Goggle Lenses - What Should You Be 'Looking' For?

Ski & Snowboard goggles are one of the best on snow accessories with technology and style jam-packed into one small item. Goggle lenses are where that technology really packs a punch and delivers some amazing clarity, contrast and vision in all conditions. It’s important when picking your next goggles to understand what you need, what will best suit you, and why two goggles that look similar, can have two very different costs.

Lens VLT

Every brand of ski and snowboard goggles offers a range of tints and colours, so to make it easier to compare, they are all given a VLT rating. VLT stands for Visual Light Transmission and is measured on a scale from 1 to 100. Each goggle is given a score based on how much light can pass through the lens (as a percentage). A goggle with a low VLT has a darker tint, and will let less light pass through to your eyes. A goggle with a high VLT has a lighter tint, and will allow more light to pass through the lens.

When buying goggles, it is best to pick a lens that will suit the conditions you plan to ski or snowboard in. This may mean having different goggles for different conditions, or buying goggles with an interchangeable lens or transitional lens.

For sunny conditions, choose a lens with a lower VLT (5-20%). The lens will block the sun just like your sunglasses do and keep away the glare.

If you are only going to get one less, we recommend buying something for partly cloudy conditions. A lens with a mid-range VLT (20-60%) is ideal for first time skiers and snowboards or anyone looking for something that can handle majority of weather conditions.

If you’re hitting the slopes on a cloud covered day or even heading up for some night skiing, you will need a lens with a high VLT. Look for something with a VLT rating of 60-90% to allow more light to pass through the lens.

Some goggle lenses may include an S Rating, which indicates a range of VLT for weather condition categories that the lens is best suited for. This S Rating is not as common but was designed to simplify goggle selection.

• S0: Night/Race
• S1: Overcast/Storm
• S2: Mixed Clouds
• S3: Full Sun
• S4: Extreme Sun

Lens Colour and Mirror

Lens colour tends to follow along with the VLT rating. Lighter lens colours let more light through and will have a higher VLT. Darker lens and mirrored lens block and reflect the light, creating a lower VLT rating.

Goggle brands also offer lens technology such as VIVD by Carl Zeiss which uses lens colours and mirrors to manipulate which types of light can pass through the lens. This creates a greater contrast on snow. Greater contrast means a greater ability to see those bumps and dips before you hit them.

Goggle Lens Shape

The shape or curve of the lens affects both your sight through the goggle and the look/fit of the goggle on your face. Ski and snowboard goggles traditionally where made in two styles, cylindrical and spherical. More recently a new lens shape has been introduced which combines these two, the toric lens.

The shape or curve of the lens affects both your sight through the goggle and the look/fit of the goggle on your face. Ski and snowboard goggles traditionally where made in two styles, cylindrical and spherical. More recently a new lens shape has been introduced which combines these two, the toric lens.

Cylindrical goggle lenses are vertically flat with the lens curving on the side only.

Pros: Creates a low profile fit which feels closer to the face. Good peripheral vision. Lower cost.

Cons: Tends to get more glare from light

Spherical goggle lenses are curved in all directions creating a bubble-like look.

Pros: Great peripheral vision and no flat spots to catch glare from the sun. Larger volume on the face reduces chance of fogging.

Cons: Can feel large or bulky on smaller faces

Toric goggle lenses are curved but less than a traditional spherical. The curve follows the natural shape of the face.

Pros: Good peripheral vision. No flat spots for glare. Enough volume to reduce fogging. Shape will fit most faces without feeling too bulky.

Cons: More expensive and found mainly in top end goggles.

Goggle Lens Swapping Capabilities

No matter which lens you choose, inevitably the clouds will roll in or the sun will suddenly appear. This is when goggles with interchangeable lenses are perfect. Simply swap the lens over to match the conditions and keep on going. Many brands will offer goggles with interchangeable lens and some models will come with a second lens, which will have a different VLT rating to the fitted lens.

While each brand has their own technology, most will feature one or several of the below methods:

Magnets: Small magnets placed around the frame of the goggle connect to their counterparts on the lens and hold the lens into the frame. More magnets mean a more secure hold, and this is often paired with a release button or clip.

Button/Clip: Located on the side of the frame, the button or clip will release this frame to allow it to be swapped out. Often paired with magnetic or standard notches, the clip adds extra stability to the lens, especially if you take a tumble.

Standard: Standard swap lenses feature small notches that snap together with slots on the goggle frame. Simply pop the lens out and insert a new lens, connecting the lens to the points on the frame and squeezing gently to secure it in place.

Goggle Lens Construction

There are two types of goggle lens construction: stamped and injected. Stamped goggle lenses are made with the same thickness across the lens, which can cause distortion in peripheral vision as you are effectively looking through denser material at the edges of the goggle. Because of this, stamped lenses are often less expensive. Injected lenses are produced with varying thickness and are usually thinner at the edges to prevent distortion. Injected lenses provide more accurate visuals on snow but tend to cost more.

Lens Treatments

Goggle lenses are often treated with coatings include anti-fog treatment. Higher end goggle lens will sometimes also include treatments to protect from oils (from fingerprints) and treatments to help water bead and run off the lens.

Now that you know what to look for in your next goggle lens, you can shop with confidence and pick the right one for you. 

Still not sure? Get in touch with our team via our website, or come and see us in Bright during the ski season.