The Best Snowboarding Goggles (Buying Guide In 2020)

Are you one of those who don’t think that snowboarding goggles are important? Well, you’re not alone. A lot of people think of snowboarding goggles as an afterthought.

But the thing is, the best snowboarding goggles are more than just a means of keeping snow out of your eyes when you’re out riding in the snow.

In fact, some snowboarding goggles aren’t just for snowboarding at all, with the higher-end stuff offering interchangeable lenses for adjustable eye protection.

Unfortunately though, because there are so many products that claim to be the best snowboarding goggles available today, finding the right one can be a bit of a challenge.

Although it’s fairly easy to pick out the cheapest pair that you can find, those snowboarding goggles won’t be a pleasure to use.

With that said, we decided to take the time to round out the top snowboarding goggles on the market.

In addition to this, we also assembled a couple of tips to help you choose the best goggles for you.

Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

 

1. Giro Blok

One of the biggest issues people have with snowboarding goggles is that they’re not always the cheapest. Finding value means going with the most affordable or the most expensive.

Or, at least, that’s what most people think. But some snowboarding goggles actually pack a lot of value at an affordable price, like, for example, the Giro Blok.

Featuring a frame that fits medium to large sizes, the Giro Blok boasts commendable visibility from edge-to-edge to help minimize the tunnel effect that’s so common in cheap snowboarding goggles.

However, that’s not all. It also features a lot of premium stuff, like the plush triple foam cushioning, low-profile cylindrical lenses, and the encompassing full frame.

Perhaps the only reason NOT to buy the Giro Blok is if it doesn’t fit you, or you’re looking for something that has more lenses in each package or a more user-friendly lens-changing process.

Pros:

• Fits a variety of helmets

• Feels like a premium product

• Priced just right

• Optics is great

Cons:

• Extra lenses sold separately

• The lens-changing process is cumbersome

 

2. Anon M4 Toric

So long as you’re willing to spend a lot of money on your snowboarding goggles, the Anon M4 Toric are, by far, the best snowboarding goggles on the market.

It has Premium Sonar by Zeiss toric lenses, with a magnetic lens-swapping system for optimal convenience. The nine contact points also guarantee a secure connection.

Not to mention, it comes with a triple-layer foam, impressive optics, and a magnetic face mask bolster, just in case you needed even more of a reason to fork up money for it.

As an added bonus, the M4 is one of the few snowboarding goggles on the market that boasts compatibility with both toric and cylindrical lenses.

Really, if you want the most ideal snowboarding goggles on the market, the M4 is it.

Pros:

• Magnetic lens-swapping system

• Magnetic face mask bolster

• Compatibility with both toric and cylindrical lenses

• Multiple lens type options included upon purchase

Cons:

• Expensive

 

3. Smith Range

Easily one of the cheapest snowboarding goggles on the market that’s actually worth a look, the Smith Range is arguably also one of the best.

Mind you, it’s not just because it’s affordable. Although we suppose its low price certainly played a huge role in its inclusion.

But anyway, the Smith Range is a feature-packed, budget-range snowboarding goggle that is hard to beat.

For starters, the Cylindrical Carbonic-X lenses offer surprisingly good visual performance. It also has a large frame, with a gentle curve for better helmet compatibility.

Also, it is designed to have four vents over the eyebrows, with the inner lens treated with Fog-X for minimal condensation.

If it’s your first time buying snowboarding goggles, the Range is an ideal choice.

Pros:

• Plenty of optical performance from the Cylindrical Carbonic-X lenses

• Compatibility with a wide range of helmets

• Designed for minimal condensation

• Very affordable

Cons:

• Not a lot of bells and whistles

 

4. Oakley Flight Deck

From a visual standpoint, the Oakley Flight Deck is hard to beat. This is because it features the same standout design that Oakley uses for its sunglasses, making it a thing of beauty. However, just like Oakley’s sunglasses, which are easily one of the best-looking on the market, the Flight Deck isn’t just all show.

The rimless design is packed with interchangeable Prizm lenses, which is a technology used by Oakley that they claim helps minimize glare while significantly improving visibility and contrast.

In addition to this, the Flight Deck’sOakley Men’s Flight Deck Snow Goggles, Pilot Black, Prizm Jade Iridium, Large lenses have an anti-fog coating and are designed to have more than enough space to allow for eyeglasses to be comfortably worn underneath despite not being advertised.

Arguably the only thing holding the Flight Deck back is its lack of lenses — additional lenses can be purchased — and the fact that the quick-change lens mechanism is far less intuitive than Oakley claims it to be.

Pros:

• Rimless goggle design

• Excellent peripheral vision

• Prizm technology

• Large frame

Cons:

• Fairly expensive, especially when you factor in the price of additional lenses

• Quick-change lens system could use a lot of work

 

5. Smith 4D Mag

The Smith 4D Mag may not be one of the top snowboarding goggles in terms of performance and value, but it is one of the most innovative. This is mostly thanks to what its manufacturers call the BirdsEye Vision technology.

By exaggerating the curvature of the lenses, Smith claims that the 4D Mag is capable of boosting the wearer’s field of view by as much as 25 percent. Additionally, the 4D Mag uses a lens-swapping system that’s actually quite convenient to use.

Although it’s not the most simple out there, it’s easy enough to do that you can do it in a few minutes and the fit will be just as secure as you would prefer it to be.

Pros:

• BirdsEye Vision technology

• Convenient lens-swapping system

• Relies on magnets and physical locking levers for a secure fit

Cons:

• Vision has a tendency to feel distorted when you’re looking down

 

6. Electric Egg

There comes a certain point in snowboarding goggles where you don’t really need additional vision or field of view — they do come in handy, but some don’t really need them — and prefer something that’s a bit more comfortable to wear.

