Type or Style
Even though we strongly recommend actual goggles, we know that 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.
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Sunglasses |
Goggles |
| Example images |
![Sunglasses]( "Sunglasses") |
![Goggles]( "Goggles") |
| Secure to your face |
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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
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| Protects periphery |
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| Insulates eyes & upper half of face |
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| Protects wind & snow from getting in your eyes |
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| Durable |
Lens could pop out after a fall, frames are more thin & fragile
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| Easier to locate after a fall |
Due to smaller size
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Why we do/don't carry it
= we rent = we sell
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Doesn't offer the same level of protection & safety |
This is the standard for snowsports
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Price
One of life's certainties is the trade-off between price & quality. This creates an inherently unfair situation. If you save money today by buying something lower end, you'll end up replacing it more frequently, spending money & time each instance so that at the end, you probably haven't actually saved anything. On the other hand, if you decide to invest in something higher end, you'll need a lot more upfront money, and you need to be able to use the item frequently enough to make it worthwhile.
We developed our rental program to address this unfairness. We don't sell lower end items. But for our higher end items, we offer them for rent at up to 90% off retail price, generally well below the cost of buying even the cheaper option. That's a win-win!
It may seem like the 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). Remember 2 things:
- Many reviews are written after only a trial use, first use, or infrequent use: We've seen entire review videos of gear done at home, which is very different than actually being outdoors!
- The point of gear is to give you a good experience because you've already spent money to be on vacation from work! Don't let quality issues affect your relaxation
For gear specifically, the quality issues center around performance & durability.
| Goggles |
Lower end |
Higher end |
| Entry level |
Mid range |
Best in class |
| Price |
$20-50 |
$50-100 |
$100-200 |
$200-300 |
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Performance differences
We'll call out the price points at which certain features discussed in this guide are likely to appear, then persist through higher end models
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N/A; baseline |
Fog-resistant double-layer lenses & anti-fog coating. Different color tints & mirror coatings |
Extra lenses. Spherical shape |
Anti-fog fan. Magnetic lens change |
| There are other features that come into play that we don't mention, and each feature gets 'more advanced'. As well there may be changes to the type of material used in production. We haven't discussed all this in detail since few people would be interested |
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Durability differences
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Less durable |
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More durable |
| Can refer to how easily the lenses can scratch or the foam (that presses against your face) can deteriorate |
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Why we do/don't carry it
= we rent = we sell
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We rent lower end models because we do not have this on the borrow shelf; look for 'Basic' in the name on our Catalog
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| Our mission is to increase access to gear & we are proud to be the only company to rent as well as sell this type |
Methodology notes on prices shown on this page
In addition to losing money by buying lower end products that just aren't worth it, you can also lose money by buying higher end products that also aren't worth it. Once you reach a certain tier of quality, any additional price differences are based on branding or design (check out this Louis Vuitton chalk bag [other chalk bags cost $20-50]).
For the reason above, the price data on this page for outdoor-specific gear (i.e., not household items) generally excludes
high end prices.
High end products are defined those that:
- Are mainly branding driven (like the LV chalk bag; the brand isn't specialized in gear)
- Are so technical even most backcountry, off-track explorers won't really need it (we looked at a lot of consumer forums & our own expert staff for input on this)
Rule-of-thumb: when looking for decent quality, most bigger gear items (e.g., tents, sleeping bags, backpack) & key clothing (e.g., outer layers like jackets, pants, gloves & insulating mid-layers) should be at least $100; most smaller gear items (e.g., headlamps, small stoves, water filters) & clothing base layers or accessories (e.g., buffs, socks) should be at least $20
Size (capacity) & Fit
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:
Asian fit
That's exactly what the goggles are called! Goggles need to fit flush against your face to prevent air or snow from drafting in. European-fit goggles, as they're called, may leave a gap in the nose area for Asians, since Asian faces on average feature shallower nose bridges & smaller noses. Asian-fit goggles therefore are designed with this (and other facial structure differences that are less noticeable) in mind to ensure a comfortable, flush fit. Of course, many Asians are fine with European-fit goggles & some non-Asians may prefer Asian-fit. Different brands & models can fit quite differently so we do encourage trying multiple pairs on. We do sell & rent Asian-fit goggles with extremely limited availability, please call to reserve.
For glasses wearers
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Over-the-glasses (OTG) goggles |
Prescription lens inserts |
| Goggles that are designed for your regular glasses to fit inside (over-the-glasses, or OTG goggles) |
A prescription lens is inserted just behind the goggles lens (so you don't have to wear your regular glasses) |
| Price |
Various |
$50-100 for an insert |
| Other considerations |
- May be uncomfortable (goggles are tight & can really press the glasses frame into your face)
- Can lead to fogging issues
- You may have to try on multiple pairs to find one that fits*
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- May be harder to get (e.g., need to get prescription on insert)
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Why we do/don't carry it
= we rent = we sell
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Extremely limited availability, please call to reserve*
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We are not an eye care provider & cannot offer prescriptive services |
*Whether your glasses will fit in goggles depends on the shape of your glasses. Some people find that, given the shape of their glasses, a standard pair of goggles may work better than an OTG pair! You honestly won't know until you try, so please plan to do so. Generally cylindrically shaped goggles are roomier, and will have a better fit
Technical features
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.
Lens shape
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Cylindrical |
Spherical |
| What it means |
Goggles curved in one dimension: around your face
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Goggles curved in both dimensions: around your face but also vertically
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![Cylindrical goggles]( "Cylindrical goggles")
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![Spherical goggles]( "Spherical goggles")
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| Example images |
![Cylindrical goggles]( "Cylindrical goggles") |
![Spherical goggles]( "Spherical goggles") |
| Benefits |
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- Less glare
- Less fog
- Less distortion
- More peripheral vision
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Why we do/don't carry it
= we rent = we sell
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This is the standard
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Our mission is to increase access to gear & we are proud to be the only company to rent as well as sell this type
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Lens color & light transmission
A lot of physics here, but basically, 2 important concepts:
- Color correlates with visible light transmission (VLT): lighter tints let in more light (higher VLT), and darker tints let in less light (lower VLT)
- 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 goggles with every combination of the features above, if you have a specific request, it's best to call & reserve by phone.
