaw, and physician and ski patrol volunteer doctor Jessica Hamilton.

More from the 2024 Winter Gear Guide

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Anyone who’s watched Cody Townsend’s The Fifty series, which documents his multi-year attempt to climb and ski North America’s 50 most iconic ski lines, knows he’s a big fan of large-lens sunglasses—not the type of giant, round-lens glasses commonly worn by celebrities, but outdoor-focused, wrap-around glasses that look like goggle lenses without the goggle frames. Townsend says he’s adopted these large glasses for several reasons. For starters, they keep out more of the sun during his 12-hour days on the skin track. And because they’re big enough to shield his face on most descents, they make for a lighter and less cumbersome option than goggles.

Townsend isn’t the only one choosing glasses over goggles. If you show up to your local ski area before work, you’ll find plenty of uphill skiers wearing large-lens glasses. Same thing out in the backcountry. When it’s not hammering snow, skiers love to wear glasses instead of goggles.

For years Townsend wore various models of large-lens glasses from Smith, one of his sponsors, and this year he launched a Smith model of his own design called the . “I’ve now spent more time skiing in the Pursuit than any other glasses I’ve ever worn and because of their coverage I find myself leaving my goggles at home more and more,” Townsend told us via phone while he was driving home from a recent ski tour in California’s Sierras.

I got my hands on a pair in January, skied with them in Jackson Hole, and then brought them back to New Mexico for the rest of the winter. And as big-lens glasses go, the Pursuits are definitely a step above and, in my opinion, worth the eye-watering price tag of nearly $300.

Townsend thought of everything. First, they come with photochromic lenses that change their tint based on the amount of sun hitting them. They adjust from a category one (allowing 43 to 80 percent of visible light through) to a category four rating (allowing only three to eight percent through). This means I can wear them at 7 a.m. on the skin track just as the sun is rising, and keep wearing them comfortably all the way through high noon when the New Mexico sun and white snow collude to try and destroy my retinas. Category four, the highest level, is often what you’ll find in traditional glacier glass lenses.

For extra sun protection, Townsend also included side shields (like you’d find on glacier glasses) that keep sun from poking in peripherally. The side shades snap into and stay in place when they connect with magnets on the frames, but they fold down easily when you want to pack the glasses away. The shields are removable, but I leave them on because they’re so well-designed that they never get in the way.

“I wanted the side shields because light has a way of leaking in from all angles, even with large-lens glasses,” Townsend says. “If there are gaps where light gets in, it causes eye strain, so I knew I needed more coverage.”

In terms of size, the lenses are on the bigger side even for large-lens glasses. That has been fine by me because the extra size makes them truly big enough to replace my goggles in nearly every instance. Since getting the Pursuits, I’ve only returned to goggles for a big inbounds day when I was ripping groomers at speed, or when fighting off snow during a blizzard—both places where I needed the extra protection offered by goggles that seal to your face.

Some users have complained that the Pursuit will fog because they provide such extensive coverage and don’t allow enough airflow when you’re huffing up the skin track. But I never found this to be the case. It might be because I have a large nose and the glasses sit off my face enough to breathe, but I suspect most other people won’t have problems either, because there’s plenty of room at the top of the glasses for airflow.

Townsend told me that while geeking out in the design phase, he and the Smith designers spent a lot of time thinking about how far off his face the glasses would sit. He wanted the lower part of the lenses to sit closer to his cheek to cut down on light coming off the snow, and he was fine with a larger gap at the top for airflow. That upper gap didn’t present as much of a light leak problem because he, like most people on the skin track, usually ski with a hat that shields the sun.

Thanks to rubber grippers on the nose and temples, the glasses always stayed put, even when I was a sweaty mess. Townsend says that the arms are customizable and can be shaped to match the shape of your head and ears. “When you’re wearing sunglasses for a long time you want them to have the perfect fit or they’re going to start to hurt,” he says.

One other detail I love: the Pursuits ship with a smartly-designed case. It’s not a traditional hard case that takes up too much space in my pack, or just a fabric sheath that only protects from scratches but not breaks. This case is somewhere in between. It’s built with a rigid front that should protect the glasses if I accidentally sit on them (I haven’t yet), and a soft back that allows me to wedge the case into the sunglasses pocket of my backcountry pack. Included in the case is a clear lens that I could swap in if I wanted to use the glasses at night.

