Getting the right ski goggles is crucial to making the most of out your skiing or snowboarding expedition. By choosing the wrong goggles, you could find yourself straining to define the bumps and lines in the snow on a low light day, or dealing with being blinded by the sun on a bluebird day.
But with the wealth of options on the market for snow goggles, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to upgrading or choosing your first pair. To help end the confusion we’ve created a comprehensive ski goggles guide to run you through lens colours, VLT, and how different types will suit different days on the slopes.
Visible light transmission for snow goggles explained
All ski goggle manufacturers use the VLT system to measure exactly how much light is passing through each lens design.
The scale ranges from 0 - 100% VLT, with a lower number referring to less light passing through and a high number indicating that more light can pass through the lens. This means on a bright, sunny day you will need snow goggles with a low VLT to reduce glare and on an overcast day with flat light, a higher VLT will serve you better.
Single lens or interchangeable lens ski goggles?
Both single lens goggles and interchangeable lens ski goggles can work for you, with the choice primarily based on preference. Some skiers and snowboarders may prefer the single option, choosing a lens which strikes a balance and allows them to see well enough on both sunny and overcast days.
Other riders may prefer the versatility of an interchangeable lens set of ski goggles as it means they can have the optimal lens for every condition. This is great if the weather really takes a turn during a day on the slopes. The only downside some might find is that you have to carry the extra lens and of course, the need to purchase it in the first place.
At Two Bare Feet we offer both single lens goggles and interchangeable lens goggles with a number of different tints so you’ll always find one to suit you.
Best snow goggle lens colour for bright and sunny conditions
As mentioned, when explaining the VLT scale, darker lens colours are more suitable for brighter days when skiing as these allow less light to pass through the lens, keeping your eyes protected and allowing you to see clearly. In terms of percentage on the VLT scale, these generally sit somewhere between 5% and 20%.
In the Two Bare Feet range, our Revo Green lens has 13-15% VLT meaning it's ideal for the brightest days on the slopes but will still allow you to see clearly if the light drops a little. Next in our range is the Revo Blue lens, which has 25% VLT to still make bright days manageable, but will be more suitable if the light drops even further. These lenses are available in both single and interchangeable options as well as spherical or cylindrical designs.
Although a little less obvious as a bright weather lens, the Method Mirror will also make a suitable choice for sunny conditions These rely less on a dark tint and more on the mirrored lens to keep the light out meaning they equal the Revo Blue at 25% VLT but have a much more subtle aesthetic.
Best snow goggle lens colours for all conditions
For all-weather skiers who don’t want to worry about changing lenses, there are options that will provide a happy medium of visible light transmission and allow you to see well enough in almost all conditions. These snow goggles usually come with very little mirror and less tint in slightly deeper red/orange colours. The colours help to give contrast in lower light while still offering protection on sunny days.
At Two Bare Feet we have a range of all-weather snow goggles in different sizes to suit everyone. Revo Red lenses are available in both single and interchangeable options, with a choice of spherical or cylindrical construction. These provide 40% VLT while our Method models in Mirror Orange and Mirror Red provide 33% and 38% respectively. The Method goggles have subtle tints and rely mostly on the mirror to help reflect light on sunny days. Any of these ski goggles will make a great choice for variable weather.
Best snow goggle lens colours for low light conditions
Snow goggles best suited for low light or flat light conditions will be in a yellow or amber tint. These lens colours offer the highest VLT, usually ranging from 45-65% allowing you to see clearly even in heavy snow on dark days. These lenses are rarely mirrored as they are not designed to be worn when there is any glare to reflect.
These low light lens types are the least popular as generally, if the visibility is very poor, you might not find yourself heading out on the slopes. With this in mind, our low light lens options are only available as separate lenses to be used with our Summit Model snow goggles. Our amber lenses are ideal for keeping in your jacket and if you find your bright lens option isn’t allowing you to see clearly as bad weather comes in, you can quickly make the switch with the magnetic fittings and continue down the slopes.
Our ski goggles guide should explain everything you need to know about lens colours but if you still need advice, please call or email and one of our experts will be more than happy to help.
