The Best Ski and Snowboard Goggles: A Comprehensive Guide

Snow goggles are a cornerstone piece of gear for any skier and snowboarder. The best goggles help you see clearly, fit comfortably, look good, and last for several seasons if cared for properly. With a dizzying array of new goggles to choose from, it's essential to consider key characteristics when making your eyewear choice.

These include lens quality, ventilation, breathability, comfort, ease of changing lenses, durability, and style. How important each metric is to you depends on your preferences and the intended use. Fortunately, this review includes options for the casual skier and the 100-day-a-year veteran, across various price points.

Our team scours the internet throughout the year to stay current on the latest products and technological advances. When autumn rolls around, they spend hours researching the best new models to add to this review to provide the most well-rounded and up-to-date reviews. Our testers took to the snow after selecting and buying the best new competitors. We extensively tested each model and frequently swapped between different pairs for genuine back-to-back comparisons. We also called upon our friends of all genders to check each model's fit and comfort on faces of different shapes and sizes.

From the expansive Sierra Nevada and Teton backcountry to the resorts above and around Lake Tahoe, we strived to identify each model's optical accuracy, comfort, and ventilation capacity. This quest has led out into the blaring sun, pouring rain, and dumping snow.

This review is brought to you by a team of gear-hungry testers with several decades of experience researching and testing. Review author Jeremy Benson is a former sponsored big mountain and backcountry ski athlete. He has lived in the Lake Tahoe area for more than 20 winters, where he's skied between 100-150 days each season. Another veteran ski reviewer, Jason Cronk, is an experienced and active athlete. He has been skiing for over 25 years, with experience worldwide. The third member of our expert team is Isaac Laredo, a mountain athlete and guide based in the Sierra Nevada.

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Your choice of ski goggles will depend on your budget, the climate, and how often you plan to use them. Some, like the Smith Squad ChromaPop, Glade Adapt 2, or the Giro Roam, are low-cost options that meet or exceed the basic needs of a goggle. At the same time, models like the top choice Smith 4D Mag, feature toric lenses and high-quality optics in all conditions and come at a premium price. Top-tier ski goggles are best suited for committed skiers and riders who don't mind spending the extra money for an enhanced visual experience.

Entry-level models such as the Smith Blazer and Wildhorn Roca fit the needs of fair-weather skiers, who find themselves out less than 10 days a year. They provide adequate weather and UV protection but lack optical enhancements and a low-light lens for storm skiing.

Key Considerations When Choosing Ski Goggles

When it comes to selecting the right ski or snowboard goggles, several factors can significantly impact your experience on the slopes. From lens quality to comfort and ventilation, understanding these elements will help you make an informed decision.

• Lens Quality and Optical Accuracy: Lens quality and optical accuracy are the most important performance-based aspects for most skiers and riders. The quality of your goggle lens directly impacts your safety and ability to enjoy riding in marginal lighting conditions. Companies have recognized this as one of the most important aspects of goggles, and they now offer high-quality lenses across many price points.
  From the most expensive models like the Smith 4D Mag and Anon M4 to the more budget-friendly options like the Anon Helix 2.0 or Smith Squad ChromaPop, today's lenses provide a crisp, clear view with little to no distortion while also protecting the eyes from bright sunlight and UV rays. Beyond that, today's goggles enhance the contrast in low light conditions, which increases skiers' and riders' safety because of the added definition on the snow surface.
• Lens Shapes: Lenses come in various shapes, like cylindrical, spherical, and toric. Premium goggles feature proprietary optical enhancement technology to improve the visual experience. These lens technologies are all intended to do roughly the same thing: increase contrast, enhance definition, and generally make you see the world around you more clearly, especially in challenging light conditions.
• Lens Technology: Premium goggles feature proprietary optical enhancement technology to improve the visual experience. These lens technologies are all intended to do roughly the same thing: increase contrast, enhance definition, and generally make you see the world around you more clearly, especially in challenging light conditions.
  The Giro Contour and Shred Simplify+ provide excellent visual enhancements that boost the contrast and give you a better view of changes in the terrain and snow quality. Based on our visual assessments the aforementioned models, along with the Smith 4D Mag, Anon M4 Toric, Smith I/O Mag, Julbo Cyrius, Spy Marauder, and Oakley Flight Deck M, are optically the best goggles in this review. The Giro Contour and Smith 4D Mag offered true color accuracy and enhancements which provided an excellent visual experience.
• Photochromatic Lenses: Some lenses even adapt to your current light conditions by adjusting tint for varying environments, whether you're skiing in the midday sun or pre-sunset dusk. These photochromic lenses are convenient, as you rarely have to change the lens. The Julbo Cyrius and Glade Adapt 2 have wide photochromatic ranges and are offered in many lens types. Both models can be one lens for any condition with the right preliminary lens selection. The Zeal Beacon offers the benefit of photochromatic lenses but the VLT (20%-38%) is too narrow to be a one lens for any condition model.
• Comfort: The comfort of your goggles greatly influences the quality of your day, they can either seamlessly blend into your experience or contribute to headaches. Several factors come into play here: goggle shape and size in relation to the wearer's facial size, structure, and nose shape. A goggle's frame material and flexibility, padding material, and strap comfort are also important considerations when making your goggle selection.