The glasses also come with a removable nose guard, which I took off and promptly lost. It’s the kind of guard you’d wear if you were climbing Everest and sunscreen wasn’t enough. I chose to take the guard off because, even though my nose eats sun, I didn’t want to deal with carrying an extra piece. Reapplying sunscreen works for me.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř of skiing I’ve used the glasses on bike rides and loved the coverage they provided in this context as well. During a windy spring of riding gravel, the side shields kept dust out of my eyes, and the frames fit well under most bike helmets. True roadies will think the glasses are too heavy and cumbersome, but the rest of us who ride gravel, trails, or just commute to work, will find them useful. Anyone worried about the shields affecting peripheral vision on the street can snap the shields off.

I’m also looking forward to wearing the glasses while driving on long summer road trips because the extra coverage will cut down on eye fatigue. And I’ll be wearing them when I run, hike, backpack, or do just about any outdoor activity I can think of. The only places I won’t use them are while hunting—because I constantly have my glasses off when I’m looking through binoculars—or when hanging out, because they make me look like a total poser. While some of you younger folk can get away with wearing large-lens glasses in social situations, I’ll stick to regular dad glasses when poolside or at work.

Townsend says the aren’t just something he put his signature on but glasses he helped design from the ground up to solve problems he encounters in the mountains. “I never want to just throw something onto the market,” he says. “I want to make something that I use every day—and that’s totally true with the Pursuit.”

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You don’t need to be a meteorologist to know this: weather can be unpredictable, especially in the mountains, where it can change in a heartbeat. That means you need goggles that protect your eyes from a full range of conditions—the sun’s harsh ultraviolet rays, cold, wind, snowflakes, and even ice.

The most important part of your goggles is the lens. Lenses designed to enhance color and contrast let you see details you may not be able to see with the naked eye. With the right lens, even in poor light you have more clarity and can identify terrain, discern obstacles like rocks or sticks, judge mogul shapes, and anticipate texture shifts like icy to packed or packed to powder.Ěý

That’s why it’s so important to consider lens performance first when you’re shopping for goggles, and why Oakley put so much development into the innovative, proprietary —a game changer for all skiers and riders. These lenses block wavelengths along the color spectrum, playing with your perception. By choosing among the seven lenses, you can customize performance to your conditions. The lenses, which range in price and colors, match specially engineered base tints with unique mirror-effect Iridium anti-glare coatings that precisely tune light transmission.

Providing crisper, clearer optics, the photochromic Prizm lenses have built-in versatility, decreasing the need to switch lenses with changing light. If you do want to switch lenses, though, Oakley’s lens-change Ridgelock technology lets you change them out quickly while still maintaining a solid seal against snow and wind.Ěý

Here’s what to wear in each situation, so you can say goodbye to miserable squinting, straining, and dreaded fog-blindness. And what happens when you can see better in all conditions? More confidence and more hours on the mountain.

Bright Sunshine

It’s a bluebird day and you’re on the hunt for powder stashes from last night’s storm or ready to cruise perfectly groomed trails. In addition to extra sunscreen, you’ll need goggles that block glare. Darker lenses with a lower VLT (visible light transmission) work for sunshine. The Prizm Snow Black Iridium lens is perfect on a bright sunlight day.

For taking the line you want in bright sun, go for the Fall Line L. With a Prizm Snow Black Iridium lens, the goggle’s rimless design provides a wide field of view, meaning you see more of what’s around you. The Fall Line’s solid lens seal makes sure no snow gets inside your goggles.

The Prizm Snow Black Iridium lens also works great in the Line Miner L goggle, which combines style with superb performance. Its cylindrical shape and snug face fit ensure superior downward and peripheral vision. As part of the Meet the Athletes collection, Oakley worked in partnership with six-time X Games medalist and heavily decorated snowboarder StĂĄle Sandbech to design the Line Miner L StĂĄle Sandbech Signature Series and with two-time gold medalist Jamie Anderson on the Line Miner L Jamie Anderson Signature Series.

Sun and Clouds

When it comes to the variable light that comes with alternating snow and sun, you need a versatile lens like the rock-star Prizm Snow Sapphire Iridium. Try it in the new premier Flight Path L, developed with Norwegian World Cup alpine-ski racer Aleksander Kilde. The world’s best athletes rely on this lens for use on any mountain, under any conditions. The L size maximizes the field of view at all angles and permits greater upward vision, allowing for an unobstructed view in an aggressive skiing position.

