Let’s just say there’s been a longstanding debate around which one is harder to get the hang of – skiing or snowboarding. And while we’re not here to make a ruling on this in fear of ruffling any feathers, one thing we do know is that you need the right equipment to do either. Both activities involve being up on the mountain for hours on end – with that comes a lot of obstacles to navigate. And we’re not just talking about the ones on the pathway in front of you.
Investing in a great pair of snowboarding goggles is the best way to ensure that you’re able to see as clearly as possible while making those twists, turns and jumps, that your eyes are protected from any potentially harmful light, and ultimately, that you can reach your full potential – no matter how experienced you are in the realm of snowboarding.
We know it can be confusing to choose the right pair of snowboarding goggles, but at Powster, we have plenty of products that stand out among the rest. Like our Supernova Balanced™ Toric Lens Best Ski Goggles set, which comes with two SPXTRA™ lenses, one for sunny days and another for cloudy/foggy conditions.
What to Look For in Snowboarding Goggles
For many people who don’t understand the ins and outs of snowboarding gear, all snowboarding goggles can appear to look the same. But in reality, they actually serve a much wider purpose than just making you look the part. From protecting your eyes to having technology that prevents them from fogging up, there are plenty of factors to consider. Let’s explore some of the most important ones.
Ultimate Eye Protection
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, if you’re worried about breaking a bone or causing your body some serious damage while snowboarding, you should be just as worried about running into accidents with your eyes. It’s exactly why we stress so much the importance of wearing goggles while snowboarding to ensure that nothing can come into contact with the eyes while you’re riding the mountain, like debris or any other small objects. Try our Pulsar Leon Vockensperger Special Editions Bonus Zeiss Lens Silver Lens Ski Goggles for serious eye protection.
Rejects Harmful UV Rays
Even on grey, overcast days, the sun can pose a huge risk to the health of your eyes. In more technical terms, UV light consists of ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun. It is classified into three types: UVA, UVB, and UVC. Prolonged exposure to UV radiation can lead to various eye conditions, including cataracts, macular degeneration, and photokeratitis (sunburn of the eye). Snowboarding goggles with UV protection, specifically lenses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays, act as a barrier that shields your eyes from harmful UV radiation and reduces the risk of UV-related eye damage.
Reduces Glare
While it’s pretty hard to find any negatives that come with a bluebird kind of day, one obstacle it can introduce is glare. If the sun is too bright and you don’t have the right lenses to block out that glare, it can make for a pretty difficult ride down the mountain – not to mention, a dangerous one. Snowboarding goggle lenses, like our Zenith Bonus Lens Best Ski Goggles Case Zeiss SPXTRA™ Pro 3L Lens, are specifically designed to reduce the amount of light that reaches your eyes and redirect it so that you can see clearly when you’re snowboarding – no matter what environment you’re in. All our products come in a whole range of colours, all of which are designed to reduce glare significantly.
Polarised Versus Non-polarised Ski Goggles
Believe it or not, having all the colours of the rainbow on your snowboarding goggle lenses is not just for show. Polarised goggles are super important for controlling light, enhancing your vision and depth of field, and filtering out any harmful UV rays.
Benefits of Polarised Lenses
The main function of polarised lenses is to help reduce glare, but there’s a whole list of benefits to wearing polarised goggles that make them such a great asset to your snow gear. First and foremost, all polarised goggles, like our Asteroid Bonus Zeiss Lens Snowboarding Goggles, work to protect your eyes from all those things working against them – whether it be light, UV rays or the ability to see far ahead of you. With polarised lenses, you’ll also be able to avoid straining your eyes, thanks to the reflective technology, as well as get a better sense of depth of field. This way, you’ll be able to see any details in the snow and avoid obstacles much easier.
Non-polarised goggle lenses
On the other hand, you have normal lenses that simply cover your eyes and shelter them from any debris, but these don’t have a lot of the other qualities that polarised goggles do. Using non-polarised goggles is most appropriate for people who are snowboarding or skiing in low light where you’re not going to get much sun, if you’re not an experienced rider, or if you spend a lot of time looking at your phone or camera – polarised lenses make that incredibly difficult. While we do recommend using polarised goggles for snowboarding, it’s not 100% necessary, it’s really about figuring out what works best for you.
Benefits of Interchangeable Lenses
Because the weather can change so drastically, whether it’s within a matter of days or even hours, being able to have the right lenses for the conditions is a massive bonus. Luckily, at Powster, we have a whole range of interchangeable snowboarding goggle lenses to get you through all kinds of days on the slopes – like our Pulsar Bonus Lens Green Lens Ski Goggles Zeiss SPXTRA™ Lens. Or, you can simply purchase one of our SPXTRA™ lens in collaboration with ZEISS individually, and then just swap it out for any of your other Powster goggle lenses. Snowboarding goggles with interchangeable lenses allow adaptability to different lighting conditions no matter what sports or outdoor activity you’re delving into. Simply pop lenses in and out for a quick change!
What Is Visible Light Transmission
When we said earlier that there are a whole lot of factors to consider when buying snowboarding goggles, we weren’t joking. And this is where things start to get a little bit more technical, but don’t panic! We’ll break it down in an easy and digestible way for you. When you’re browsing snowboarding goggle options, you’ll likely run into a rating system called VLT, an abbreviation of Visible Light Transmission. This system is representative of the amount of light that passes through your goggles lenses and connects with your eyes. The purpose of flat light or low light lenses is to control the amount of VLT you’re exposed to to protect your eyes and improve your vision, like the Twilight Extra Wide Field Best Ski Goggles.
We highly recommend looking out for the VLT rating of ski goggles products to determine whether or not they’re going to be the right match for the type of conditions you’ll be in. Basically, the higher the VLT percentage the more light is going to be let through your lenses and into your eyes. This means you’ll be wanting to go for a VLT rating that’s higher for cloudier days so you can see better.
Another way of judging how strong a lens is is by following the categories system. This system is described using either a rating of Cat 4 - Cat 0, with “Cat” standing for categories, or S4 - S0, with the ‘S’ standing for the word snow. This system works in the opposite way to the VLT rating system – the lower the number, the more light that will be getting into your eyes. So say for example you’re looking for a pair of goggles for low light conditions, you want to go for a Cat rating around Cat 0-Cat 2 or S0-S1 to ensure that you’re getting enough light exposure in order to see clearly.
How to Choose the Right Snowboarding Goggles for You
We get so many questions from our customers about how to choose the best snowboarding goggles, and by now, we hope that you’re armed with all the knowledge you need to make the right decision for you. Snowboarding goggles are essential for optimal performance and eye protection, and really work to help you make the most out of your time on the slopes. We’ve covered everything from what qualities to look for in snowboarding goggles, polarised versus non-polarised lenses, the benefits of interchangeable lenses, and all you need to know about Visible Light Transmission. The only question left to ask yourself is when your next trip to the snow-capped peaks will be!