Our eyewear is a foundational component to allow us to perform our best in all kinds of lighting conditions.

A goggle lineup waiting for action at Carson Pass, CA.

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Top Ski and Snowboard Goggle Recommendations

Based on our extensive testing and analysis, here are some of the top ski and snowboard goggles available:

Atomic Revent Q HD Snow Goggles

• Lens Quality: 9.0
• Comfort: 8.0
• Ventilation and Breathability: 8.0
• Ease of Changing Lenses: 8.0
• Durability: 8.0
• Style: 8.0

The premium optics and a roomy fit impressed our testers, who gave them top honors after riding in freezing rain, sunshine and cloudy days. Every goggle comes with two lenses-one for low light, one for sunny conditions-and both feature contrast-boosting HD tech as well as standard anti-fog and anti-scratch treatments. These lenses are toric, so they’re curved horizontally and vertically though less brow to cheek than ear to ear.

Pros:

• Travel-ready with a lightweight, EVA-molded foam case.
• Incredible color and clarity with no distortion.
• Easy lens swap with locking mechanisms and magnets.

Cons:

• Magnets can pop free accidentally creating a gap between the lens and frame when squeezing the goggles.

The Atomic Revent Q HD delivers excellent optical clarity and contrast, solid lens interchangeability and undeniable style.

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Smith 4D MAG ChromaPop Snow Goggles

• Lens Quality: 9.0
• Comfort: 9.0
• Ventilation and Breathability: 7.0
• Ease of Changing Lenses: 8.0
• Durability: 9.0
• Style: 7.0

The Smith 4D Mag is a standout pair of goggles that delivers top-notch performance across the board. Smith, with over 50 years of eyewear expertise, has poured its know-how into this model. The 4D Mag upholds Smith's legacy of innovation with a distinctive curved bottom lens edge that expands your field of vision-a feature you won't find elsewhere. It boasts premium optics, a flexible frame, and a medium fit that suits most skiers and riders. Plus, it's got style and toughness to spare.

Pros:

• Easy lens-swapping
• Fantastic optics
• Comfortable and stylish
• Frame flexes and conforms to face shape

Cons:

• Expensive
• Heavy for ski touring
• Distorted vision in the lower lens

The Smith Mag 4D is a comfortable, optically enhanced goggle that can easily change lenses.

Smith Preview ChromaPop Snow Goggles

• Lens Quality: N/A
• Comfort: N/A
• Ventilation and Breathability: N/A
• Ease of Changing Lenses: N/A
• Durability: N/A
• Style: N/A

The Smith’s new Preview ChromaPop snow goggles as the more affordable little brother of the popular 4D Mag. Like the 4D Mag, the Preview uses the brand’s proprietary BirdsEye Vision technology which curves the lens downward and toward your face so you get a clearer view below and to the sides.

Pros:

• Versatile mid-range lens
• Prime peripherals once you get used to BirdsEye Vision
• Comfortable fit

Cons:

• Swapping lenses is a time-consuming process

The Preview is a simple, stylish goggle for skiers and riders who want Smith’s peripheral-boosting BirdsEye Vision technology but can’t justify splurging on the 4D Mag.

goodr Apres All Day Snow Goggles

• Lens Quality: N/A
• Comfort: N/A
• Ventilation and Breathability: N/A
• Ease of Changing Lenses: N/A
• Durability: N/A
• Style: N/A

Ski goggles aren’t just expensive-they’re also notoriously easy to scratch, damage or lose. If you’re constantly scratching expensive lenses, losing goggles on powder day yard sales or just looking to save up for exorbitantly priced burgers at the base lodge, these Goodr snow goggles offer incredible value at just $75 a pop.

