The Best Goggles for Storm Skiing & Riding

Snowstorms offer some of the best skiing and riding but also put a huge strain on your gear. Days where the snow falls heavily and the wind blows constantly tend to scare away the crowds and offer free refills run after run. But getting out there and staying out in a driving storm demands the right gear that stays dry, keeps you warm and helps you negotiate any maelstrom. Gore-Tex outerwear is key, as are the right skis or board, but next on the list of essential gear for skiing or riding in snowstorms are the right goggles.

Read on to learn what makes a great goggle for skiing and riding in snowstorms and to see Julbo's top three storm-day goggles.

VENTILATION, LENSES, CLARITY

WHAT MAKES A GREAT GOGGLE FOR STORM-DAY SKIING?

1) GREAT VENTILATION

Skiing and riding during snowstorms can feel warm even on the blusteriest days, and lifting your goggles onto your helmet for a bit of fresh air is often a recipe to get snow inside. Therefore, it’s essential to wear goggles with superior ventilation to allow moisture and condensation from sweat to escape to maintain clear vision.

Look for goggles with ventilation in the foam at the top and bottom of the frame. All Julbo snow goggles feature such ventilation. Another game-changer in the ventilation game is Julbo’s SuperFlow Pro system, which allows you to pull the lens away quickly and easily from the goggle frame for ventilation and heat regulation. With a glove-friendly design and dual-sided magnetic closure, SuperFlow Pro easily switches open or closed and effortlessly locks the lens to the frame—handy when hiking, in the tramline or gondola or just while waiting for your buds at the bottom of a lap.

SUPERFLOW PRO

2) HIGH-QUALITY LENSES

Several characteristics make certain goggle lenses superior for storm skiing. Choose a goggle with a double lens, which creates a temperature barrier between the inside and outside of the goggle. Be sure the inner lens has an anti-fog treatment—ideally a permanent one—which is a textured surface on the interior of the lens that won’t collect moisture. All Julbo snow goggles have a double-lens design and permanent ant-fog treatment.

Look for a rose or amber tint (also called base color), which enhances contrast in flat light to improve depth perception and the ability to read terrain. Finally, a photochromic lens, which automatically adjusts based on ambient light, is ideal, especially it’s a lens that becomes entirely clear or nearly clear (Cat. 0 or 1). Julbo’s REACTIV 0-4 and 1-3 High Contrast Lenses have rose tints and become clear or nearly clear during dark
and stormy conditions.

REACTIV GOGGLE LENS GUIDE

3) UNOBSTRUCTED VISION

Hoods, high collars and neck gaiters keep the snow and wind at bay on storm days. But they can also contribute to a feeling of claustrophobia that a cumbersome helmet and goggle combination will only exacerbate. Frameless designs and spherical lenses are the key to unobstructed vision. As the name implies, frameless goggles have minimalist, low-profile frames that keep the plastic out of your field of vision. Round-shaped spherical lenses increase your lateral and peripheral vision.

LIGHTYEAR, SKYDOME, CYCLON

JULBO'S THREE BEST GOGGLES FOR STORMY SKIING & RIDING

Best for: ultimate ventilation

LIGHTYEAR

The Lightyear combines the revolutionary SuperFlow Pro anti-fog magnetic ventilation system with a frameless design and an XL-sized REACTIV photochromic lens. The new SuperFlow Pro easily switches open to immediately eliminate fog and prevent moisture buildup, replacing the Aerospace goggle’s hinge system with a glove-friendly design and dual-sided magnetic closure that effortlessly locks the lens to the frame.

SHOP LIGHTYEAR

Best for: Unobstructed vision

SKYDOME

The Skydome knows no limits with its oversized panoramic lens and maximum field of vision. Frameless construction provides visual clarity while the REACTIV photochromic lens adjusts to all conditions and weather. Flexible construction and featherweight spec (135 g) fits any larger face perfectly. The Skydome is a larger version of the Shadow.

SHOP SKYDOME

Best for: Smaller faces

CYCLON

The Cyclon is equipped with a wide, cylindrical lens on a minimalist frame for maximum comfort and a featherweight feel. This frameless goggle is designed to fit and look best with a helmet, with a compact, modern look that offers a wide and unobstructed field of vision. Air Flow ventilation allows you to ski hard without fogging up. The Cyclon is a smaller version of the Cyrius.

SHOP CYCLON