Top 6 Best Goggles For Night Skiing In 2024 (2024)

Night skiing is an exquisite experience that brings plenty of thrill, adrenaline, and a scent of adventure. However, it can also prove to be dangerous and even life-threatening if you don’t use the right equipment.

Some gear is appropriate for both day and night skiing, but you cannot possibly ski at night without suitable eyewear.

People who indulge in these daring sports are more prone to accidents. To minimize the risk of injuries, it is sensible to adopt and apply safety measures.

Considering the risks of adventure sports, companies are manufacturing protective gear such as helmets, goggles, and knee pads.

One of the major protective gear used in skiing is the goggles to protect your eyes from snow and ice and to see where you are going clearly.

Out on the slopes at night, daytime goggles can be futile against low light and night landscape. It is important to switch to night goggles that provide high VLT (visible light transmission) power to give you powerful night vision for safe skiing.

6 Best Goggles For Night Skiing 2024 – Quick Overview

04/07/2024 05:38 am GMT

In this article, we will discuss the best goggles for night skiing, their best features, pros and cons, and what you should consider before investing in a pair of night goggles.

1. WildHorn Outfitters Pipeline Ski Goggles – Best Overall

Among the plethora of night goggles, WildHorn Outfitters Pipeline stands out due to its impeccable and unparalleled field of view. With these advanced goggles, you can see better than ever before.

WildHorn offers you a huge cylindrical lens that widens your field of view, and a flatter, low profile fit helps in broadening your peripheral view so that you get maximum vision. Their custom vent design is curated in a way that reduces fogging, which in turn increases clarity of vision.

WildHorn has incorporated their famous patented Aurora lens technology in these goggles, which are designed to adapt to any weather condition, whether it is cloudy or clear. They provide complete 100% UV protection and have a whopping 11% high VLT under all these conditions.

The Aurora lens technology offers a blend of rare earth magnets and customized lens locks which allows you to prepare for emergencies and swap out lenses in minimum time.

On a moonless, cloudy night, this pair of goggles can help you see over 200 yards away. The goggles are focused on providing a wide vision so if you are someone who likes to ski while having a bigger canvas to navigate through, this one is the pick for you.

We love how it broadens your peripheral view so you can get the luxurious experience of skiing at night without feeling worried about vision issues at this hour.

2. WildHorn Roca Snowboard and Ski Goggles – Runner Up

If there are credits for the best goggles with a changeable lens, it would definitely go to WildHorn Roca Goggles. Being the supplier to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard, one can only expect the best from WildHorn when it comes to supplying skiing gear.

This model comes with a reliable locking magnetic lens that allows you to switch between six rare earth N45 magnets to provide you with excellent optical clarity in various light conditions. An integrated clip locking system enables a quick lens swap in order to provide optimal performance.

The adjustable design comes in many sizes fit for both adults and kids. Adult goggles have a dimension of 7.3x4x3.75in, and junior goggles measure 6.3×3.3×3.4in.

The model offers an adjustable elastic strap that ensures premium fitting and extreme comfort. It is helmet-friendly, and hence you won’t have trouble pairing it with a helmet.

Another exciting feature is the construction of this model. WildHorn Roca is made up of durable and long-lasting thermoplastic urethane polymer material with an anti-slip coating that can withstand severe weather conditions and other traumas.

3. Oakley Flight Deck XM Snow Goggles – Premium Pick

The Oakley Flight Deck XM is a mid-sized that offers an unexpectedly broad field of view that makes it unlikely for you to miss a single target of opportunity.

The performance tests have shown a remarkable 170-degree field of view. Your goggles will start fogging up if you’re not careful, and the reason is simple. Your face (inside the goggles) is warmer than the area outside of the goggles

Oakley Flight Deck XM is resistant to steam and has a remarkable potential to prevent fog from compromising vision. The F3 anti-fog coating is effective in absorbing moisture and eliminating haze.

Goggles are used in skiing so that they don’t make you blind when the air gets foggy. Hence, you need to get yourself a pair of goggles that are laden with anti-fog coatings or solutions.