Snow and Overcast

A lens that enhances color vision lets you more easily spot snow contours and hazards in the terrain. Prizm Snow Hi Pink Iridium coated lenses boost contrast and light filtering while optimizing color in a variety of low or flat light conditions and in blizzards that might otherwise be blinding. Try this lens in Flight Deck L goggles. Inspired by the helmet visors of fighter pilots, the oversize Flight Deck L maximizes your field of view.

Nighttime

Since different lens colors allow more or less light to reach your eyes, you’ll want a lens that complements your environment. That means lighter lenses with a higher VLT for night skiing, such as orange or clear lenses that allow for maximum light.Ěý

Ultimately, when your goggles prepare you for all conditions, expect a great day on the slopes.

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The cool thing about skiing is that there are a thousand ways to approach spending time on the snow. Sure, you can charge double blacks in your Euro mountain pants. You can turn up the eighties tunes and tele your heart out. You can shimmy into a Spandex suit and bust out a 40-mile workout. Or, you know, you could put on your , shoot yourself some finger guns in the mirror, and do whatever the hell you want.

While there’s nothing wrong with type-2 sufferfests, the world could benefit from a bit more type-1 fun. No matter what kind of skier you are, these ideas are guaranteed to help you loosen up and laugh more this season.

1. Enter a Pond-Skimming Contest

There are all manner of eccentric things you can do on skis, and we love most of them. ? Yes. Snowkiting? Hey, we’ll try anything once. But —i.e. trying to pick up enough speed to cross a pond with powder skis on—gets major points for both its ridiculosity value and its limited ability to break your neck.

Pond skimming is also super accessible. Most ski areas have a lifeguard-attended contest in the spring when the weather’s warm enough to support liquid water (and limit hypothermia). Must-have gear: , floaties, Hawaiian shirt. And, unless you’re really confident, a towel.

And if getting soaked isn’t your thing? No worries, there’s always and .

2. Sign Up for Chairlift Speed Dating

These days, a number of ski resorts host chairlift speed-dating events, which can be a great way to meet new friends and mountain-loving hotties. (Or at least people you think are hotties.) Sweater-swaddled and zippered up as skiers are, pretty much every date is a blind date on a chair lift. (Not that it matters; you already know your date likes skiing.)

Still, just because chairlift dating is blind, that doesn’t mean you have to be. Put your best face forward by wearing goggles that both look cool and cut through glare. Standout example: , which offer UV400 protection and a smooth, sexy aesthetic at an affordable price. Just be sure to take it in stride when your date says, “Hello, gorgeous,” right off the bat; they might just be talking to the goggles.

3. Shoot a Shot Ski

There’s no faster way to put fun on a ski than to set four shots on the topsheet. The secret to successfully using the resulting beverage-delivery tool—the aptly named shot ski—is to work as a team, lifting and tipping the ski in sync so that all four shots find their targets at the same time—rather than dumping schnapps down shirts or into beanies.

Pro tip: try to make sure your teammates are all about the same height as you. If you’re the shortest in the lineup, well, let’s just say you’d best keep your goggles on. For that purpose, we recommend the ever-stylish ; it’s always up for a party.

4. Throw a Backcountry Ski Dance Party

You never see people dancing in ski boots—not because it’s not fun, but because it’s generally frowned upon for what it does to hardwood floors. The fix? Take it outside.

Step one: identify your favorite low-angle glade (we’ll do without the avalanche risk, thank you). Then buy a couple of sixers, slap some new batteries in your headlamp, and grab your favorite low-light goggles (perhaps a pair like , which have antifog tech and a second swappable magnetic lens for low light conditions). Now call up your backcountry ski friends. Text ’em some GPS coordinates and the date of the next full moon. BYOB.

5. Join a Mass Costume Ski

Looking for camaraderie? Dudes in jorts? A front-row seat to wardrobe-malfunction-induced wipeouts? Consider this an invitation to the dozens of mass costumed skiing events that pop up across the U.S. each season. At pretty much every one, you’ll find parking-lot tailgating, summit beers, and other varieties of celebratory excitement. If you live out west, join the crowd that spends every Mother’s Day . If you’re in the Rockies, don some trunks for Arapahoe Basin’s annual .

