Reviewed by our gear Geeks:
The Best Ski Goggles in 2021
Our experts at work
We gave our Gear lovers one job:
Test 34 different Ski Goggles and write reviews of the best.
The result is 19 of the best Ski Goggles on the market today.
Anastasia Hamurari
Travel and Gear Writer
An ambitious writer with a thirst for content creation through storytelling.
Bradley Axmith
Editor at DIVEIN.com
Vikingship building gear enthusiast and waterworld fanatic.
Whether you’re a first-time skier or a professional snowboarder you need a pair of good ski goggles. A pair that will last you at least a few consecutive seasons and protect you from wind, snow, and harmful UV rays.
Our team at DIVEIN made an effort to test popular and not-so-popular ski goggles to supply you with the all-inclusive buying guide. After spending hours skiing and snowboarding in some rough weather conditions, we came up with some options that would fit every requirement and budget.
We took into consideration factors like breathability, lens quality and comfort when trying to find the best ski goggles, and are glad to present you with the top finds. Whether you prioritize comfort over style or quality over affordability, we got you covered.
Check out our picks and read the guide at the end to see why we chose these googles.
Top 10 Best Ski Goggles In 2021
See our quick top 10, or go further down and read our in-depth reviews.
- Oakley Flight Deck Prizm Goggles
- Atomic Revent FDL HD Goggles
- Giro Blok Goggles
- Bolle Z5 OTG Ski Goggles
- Smith I/O MAG Snow Goggles
- Oakley Fall Line XM Goggles
- Zeal Portal RLS Snow Goggles
- Anon M4 Toric Ski Goggles
- POC Retina Clarity
- Spy Ace Happy Lens Goggles
Still unsure as to what ski goggles to choose? We have answered the most popular questions about the ropes in the last section of the guide.
Oakley is a titan of the technical and outdoor eyewear market. And the Flight Deck is a classic in the winter sports world. In many ways, it’s the standard-bearer for spherical ski goggles. The wide field of view allows you to keep an eye on multiple moving targets while riding crowded resort slopes. You’ll see the Flight Deck on every slope from the small and soggy slopes of my home “mountain” in the Cuyahoga Valley to gate-accessed backcountry zones west of the Continental Divide. They’re an industry mainstay, so we had to buy a pair to test out. We can confirm that the hype is real. Oakley and the Flight Deck deserve every ounce of the renown they’ve garnered over the better part of the last decade. Skiing has an incredibly high financial barrier of entry. Between the boots, the skis, the bindings, and outerwear- the last thing you need is to spend a few hundred dollars on a pair of goggles. Like it or not, having a dependable pair of goggles is an essential component of your kit, necessary not only for your enjoyment but also for your safety. Thankfully, Outdoor Master with their Pro Classic goggle offers an alternative to high-cost models from brands such as Smith or Oakley. It’s no fun waiting on your goggles to clear up before you drop into a line, and it’s even less fun to suddenly lose visibility behind a foggy wall of perspiration mid-run. The Revent line is Atomic’s unique answer to an “anti-fog” goggle that works well with glasses. They’re a solid high-end option for a comparative premium. Revent lenses differ from other double lens goggles in that the front and back lens are fused into a single panel in manufacturing, the inner partition is then coated with eight layers of fog proofing. The fused double lens (FDL) allows for a wider peripheral range, prevents reflection between the two lenses, and reduces the overall surface area that could potentially get foggy. Combined with their Revent helmets, you’ll seldom have to worry about mid-line fog again. The goggles capitalize on the popular old-school cylindrical look, which gives them a more intuitive fit with the OTG variations than the competition. Lenses are rigorously engineered to enhance contrast in all light conditions, and are interchangeable with Atomic’s pretty standard pop out frame. Additional lowlight and highlight variations available at your local ski shop. The Anon M4 Toric is one of the top-performing ski goggles across multiple categories. We recently had the chance to put it through our intense vetting process from the resort to the backcountry. The bottom line is that the M4 Toric is an exceptionally well-made product. With unmatched lens change technology and very competitive quality of vision, it’s a can’t miss for skiers looking for the most versatile product on the market with a huge field of view. Ski goggles with retro vibes and an almost limitless vision field that enables you to see every single detail had to make it to our guide. This pair features a frame design that