Industrial anti-fog coatings are also known as optical thin film coatings. The anti-fog coatings are primarily made out of hydrophilic polymers or gels, which maximize the energy on the surface and limit fogging at high or low temperatures.

If you are someone who wants goggles that don’t fog up that easily and disrupt your vision, this one is the right pick for you. Usually, people who ski in relatively humid climates face this issue severely.

The anti-fog coating on this glass ensures that it remains spotless clean and clear without any condensation build-up that impairs visibility. This tech makes the glasses sustainable and eco-friendly.

4. Oakley O-Frame MX Goggles

These premium quality goggles are an all-time winner from Oakley. One of the best features of this model is the whooping high rating of 93% VLT which means that they only block out about 7% of light and hence are great for protecting against glare.

The flexible O-Matter frame offers a broadened peripheral view to ensure you have access to most of your surroundings. Furthermore, the lenses are designed to let the maximum light in so that you can get a clear idea of your environment.

As a rule of thumb, the higher the VLT percentage is, the lighter will be the tint it offers. This pair of goggles allows for more light to travel through the lens that will then hit the eye.

At night, this feature is especially useful since you need as much light as you can get from the minimal sources around you such as streetlights or the moonlight.

The remaining portion of the light is used to prevent the glare of light that reflects from the goggles. In this regard, Oakley O-Frame MX takes the lead in being the goggles with the most effective percentage of VLT.

5. Oakley Line Miner XM Factory Pilot Snow Goggles

Oakley has always prioritized comfort and fit, and this model is no exception. This model is developed with 3D CAD/CAM engineering to provide a perfect fit. A continuous seal is formed to keep the elements, moisture, and sweat off from the face.

The goggles are compatible with a wide range of helmets. Their O-Matter frame sticks to the face and offers great flexibility even in low temperatures.

Oakley has integrated the Prizm technology to maximize contrast between colors by blocking strategic wavelengths in the spectrum. The plutonite lens material is resistant to impact, UV rays, blue rays, and other harmful rays.

Another incorporated technology is HDO which increases clarity and impact resistance. The impact protection requirements meet the ANSI Z87.1 and EN 166 standards. The F3 anti-fog coating eliminates haze and wicks away the moisture.

If you are looking for a pair of glasses that can function the best with great performance on the field, this one won’t disappoint you. You will get the best functionality out there at reasonable prices and have all the ideal features.

You can test every feature this pair of goggles has and it will live up to your expectations. Be it the lens, the helmet compatibility, the safety standards, or the comfort, this model excels at everything.

The triple-layer foam is ideal for wearing for long periods of time due to the comfort it offers. It is also compatible with prescription eyewear. The enhanced color clarity helps detect icy, packed, and powdered surfaces.

6. Electric Visual EGB2s Snow Goggles

The ergonomic frame design is a perfect fit around eyes and nose and sits comfortably on your face. The construction of the frame is by the durable mold-injected thermoplastic polyurethane material. The lens is spherical with mold-injected dual polycarbonate built.

The lens provides 100% UV protection with a super anti-fog and anti-scratch hard coating. The anti-reflective technology minimizes the glare from spotlights and protects the eyes from light reflection through the lens.

This model also features an inner lens pressure valve that eliminates unwanted distortion at high altitudes. The contoured triple-layer face foam form creates a tight seal between the goggle frame and the face.

The transparent lens provides 81% VLT that is ideal for night skiing. The yellow-blue chrome tints of the lens greatly enhance contrast and depth of vision at night.

While they lack the more impressive features of more expensive models, Electric Visual EGB2s have everything essential that you need for night skiing.

They are one of the cheapest night skiing goggles on the market. If you are looking for a pair of goggles that can perform all the relevant functions without costing you an arm and leg, this one is the ideal pick for you. It has all the features that a regular pair of goggles do excluding the luxurious additions that are not necessary.

If you are a fan of night skiing but don’t have the means to do so comfortably due to lack of good gear, get this pair of goggles for around half the price of most goggles to get a superior experience of night skiing. We assure you that you will get the best bang for your buck with the Electric Visual EGB2s goggles.

