As one who wears eyeglasses at all times, including on the slopes, I can really appreciate this article. I was a big fan and advocate of Smith's Turbo Fan goggles, as it was a great, if imperfect solution. The electronics were fairly delicate and Smith saw an inordinate number of warranty claims as a result. I somehow doubt that it will be reintroduced, but who knows. It's understood that this blog is dedicated to snowboarding, but the market for goggles is shared with skiers, and that's important here -- with the market for goggles intended for eyeglass users fairly limited to begin with (remember that many of those requiring corrective lenses use contacts), adding skiers to the equations boots the demand for such solutions.
I'm happy to report that there is a solution, however unpopular it may be in terms of style -- probably more so among snowboarders -- and that is visor goggles. Visor goggles fit over eyeglasses better than any goggles allowing ample room, resulting in less fogging of the visor or the eyeglasses. If fit properly, there will be just a small gap between the cheek and visor -- one that allows airflow to reduce fogging, yet doesn't have direct wind coming in to the face and eyes, so there's no discomfort even in cold temperatures. As an added bonus, peripheral vision is better than any traditional goggles -- a big win for eyeglass wearers.
From my own experience, the brand offering the best helmet/visor solution for eyeglass wearers has been Atomic -- another potentially unpopular observation, given that it's a ski-centric brand. The visor works great, fits great thanks to appropriate adjustability and the lens quality is as excellent as the best goggles out there. Choose a photochromatic lens and the one visor lens will serve all conditions unbelievably well.
As one who wears eyeglasses at all times, including on the slopes, I can really appreciate this article. I was a big fan and advocate of Smith's Turbo Fan goggles, as it was a great, if imperfect solution. The electronics were fairly delicate and Smith saw an inordinate number of warranty claims as a result. I somehow doubt that it will be reintroduced, but who knows. It's understood that this blog is dedicated to snowboarding, but the market for goggles is shared with skiers, and that's important here -- with the market for goggles intended for eyeglass users fairly limited to begin with (remember that many of those requiring corrective lenses use contacts), adding skiers to the equations boots the demand for such solutions.
I'm happy to report that there is a solution, however unpopular it may be in terms of style -- probably more so among snowboarders -- and that is visor goggles. Visor goggles fit over eyeglasses better than any goggles allowing ample room, resulting in less fogging of the visor or the eyeglasses. If fit properly, there will be just a small gap between the cheek and visor -- one that allows airflow to reduce fogging, yet doesn't have direct wind coming in to the face and eyes, so there's no discomfort even in cold temperatures. As an added bonus, peripheral vision is better than any traditional goggles -- a big win for eyeglass wearers.
From my own experience, the brand offering the best helmet/visor solution for eyeglass wearers has been Atomic -- another potentially unpopular observation, given that it's a ski-centric brand. The visor works great, fits great thanks to appropriate adjustability and the lens quality is as excellent as the best goggles out there. Choose a photochromatic lens and the one visor lens will serve all conditions unbelievably well.