Cheekbone Protection, Crisp Optics: POC Nexal Clarity Ski Goggles Review

I stood at the top of a classic Gore Range backcountry ski line, and the sun disappeared behind a thick cloud while the wind picked up. The icy descent had thin coverage and wind slabs to navigate in a no-fall zone.

Being able to discern the snow’s texture, especially the ice and wind slab, was essential for safety. My sunglasses were dark, but the low-light lens for the POC Nexal Clarity Ski Goggles were the right tool for such flat light conditions.

In short: The POC Nexal Clarity Goggles ($230) stand out from the crowd with distinctive strap outriggers and cheek protectors. They sport crisp Clarity lenses by Zeiss that bring definition to low-light conditions at the resort and in the backcountry. Compared to other ski goggles on the market, they fit seamlessly with every helmet I have strapped them to. At $230, they’re not exactly a bargain, but you get what you pay for: POC put together a solid pair. Just double-check that you’ve got the correct lens pairing for the light conditions you’ll be wearing them in.

Read the GearJunkie Best Ski Goggles buyer’s guide.

POC Nexal Clarity Ski Goggles Review

In addition to flat light in jagged peaks, I tested the POC Nexal Clarity Ski Goggles through a wide variety of skiing conditions last spring.

The weather and lighting conditions during my days on snow ranged from bright and sunny to downright stormy at the resort and in the backcountry.

Overall, the construction of this snow goggle’s triple-layer face foam is on par with other premium ski and snowboard goggles. The POC Nexal Clarify has a denser foam against the frame and a lighter, springier foam in the middle.

There’s a very soft, thin layer that meets the face. The design felt cozy, even with a ski helmet on, and it has stood up well to heavy use. I can’t spot any sign of compaction after a few months. It still feels factory-fresh.

Fit: Cheekbone Coverage

One trend I’ve noticed is that ski goggles and their lenses have gotten broader and the frames svelter. So, the Nexal stands out with its wide strap outriggers and zygomatic bone covers. Yes, I said zygomatic bone covers. The lower edges of the frame have big, protruding cushions that cover your cheekbones (a.k.a. zygomatic bones).

It’s an aesthetically distinct feature if nothing else. As someone who runs particularly hot, they didn’t exactly save the day. But I did appreciate the little bit of extra protection when it was really cold and windy. They cover the spots on my cheeks that are most prone to frostnip.

Perfect Fit With a Variety of Ski Helmets

Another reason these ski goggles stand out from the crowd? They fit really well when paired with a helmet. At the resort, I trust my noggin to the Sweet Protection Trooper Vi2, which is one of the most protective helmets on the market right now. It’s beefy, though, so it doesn’t pair perfectly with every ski and snowboard goggle out there.

The POC Nexal, however, fit seamlessly with that ski helmet. The outriggers kick the strap up and out of the way of the ear pads, so there isn’t an awkward interaction or gaps. The fit distributed the pressure nicely across my face, so I had no problem wearing these ski goggles for a full day on the mountain.

It’s the same story with my ski touring helmet, the Petzl Featherweight Meteor, which is a climbing helmet that’s certified for ski touring. It doesn’t pair very well with many ski goggles, especially when I layer it with a baseball hat underneath. But again, the Nexal’s outriggers put the strap in the right place to pull pressure off my face. Most importantly, there weren’t any gaps for bone-chilling wind to creep through.

Ventilation

Beyond the goggle’s inherent breathability, POC added a small vent toggle on the top of the frame, which I’m convinced is more of a gimmick. I guess it’s not a crazy idea to be able to open and close vents on ski goggles, like a lot of helmets have.

But when would you close the vent? Maybe racers need it closed so that their eyes don’t dry out at 85 mph. I run particularly warm, but even cold people, I imagine, would leave this vent open at all times. No venting means lots of fog. If there’s one thing ski goggles need to not do, it’s fog.

