How To Choose A Snow Goggle Lens

Choosing the right Goggle Lens for you!

Choosing the right lens for the snow can be overwhelming if your not sure what your looking for. We have some simple guidelines you can follow to ensure you are getting the right goggle lens for you and the conditions you generally ski or snowboard in. 

You might have heard or read a lot about VLT (Visual Light Transmission)?

VLT is a way of rating a goggle lens on the amount of light the goggle lens lets in. The higher the VLT the more light passes through the lens allowing you to see more clearly in low light and snowy conditions Low light goggle lenses tend to be yellow, amber or rose coloured. The lower the VLT the better the goggle lens is suited to bright and blue bird conditions as they have a darker tint.  Often these lenses will be iridium coated in a blue, green or red or simply straight black. Then there are lenses that fall somewhere in the middle and are better suited to mid light and partly cloudy conditions. 

So how do I pick a lens that suits me?

Firstly ask yourself do you ski or snowboard predominantly in Japan in January/ February when it snows almost always? Or do you spend your days at Perisher lapping the park? It is important to pick a lens that you know you will get the most use out of. Generally it's good to look for a goggle that comes with both a high and low light lens. Something upwards of 50-60% VLT for those snow days and something below 30-20% VLT for those beautiful blue bird days. If you know you almost always ski and snowboard in sunny conditions pick a goggle with a high light and mid light lens. Contrarily if you wear sunglasses when it's sunny pick a lens that is going to help you out on those cloudy days and snow storms. 

What is advanced lens technology and do I need it?

You might have heard a lot about Oakley Prizm lenses or Dragon Lumalens? Almost every goggle company out their now has their own version of advanced lens technology. Advanced lens technology is basically a way in which a goggle lens works to fine tune your vision to enhance contrast and give ultra high definition in the snow allowing you to see more clearly. Often with a lenses that have this technology will be suited to more variable light conditions as the enhanced contrast will help your eyes even if clouds come over. 

If I have advanced lens tech do I need two lenses?

Although you will see more clearly with advanced lens technology such as Prizm, Lumalens, Happy Lens, Vivid, Chromapop and Sonar it's still beneficial to have have a lens that is specific for low light and high light conditions. Enhanced contrast will most definitely help you see, however wearing a low light lens in sunny conditions can be sensitive on the eyes and wearing a high light lens in snowy conditions is going to limit vision. Some mid light lenses such as Oakley Prizm Sapphire, Jade and Torch will pan over a large scale of light conditions and will be suitable most conditions. 
Below are some guidelines from various brands to help you make the right goggle lens decision for your time on snow!