To find upcoming events near you, ask your local ski area, join a local ski club or outing club, or peruse Facebook for public event pages. Then start devising your costumes. If you plan to do multiple events, just make sure you have a pair of goggles that can accessorize effortlessly with all those different outfits. The obvious pick: Snow-Gs, of course.

Winter fun doesn’t have to break the bank.Ěý

Since launching in 2015, ’s fun, fashionable, functional, ’ffordable sunnies have won awards from GQ Fitness, Women’s Fitness, Runner’s World, and Bicycling Magazine. And goodr sunnies have been featured by The Today Show, NBC News, Rolling Stone, PGA Buyer’s Guide, Men’s Health, and Oprah’s O Summer Quarterly 2021 issue.

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A good helmet and pair of goggles are key for staying safe on the hill. But not all are created equal. Our 2022 Winter Buyer’s Guide features the five best goggles and four best helmets of the season. Here are the other top contenders that you should know about, too.

Smith Proxy TNF Collab ($140)

The Proxy’s strapĚýis crafted from 50 percent post consumer waste, but it’s as smooth and silky as any goggle strap I’ve ever tried. That’s a nice green story, but we loved this brand new medium-fit goggle for its performance and value, too. Smith was an industry leader in developing light-filtering tech to excel in different conditions, and their Chromapop lenses never disappoint when it comes to low-light contrast in the mountains. We found the spherical lens offered crystalline optics. We also liked the price. This is not a quick lens-change goggle, but if you take care of your gear and are happy skiing in one lens, the Proxy poses an excellent value.Ěý —Marc Peruzzi (Ski Test director), goggles test manager

Revo X Bode Miller ($229)

Revo is rededicating itself to the goggle market in the wake of a new partnership with Bode Miller. Does that seem like just another celebrity endorsement? Not so. There are few people better qualified to offer feedback on goggle design. Downhill racers, traveling as they do at over 70 miles per hour, have always been among the most demanding consumers. On top of that Miller, who has blue eyes, suffers from light sensitivity. The Bode Miller edition goggle features Revo’s industry leading photochromic tech, which we’ve found is faster to adjust than most photochromics, so they get darker quicker as conditions get brighter. (As with all photochromic lenses, the downside is that they aren’t the greatest at going from full sun to shade as you change aspects or dip in and out of the trees). We also love the brand’s take on lens tuning, called Light Management System. It doesn’t just attempt to manage one or two wavelengths of light, but the entire spectrum. The contrast is impressive. Just in terms of light, the Bode goggle was one of the most versatile I’ve tried.Ěý—M.P.

Anon Marek Wavecel ($320)

You wear a helmet for safety, and this helmet delivers it in spades. It uses , a honeycomb-like liner that redistributes impact forces. Helmets with WaveCel have been found to absorb 73 percent more rotational forces than helmets without, according to a peer-reviewed . But you also need your helmet to feel like a cozy yet breathable hat. The Marek’s 19 massive adjustable vents allow you to customize your temperature. Keep them open for maximum airflow on a spring day, shut them down if it’s stormy, or open half the vents if it’s between. A Polartec sweatband on the inside keeps you warm on frosty days and catches drips before sunscreen burns your eyes on hot ones.—Joe Jackson and Megan Michelson, helmet test managers

Bern Watts 2.0 ($100)

The Watts 2.0 is half to a third of the price of any helmet that made our cut this season, and by many testers’ estimation it had the best steeze. Bern’s classic Watts styling looks like a five panel hat and a helmet that had a love child, which made one tester who chased a toddler around all season feel young again. But it doesn’t just look cool. The front brim and an extended back offer bonus protection. That, plus brain-protecting Ěý(a feature we rarely see at this price point), meant we felt just as safe as we did wearing helmets twice the cost. Twelve non-adjustable vents throughout the top and at the back of the helmet meant that it excelled in temps above 40 degrees. It was so airy we could even use the Watts 2.0 as a bike helmet. But the venting proved uncomfortably cold in temps below the lowĚý30s. —J.J. and M.M.

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Have you heard of the new color-popping sunglass lenses that make grass greener and roses redder? Lately, that light-filtering technology has also infused the goggle market. Every brand now has some buzzword for “tuned” lenses, but the benefit is the same: enhanced contrast. On the hill, this means you can see nuances of terrain and snowpack better, especially on overcast days or when the sun dips behind a cloud. To really put this crop to the test, we ran every pair on a broad range of days, from full sun to cloudy, throughout a western Montana winter.

