I’ve never thought too much about the fit of my ski goggles. Every couple of years when buying a pair I’d try them on quickly in a shop, scrutinize the lens color and shape, and plaster them to my face for a few minutes with the hope that they would feel good after hours and hours of wear. Then it was off to the cahier and onto the mountain.
There is now a better way. After just one day on the mountain with the Off-Grid Goggles, a to-be-released product from Scott, I realize that fit really does make a difference.
The goggles, which received an award from Outside magazine at the 2012 SIA Snow Show, have a large lens for maximum field of vision. When shipped to stores for next fall, the goggles will come with the big lens, three layers of hypoallergenic face foam, and in a rainbow of sparkly colors, but that’s not what got my attention.
What did was the Fit System, a simple adjustment that allows a skier or rider to change the shape of the goggle frame with the turn of a screwdriver or dime.
When I first tried them on at the base of Copper Mountain on a sunny day this month the goggles seemed just fine right out of the box. But after tinkering with the adjustments at lunch a couple hours later I got them dialed in. It was a world of difference.
All the pressure points on my angular face were gone and what was left was a smooth, even pressure that conformed perfectly. Beyond the fit, the goggles preformed well. The vents, on a very warm day, worked well and I could feel a constant flow of fresh air against my face.
The conditions on my test day at Copper did not put the goggles to a very extreme test in that there was no falling snow and no pow in the face. What they were was comfortable. By the end of the day I’d basically forgotten they were there, which is exactly what I want in a pair of goggles. Available fall 2012 for $120.
—Sean McCoy is based in Denver. He covered snowsports gear this winter for the site via the SIA Snow Show and a series of posts on ski and snowboarding equipment for next season.
