HOW CAN YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT SKI GOGGLES?
The right ski goggles are essential to allow you to fully enjoy every moment on the slopes. Far more than a fashion accessory or sun protection similar to sunglasses, ski goggles help you to make the most of sunny days as well as cloudier skies. A wide range of options are available to suit all conditions and every budget. Follow our expert advice to find the perfect goggles for YOU!
To ensure you're fully kitted out and to enjoy maximum comfort and safety on the slopes, don't forget to choose the right ski helmet!
To choose the right ski goggles, you need to consider two main criteria: optical quality and comfort.
To navigate your way through all the technical features, it is a good idea to find out more about the different components of ski goggles. Goggles consist of the following parts: lens, vents, frame, strap, foam and hinges.
1_ FOAM
The density and quality of the foam are important factors to consider. Featuring single, double or triple-density foam, Rossignol goggles stay securely in place and feel comfortable to wear thanks to the very soft fleece covering.
2_ FOG CONTROL
An anti-fog coating is applied to the lens with the aim of guaranteeing the best possible visibility in all conditions.
3_ STRAP
To help goggles stay in place over a helmet, some goggle straps are coated in silicone.
4_ LENS SHAPE
provide both horizontal and vertical curvature, extending the lateral field of vision while optimising the overall size of the goggles. Rossignol and Zeiss have pooled their expertise to develop a toric lens offering a very wide field of vision, optical performance and maximum comfort while retaining compact goggle dimensions to ensure a perfect fit with a helmet.
provide both horizontal and vertical curvature, following the shape of the retina. This technological effect reduces optical distortion to a minimum.
provide solely horizontal goggle curvature. This gives them a larger field of vision and therefore improved comfort on descents.
5_ LENS TECHNOLOGY
ROSSIGNOL works with the optical expert ZEISS to develop high-performance, technical goggles that help you to ski in all conditions.
ZEISS' Sonar technology emphasises contrasts by significantly improving details and the perception of snow depth. This provides clearer visibility of shadows, textures, bumps, changing terrain and potential hazards.
This cutting-edge technology allows you to ski in constantly changing conditions and anticipate risks more effectively to improve your safety and performance.
How to choose the right optical quality for your ski goggles
Whether you're an occasional or more regular skier, the weather is a factor none of us can control (luckily!). So you need to choose your goggles depending on the outside environment. There are goggles for every type of weather condition, as well as those that adapt to changing light to avoid having to purchase lots of different goggles or lenses.
1. Choosing the right category of sun protection
All goggles guarantee 100% protection from UV (ultraviolet) rays. On the other hand, visible light transmission (VLT) is a factor that differs from one lens to another, to avoid glare or poor visibility.
Here are the 4 types of lens:
- S0 lens for night: 80-100%
- S1 lens for cloudy days: 43-80%
- S2 lens for mixed weather: 18-43%
- S3 lens for sunny days: 8-18%
Colour
In low light conditions (falling snow or fog), choose a yellow, orange or pink lens which tends to emphasise contrasts.
In bright light, opt for a dark coloured lens for better protection of your eyes.
Type of lens
To reduce glare from the reflection of the sun's rays on snow or ice, optical experts have developed polarised lenses. In the same vein, ZEISS has designed the Sonar Lens technology which emphasises contrasts by significantly improving details and the perception of snow depth. These cutting-edge technologies therefore allow you to ski in constantly changing conditions and anticipate risks more effectively.
_ GOGGLES WITH THE ZEISS SONAR LENS TECHNOLOGY
To avoid having to buy several different goggles, you can also choose a pair of goggles supplied with interchangeable lenses and choose your lens according to the weather.
EXPERT ADVICE
Marine Cessans,Technical Equipment Specialist
« To derive maximum pleasure from a day on the slopes, you need to choose the right goggles: so comfortable you forget you're wearing them and tailored to the weather to ensure ideal visual comfort. So, in my opinion, the ideal option is to have one pair of goggles with different lenses that you can easily swap over depending on the weather.
Remember to make sure your goggles align snugly with your helmet to avoid any unpleasant draughts.
And finally, choose a pair of goggles that appeal to your taste in terms of colour and shape – for a stylish look out on the slopes! »
_ GOGGLES WITH INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES
Finally, goggles with a photochromic lens have pigments that adapt to the external light conditions to ensure good vision in cloudy, mixed or sunny weather! They provide an ideal compromise between ease of use and vision quality.
_ GOGGLES WITH THE ZEISS PHOTOCHROMIC LENS TECHNOLOGY
2. Choose lenses that prevent fogging
Goggles with a single lens have an anti-fog treatment on the inner surface of the lens. This technology is very effective provided you don’t wipe the inside of your goggles.
Ski goggles with double lenses help to prevent fogging permanently. This is due to an insulating layer of air between the two lenses which prevents the formation of fog inside the goggles, allowing you to ski in comfort and safety all day long.
Good ventilation inside the goggles also helps to prevent any difference in temperature with the outside, which reduces the risk of condensation and thus fog.
All ROSSIGNOL lenses have been treated with the FOG CONTROL technology
3. Choosing the right lens shape for optimum visual comfort
Ski goggle lenses are cylindrical, spherical or toric.
Cylindrical lenses provide solely horizontal goggle curvature. This ensures a wider field of vision at the sides.
_ GOGGLES WITH CYLINDRICAL LENSES
Spherical lenses provide both horizontal and vertical curvature, following the shape of the retina. This construction helps to guarantee a wide field of vision both horizontally and vertically and to reduce optical distortion.
_ GOGGLES WITH SPHERICAL LENSES
Finally, the toric lens looks similar to the spherical lens but it has different lateral and horizontal curvatures. This further increases the lateral field of vision and avoids optical distortion as far as possible.
_ GOGGLES WITH TORIC LENSES
How to choose comfortable ski goggles
Now that you know all about the different types of lenses, it's time to consider the comfort of your goggles, determined by the foam, strap and hinges.
First of all, it is important to choose goggles with a shape and size that match your face. Obviously, the lens needs to cover all of your eye.
Strap
Ski goggles must not pinch around your nose. Make sure you adjust the strap correctly to ensure it’s not too tight.
Some straps have silicone inserts to keep the goggles firmly in place on the helmet.
Foam
The density and quality of the foam are important factors to consider. For added comfort, opt for double-density foam incorporating a very soft fleece covering. Triple-density foam, with two thicknesses of foam and a fleece covering, will provide better support.
Simple Density
Double Density
Triple Density
Hinges
A hinge type fastening allows the goggles to adapt to the shape of your head to ensure a comfortable and storm-resistant interface with the helmet.
Now that you know how to tailor your goggles to the weather, your face and your requirements, you're ready to enjoy the snow, in complete safety and absolute comfort. However, if you want personalised advice, simply call in at one of our stores or contact our experts online.