Giro Contour RS ($270)

The Contour RS is one of the most fully featured goggles we’ve ever tried, but we’re awarding it Gear of the Year status for its lens. For starters, it’s toric, i.e., slightly convex, to mimic the shape of the human cornea and thus reduce distortion. It also boasts Giro’s proprietary spherical curvature, which allows for enhanced peripheral vision, so you can be more aware of the skier approaching from behind your left shoulder. On top of that, proprietary light filtering technology boosts contrast, meaning it’s easier to discern features in shadows or poor light. This is especially noticeable—and vital—when you’re moving from a sunny face to a shady gully at 25 miles per hour. Combined with a compact frame, all those features offer a sharp but massive field of view to people with smaller than average faces. (Those with big heads should look to the Contour, which sports the same features in a regular-size frame, for an equal price.) Still, the Contour RS fits over all but the chunkiest prescription glasses. We also love the magnetic lens-change system, which is reinforced with self-locking tabs for quick and secure swaps, and the proprietary foam along the top of the frame, which allows moist air to escape while still keeping snow out. Even ski touring in a sleet storm, we couldn’t get the goggles to fog up.

Anon WM3 Perceive ($235)

Best Lens-Swap System

The WM3 (and the men’s M3) is one of the better-performing magnetic lens-change goggles we’ve tried. Its lens is specifically tuned for more contrast under gray skies, and is coated with a water- and grease-shedding treatment, which adds durability and impressive exterior smudge resistance. We were able to swap tints on a chairlift in three seconds without leaving fingerprints. Because the magnetic lens sits snugly inside the frame instead of resting on top of it, the connection was always secure. The frame is ideal for small to medium faces (the men’s version is designed for medium to large faces). Like the Radium Pro Signa, the WM3 also features cutaways for prescription eyeglasses.

Glade Challenger ($94)

Best Value

When we review goggles, we tend to look for the latest technology. That often means top-shelf pricing. But Glade proves you don’t need to drop more than $200 to have a high-quality experience. The Challenger doesn’t have a fan, a digital display, a magnetic lens-change system, or photochromic lenses. It’s just a simple goggle. But then it only costs $93. What you will find are essential features like comfy three-layer face foam, silicone anti-slip strips on the band, and a crisp, cylindrical lens with loads of peripheral vision. (Cylindrical-lens goggles wrap faces well for big fields of view.) The Challenger also resists fogging as well as any modern goggle without a fan or defroster. For optics, a gray lens is treated with a purple mirror coating to reduce glare. I was so happy with its versatility that the Challenger became my default goggle. I kept waiting to see when it would disappoint me. It never did.

POC Zonula Clarity Comp ($250)

Best Large Frame

POC built the Zonula Clarity to provide an extra-large field of view, but it’s also great for people with bigger faces. The frame incorporates plastic wings that extend beyond the sides of the lens like outriggers to help distribute pressure from the strap, thus creating a uniform fit. This detail is particularly notable since the Clarity Comp is fairly rigid, which can offer a bit more protection in a crash but often compromises comfort. The competition-oriented Zeiss Clarity Comp violet lens is tuned for POC’s highest contrast on snow in a mix of clouds and sun. Sure, the old-school lens-change system is a bit cumbersome and best implemented indoors (instead of using magnets or levers, you press the lens into dovetail joints on the frame). But once we had the lens in, we had zero issues with it coming loose or letting in wind. Bonus: an impressive 47 percent of the frame material comes from substances derived from all-natural castor and corn oils.Ěý

Salomon Radium Pro Sigma ($180)

Best All-Arounder

Sigma is Salomon’s new tuning technology that enhances contrast. This matters when you’re going fast while trying to read the snow and upcoming features at the same time. The spherical lens is sharp, with almost no internal mirroring, and the soothing rose-tint lens we tested was ideal for gray days and partial sun. But the real beauty of the Radium Pro is what Salomon calls Custom ID Fit. The three-layer foam and the frame material work together like a hinge to naturally contour to the shape of your face. How? Four smart little slices in the frame and foam near the cheekbones and brows—barely perceptible unless you look—let the goggle seat without pressure points. Subtle cutaways at the temples also allow for compatibility with prescription glasses. The end result: best-in-class comfort.Ěý