the majority of ski lovers will become fond of. We’re talking about the Expansion View Frame – a trustworthy technology that was developed in the Scotts Valley of California. You can pair it with a helmet or a snow hat without feeling restricted in any way, which is always a plus. Giro is known for creating goggles that have an anti-fog coating that comes especially in handy during warm and humid days when your desire to venture out in the harsh weather. This is not an obstacle for this pair of ski goggles. You will be able to accomplish your outside activity plan with no limitations from the gear side. Not only will your visibility be at its highest, but you will also feel your comfiest with the built-in triple face foam that softly touches your skin. Designed with the intention of providing all the glass wearers with the pair of well-fitting ski goggles, Bolle has nailed it. Precision and style are the perfect words for the description of the Z5 model. Developed with an unclouded vision and utmost comfort in mind, it features the Over-The-Glasses technology paired with the fresh design. Flow-Tech mechanism greatly backs up this fact – it is integrated into the item for providing you with the protection against cold winds. No speed is unreachable for you when wearing these goggles. You can also benefit from the two anti-scratch lenses that come with this gear and the possibility to choose your preferred color. Even though they are not interchangeable, you are free to choose the appropriate to your case lense aimed at either low or bright light. For the last few years, I’ve rocked a Smith I/O in my personal kit. So I was beyond thrilled when I had the opportunity to try their new Mag version of the notoriously finicky I/O lens change system. It’s hard to pin down the Smith Mag I/O’s best use because they’re such a well-rounded option. For those in the market for a heavy-hitter ski goggle that isn’t egregiously oversized, the Smith Mag I/O is as good as it gets. The Fall Line XM goggles by Oakley incorporate a premium lens quality with a reduced size that presents an appealing to many ski amateurs piece of equipment. Certainly, this model does not have two lenses, but its high-end quality excuses this missing feature. So, what is so great about these goggled we could not pass them? For starters, they have got an ‘O Matter Chassis’ – a flexible kind of frame that contours your face and moves with it when needed. Most importantly, it stays on no matter how insane the weather gets. The rigid exoskeleton is responsible for getting rid of distortion and ensures the right fit of the lens. The HDO lens technology further improves the lens by maximizing the impact resistance and the clarity of the picture from every angle. What’s more, these goggles sit closer to your face than the majority of other goggles in this guide. When taking into consideration the quick and easy interchangeable lens system, this specimen wins at all fronts. If you thought there aren’t goggles that provide you with a flawless peripheral vision that is not distorted by any outside factors, the Portal RLS snow goggles will prove you otherwise. They offer skiers a piece of equipment that has a wide array of features they didn’t know they need. For instance, this pair incorporates a lens swap system called ‘Rail Lock System’ (RLS) that uses the dual system. It is composed of vertical rails that enable the lenses to be changed via the use of magnets. It also supplies the lenses with an Automatic+ RB color of the lens that aids in adjusting the tint from pale rose color to the darker rose color depending on the light conditions. Even the harshest weather conditions won’t scare you away from skiing in the mountains due to the built-in Permashield Hardcoat that protects the lenses from scratches and a triple-layer face foam that provides additional padding for wind- and fog-free fit. Having joined efforts with Carl Zeiss, POC released a pair of professional ski goggles that allow the wearers to observe every little obstacle in front of them. What’s unique to these goggles? Unlike their counterparts, the Retina Clarity model features a lens coating that is mirrored in regard to the varying weather conditions. You are, therefore, guaranteed to have the suitable for every time of the day lens that is also scratch- and fog-proof. For the standard price of $150, you receive a piece of accessory whose field of vision puts the competition to the Smith’s I/O goggles that are $100 more. We found its PU frame along with the triple-layered face foam to be of the highest quality. These details supply you with the supplementary comfort and snug fit that is so much needed during the cold snowy days. Basically, if you want to purchase a pair of ski goggles that won’t cost a fortune but has the same high-end