Choosing the right goggle lens color can mean the difference between a safe and confident experience on the slopes and a dangerous journey unsuitable for any skier.
Pick the wrong tint, and you could struggle to see rough patches in the snow, which might result in disastrous consequences.
Today, we’ll look at the best snow goggle lens color options for a variety of weather conditions.
We’ll also check out the two major factors in the lens color selection process, as well as some common questions surrounding the said activity.
This should make picking a lens color easier for you and your skiing buddies.
Aside from ski goggle lens color guide, there are several other factors to consider for selecting a snow goggle.
Main Factors for Choosing Lens Color
Lens color selection is heavily dependent on two key factors: Visible Light Transmission (VLT) and Contrast Technology.
To choose the best ski goggle lens color, you must educate yourself thoroughly on these two terms.
Visible Light Transmission (VLT)
Visible Light Transmission is basically the “darkness” of the goggle lens.
It is indicated as a percentage, wherein the lower the number means the darker the lens.
Lenses on the upper figure range are appropriate for dark, overcast days that require the entry of as much light as possible.
Conversely, lenses on the lower end of the spectrum are designed for sunny conditions, as they keep excessive sunlight from getting in.
On days that are bright and clear, the best color lens for skiing is one that is darker and safeguards your eyes from the sunlight’s harsh refractions on the snow.
Dark and cloudy conditions call for lenses that absorb light, which skiers can use to their advantage in these situations.
Then, there are mid-scale tints that can adapt to almost any condition. These are all-around goggles that suit the more adventurous skiers and snowboarders.
Contrast Technology
Every brand of snow goggles is known for its unique contrast technology.
This determines how slowly or quickly you can pick up on the changes in the snow for a safer and more secure experience.
These technologies work similarly to each other.
They employ special dyes that influence the light spectrum to sieve distracting colors while magnifying hues that incite your vision.
As a result, you will notice every single detail necessary and react quicker to the changes in your environment.
Lens technology is categorized into varying levels of light exposure to suit the different skiing or snowboarding conditions you come across.
Best Snow Goggle Lens Color Guide
This ski goggle lens color guide can help select the goggles that work best for the conditions you’re skiing in.
Remember, what works for flat-light conditions is unlikely to suit bright, sunny days.
1. Clear or Transparent Goggle Lenses
In conditions with extremely low light, clear or transparent is generally considered the best ski goggle lens color.
These goggles are also the safest bet for night skiing.
Although clear lenses don’t influence perception of depth or color tones, they are necessary for safeguarding your eyes against the typically harsher night elements.
Some clear ski goggles also come with UV protection, making them suitable for partly cloudy conditions to protect your eyes from invading UV rays.
2. Pink or Rose Goggle Lenses
Pink- or rose-hued lenses are best used during faint to medium light conditions. That means you can use them on days that are semi-cloudy as well as days that are overcast.
They are particularly beneficial for skiing in the early morning or late afternoon.
However, the caveat with this particular lens color is its inability to filter out bright sunlight.
As such, you want to go for more sunlight-refracting hues when skiing on brighter days.
3. Yellow or Gold Goggle Lenses
Gold-tinted lenses are appropriate for when light conditions are a little bit on the dim side.
That’s because they enhance the details in your environment, making you quickly pick up on moguls, rough patches, and jumps.
Yellow lenses are optimal for conditions with heavy snow, since they filter out the snow’s brightness and sharpen your vision.
They also provide blue light refraction, which is necessary for skiing on sunny days.
Gold-tinted lenses are what many consider as the best color lens for skiing because of their suitability to all kinds of weather and light conditions.
4. Bronze or Brown Goggle Lenses
If it’s a super-sunny day, you may want to consider picking goggles with a bronze- or brown-tinted lens.
This can boost both depth and contrast perception, which is critical for navigating the slopes on bright, sunny days.
Most brown lenses are also polarized, which adds to their glare-reducing quality.
Keep in mind, though, that brown lenses are of a darker tint and filter out light substantially.
As such, you want to avoid using them during low-light conditions, particularly at night.
5. Red Goggle Lenses
Mid to bright light conditions are the perfect time to put those red-tinted goggles to use.
That’s because these goggles do a great job of sharpening perception and boosting color definition.
When matched with base lenses of amber or black hues, red tints become even darker and more versatile.
6. Green Goggle Lenses
Go for green lenses on days when the sun’s rays become too demanding on your eyes.
On these bright and clear days, green lenses boost contrast for more improved depth perception.
They also reduce glare and keep excessive amounts of sunlight from entering your goggles.
Green goggle lenses also suit days that are partly cloudy because of their ability to enhance visual definition in low-light conditions.
7. Black Goggle Lenses
On days when the sun just won’t relent, consider using black or dark grey goggle lenses.
They won’t change an object’s color tone, but they will block out a considerable amount of harmful UV light from hitting your eyes.
Of course, these dark-tinted goggles go the extra mile by also refracting sunlight from the snow.
There’s also the fact that they are most often polarized, which eliminates glare efficiently.
Avoid using black-tinted goggles in low-light conditions, especially at night, as it may impair your vision.
A version of these black goggles appropriate for moderate light conditions are also on the market in case you don’t want to limit their use to bright, clear days.
Why Are Snow Goggles Orange?
Most skiers wear goggles with amber- or orange-colored lenses when skiing on overcast days. They also consider them appropriate for days that are partly cloudy or sunny.
Aside from helping skiers locate moguls, orange lenses also boost visibility in foggy conditions.
You want to pick goggles with “copper”-hued lenses for days that are particularly gloomy.
A mid-tone variant should work for dimly lit conditions as well as sunny days due to its ability to enhance shadow definition and reflect blue lights.
What Are Blue Goggle Lenses Good For?
Low-light conditions favor ski goggles with blue lenses, but both overcast and sunny days call for goggles with mirrored blue lenses.
When used in conjunction with a copper or bronze tint, blue lenses can cut glare efficiently.
Blue goggle lenses typically go with various tints.
When paired with a bronze tint, a blue lens can be great for a bright, sunny day. On the other hand, when matched with a yellowish tint, it suits mostly overcast conditions.
Can I Wear Sunglasses Instead of Snow Goggles?
As far as suitability to snow sports go, goggles are hard to beat.
However, you might find that sunglasses work fine for bright and warm conditions or for days when skiing or snowboarding isn’t the only thing on the agenda.
You could be more in the mood for drinking on the slopes than skiing on them.
Sunglasses also aren’t as heavy or as bulky as goggles, which makes them convenient for post-slope activities.
Plus, you have the option to fit them according to your prescription.
Should You Pick Goggles That Have Polarized Lenses?
As awesome as polarized lenses are at glare reduction, they’re not the best option for goggle lenses.
When the sun’s vertical rays meet a reflecting surface’s horizontal ones, glare is created.
Being able to detect glare to some degree is actually a good thing because it can alert you to the presence of ice patches.
Snow goggles with polarized lenses are typically only 50 percent polarized to help you pick up on ice patches while filtering out blinding glare.
Although these lenses are fine to use on bright and clear days, they might be ill-suited for overcast conditions.
Polarized lenses can also sometimes be too polarized that they impact depth perception. This might not be something you want while out on the slopes.
What Color Lens Is Best for Snow?
The innovation behind goggle lens colors means they will be darker or brighter, depending on your needs.
The optimal lens color for warm and clear days won’t be the same for overcast conditions and the other way around.
The best snow goggle lens color boils down to the conditions you’re skiing or snowboarding in.
You must also consider the two most important factors for making your choice, which are contrast technology and VLT or Visible Light Transmission.