If you’re the type that values convenience and comfort a lot, the Electric Egg might just be the one for you.

The Egg wraps its humongous and spacious toric lenses with a thin yet extremely comfortable TPU-frame that’s available in a variety of designs. The frame is also very flexible, with the triple-layer foam that fits comfortably over a variety of heads.

It also features an Over the Glasses (OTG) design, with an adjustable strap that makes it a lot more comfortable than most snowboarding goggles.

Pros:

• Created and designed for optimal comfort

• OTG design

• TPU-frame available in a variety of prints and designs

Cons:

• Lens-swapping system could improve

 

7. Smith I/O Chroma Pop

There’s a reason why many consider the Smith I/O lineup as the standard-bearer when it comes to snowboarding goggles and the Smith I/O Chroma Pop helps prove that.

The latest in Smith’s legendary product lineup, the Chroma Pop offers phenomenal visual clarity, with a triple-layer foam that all but guarantees all-day comfort, with a ventilated design that makes it perfect for both warm and cold weather.

Also, as an added bonus, additional lenses are available for purchase at a relatively affordable price.

While we do have to admit that the I/O lineup might no longer be the best snowboarding goggles on the market, they’re still well worth the investment as long as you prefer a medium fit.

Pros:

• Visual clarity is right up there among the best

• All-day comfort with triple layer foam

• Affordable additional lenses

• Excellent ventilation

Cons:

• Reduced sizing options are a huge bummer

• Lens-change system is starting to show its age

 

8. Giro Roam

Typically, we wouldn’t include something as affordable as the Giro Roam on this list. However, considering that it’s one of the few snowboarding goggles on the market that comes with two lenses at its price point, well, how could we not include it?

For beginner and casual snowboarders who typically ride on areas that demand additional lenses, the Giro Roam is as good as it gets without having to take a look at the premium products.

Although the quality leaves a lot to be desired, the optics and comfort are commendable given its price. Not to mention, quality isn’t what you paid for with this product, it’s the fact that it comes with two lenses.

While nicer, better, and more feature-filled goggles do exist, the Giro Roam is perfect if you’re on a strict budget.

Pros:

• Comes with two lenses for bright and/or mixed conditions, as well as low lighting

• Fairly simple but effective features

• The very attractive price point

Cons:

• Nicer goggles can be had for a little bit more

 

How to Choose the Best Snowboarding Goggles

Lens Shape

Although some manufacturers use specific terms to refer to the lens shape of their own products, when it comes to snowboarding goggles, the conventional lens shapes are Cylindrical and Spherical.

Between the two, the Spherical or Curved lenses are much better. This is because the design helps result in a significantly improved field of view with minimal distortion.

Glare is also reduced while contrast is maximized. Unfortunately, Spherical lenses are much more expensive compared to Cylindrical lenses.

 

Ventilation

Fogging can cause accidents. This is why manufacturers use a variety of techniques to try and minimize if not completely prevent fogging.

For example, most snowboarding goggles come with double-layered lenses to create a thermal barrier that resists fogging.

However, some snowboarding goggles take this up a notch by adding anti-fog coatings to further minimize fogging.

In some cases, a snowboarding goggle might come with vents and fans to help disperse moisture and control fogging.

 

Lens Color

Visible Light Transmission (VLT) is the term used to describe just how much light reaches your eyes through the lens. When it comes to VLT, the lighter the tint, the higher the VLT.

The high-VLT lenses are perfect for when you’re riding on cloudy days. However, on sunny days, you’ll want to use darker tins for a lower VLT to reduce glare and improve clarity.

But if you plan on riding at night, you’ll want to use clear lenses.

Ideally, you should have three different lenses available to use, especially if you snowboard a lot. It would also help if your snowboarding goggles feature a lens-changing mechanism that’s easy and can be done, preferably, mid-ride.

 

Frames and Fit

Technically, most if not all snowboarding goggles are compatible with every kind of helmet. But the thing is, even though it does fit, that doesn’t mean that it’s comfortable.

This is why you’ll want to ensure if the goggles are a comfortable fit with the helmet that you prefer wearing.

In addition to comfort, other fit considerations include straps (make sure that the straps are adjustable) and the padding or cushioning used by the snowboarding goggles.

Also, if you wear glasses, you’ll want to buy snowboarding goggles that feature an OTG (Over the Glass) design because they are spacious enough to let you wear your glasses comfortably with little to no compromise.

 

Why You Should Wear Googles

Snowboarding goggles might be more of an afterthought for most people, but there’s a reason why we recommend wearing one when you’re out on the snow, and it’s for protection.

You see, when you’re out there and snowboarding, your eyes are exposed to the elements. In particular, to the sun’s harmful rays.

You might not think that your eyes are getting hurt by it, but it is, and by choosing NOT to wear snowboarding goggles, you risk developing both short-term and long-term problems like snowblindness and macular degeneration, respectively.

Not to mention, snowboarding goggles are built not just to protect your eyes, but your entire eye area.

This means that unlike sunglasses, which other people choose to wear for “protection”, goggles are designed to keep you safe even if and when you crash headfirst into something like a tree.

 

Final Thoughts

As you can see, snowboarding goggles aren’t just an optional accessory — they’re a definite must if you plan on snowboarding regularly.

Hopefully, using our list, you’ve not only been convinced of the importance of snowboarding goggles, but that you’ve also found the best snowboarding goggles for you, or at the very least, know what factors go into choosing the right one.

 

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