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This winter, with COVID-19 continuing to spread through the country, wearing a face covering to ski has taken on new meaning. Many resorts across the country have mandated mask wearingĚýat all times. It’s an important rule, but it hasĚýalso forced many of us to confront an age-old problem: goggle fogging. If you don’t tuck your mask into your goggles,Ěýit’s apt toĚýslip down, exposing your nose and mouth. But tucking it in creates an express lane for breath to go directly onto your lenses, where it condenses into vapor. The Ěý(MFI) line has been a game changer.Ěý

The combination goggle-mask system has been around since 2015Ěýbut hasĚýevolved a lot since, getting lighter and sleeker with every generation. This year’s iteration features especially tight tolerances,Ěýso there’sĚýno gap whatsoever between the kit’s two pieces. A line of magnets along the goggles’ bottom edge connects with a stiffĚýplastic andĚýmagnetic rail at the top of the face mask, which is specially shaped to form a perfect seal. Put them near each other and they snap tight. This prevents the mask from creating an air channel into the goggles, thus eliminatingĚýfogging.ĚýI have never had fewer issues with goggle fogging while wearing a mask. I’ve worn this system on cold, foggy, single-digit morningsĚýand on bright, warm, bluebird afternoons.ĚýI’ve blasted through pow shotsĚýand have taken some big tumbles. No snow or moisture has ever gotten in.Ěý

The goggles themselves perform well. I’ve been testing the men’s , which feature extremely clear lenses—one for bright days and one for low light—and offer excellent peripheral vision. Swapping lenses is quick with the help of yet another set of magnets along the frame’s edge.Ěý

Anon makes Ěýand carries a full line of , ranging from wool blends to synthetic fleece. Just make sure to choose one that isn’t perforated. Some masks have open holes, which boost airflow but won’t do you or other people any good in terms of safety.Ěý(In compliance with the CDC’s to wear two face coverings when in public, I layered a surgical mask underneath my MFI system.) You can buy them as a (from $270) or Ă Ěýla carte (from $150 for ĚýandĚý$30 for a ). None of Anon’s current mask options were designed specifically to ward off COVID-19, but according to senior product manager Trevor Moore, the brand is “continually working on developing new coverage types, using different fabrics and treatments that could help to reduce the spread of viruses.”

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Every spring, like clockwork, I find myself sad and wistful as the days grow longer and warmer. Sure, in a few months there will be fireworks, barbecues, float trips, and swimming holes, but that also means ski season willĚýbe over. With winter’s barometric roller coasterĚýcoming to a screeching halt, there will no longer be storms to chase and no further need to obsess over weather reports. I dutifully wrap another layer of duct tape over my Kinco gloves, empty the accumulated candy wrappers from my bib pockets, and even tellĚýmyself that next yearĚýI’ll at least think about doing a few preseason squats.

What saves me from myĚýwarm-weather melancholy, however, are new productĚýreleases signaling the promise of the next ski season. Maybe I read too many reviews hyping the latest and greatest shinyĚýswag, but shopping for new winter gear is what gets me through summer. And yet, buried amongĚýdescriptions of waterproof-breathable membranes and debates on the playfulness of ski cores, there is often that one distasteful thing I see in catalogsĚýthat bursts myĚýbubble: “Asian-fit” goggles.Ěý

While sizing and fit are undoubtedly important aspects of performance, no other product in the pantheon of outdoor gear is labeled so explicitly by ethnicity. And it’s not only limited to skiing; manufacturers of eyewear designated for cycling, driving, construction, general fashion, and even tactical use are all equally guilty of the faux pas. Indeed, the release of “Asian fit” as a label in the early 2010s was not without controversy. AĚýĚýabout Asian-fit sunglasses included an interview with an assistant professor of anthropology, who focused on the cranio-facial variation in human populationsĚýand delved into the specifics of nasal-cavity structures of Europeans and Asians. The conclusion was that there were indeed anatomic differences, prompting justification for such eyewear. And it’s true, different ethnic groups have measurable variations in facial form. Research published by biologist Jing Guo in the Ěýthat utilizedĚýgenetic markers and 3D mappingĚýrevealed that “the nose, brow area, and cheekbones exhibit particularly strong signals of differentiation” between Europeans and Asians. (Eighty-nine participants who self-reported as being of European descentĚýand 872 participants of Han Chinese, Tibetan, and Uyghur descentĚýwere part of the study.)ĚýThese are the same morphologic features that determine how goggles, sunglasses, monocles, and all manner of eyewear fit different faces. And theseĚýsame facial features even play into how well the now ubiquitous N95 masks .

