Last Updated on October 26, 2022 by grubdunkman

Whether you are a seasoned skier or a novice, buying a ski mask is always a delicate and very important step for skiers. The parameters to take into account are multiple and depend on the place where you will go skiing. We have grouped and analyzed these parameters. With this guide you can not only choose the right goggle, but also be sure that your choice matches your budget. As an added bonus, we have listed some of the best goggle brands available on the Canadian market that offer great value for money. 

The essential qualities of ski goggles that we will take a look at:

1. Quality of Vision
2. Tint of the Lens
3. Quality of the Lens
4. Shape of the Screen
5. Comfort
6. Size

Quality of Vision

One of the first actions of your ski goggle is to protect you against the inconvenience of UV rays. In the mountains, the light is very strong. The higher we are, the thinner the layer of atmosphere. This makes it less likely that the rays will be absorbed, as their intensity increases by 10 to 12% for every 1000 meters you climb.  In order to avoid photokeratitis, commonly known as snow ophthalmia, and burns to your corneas and conjunctiva, which re the parts of an eye, choosing the right goggle with the right protection is important. 

There are several categories of screens when it comes to UV protection. 

• Category 0 screens, which allow 80% of light to pass through, are equipped with non-tinted lenses. They are recommended for night-time trips.
• Category 1 screens, which filter out between 20 and 57% of light, are equipped with lenses with an intermediate tint. They are practical when the weather is bad enough (wind, fog, rain). You will use them when the luminosity is quite low.
• Category 2 screens which filter light between 57 and 82%, they are equipped with clear tint lenses. Ideal when the weather is fickle and fluctuates between sun and cloud. The perfect screens when the sun is low.
• Category 3 screens, which filter out between 82 and 92% of the light, are fitted with dark tinted lenses. This is the default category, the screens here are perfect for skiing n sunny weather.
• Category 4 screens which filter out more than 92% of the light, they have very dark tinted lenses. They are ideal for high altitude skiing and are only used for that purpose.

Tint of the Lens

This criterion essentially improves your perception of the different variations in terrain and maximizes the brightness of the area. There are about five different tints: yellow, pink, orange, grey and brown.

In case of fog, yellow, pink and orange are the most appropriate. Yellow, on the other hand, is a little less safe because in sunlight you risk glare. 

Grey and brown shades are therefore used when the sun is shining. Brown is very relaxing and grey is more neutral, it gives a more natural look to the area.

A new addition to the family is mirror glasses. These reflect the sun’s rays to minimize the effect of glare. 

There is also a special technology allows the same lens to take on different tints. This is known as a “photochromic screen”. These change tint when the weather changes. Beware! The change is not immediate, so you will have to wait a few minutes to notice it.  Unfortunately, although they are all terrain, they are not as good as the top of the range single category screens. Some photochromic models are thermo-dependent and therefore do not adapt as well when the temperature drops.

Quality of the Lens

This is where you need to know what your glass is made of. This information will tell you about the strength and preservation methods of your goggle. Currently there are three main materials: mineral, organic and NXT glass.

Mineral glass is the first material used. Resulting from the fusion of sand, its optical attributes are most exceptional, it has a low chromatic dispersion. It is also the least scratchable, one can even say that it does not scratch. Its drawback is that it is quite fragile and heavy.

Organic glass or polycarbonate takes over from mineral glass. It is more common than mineral glass. It is a synthetic plastic material that is exceptionally resistant to shocks. In addition, it can be tinted to any color. Unfortunately, it is very prone to scratches.

NXT glass is a combination of the best attributes of mineral glass and organic glass. It is made from Trivex and the result is just amazing. The images are as clear as mineral glass, it is unbreakable. With all this it is still very light, less than 14% heavy compared to organic glass.

Shape of Screen

When we generally talk about shape, it is more about aesthetics, but it is still very important to choose the one that will be the most suitable.  The choice is not very wide, there are just two: cylindrical screens and spherical screens.

