Do you need ski goggles? Whether you are completely new to or you have a fair amount of experience with skiing or snowboarding, you’ve probably asked yourself the question.The answer is ultimately your own personal judgement call.
However, many seasoned snow sport athletes maintain that skiing/ snowboarding without goggles can put a serious dampener on your overall experience. If you’re wondering, ‘are ski goggles necessary?’, then here are a few reasons we think ski goggles are an essential piece of skiing/ snowboarding gear:
Quick Jump
Increased Visibility = Safer Skiing Experience
These days, snowboarding/skiing gear is specially designed with snowy conditions in mind. It is not uncommon for snow-boarding enthusiasts of all calibre’s to experience extreme cases of low visibility due to increased snowfall and fast winds.
Also, depending on your experience, you may be skiing at high altitudes in extremely mountainous terrain – you’ll want to have the best visibility during your outdoor sessions which is why having a durable and well designed pair of ski goggles is so important.
Increased Eye Protection
Ski goggles are specifically designed to protect not only your vision but also your eyes. Snow sports pose particular dangers to your face and eyes, as they are exposed to prolonged periods of cold air, harsh winds, blinding sunlight and UV rays from the sun.
If you’re thinking of using regular sunglasses as a substitute for ski goggles, remember that ski goggles come with lenses that are specifically designed to block out damaging UV light.
Ski goggles also protect your eyes and face from the intense cold temperatures, heavy snowfall and other hazards like tree debris. Also, regular sunglasses are not secure at high speeds: while you’re out on the slopes, you’ll never have to worry about losing your pair of ski-goggles.
Just the same as you wouldn’t ski or snowboard without a helmet or ski bindings, you definitely shouldn’t ski without a good quality pair of ski goggles.
Check out our guide on the best what to wear snowboarding, for the best tips on how to dress for safety, warmth and fun.
Perfect Contrast
The reflection of sunlight on snow can seriously overwhelm your eyes while out on the slopes. This can quickly lead to vision fatigue drastically increasing your chance of injury. Wearing goggles with coloured lenses adds contrast to your vision, helping you determine the dips and bumps in the terrain better.
Rose and Amber coloured lenses are great for cloudy and misty conditions. Mirrored silver, grey, black or red lenses are best used on bright, sunny days. Brown coloured lenses reduce harsh sunlight and are best suited for dimly lit days.
Choosing the Right Pair of Ski Goggles for You
Sunglasses for snowy conditions come in many shapes and sizes – it is up to you to decide which type fits your needs best: Here are a few aspects to consider when purchasing a pair of Ski goggles:
- Cylindrical goggles: these stretch out over a bigger section of the face and offer great eye protection( this type of goggle tends to be cheaper)
- Spherical goggles: these feature a more curved lens which contributes to better glare protection compared to Cylindrical lens goggles)
- Lens color: depending on what you prefer, you’ll be able to choose a lens that allows more or less light into your lens
- Switchable Lenses: Some brands sell goggles where the lenses can easily clip out for you to have a variety of different lenses for different weather conditions.
- Ventilation placement: generally you’ll be able to choose how you want air to flow through your lens. Having a goggle with good ventilation will better prevent fogging
If you want more info on how to find the best skiing goggles for you, check out our guide on the 20 Best Ski Goggles.
What Happens if I Don’t Use Goggles When I Ski?
If you’re unconvinced and still asking yourself, ‘do i need ski goggles even if conditions are fair?’ or ‘are they really necessary?’, then here are a few things that could happen if you go extended periods without goggle protection, even in fair weather:
- Prolonged exposure to UV radiation can cause severe conditions such as photokeratitis or eye sunburn.
- Exposure to the harsh temperatures and overwhelming light can cause a phenomenon called Snow Blindness which is temporary (or possibly, in severe cases, permanent) loss of vision.
- Ski goggles also physically protect your eyes in the event of a crash (having a pair on at all times could save your life and your eyesight
- Lack of eye protection could also result in eye circles which is when the moisture on your eyelash line freezes which can be a hindrance to your vision and cause uncomfortability.
Final Thoughts: Do You Need Goggles to Snowboard/Ski?
Your vision is the most vital aspect in these kinds of sports. So, making sure that your eyes are protected at all times is of utmost importance. You want to make sure that you protect your eye’s to preserve your enjoyment of the exhilarating experience.
We tend to agree that the answer to the question, ‘do you need goggles for snowboarding/ skiing?’ is a categorical yes. We want to urge you to take the time to invest in and pick out the right pair of goggles for you, so that you can remain as safe as possible while having the maximum amount of fun on those wonderful slopes
