goggles or sunglasses...

WithCheesePlease

Ok, this might be a complete matter of opinion - but I am going skiing for the first time next month and can't decide whether to get goggles or designed-for-snow sunglasses...

I hear that as a beginner I'll be falling about and sweating a lot so the goggles will most likely just keep fogging up. But then other people say if it's cold you're better of with goggles. Hear something different from pretty much everyone I talk to!

Can anyone make my mind up on this??!

Thanks...

Tristram

Get goggles. Sunglasses are for prats and posers.

olaola

I'd go for sunglasses. Goggles can be a bit of a pain and you only need them when it's snowing.

robinph

Goggles.

They shouldn't really fog up that much on you as they are all going to be double lensed ones these days. The colour of the goggles is better for seeing snow through than the sunglasses will be. They will not fall off you head when you fall over. They won't break when you fall over, unless you do something really daft.

Tristram

robinph wrote: »

Goggles.

They shouldn't really fog up that much on you as they are all going to be double lensed ones these days. The colour of the goggles is better for seeing snow through than the sunglasses will be. They will not fall off you head when you fall over. They won't break when you fall over, unless you do something really daft.

:rolleyes: There's always one with practical advice

paulharte

goggles

as long as you don't wear them on your hat they won't fog up


i would say sunglasses if you already had a pair that you were going to use, but I certainly wouldn't go out a buy a pair of "snow" sunglasses

robinph

Get goggles and you'll ski better.



That more along the lines of what you were after.

WithCheesePlease

Nice one, yeah, makes sense. Reckon I'll go with the goggles so...

Thanks

paulharte

I can tell it was Robin's last comment that swung it, he makes a persuasive arguement!

robinph

flikflak

I have to disagree with the majority here and say I hate wearing my goggles and keep my glasses on unless its flat light or snowing.

My Oakley HiJink have never fallen off when I have taken a tumble.

bcirl03

Goggles - they shouldnt fog up. More comfortable than glasses and offer more protection if its snowing, breeze, storm etc.

olaola

I'm with Flikflak - I find they restrict my field of view and can get annoying and itchy where they're touching my face. I don’t really know anyone who wears goggles unless it's snowing tbh! Even all the instrutors wear sunglasses unless it's snowing.

Overflow

All the pro's wear goggles but thats probably something to do with their sponsors. Personally i wear goggles, safe and secure and if you happen to go to the top of a mountain the conditions can be very different than at the bottom so its best to be prepared.

Also as someone already mentioned they are especially tinted to highlight the contours, dips and bumps in the snow.

olaola

Overflow wrote: »

All the pro's wear goggles but thats probably something to do with their sponsors. Personally i wear goggles, safe and secure and if you happen to go to the top of a mountain the conditions can be very different than at the bottom so its best to be prepared.

Also as someone already mentioned they are especially tinted to highlight the contours, dips and bumps in the snow.

I bring a pair of goggles in my backpack. And you can get glasses that are tinted similarly! I have a band to hold my glasses on, they've never fallen off though.

kermitdfrog

My answer? Both! No one else?

I wouldn't wear a good pair of sunglasses on the slopes, but a cheap pair will do grand (like the "sportsglasses" in Aldi at the minute). Sometimes the googles are just not as comfotable or too warm, and when I'm relaxing over lunch I want the sunglasses, not goggles. But when it gets colder or windy or I'm on a longer or tougher run, (or just because of the mood I'm in!) I might prefer the goggles.

So, as i said, both! You should always have a bag with you with your bits and pieces and excess layers, so just leave the set you're not wearing in there.

WithCheesePlease

I'm not too worried about the space, but more the expense - these being recessionary times we're going through and all...

I'm going to have to buy one or the other, but was hoping to avoid both. But knowing me that'll probably be what I'll end up doing! Can definitely see the advantage of both...

Turbulent Bill

olaola wrote: »

I'm with Flikflak - I find they restrict my field of view and can get annoying and itchy where they're touching my face. I don’t really know anyone who wears goggles unless it's snowing tbh! Even all the instrutors wear sunglasses unless it's snowing.

+1, I find goggles restrict my peripheral vision a bit (when skiing) - you have to turn your head more to see to the side rather than just glance across. This is more of a problem towards the base of slopes where there are more people around, and there's a greater chance of being bumped in to. That said, I can see the advantages of goggles when it's quiet or the conditions are more challenging.

OP, I start off with a cheap pair of shades and see how you get on. You can always borrow a set of goggles for comparison if the shades aren't working.

Don1

I used wear my orange goggles all the time until they started fogging and I was too lazy to spray anti-fog on them. (also it was very warm) I started wearing my skull fit shades and I prefer them big time, unless its flat light or snowing then I stick on my yellow lensed goggles. Its normally colder in these conditions so they don't bother me.
Will probably return to the goggles when I sort the fogging, upgrade the lenses or smash my glasses into my face in an accident!

edmund_f

for warmer conditions sunglasses are easier, for cold, flat light or snowing goggles are better, think the best compromise is to get goggles and then get a cheap set of sunglasses over in the resort if you feel you need them

WithCheesePlease

Ok, decision made - goggles and cheap glasses it is!