Cylindrical screens follow the shape of your face because they are curved in two dimensions. They are quite flat and therefore distort the image less but offer a slightly smaller field of view. They are very popular with downhill skiers as they need a smaller field of view. They are also less expensive.

Spherical screens, unlike cylindrical ones, follow the shape of the retina. This requires them to be curved in three dimensions. The result is a much wider field of vision. Freeriders love them. They help to get a better grasp of the terrain and guarantee the ski runs. Sometimes, very rarely, the curvature induces a prismatic effect that deflects the sun’s rays, resulting in a shifted perception of the image that leads to visual fatigue. This concerns mainly the wearers of progressive glasses. Obviously, they are more expensive. 

As an extra, for wearers of optical glasses there are OTG (over the glasses) goggles. With these goggles you can slide your glasses inside the ski mask. Very comfortable for your corrective glasses thanks to a foam cut-out at the temples.

Comfort

 This parameter involves several other very important data such as: 

• The foam. For the comfort it needs to be thick. There are single, double and triple density foams. Obviously the thicker the foam, the better. The thicker it is, the better the shock absorption. You should also pay attention to the quality of the fabric that will be in contact with your skin so that you are not irritated by it. Finally, make sure that the foam perfectly fits the shape of your face, this will guarantee maximum protection.
  
• Ventilation, is essential if you want to avoid or limit fogging inside the goggle. So, every goggles should ensure that it has excellent air circulation. The type of ventilation, however, depends very much on the brand as each brand has its own technology.
  
  Smith’s Turbo Fan technology uses two-speed electronic micro-fans. The advantage is that you can adjust the intensity of the ventilation according to the weather and your practice. This innovation is perfect for spectacle wearers and was designed with them in mind.
  
  Julbo’s Superflow System technology is much simpler. It consists of shifting the screen according to the situation. There are two options, ON and OFF. In the ON position you just pull the screen forward, it comes off the frame slightly allowing air to seep in. In the OFF position, the screen is pressed against the goggles frame. This setting is used when you are in motion and very agitated, when you are doing a fast descent for example.

• The anti-fog treatment, which is generally done through a set of double screens. Like ventilation, brands have developed their own technologies, however they all revolve around the same principle with a few exceptions. How it happens? The two screens will form a pocket of air that will be a thermal filter between the cold air from outside and the heat that will be released from your face.
  
  The empty space allows the inside of the goggle to be insulated, thus avoiding condensation and the subsequent appearance of fog. The concern is that the double screen creates thermal distortions a little more important than normal. A little tip: don’t put your goggles on your helmet or cap when going up the mountain because the temperature variation creates fogging when you put your helmet back on your face.
  
• The anti-scratch treatment, often neglected but as important as the anti-fog treatment. As with the others, there are different treatments for different brands. For children, the goggles have frames that extend forward, which protect by limiting the amount of contact with the ground.
  
  Another tip is not to wipe your screen with aggressive textiles. Microfiber wipes are suitable and designed for cleaning. Only wipe them from the outside, to preserve the anti-fog system. If you find that there is snow on the inside, let it dry in the open air.

Size

This is just a reminder. It is logical that for a better experience the goggle should be more comfortable and well adapted to your facial morphology. You should avoid being compressed at the temples so as not to reduce your field of vision. For this purpose, there are special goggles for every body type, thin faces, wide faces and children.

We have grouped together a few brands that are excellent in terms of value for money. Logically, the budget remains the key parameter. So it’s up to you to decide whether you are ready to buy the goggle of your choice, thanks to this little compendium which takes into account the brand, the activity, the price and possibly a website where you can buy it.

Our list of ski goggles available in Canada 2022

Our choice of list groups the brands so that there are some that are specific to activities, gender and age.

