Our Guide to Goggles

We've organized the most commonly used items people use to address the Core function below, with example images, characteristics, features, etc.

Some people will want to use sunglasses, particularly on nice days with mild conditions. If you use sunglasses, at least use the wrap-style frame or sports-style. This wraps closer to your face to provide better peripheral protection than fashion sunglasses. That said, just rent a pair of ski goggles to compare with your sunglassses, there generally will be a difference!

	Sunglasses	Goggles
Example images
Secure to your face
	You can get a neck strap for glasses, but that doesn't mean they'll stay on your face, a bump could jostle them off. Goggles on the other hand are by definition flush against your face. It would take a severe fall to dislocate them
Protects periphery
Insulates eyes & upper half of face
Protects wind & snow from getting in your eyes
Durable	Lens could pop out after a fall, frames are more thin & fragile
Easier to locate after a fall	Due to smaller size
Why we do/don't carry it = we rent = we sell	Doesn't offer the same level of protection & safety	This is the standard for snowsports

If you don't go very often, of course you're going to want to spend less money, but this often means real trade-offs in terms of the experience that you will have with the gear. Even if you do go often & are ready to invest in quality gear, having the upfront funds can be hard!

Now, it may seem like this price & quality trade-off is disappearing, because you can find a cheap version of almost anything for tens of dollars that still has good reviews (assuming the reviews are real). So you might be thinking: I'll just buy something cheap, and because the price is so low it doesn't matter if it's less featured or heavier or whatever compared to something higher end. When that breaks, I'll buy something cheap again, and so on. Just remember:

• Many reviews are written after only a trial use or first use: We've seen entire review videos of gear done at home, which is very different than actually being outdoors! And reviews after the first use don't tell you about durability at all
• You're headed outdoors to relax and enjoy life! Saving money only to have a trip ruined due to quality issues will feel terrible. Our program to rent goggles is designed to help you avoid this trade-off: you get to rent high end, quality goggles for around the same price as buying cheap ones (sometimes even for less!)

For this item specifically, the price vs. quality trade-off issues center around performance & durability.

We are one of the few shops that rent ski goggles that are best-in-class, so try out the nice ones and see how they compare!

Refers to frame size (since straps are adjustable). Goggles do technically come in small, medium, and large for men and women (women's sizes are a little smaller across the board compared to men's sizes), and may also come in small, medium, and large for youth. But there isn't a wide range in people's face sizes, so generally a medium in any age group is the a one-size-fits-all. That's the standard size & what we carry. There are 2 specifications in size that you'll see on the market below. In all cases, remember that industry standards may not work for everyone targeted, so renting snow goggles with different fits can be useful!

Low nose bridge fit (also known as Asian fit)

Goggles need to fit flush against your face to prevent air or snow from drafting in. If your face has a lower nose bridge or you have a smaller nose, you may need this fit to ensure a flush fit. Different brands & models can fit quite differently so we do encourage trying multiple pairs on or renting goggles for a first trip, whether or not they are specifically low nose bridge fit. We do have these specific fit goggles; extremely limited availability, please write-in a special request when you reserve.

For glasses wearers

The majority of users will not be concerned about these (or even notice a difference, honestly), as they're really designed to optimize for the highest levels of performance. As you determine what is best for you, remember to hire a pair of ski goggles as a great way to experiment!

Lens shape

	Cylindrical	Spherical
What it means	Goggles curved in one dimension: around your face	Goggles curved in both dimensions: around your face but also vertically
Example images
Benefits	Less expensive	Less glare Less fog Less distortion More peripheral vision
Why we do/don't carry it = we rent = we sell	This is the standard	Our mission is to increase access to gear & we are proud to be the only company to rent as well as sell this type

Lens color & light transmission

A lot of physics here, but basically, 2 important concepts:

1. Color correlates with visible light transmission (VLT): lighter tints let in more light (higher VLT), and darker tints let in less light (lower VLT)
2. Color also has a secondary effect: by filtering different spectrums of light, different colors can help enhance certain aspects of vision

But because each color is good for a range of conditions & many have secondary effects that are similar (e.g., enhanced contrast vs enhanced depth perception), and goggles may have different base lens colors and tints depending on the brand (to optimize for different conditions), we've highlighted a few simple guidelines:

• Sunny, bright days: Black, gray, brown (you may also want a mirror coat, which further cuts down on VLT)
• Partly cloudy to sunny days: Green, blue, amber/ copper/ bronze/ gold/ orange (there are a lot of lenses in this color range!)
• Overcast, stormy days: Yellow, rose/ pink
• Night: Clear (can also protect from UV light, but there's no protection from brightness, which is why these are only good at night or dusk!)

Given this, there are 2 other features that may be worth the additional cost:

• Extra lenses so you always optimize for the best VLT depending on the conditions
• Photochromic lenses that lighten or darken automatically depending on the conditions outside

We do sell & rent snow goggles with every combination of the features above, if you have a specific request, it's best to call & reserve by phone.