Thanks for the comments

Random1

i'd say get a nice pair of sunglasses (expensive if u like) & a cheap pair of goggles. the glasses are much more comfortable & if u get a decent pair u could wear them driving or on holliers or whatever. thats what i did, & just got a pair of goggles in lidl, the goggles work great and only cost 20euro!

Imposter

Random1 wrote: »

i'd say get a nice pair of sunglasses (expensive if u like) & a cheap pair of goggles. the glasses are much more comfortable & if u get a decent pair u could wear them driving or on holliers or whatever. thats what i did, & just got a pair of goggles in lidl, the goggles work great and only cost 20euro!

Cheap goggles are a bad idea - you'll need them for the worst conditions and that is when you really do need to be able to see well. In saying that though the lidl stuff though is usually better than similarly priced goggles from a sports shop.

I usually use sports sunglasses (they are for skiing, biking, running) so they are kinda wraparound which is also good. I only use goggles when the weather is really bad. The glasses also work with a helmet. A more important question I think, is what colour you get.
To explain:
I have 3 lenses for my sunglasses. The clear one is great if bobslaying at night. The pink one is the one I usually use for skiing and if it's really sunny I will use the brown one. As for goggles I have had 2 cheap sets up to now but i'll be following my own advice and spending aa bit more on a new pair in the next week or 2. I have had the orange ones which are supposed to work for european winters but I find they are too dark. Then again i'm only using the goggles in bad conditions. I also have a yellow pair and these are what I use when I must use goggles but tbh the visibility is crap with them. This might be because these are cheap goggles but it could also be down to the colours. Maybe someone else knows? I intend to buy a pink set soon as this is the colour that seems to give me the most visibility on the slopes especially in bad light.

spurscormac

I intend buying sunnies in the resort when I get there - far cheaper than here. G/F bought a Uvex pair for €39 last year and they were perfect for when its sunny on the slopes.

Will be going for wraparounds and will only use the goggles in bad conditions.

onimpulse

If buying glasses be careful what kind you buy. Don't get one's with very little rim (those with just glass and the frame is only on the top) - if you fall - you don't want the glass cutting your eye... I've seen it happen. Goggles are definitly safer but tbh not that comfortable. Get sturdy glasses and a good pair of goggles.

prunudo

Imposter wrote: »

I intend to buy a pink set soon as this is the colour that seems to give me the most visibility on the slopes especially in bad light.

I bought a new pair of goggles on my last trip. They came with 2 lenses(1 for sunny weather and 1 for bad light), bought have orange lenses althought the sunny 1 is mirrored. The bad light lense is only very lightly tinted with orange but is was excellant in bad visibilty. Never tried the pink lenses before but I couldn't fault mine.

Also try and buy in resort so you can actually look out the window of the shop at the snow and judge for yourself. I asked about the different types of lenses in a number of the shops around Dublin and the staff seemed to be after the sale rather than giving out good information.

Also agree with you on buying good goggles and cheap glasses rather than visa versa.:)

spurscormac

onimpulse wrote: »

If buying glasses be careful what kind you buy. Don't get one's with very little rim (those with just glass and the frame is only on the top) - if you fall - you don't want the glass cutting your eye... I've seen it happen. Goggles are definitly safer but tbh not that comfortable. Get sturdy glasses and a good pair of goggles.

Thanks for the tip - I'll be looking for sporty ones, but with the full rims as you said. Plenty to choose from in the shops in the resort at a better price than here, so will see what I can get.

3greenrizla's

Last year was my first year & I wore my tinted glasses more than my goggles, (I wear glasses anyway)

I only had a few days & it was my first time skiing & i didn't find the cold that much of a bother because I wasn't going flat out I suppose.

But I found glasses & goggles together were very uncomfortable & I don't wear contacts.

Don1

There's another good point to consider. At high speeds even the most wrapped around sunnies won't sheild your eyes from the wind and they'll water up good pretty snappy!

LBD

Went sking for the first time last year and we were all told to buy goggles....a group of twenty of us went, we all used the goggles the first day and then they weren't seen for the rest of the trip.....

They are bulky and distort your vision, only really useful when it snows....go with the sun glasses... at the peril of being called a "poser" (ridiculous) you're only a poser on the slopes if you wear an all in one

even if you dont like them sure you'll end up using them again, can't see you sitting in sunny spain with a pair of goggles on!!!!!

nialo

Use goggles. glasses are fine if your certain your not going to be falling and if the weather is great. if it snows you will be thankful for goggles. the extra face coverage is worth it. as for fogging up sun glasses can fog up too. but an old scuba diving trick would be to spit in the goggles and rub it around on the inside before you put them on. stops them fogging up!