But in 2021, have we not evolved beyond using racial or gendered characteristics to sell gear? The problem with Asian-fit goggles is not the product itself; it’s the atrocious naming scheme. To make sweeping generalizations about the physical attributes of a race, and then to label a product as such, is to single out the product and its consumers as outliers. As if to say, “Asians, you should wear these. Not those other ones, those are not for you. They were made for other people, with normal faces—not you.” Conversely, individuals of non-Asian ethnicities who share facial structures similar toĚýAsians are disincentivized to even try on the very goggles that might offer the best fit. Guo’s research model, using high-resolution 3D facial images and over 30,000 discrete markers, was able to correctly identify 81 percent of individuals as Asian or European. Which means approximately 20 percent of the study group overlaps and shares indistinguishably similar facial features—and isnt’tĚýbeing served by this categorization.Ěý

Labels carry context and judgement. is what psychologists describe as the cognitive processes that occur outside of our conscious awareness or control, including all the associated attitudes, stereotypes, and lingering biases. It’s why psychologists caution the in early childhood development; for example, being called “the bad kid” carries a very different meaning than having “done a bad thing.” It’s why health care professionals identify patients by name, ,ĚýwhenĚýdiscussing a case in medical records. The label “Asian fit” denotes an “otherness”Ěýto Asian and Asian American skiers in an industry that already chronically lacks diversity.ĚýPreliminary data from the National Ski Areas AssociationĚýfromĚý2019–20 shows that moreĚýthan 88 percent of visitors to U.S. ski areas were white. And those ethnic demographics have not changed in the past tenĚýyears.Ěý

Instead of using race or ethnicity to label a product, eyewear makers should catch up to other segmentsĚýof the industry and start using feature-oriented naming conventions. Climbing shoes are designed for different foot types that aren’t tied to race or gender, such asĚýlow-volume shoes. The biggest bike manufacturers have alsoĚýgone , no longer delineating between women’s and men’s modelsĚýbut choosing instead to emphasize fit and features. When it comes to eyewear, how about something cool and zippy-sounding, likeĚý“zygomatic fit”? Or simplyĚý“low-bridge fit,”ĚýĂ  la ?Ěý

In the grand scheme of things, goggles don’t matter all that much. Fresh snow, first chair, friends, and whether or not the Waffle Cabin is open are the priorities. But in thisĚýday and age, words matter. People matter. Continuing to label goggles and sunglasses as “Asian fit”Ěýis, at worst, divisive and exclusionaryĚýand, at best, just terribly lazy marketing. It’s high time that eyewear makers do their part to moveĚýtowardĚýa more inclusive outdoors.

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I fell in love with my first pair of ($260) while climbing and skiing MountĚýShasta as part of an anti-fog test I performed in the spring of 2015. The videographer I worked with on that production, , and I pitted the two goggles in that category against each other. While the competitor goggles performed just fine, Tate and I both preferred the Julbos so much that we bickered at 12,850 feet over who would get to wear them on the descent. Many anti-fog technologies were developed in the six years since then, but my heart still belongs to these goggles, mostly thanks to their uncomplicated design.

Intricacy is the Achilles heel of most of the high-end accessories we bring into the mountains: miniature battery packs that run out of juice mid-adventure, buttons that are impossible to manage with gloves during frigid days, or magnetic lenses that we fumble into the snow as we try to swap them out. The beauty of the anti-fogging technologyĚýJulbo utilizes in the Aerospace gogglesĚýis its simplicity. Use your forefingers and thumbs to grab the grippy catches on each corner of the lens and give a gentle pull. Hinges pop the glass a centimeter off the frame and let air in, eliminating pesky fog. The little plastic hinges that swivel out to create airflow are well built—they’ve never broken on me or gotten stuck during thousands of deployments on the resort or in the backcountry.

