A good pair of goggles will go a long way in your shred career if you look after them. Theres a few easy steps to make sure they do.
Buying Goggles
There re 2 types of goggles, spherical are the domed style of lenses while cylindrical lenses are a cylinder shape. It’s personal preference, comfortability and fit which style to get. The best advice for which goggle is the goggle which gives you the largest range of visibility – you want to see the next corner when you’re in the thick of that tree run! Always consult the sales representative at the ski shop for the features on each goggle before you get a pair, there are so many!
Helmets
When purchasing a helmet its always recommended to bring your goggles along to try with your new brain bucket. This will ensure you have the right fit and no weird pressure points on your head. Always loosen the goggle strap to its widest point when sliding over the helmet, then tighten the strap. Doing this will stop the strap from losing elasticity. Make sure you don’t store them or travel with them stretched over your helmet, this can cause the elastic in the strap to stretch and deform.
Fogging
Weather is a big factor in goggle fog. There isn’t a whole lot you can do once the fog starts, keep them ventilated, away from sweat and stay away from hot air – roll your balaclava or face mask down to avoid the heat from your body rising up under the goggles. Pack a spare lens and change them out, use your micro fibre cloth to give them a quick clean or hit up the day lodge bathrooms and quick dry them under the heater.
After that Epic pow day on the hill where you have snow from top to bottom it seems like a good idea to put your goggles in front of the heater to dry them out…. this is fine but only for a short time as they can melt and deform, so keep an eye on them! Always store your goggles with the lens up, if you leave them on the lens this will scratch them. There’s nothing worse then a big scratch line through you vision. If you are going to hang them, make sure you only hang them from the strap and not the lens frame. Good goggles are built tough and generally wont scratch easy but they can and do.
Changing lenses
When changing the lens you want to do this before you get covered in snow. Asses the conditions and change them before leaving. If the weather changes and you have no choice but to do them on the fly, make sure your hands are free of snow. If you get snow on the lens before you change it, they could fog instantly. Never touch the inside of the inner lens. There is an anti-fog film layer designed to protect the inner lens from fog. Changing lenses can be a bit of a shuffle thats why it is recommended that it is done inside before your on the hill.
Storage.
Its easy to just throw them in a bag at the end of your trip. Remember there could be moisture in between the lenses which could grow mould over time, especially if you are in a warmer environment. Leave them on a counter somewhere for a day or two once you have arrived home to dry them out and insure there is no moisture left on the lens. Once you are confident they are dry store them in the cloth bag that they come with – all quality lenses will come with a cloth bag or a hard case or both. Never store them face down on the lens this can cause scratches and even the lens to deform. Put them in a dry cool place away from sun light and they will last a life time.
All reputable goggle brands will have a good warranty, but these will not be covered under misuse. So look after them and they will last a long time.
