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Shred in style, with help from Sungod, Decathlon and more
Once you’ve jetted off to a snowy spot and made your way up a mountain, the last thing you want on a snow sports or skiing holiday is for your gear to let you down.
From skis, boots and poles to warm, waterproof skiwear and a helmet, there’s no shortage of equipment to think about, either. In this guide, however, I’m bringing you my pick of the best ski goggles, tried and tested for men, women and children.
Snowsports-specific goggles will protect your eyes from glare, cold and blowing snow – they’re a must if you’re heading for the mountains this winter – and there’s a huge range of different styles to choose from.
Keep scrolling for my full round-up of the best ski goggles on the market right now, or flick to the bottom of the page for my comprehensive buyer’s guide.
I tried each goggle in varied weather conditions and on faces of different sizes. I also wore each pair with a helmet, checking for a good fit, and looked for all-day comfort, effective anti-fog performance and good visibility.
Sian Lewis is an award-winning travel and outdoors journalist and has written for IndyBest since 2020. Adept when it comes to assessing outdoor gear, Sian has previously brought readers her verdict on the best luggage, camping gear, hiking gear, and winter sports equipment on the market, including the best snow boots, thermal socks and ski gloves.
Sungod’s snipers are fully customisable when you order them online, enabling you to pick a lens tint from eight options, ranging from 9-38 per cent VLT (visible light transmission), and then play around to find your favourite frame and strap colours. The lenses are also fully interchangeable, clipping in and out of the frame quickly and easily. The lens of the sniper is on the larger side, offering a great field of vision. The strap is comfortable and stays put on a helmet. The snipers are also covered by a lifetime guarantee against breakage and can be returned for repair from anywhere in the world. Overall, a solid investment.
Shopping on a budget for your next snow sports holiday? My top pick for affordability is Tog24’s arosa, which is available with a rosy-tinted cat 2 lens designed for use in low light. On test, this proved decent enough to get you through most of the weather conditions you’d encounter on a first holiday. The arosa punches above its price point, with a comfortable fleece lining around the eyes, a stretchy, comfy strap and an adequate range of vision. I also found them less likely to fog-up than other budget buys, thanks to a double lens treated with an anti-fog coating. While this is a single-lens design, it would still make a great pair of goggles for your first ski trip, or to have in your pack as a handy spare, if you already own a lens aimed for use in bright sunlight.
Keep your cool in Julbo’s quickshift, which offered the best ventilation of all the goggles I tested. Anti-fog coating on the lens and vents keep air flowing and vision clear, even if you’re skiing hard in warm spring conditions. Meanwhile, the frameless design offers a wide field of vision and feels comfortable to wear against the face all day. Choose from red/blue (cat 3) and red/silver (cat 2) lenses – cat 2 is a good all-rounder lens that can tackle most Alpine conditions, if you aren’t going to splash out on interchangeable lenses.
Dope has done a very solid job with these goggles. The lens offers a wide, unimpeded field of vision, and fits over glasses. The lenses are interchangeable and four colourways are available to buy separately – what’s a pity is a spare isn’t included. While looks aren’t everything, they don’t hurt, and I love the design of this pair. I like that the goggles come with a solid zipped carry case, too – great if you often scratch lenses by chucking them in your backpack.
This minimalist style is Izipizi’s all-rounder option for ski goggles aimed at kids. The pair is fitted with a grey cat 3 lens that will offer good visibility in most weather conditions; a foam lining moulds nicely to the face, with no gaps; and there’s enough room for glasses. The downside to this lens design is it doesn’t offer as wide a field of vision as a big spherical lens would, and you can see some of the frame in the corners of your eyes, but it’s an absolutely solid choice for beginner-intermediate children aged four to 10.
These high-performing frameless goggles ticked all the boxes on test. They’re nicely sized to fit most faces and work brilliantly over glasses, with wide vents and anti-fog lenses to keep your vision crystal clear. You get a choice of two lenses when you buy this pair – we tested the green ionised 23 per cent VLT lens, designed for the sun, and the amber 54 per cent VLT lens, which is ideal for snow and low light. Both proved excellent, and between them should have you covered for most alpine conditions. The lenses click on and off quickly and easily, using a lever – this is manageable even when wearing snow mittens. The goggles are lined with thick, fleece-lined foam and sit quite far out from the face, but the benefit is that you get a very comfy fit.
Decathlon’s goggles start from just £9.99 for a simple but effective low-light lens, so, if you’re shopping on a serious budget, start here. My pick of the brand’s snow sports models, however, is this photochromic design. It performs as well as some adaptable lenses I tested that are twice the price, reliably changing tint as weather conditions roll in and out, giving you good visibility in any weather. There’s an adequate field of vision and good anti-fog technology here, too. These goggles are flimsier than more-expensive models but they’re a good pick for your first few ski holidays, and you can choose either a small (aimed at kids) or a large frame.
Shrinking violets need not apply – Bling2o make kids’ goggles in acid-bright designs and with rainbow rhinestones added for good measure. These goggles are great fun for snow-mad little ones, and they perform well, with comfy adjustable straps, a thick foam that sits nicely around the face and lenses with UV protection and anti-fog technology. A hard carry case is handy for keeping these bright beauties in good nick. While these goggles are aimed at children aged three to 16, I’d say they’re too wide for petite toddlers and would recommend them for older kids.
Goggles for winter sports come in a rainbow of different lens colours, for changeable winter weather conditions. As a rule, yellow and pink lenses are best for cloudy days, while darker colours and polarised lenses work well on sunny days. If in doubt, look for the lens VLT (visible light transmission) percentage – the lower the number, the better suited it is to bright sunshine. For example, a VLT of 38 per cent is best for low light and cloudy conditions; 9 per cent is ideal for sunny days out on the snow; and 21 per cent would make a good all-rounder.
You’ll also see lenses split into three categories: cat 1 is lightly tinted for overcast conditions; cat 2 is a good all-rounder and cat 3 is ideal for bright sun. To deal with fast-changing weather conditions, skiers usually either carry two pairs of goggles or one pair that allows for interchangeable lenses, so you can pop a differently tinted lens in quickly, if needed. If you’re only investing in one pair of goggles, it’s worth choosing a pair with changeable lenses, so you’re ready for any conditions.
Most goggle models offer 100 per cent protection from UVA and UVB light as standard. Look for goggles constructed with double lenses (this helps avoid fogging) and those treated with anti-fog and anti-scratch technologies to keep them clear. Check that the strap on the model you buy is easy to adjust and fits snugly over your helmet.
Goggles tend to be unisex, but smaller or female-specific fits are a good shout if you find that regular models feel enormous on your face. If you wear glasses, pick goggles designed to fit over them (sometimes labelled OTG, for ‘over the glasses’).
My pick of the best ski goggles for men and women is Sungod’s snipers. I also really rate Julbo’s quickshift as a one-lens all-rounder. Kids will get on well with Izipizi’s simple style or Bling20’s fun, eye-catching designs, while Tog24 offers the best value for money when it comes to adult goggles.
Want more recommendations? Stay warm on the slopes, with our guide to the best base layers for men and women