Oakley Flight Tracker L Goggles

The model features Prizm Snow – Oakley’s exclusive lens technology that’s engineered to help you see contrast on the mountain in a variety of challenging light and snow conditions. 
Prizm Snow Torch Iridium Lens – Perform best in Sun and Clouds. Inspired by Oakley’s first true oversized snow goggle, Canopy, the new Flight Tracker has a classic, stylized shape, and an oversized full-rim toric design with an optimized field-of-view in all directions

Maverick Hero Unisex Goggle

The ultimate goggle for slalom skiers. The simple rimless design and Toric lens offer a more than perfect field of vision. It has a superb color rendition against the vagaries of the weather and a wide field of vision. This is thanks to its high-end ZEISS optics with SONAR technology. The goggle also has dual density foam and a hinged strap that ensures a perfect fit to your face. The goggle comes with three lenses, one for night skiing, one for cloudy skiing and one for all-round use. Finally, this goggle is modern and very stylish.

Salomon LO FI Sigma Ski Goggle 

Suitable for M and L size faces, this goggle is a high-performance ski mask. Its screen is cylindrical and has a curved surface, giving an improved peripheral vision. You can change the screen according to the weather and wear it over your corrective glasses. 

Sweet Clockwork Max RIG Reflect Ski Goggle

The RIG Reflect ski mask has an organic double lens that provides perfect UV protection and excellent impact resistance.  Its Super Oleophobic and Super Hydrophobic coating leaves no chance for water to touch your lens. Its anti-fogging technology is impeccable. Your vision will be perfect and unbiased thanks to the RIG technology (Retina Illumination Grading) which will also save you from eye strain. Excellent for faces of size s and eventually.

Spiral Unisex Alpine Ski and Snowboard Goggle 

All-round visibility guaranteed!  This goggle offers wide vision, ensuring magical skiing experiences in all its forms. Its double cylindrical lens reduces the risk of fogging and integrates perfectly with your corrective glasses. The lens has a sleek and discreet design. Its medium s2 tint provides reliable vision.

Revent Stereo OTG Ski Mask

Suitable for women’s faces, we can’t say enough about its optical system. Perfect clarity in any situation, to say the least.  It is OTG, so our ladies with vision problems will be delighted. The Atomic Fusion Double Lens (FDL) system is quite atypical as the two layers are glued together. The field of view is up to 20% wider, all without reflections or fogging. A perfect stereo multi-layer coating protects against glare and protects against eye fatigue by adding contrast. The lens is cylindrical and followed by a wide frame. 

Raffish Hero Kids Goggle 

Perfect for our budding skiers. The age range is 6 to 12 years. Nice clear and wide vision. The fit is effortless, no need to make it difficult for our champions. The ventilation is integrated and the anti-fog coating is excellent thanks to the Air Evac technology. It also has 3 interchangeable lenses (clear, yellow and silver mirror) to match specific light conditions.

Count Jr HD RS Goggle

Another nugget for our little ones. The goggle has a spherical lens, a large field of vision and a frame that is perfectly adapted to children’s faces. Two spare lenses are offered, one of which is suitable for night-time trips.

Smith Skyline

The Skyline with its rimless design, maximizes your field of view, while providing superior helmet integration. The oversized spherical lens has substantial peripheral vision and is enhanced with Fog-X anti-fog coating for fog free vision. Fine tune your kit with additional or replacement goggle lenses for sunny conditions, variable conditions, and cloudy conditions.

Airis Sonar Women’s Alpine Ski and Snowboard Goggle 

This brand needs no introduction and is a sure bet for the ladies. The double spherical screen prevents any possible optical deformation and acts as an anti-fogging system. The double spherical screen prevents any possible optical distortion and acts as an anti-fogging system. The fit is more than comfortable and reliable thanks to its dual-intensity foam. Finally, ladies, you will be able to ski in all conditions thanks to its category 2 screen.

Now you are ready to buy the ski goggles that will delight you. Men, women and children, there are indications for all. You are now ready to hit the slopes!