Key Considerations For Buying Night Skiing Goggles

1. Visible Light Transmission (VLT)

VLT is the amount of light that a lens allows to pass through. In low light conditions such as night, you need goggles with high VLT so that more light passes through the lens at night than at day.

In night skiing, the only light sources in your surroundings are the moonlight and the artificial lights alongside the trail. The brightness of these lights depends on the bulbs and the setting of your adventure.

The real question is, why can’t you use the day goggles for night skiing? At night, your goggles don’t need to block out any light except some to block out the spotlight glare. Hence, you need goggles that offer a high VLT rating, such as 80-100%.

For night skiing, people usually prefer clear or yellow goggles. While clear goggles let the most light in, lightly tinted goggles such as yellow goggles can help appreciate the contrast of your surroundings.

2. Ventilation

Since ski goggles provide a sealed and compact space, it is crucial to ensure that these goggles are well ventilated to release warm air and prevent it from condensing into the fog.

The process of ventilation works by letting the cool air in and warm air out. This creates a favorable balance of temperature and prevents air droplets from condensing into droplets on the inside of the lens.

Goggles can use various approaches to provide ventilation.

Spherical lenses are better at ventilating goggles by providing a broadened field of vision as compared to cylindrical lenses since there is greater room for the air to circulate.

Double-layered lenses take longer to fog as compared to single-layered lenses. They can form a continuous seal which creates a thermal barrier against fogging.

Anti-fog coatings are integrated into most night skiing goggles.

Vents are an excellent way to control fogging and the best placements being the top, sides, and bottom of the goggles. Wider vents generally create better-ventilating airflow than smaller venting holes. However, it may lead to cold faces in extreme temperatures.

In high-end goggles, there may be a small, battery-operated fan to wick off moisture and maintain airflow.

3. Lens Swapping

Changeable lenses are a great feature to have in your goggles if you wish to buy only one pair of goggles for multiple needs in a wide range of light conditions.

You can easily put in your day lenses in the morning and throughout the day and swap them for night vision lenses when you want to ski at night.

4. Lens Shape

The lenses of goggles are usually either spherical or cylindrical. You must know the differences between them and their specific uses before you invest in them.

Cylindrical lenses curve left-to-right across the face and eyes while the lens surface is vertically flat. This flatness can lead to less protection from glare and decreased peripheral vision. They are cheaper.

On the other hand, spherical lenses are similarly curved across the face and eyes, but the lens surface is not flat. Instead, it is curved to provide broader peripheral vision, reduced glare, and less distortion around the edges. Spherical lenses are usually more expensive.

5. Facial Foam

A triple-layered foam can form a seal between the face and the frame of the goggles. This foam can protect you against impact and other elements, along with keeping the skin moisture-free.

The triple-layered foam contains the soft, durable layer near the face, a malleable layer in the middle for perfect molding to the contours of the face, and a stable layer near the frame of the goggles for protection.

6. Fit

Your goggles should fit your face perfectly so that they stay in place and do not slip out during the ride. Most frames are built of polyurethane to maximize flexibility.

You should consider helmet compatibility, padding, and strap adjustments before you buy a pair of goggles.

Other Features

1. UV Protection

Virtually all goggles sold today offer 100% UV protection from all 3 types of ultraviolet rays – UVA, UVB, and UVC. This is an important feature to have because even when it is cloudy, the UV radiations are abundant and keep reflecting off of the snow.

2. Polarized Lenses

Polarized lenses are used to reduce the glare off the spotlights and other sources that are reflecting on the inside of the lens.

Takeaway

Night skiing can be a dangerous sport, and it is crucial to have the appropriate eyewear before you go on a spree. There are a plethora of considerations you should keep in mind before you invest in a pair of night skiing goggles.

These include VLT ratings, ventilation, lens swapping, fit, and so on. Remember that it is important to get a product that fits your needs and that you can get the best value for money. After all, goggles are an essential and important investment for your skiing requirements.