features of costly alternatives, this is your best choice. You might be wondering – what is with this Happy Lens name? It is named this way due to the lens technology that reduces the tiredness of the eyes, intensifies the contrast of the color, and protects from the damaging UV rays. No more cruising the mountains with the fear of stumbling upon obstacles – the Happy Lens goggles won’t let that happen. You will also be able to easily transition from bluebird to blackbird with the help of the Quick Draw system that facilitates the easy lens change. The quick transition is also backed by the flexible silicone strap that fixates your goggles on your helmet. Make use of the heavy snowfalls with the equipment that turns the seemingly unfortunate circumstances into fun adventures with the comfort of an integrated Isotrop face foam and Scoop venting. You won’t regret acquiring a pair of Lagopus X4 ski goggles if low cost and relatively high quality are your main priorities. This piece of gear makes a great companion for snow sports lovers who tend to spend more than half a day out in the snow. Featuring an anti-fog coating, anti-wind protection, and a barrier from the sun’s harmful rays in the form of 100% UVA protection, your eyes will be kept safe at every point in your trip. Have you ever heard of the expression ‘best value for money’? This is that case. Zionor managed to create a pair of ski goggles that not only has a 180-degrees panoramic view but is also as durable as ever. Rest assured it will last you at least a few years of seasonal skiing and snowboarding as it is equipped with the Enhanced Durability Technology that is responsible for the big statement we just made. The brand that managed to build itself a great reputation on the market of ski equipment issued a pair of snow goggles we couldn’t ignore. Tempted by Smith’s claims of the goggles being exceptionally great at fog-preventing, UV-rays obstructing and OTG-friendly, we gave them a try. And they didn’t disappoint. We soon discovered them to feature a never-heard-before Carbonic-X lens type that is known to have a small number of surface points, meaning that the sun rays and a limited view do not pose an issue to the wearer. Rather, when paired with the Tapered Lens Technology, the gear fixes the visual distortion and enables the light to go straight to your eyeballs. The other technology named Porex Filter ensures the equalization of the air pressure that occurs within the sealed lens in order to reduce to the minimum the optical deformation. And as if this was not enough, Smith incorporated a floating foam membrane that alleviates the pressure put on temples during skiing or snowboarding. Essentially, every measure was taken to facilitate the best possible vision with close to zero limitations. These futuristic-looking ski goggles will blow your mind just like they did with ours’. It’s true that they’re on the expensive side, but this is completely justified by the abundance of features they possess. From the optically correct lens system to the unidirectional airflow system and an armored venting, these Dragon X2 goggles are perfection. You are quite frankly getting snow equipment with the comfort-instilling Tri-Foam technology, hypoallergenic Polartech microfleece, and a superb anti-fog coating. Powered by the Polyurethane frame that comes with two lenses, you won’t have trouble changing them. The lens change system is designed to help you quicken the process by pushing levers at both of the goggles’ sides up for the release of the lens. It is just as accurate in practice as it is in theory. Besides, it can be done without taking off the goggles. We hope you are stunned now. Specifically built for athletes, the Anon Helix 2.0 ski goggles are expected to have long durability and low weight. Choose your game – snowboarding, skiing or mountaineering – and be certain that this model is going to last you throughout many seasons of executing your preferred activity. As for the features, you will be pleasantly surprised by the number of essential and not-so-essential details these goggles encompass. They fit well over glasses without restricting your peripheral vision and incorporate the anti-fog coating that ensures maximum visibility in warm and humid conditions. The crystal clear picture is further fostered by the cylindrical design that uses the de-centered injected technology. This technology lessens the profile of the frame thus facilitating a non-distorted vision. The superior venting mechanism, additionally, contributes to the full-perimeter airflow that supplies you with the optimum level of comfort and warmth. This premium set of goggles for the price of a semi-premium model is a case you’d want to stick around, so read on. This time around goggles incorporate not just an ordinary