Pros:

• Magnetic lens interchangeability system
• Protective zippered case with a microfiber bag that doubles as a goggle wipe

Cons:

• Budget goggles just can’t beat the contrast, clarity and crispness of higher-end lenses
• Magnetic lens system is flimsier and less secure relative to others tested

For budget-conscious boarders and skiers or casual resort goers, the Goodr snow goggles are as awesome as they are affordable.

Anon M4 Toric Goggle

• Lens Quality: 9.0
• Comfort: 8.0
• Ventilation and Breathability: 7.0
• Ease of Changing Lenses: 9.0
• Durability: 8.0
• Style: 8.0

The Anon M4 Toric goggle is outstanding, and the performance scores reflect that. The M4 has the most effortless lens-swapping capabilities, featuring secure magnetic attachments that allow the lenses to be interchanged in seconds. Along with the extra lens, Anon ships these goggles with a face covering with magnets inside, allowing them to snap into and stay in place quickly. The lenses are built to last, and their quality leaves nothing to be desired.

Pros:

• Easiest lens swapping
• Excellent optics
• Best performance for those with large faces
• Includes a magnetic buff

Cons:

• Price
• Not for smaller faces

Ultimately, the Anon M4 is exceptional and our top recommendation for folks looking for a genuinely large goggle.

Julbo Cyrius

• Lens Quality: 9.0
• Comfort: 8.0
• Ventilation and Breathability: 8.0
• Ease of Changing Lenses: 8.0
• Durability: 8.0
• Style: 8.0

The Julbo Cyrius is a true one-lens wonder. This model is offered in seven different photochromatic lenses. The largest split is category 0 to category 4, which is approximately 8% to 83% VLT. We used these goggles in every condition, from bluebird to snowglobe-like blizzards, and we always had the right lens. Julbo offers the widest photochromatic range with fast transition times not influenced by temperature. The lens also effectively enhances the snow surface's color, contrast, and definition.

Pros:

• Wide photochromatic range
• Large field of view
• Good ventilation

Cons:

• Price

This product is for those looking for superior photochromatic performance in any condition.

Glade Adapt 2

• Lens Quality: 8.0
• Comfort: 8.0
• Ventilation and Breathability: 8.0
• Ease of Changing Lenses: 8.0
• Durability: 8.0
• Style: 7.0

The Glade Adapt 2 offers great value with its impressive lens tech, top optical quality, and superb ventilation. Its six lens options adapt to all weather-sunny or stormy-and rival premium brands at a lower price. The lens adjusts quickly, enhancing color and snow contrast. It resists fogging well, even on tough climbs.

Pros:

• Photochromatic lens
• Great price
• Excellent ventilation
• High optical quality

Cons:

• Low light surface definition lacks

The Adapt is perfect for riders looking for a budget-friendly photochromatic goggle. The photochromatic lens of the Glade Adapt 2 was quick to transition to the ideal lens tint.

Smith Squad ChromaPop

• Lens Quality: 7.0
• Comfort: 7.0
• Ventilation and Breathability: 6.0
• Ease of Changing Lenses: 4.0
• Durability: 8.0
• Style: 7.0

The Smith Squad ChromaPop offers strong performance at a budget-friendly price. It includes two quality lenses-one ChromaPop for bright light and a yellow one for low light-outshining pricier options. The cylindrical lenses deliver crisp, clear mountain views. Well-ventilated, it works for resort or backcountry use.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Sturdy
• Two lenses included
• Lightweight

Cons:

• More difficult lens change

For top value, the Squad shines.

Comparative Table

Here's a comparison of the key features of the recommended ski goggles:

Goggle Model	Lens Quality	Comfort	Ventilation	Lens Change	Durability	Style	Number of Lenses
Atomic Revent Q HD	9.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	2
Smith 4D MAG	9.0	9.0	7.0	8.0	9.0	7.0	2
Smith Preview ChromaPop	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	1
goodr Apres All Day	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	2
Anon M4 Toric	9.0	8.0	7.0	9.0	8.0	8.0	2
Julbo Cyrius	9.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	1
Glade Adapt 2	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	8.0	7.0	1
Smith Squad ChromaPop	7.0	7.0	6.0	4.0	8.0	7.0	2

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