11 best ski goggles in 2024
Best ski goggles in 2024
Whether you’re an avid skier or enjoy only the occasional ski vacation, you’ll need a good pair of ski goggles to protect your eyes and face from wind, sun, ice and snow. You won’t want to buy just any pair of goggles, either, since choosing the right goggles is based on your unique needs.
The best type of ski goggles for you depends on how frequently you ski under different conditions and more. With so many ski goggles on the market, it can be hard to narrow down your choices to find just the right pair. That’s why we researched the best ski goggles for you.
To help you choose the best goggles, we’ve put together this list of 11 of the best ski goggles in 2024.
Features to look for in ski goggles
You’ll typically get more features and superior quality with pricier ski goggles. If you’re an avid skier, you may want to splurge for top-of-the-line goggles. But you don’t have to buy the most expensive ski goggles to adequately protect your eyes from wind and snow.
Most ski goggles are designed with many of the same overall features. Here’s what to consider when shopping for the right ski goggles for you:
Comfort and fit – Ski goggles should fit snugly over the area around your eyes to stop snow, ice and wind from obstructing your vision. Make sure the strap for the goggles adjusts easily for a proper fit with or without your helmet. Foam inserts to keep out wind, ice and debris need to be thick enough to pad your face in case you fall but not so thick that your goggles fog. Proper ventilation also helps prevent fogging.
Field of vision – Ski goggle lenses should provide a wide field of vision and excellent peripheral vision for skiing safety.
UV protection – Make sure your ski goggles have 100% protection from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Exposure to UVA and UVB rays reflecting off snow can cause snow blindness (photokeratitis), a painful condition that feels like a sunburn on your eyes. Long-term exposure can lead to permanent eye damage such as cataracts and other eye conditions.
Lenses – Some goggles have only one pair of lenses. Others come with interchangeable lenses for different light conditions. When choosing ski goggles, lens tint and visible light transmission (VLT) are important. A VLT of 15% lessens eye fatigue on bright, sunny days. A higher VLT such as 70% provides better depth perception and color in low-light conditions.
Yellow, gold and amber lenses work best in low or moderate light since they help you see better in shadows to navigate around moguls and dangerous bumps. Gray lenses bring out true colors. Darker tints like dark brown, dark gray, copper and dark green increase contrast. Mirrored lenses reflect and lower the VLT. Clear lenses are best for nighttime skiing.
ALSO RELATED: Which eyewear is best for snow and winter sports?
Choosing the best ski goggles for you
To help you find the right goggles, we’ve rounded up 11 of the best ski goggles on the market. Here you’ll find something for everyone, from casual skiers looking for a bargain to those who live to ski and don’t mind paying more for a pricey pair.
Best ski goggles for avid skiers
Smith 4D MAG snow goggles, starting at $320
Smith 4D MAG snow goggles are top-of-the-line and designed for the avid skier. These medium-fit goggles provide an extra-wide field of view, spherical lenses and high-quality optics that enhance color and contrast. BirdsEye Vision technology adds to your visual clarity, making it easier to see what’s ahead and what’s off to the sides.
These ski goggles come with two lens options, one for sunny days and one for low-light conditions. Magnets on the frames and lenses make them easy to change. The goggles also have an anti-fog ventilation system and triple-layer, moisture-wicking foam padding for comfort.
Smith 4D MAG snow goggle lenses are available in nine different ChromaPop performance tints, including red mirror, green mirror, rose flash and rose gold mirror.
UV protection: 100%. VLT: 9% to 50%, depending on the lens.
Best budget ski goggles
Smith Range snow goggles, $60 to $80
If you’re a casual skier, you may not want to spend big bucks on ski goggles that you rarely use. If that’s the case, Smith Range snow goggles could do the trick for affordable days on the slopes.
These inexpensive goggles have ventilation for anti-fogging, plus an anti-fog coating. Smith Range Snow Goggles have cylindrical lenses that offer a better field of vision than some other ski goggles in this price range. These ski goggles don’t come with interchangeable lenses, but they’re still a good buy for the casual skier. Smith Range Snow Goggles are available only in a men’s large fit.
UV protection 100%. VLT: 9% to 65%, depending on the lens.
Glade Challenger goggles, $99 to $109
Casual skiers looking for affordable ski goggles can’t go wrong with the Glade Challenger, which Outside Magazine declared one of the best ski goggles of 2023. These goggles are loaded with features like anti-fog, scratch-resistant lens coatings, anti-fog ventilation and an interchangeable lens system.
Lenses come in gold, blue, burnt orange and green, and the medium fit accommodates a wide range of face shapes and sizes.
UV protection: 100%. VLT range: 8.4% to 25.4%, depending on the lens.