Zeiss lens, but a VIVID Zeiss lens. What does that mean? Well, this is an innovative lens technology that was developed by the Giro company in collaboration with Zeiss to revolutionize the way we have known ski goggle lens this far. The VIVID mechanism improves our perception of snow and our surroundings by enhancing the definition and contrast of the picture. Tired eyes and zero confidence are quite literally no longer in the picture when wearing the Axis ski goggles. The technology has the power to manipulate the light by enhancing the blue light while also blocking the damaging UV rays at the same time. When combined with the anti-fog coating and a magnetic-assisted lens change system, your eyes are given the possibility to focus strictly on the ride. You might have noticed the unusual name these Zeal goggles have, and our review is here to settle your wondering. Apart from serving a snow sports purpose, the Optics HD camera goggles have a built-in camera that allows you to shoot your own pictures while sliding down the slopes. Cool, huh? The integrated into the goggles camera has a resolution of 1080p and 8mp, which is not comparable to DSLR cameras but is quite an advanced feature anyway. Chances are you won’t be bringing your big camera to your ski trip, and GoPros can get expensive. This is where this Zeal innovation comes in handy. Equipped with 100% UVA protection and microfleece and foam paddings, this equipment will assist you well in your snow-accompanied strivings. Pick your favorite helmet from your last biking or motocross adventure, put the goggles on, and capture every moment along the icy way. There is a new concept in the world of snow goggles called ‘electrochromism’ – it implies that the wearer of the goggles is able to switch between lens tints with a simple button click. This is exactly what the Electric company did with their Electron goggles. You are not required to carry a separate lens in your bag anymore as the electric pulse does the job for you in a matter of seconds. The three modes included in the goggles lens enable you to ski all day long without worrying about the sunshine going away or clouds forming a storm. This model is also endowed with a near-to-perfect anti-fog and anti-reflective technologies and the highest possible UV protection. The strap of the goggles is 40mm long, giving you the possibility to adjust it depending on the size of your helmet. Not to forget about the comfort – Electric incorporated a contoured triple-layer face foam for your hassle-free skiing trip. There are a few different kinds of lenses that you can choose from in the world of snow goggles. The shape of the lens is going to have an impact on your field of view and the amount of visual distortion that happens around the edges of your goggles. Currently, there are three basic styles of lens shape- cylindrical, spherical, and toric. Cylindrical- Cylindrical lenses are the classic lens shape, they’re recognizable for only curing horizontally around your face, like the visor on a motorcycle helmet. Cylindrical lenses are usually on the cheaper end of the spectrum when compared to the other varieties. The drawbacks are that they are more likely to produce some sort of distortion along the edges of your vision, and are more prone to glare than the more pronounced shapes. Cylindrical lenses are more commonly found on lower volume frames than on other lens shapes. Spherical- Spherical lenses are curved along both the x and the y axis, meaning in non-mathematical terms that they are shaped more like a lens or a dome than a visor. Spherical lenses have set the standard for big, oversized lenses with models like the Oakley Flight Deck taking precedence in recent times. Spherical lenses have two big benefits over cylindrical- they don’t have the same tendency towards glare and distortion due to their shape that more closely mimics the human eye, and they tend to be higher volume allowing for more airflow inside of the goggle themselves Toric- Toric lenses split the difference between spherical and cylindrical lenses. They’re still curved horizontally and vertically, but are much less pronounced and lie flatter, like a cylindrical lens. Toric lenses are the most carefully shaped out of all the options and tend to be more on the expensive side. Toric lenses let you have all the benefits of a spherical lens without taking up as much room. The Anon M4 Toric is the new quintessential example of them, check out our detailed review here. There’s no doubt that opting for a pair of goggles with fixed lenses is much more expensive than an interchangeable frame with some extra lenses. If you’re brand new to winter sports and just need something to get you through your first dozen or so days on the hill, there’s nothing wrong with grabbing a pair of fixed