Wearing them while moving uphill is a huge bonus and something I have not been able to do with any other goggles. I love having a kit that minimizes the transition from skinning to downhill skiing. These goggles—in conjunction with a lightweight helmet, huge zippers on my ski pants, and air-permeable insulation layers—allowĚýme to just rip off my skins, throw them in my pack, adjust my boots and bindings, and descend as fast as possible.

The Aerospace goggles aren’t just fantastic for backcountry skiing—they would still be worth every penny if I never left the resort. They look sharp without being flashy, and their optics are fantasticĚýon top of not having to worry about fogging them up on an aerobic powder day.

Those traits make the Aerospace goggles particularly useful now while my local mountain, MountĚýAshland in Oregon, is strictly enforcing a mask rule in lift lines. Masks worn properly over the nose with goggles on are a guaranteed steamy nightmare. While listening to folks waiting for a lift complain about how much their goggles were fogging on a recent powder day, I was happy that my mask hid my smile while I popped open the lenses and let my favorite goggles breathe.

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Atomic Four Q HD ($250)

The first thing we do when testing goggles is check the optics in full sun. It’s not necessarily clarity we’re evaluating, since most high-end double-lens goggles are sharp these days. We’re looking for refractions—the mirroring effect that occurs when light passes through the outer lens, bounces off the inner lens, and then gets mirrored a second time back to your eye, resulting in strain and fatigue. Three years ago, Atomic introduced a fused double lens—the two layers bonded together instead of separated by air. The result: the sharpest optics we’d ever experienced, with zero refractions. We gave Atomic the 2019 Gear of the Year Award for introducing this technology to the U.S. Now we’re awarding the brand again for the Four Q HD, which offers the same laserlike optical clarity in a new oversize cylindrical lens that delivers more peripheral vision by better wrapping the face. When storm clouds gather, you can quickly release the bright-light lens and swap it for a storm-specific one (included) via an ingenious system that involves simultaneously squeezing two subtle buttons on each temple. It’s the most intuitive and anatomically natural method we’ve seen. Both lenses are also kitted out with state-of-the-art light filtering to boost contrast when the skies go graybird. With goggles, optics trump everything—and the Four Q HD trumps all.

Bollé Nevada Neo ($280)

Best for Bright Western Sun

Elevation messes with double-lens goggles. We’ve seen some break apart, and far more get distorted. BollĂ© addresses this by sandwiching a layer of foam between laser-cut slots along the edges of its lenses, which relieves pressure. The Nevada Neo’s photochromic filter also gets to 70 percent of its darkest level within 20 seconds of exposure to full sun. It’s just dim enough to avoid glare while still making bumps visible at high speeds. An included low-light storm lens is perfect for daily use up north in January.Ěý

Spy+ Marauder ($180)

Best for All-Mountain Snowboarding

It’s styled for a young demographic, but the new Marauder is as featured as any nice goggles. The slightly oversize cylindrical lenses (one for bright conditions, one for storm days, both mirrored) compete with the Atomic for massive field of view, and the magnetic change system seals well, thanks to sliding locks on each side. The frame is also incredibly stiff, so no gaps. Extensive venting up top dumps so much air that we couldn’t get the lens to fog. And tuned light filtering, now common among top-end brands, increases the contrast in flat light. Small cutaways in the inside temples work with eyeglasses.Ěý

Smith Squad Mag ($220)

Best for Storms

Smith’s Mag system, which uses six magnets to pull the lens into the frame and two intuitive levers to lock it in place, was the first such method that really worked. Now, Smith is applying it to a cylindrical lens that offers more peripheral vision. We changed the Squad Mag from a dark lens to a bright storm one on the chair in a driving snow without taking it off. The included ­low-light lens is specifically tuned to jack contrast in blizzard conditions, and the ­ultra-wicking ­three-layer foam was made for falling snow.Ěý

POC Cornea Solar Switch ($450)

Best for Tree Skiing

Photochromic goggle lenses have been around forever, but they usually work passively and slowly. Some brands have turned to manual buttons that trigger an instantaneous electric tint shift, but they’re hard to operate safely on the move. POC has a better idea. The new Cornea Solar Switch features a layer of tint-changing liquid crystals in the lens. A small solar panel at the top activates an instant automatic electrical change: the lens shifts to a dark gray in full sun and to a lighter gray in the trees. On one run, we triggered this transition about ten times, swooping from sun to shade, marveling at the improved visual acuity.

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