Best ski goggles for men
Oakley Flight Deck L snow goggles, starting at $177
Many ski goggles are designed for an over-the-glasses (OTG) fit. But if you prefer prescription ski goggles, the Oakley Flight Deck L snow goggle is an excellent choice. These goggles have a rimless design for exceptional peripheral vision, along with contrast-boosting and anti-fog lenses. The curved, spherical lens also reduces glare.
You’re sure to find the perfect lenses with 20 different colors to choose from, including Prizm Snow Rose, Prizm Snow Sapphire and Prizm Snow Torch Iridium.
UV protection: 100%. VLT: 11% to 64%, depending on the lens.
Julbo Aerospace Up and Downhill goggle, starting at $250
If you’re looking for superior venting and lens technology, these goggles are on the high end but not too far out of reach for the dedicated skier. Julbo Aerospace goggles are designed an extra-wide field of vision for large faces.
They have a minimalist frame and spherical, photochromic REACTIV lenses that adapt to light conditions for crisp, clear vision. They’re not likely to fog up either, thanks to ventilation technology that eliminates fogging.
UV protection: 100%. VLT range: 17% to 75%, depending on the lens.
Glade Adapt Photochromic ski and snowboard goggles, $129
Don’t feel like changing lenses with shifting light conditions? With Glade Adapt ski goggles, you won’t have to. Glade Adapt’s photochromic lenses change tint as light conditions change. Whether you’re skiing in bright sunlight or under clouds on an overcast day, these goggles provide sharp contrast and clear vision in all conditions.
UV protection: 100%. VLT range: 30% to 84%, depending on the lens.
Best ski goggles for women
Smith I/O MAG S goggles, starting at $270
Most (but not all) ski goggles feature large frames and lenses, so it can be tough to find a pair that fits a smaller face. But if you’re willing to invest in a pair of premium ski goggles, the Smith I/O MAG S has a smaller-than-average frame to allow for a cozier fit.
These goggles have a wide field of vision, interchangeable lenses for color contrast in both bright- and low-light conditions, and anti-fog lenses for crystal-clear vision. These goggles use magnets to allow you to change lenses quickly and easily. The spherical lenses provide distortion-free vision while enhancing contrast and color.
Smith I/O MAG S snow goggles come in seven different mirror tints, including rose gold, black gold, platinum and green.
UV protection: 100%. VLT range: 9% to 50%, depending on the lens.
Women’s Anon Tempest goggles, $89.97
Designed for women, these sleek goggles fit small and medium faces. Their spherical PERCEIVE lenses provide excellent clarity and optics for the price. The anti-fog lenses are also smudge-, scratch- and moisture-resistant.
Anon Tempest goggles give wearers high-contrast views with easy-to-spot terrain definition in most light conditions. They have two layers of foam and one layer of moisture-wicking fleece. They’re also helmet-compatible.
UV protection: 100%. VLT: 17%.
Oakley Flight Deck M snow goggles, starting at $133
The rimless design of Oakley Flight Deck M snow goggles increases visibility and peripheral vision. They’re comfortable too, with three layers of face foam and a moisture-wicking polar-fleece lining. If you wear glasses when you ski, these goggles have discreet frame notches at the temples to hold your glasses in place while zipping down the slopes.
Oakley Flight Deck M goggles are available in 13 options of varying lens tints and strap colors.
UV protection: 100%. VLT range: 11% to 64%, depending on the lens.
Best kids’ ski goggles: Ages 5 to 11
Oakley O-Frame 2.0 Pro XS (youth fit), $52
The affordable O-Frame kids’ ski goggles are perfect for little skiers getting a feel for the slopes. Oakley O-Frame 2.0 Pro goggles for kids have high-definition optics and large anti-fog, impact-resistant lenses to prevent vision distortion and widen peripheral view.
The goggles are breathable, comfortable and helmet-compatible. O-Frame lenses come in rubine/lavender, dark gray and persimmon.
UV protection: 100%. VLT: Not available.
Best kids’ ski goggles: Ages 12 to 17
Oakley Line Miner (youth fit) snow goggles, starting at $104
Oakley Line Miner snow goggles come in a youth fit that is compatible with most helmets. They also have frame notches at the temples that can accommodate most prescription glasses.
The cylindrical design of the Line Miner provides superior peripheral vision and comfort, with three layers of face foam and moisture-wicking lining. Though designed for youth, they can also provide a snug fit for adults with small faces.
Youth-fit Line Miner goggles come in 15 different colors of frame/lens combinations, ranging from basic black or white frames with clear or gray lenses to flashier lens colors like Snow Torch Iridium and Snow Jade.
UV and blue light protection: 100%. VLT range: 11% to 30%, depending on the lens.
RELATED READING: Buyer’s guide: 12 tips for buying ski goggles
Best sunglasses for skiing (product version)
Page published on Tuesday, February 15, 2022