lens goggles. Otherwise, I would highly recommend investing in goggles with interchangeable lenses. Interchangeable lenses give you the distinct advantage of being able to choose a lens appropriate for the conditions of the day. You can use high light lenses on sunny bluebird days, and low-light lenses when there’s variable light. You can also buy replacement lenses in case you scratch or break your favorite pair. One of the biggest features that a solid pair of goggles can have is a good ventilation system. Generally speaking, the more vents the better, and you can stack the benefits of a good ventilation system with a ventilated helmet such as any option from the Smith line (see our helmet guide for a look at stack flow compatible helmets such as the Smith Quantum.) Goggles oftentimes have other features such as a waterproof treatment on the inside of the lens, and moisture-wicking foam layered around the frame. The highest-quality options will have micro laser-etched grooves to shunt moisture towards the outside of the goggles. As always, it’s important to remember that you should always let the inside of your goggles air dry, and when necessary, wipe down the outside of your goggles with the included goggle bag. In the world of goggles, you have some variety not just with the type of lenses, but in the frame size and style as well. To sum it up, large frame goggles are going to be higher-volume on the inside and less prone to fogging up. But, they won’t fit every face as well and some people might not like the look to find them uncomfortable Within the different sizes, you have goggles with a full frame and frameless designs. Frameless goggles have a sleek, fighter pilot look to them, they have the added benefit of giving you a little wider field of view. Full frame goggles limit your vision but typically are more robustly constructed. Did you find this guide useful? If so, let us know which goggles you’ll be buying for yourself this upcoming season in the comment section below. While there are many different types of ski goggles for different types of ski terrain, this list of the best models won’t stray far from anyone else. Not all goggles are going to work as effectively in different conditions. It pays to have a couple of options so you don’t end up blind in a whiteout, or painfully squinting into the sun. The color of your lens is going to have a lot to do with the conditions you’re skiing in- darker hues and colors are reserved for sunny situations, while lighter, clearer lenses are more suitable for variable light. More important is the VLT. Read these reviews of the best ski goggles more in-depth descriptions. Higher VLT Lenses are: Lower VLT Lenses are: Generally speaking, the best thing that you can do to ensure the longevity of your goggles is to leave them alone. But, we here at DIVEIN.com understand that sometimes you need to clear debris or persistent chunks of ice from them from time to time. Luckily everything you need for goggle maintenance is included with your goggles. Steps for cleaning the outside of your goggles: To clean the inside of your goggles: I’m a big believer in getting all you can out of your gear, repair and reuse whenever possible. Unfortunately, the lens of ski goggles is just one of those things where the only real fix is to replace it. Your best bet is to have spare lenses and to take every preventative step you can to keep them in working condition. How to keep your goggles from getting scratched: Many of the best ski goggles these days have interchangeable lenses, which can mitigate the tragedy of scratched lenses.
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Ski Goggles Buyer’s Guide
Lense Types and Field of View
Interchangeable versus Fixed Lenses
Ventilation and Fog Mitigation
Frame Size and Style
FAQ – Frequently asked questions about ski goggles
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I’m looking at purchasing my first pair of goggles, but am struggling to find reliable reviews for some brands. This is a very well documented list, but the goggles I’m looking at are not on it.
What are the thoughts/recommendations regarding Chimi goggles.
Thank you!
These ski goggles, the ones you named, are pretty stylish. I’d be remiss not to mention that while they’re designed in Sweden, I can’t see where they’re made and therefore can’t attest to their quality or what experience they might offer. Without having them in my hands I can’t tell you about the quality of the foam, how the insulation will keep the lenses from fogging up, etc. I’d be a little nervous that they are fashion-first, quality second, but–again–I don’t know without trying them. I’ll see if I can get my hands on some and then add it to this review.
Hi, I have a small face. What are the best goggles for narrow faces please?