Speaking of fog, the Nexals do a good job of keeping it at bay when the vent is toggled open. They’re not miraculous when I strap them to a very hot, sweaty face while ski touring, but they perform similarly to other high-end ski goggles.

The open vents quickly dispersed any fog, especially as soon as I started descending and the air was free to move. They didn’t fog up at all while I was skiing at the resort, even after I charged top to bottom at my aerobic limit.

Two Lenses, Excellent Clarity of Snow Texture

A pair of snow goggles is only as good as its lenses. The POC Nexal Clarity ski goggles I tested came with two lenses:

• Highly Intense Partly Sunny Blue Cat 2 lens (22% visible light transmission, or VLT)
• Clarity Intense Cloudy Coral Cat 1 lens (49% VLT)

Changing lenses with this design is pretty easy. Once I practiced a few times, I could easily swap between the two lenses in under 30 seconds, mostly without touching the lens itself. It’s not the easiest lens swap I’ve encountered, but it’s far from the hardest.

Both cylindrical lenses are made by Zeiss, a manufacturer of high-quality glass for camera lenses, scopes, binoculars, and lenses. And as expected from a premium pair of goggles, the optics are excellent. While they don’t have any fancy contrast or color enhancement like the Smith ChromaPop or Oakley Prizm technology, everything is sharp and there isn’t a lick of distortion.

What I experienced at high altitude, on a steep Gore Range peak, is optically similar to what ski racers face: the need to see minute changes and details in the snow’s surface. That’s where these lenses shine without a doubt.

The “Highly Intense” lens category is designed for pulling out the textural nuances during high-speed competition. And that’s good news for noncompetitors like me and most other users out there. Crisp optics are for everyone.

The low-light Cat 1 lens shares the optical clarity of the Cat 2 lens, but the light transmission is much higher at 49%. I had no problem spotting subtleties in the snow’s surface on dark, stormy days. Like most low-light lenses, it wasn’t fun when the sun came out full blast. But I was at least protected from harmful rays, thanks to modest mirroring and 51% of visible light blocked.

Room for Improvement

The two lenses that came with the POC Nexal Clarity are fairly similar in terms of their transparency in lighting conditions. They both thrived between cloudy and partial sun.

For cloudier places, like their Scandinavian homeland, the pairing would probably be perfect. But I found myself wishing for a slightly darker lens on intensely sunny spring days in Colorado. Conversely, I felt that the darker lens did pretty dang well in low-light conditions. Set-it-and-forget-it users like me would probably leave the primary Cat 2 lens installed nearly all the time.

The other online bundles come with similar lens pairings, though in different colors. Users wanting a darker lens would need to shell out another $60 for a Cat 3 lens.

Though a superstar with a variety of ski helmets, I noticed on a few occasions that these ski goggles fit awkwardly without a helmet. When I tried to wear them with just a headband or a beanie, the tightness from the strap created a pressure point on my forehead instead of dispersing it around the goggle frame. Without a helmet on, I nearly maxed out the strap-tightening system, too.

Conclusion

Seeing well is critical to skiing well, and snow goggles aren’t the place to skimp if you plan on skiing fast in dynamic lighting conditions. While the POC Nexal Clarity Goggles aren’t cheap, they’re very much in line with premium offerings from other brands, and yet $40 cheaper than other top picks from our team.

I skied fast, loose, and down a few nerve-tingling technical descents with the Nexals on my face. The optics proved to be crisp and confidence-inspiring. That, combined with a great ski helmet fit and additional cheek protection, add up to a solid pair of winter goggles for skiers and snowboarders in the backcountry or at the ski resort.

Would POC benefit from a Cat 3/Cat 1 lens pair offering in the lineup? Definitely. But I think most folks will get along with the primary Cat 2 lenses for most days just fine. And at least the darker Cat 3 lens is offered à la carte for skiers or snowboarders who really need the shield for sunny day performance.