Best Goggles for Flat Light (Chromapop vs Prizm)

[L&AirC]

Amy said, "YES, the right lens can make a HUGE difference"

Last winter at Jackson I was on a steep trail in clouds with a fellow from our group. He was having a terrible time. He said he couldn't see anything. I swapped goggles with him. He wore my Prizm Rose and I wore his cheap junk part-faded goggles. I did OK. He did much better than before and got down smoothly. He was effusive with his thanks to me for the goggle swap. He skied directly to the shop and bought good goggles. The right lens makes a real HUGE difference. An example...I used to use Smith goggles. I had the Sensor lens that was stock in those. They didn't work well for me--poor contrast in flat light. I changed them for the RC36 (rose copper 36%), and they worked much better for my eyes. Many other skiers really like those Sensor lenses. Whatever works for your eyes....

FIFY.

 

[L&AirC]

Went into the shop last night with my helmet and tried on several goggles. None of the Smith fit me like my Oakleys do. So, got some feedback on Giro with Vivid technology. (They fit me well.) Apparently, they are a shop favorite. I love the idea of the Contact lens (held on my magnets) but my wallet does not.

Got some thinking to do. In the meantime, I'll use my Oakley Prizm until they completely wear out (I've torn the foam on the top, and the Jade lens is seeing some wear.)

New business venture - Goggle fitter.

 

[Dave Marshak]

There's some good information here: https://forum.pugski.com/threads/goggles-101.3451/#post-76220

According to Alexzn, Chromopop lens are made of Trivex, which scatters less light than polycarbonate, which is used in most goggles. That explains why Chromopop is noticeably clearer and sharper than other lenses.

I wish I knew all this before I replaced my entire goggle quiver.

dm

 

[Beerman]

Went into the shop last night with my helmet and tried on several goggles. None of the Smith fit me like my Oakleys do. So, got some feedback on Giro with Vivid technology. (They fit me well.) Apparently, they are a shop favorite. I love the idea of the Contact lens (held on my magnets) but my wallet does not.

Got some thinking to do. In the meantime, I'll use my Oakley Prizm until they completely wear out (I've torn the foam on the top, and the Jade lens is seeing some wear.)

I went to our local shop recently, as they stock both Oakley and Giro. My wife has some Smith's with Blue Sensor's, so they were the benchmark.
I tried the Oakley Rose Prizm and Hi Pink Prizm, clarity and contrast was very good on both lenses, but colour rendition not really to my liking.
Next were the Giro Vivid Infra Red, clarity and contrast was equal to the Oakleys, but colour rendition much better. All lenses are considered low light.

I prefered the Giro lenses, but for some reason the frames were way too small. I have an average size head, but they felt like kids sized Goggs (I.e. the radius of the face foam, not lense periphery, this was ok) Contact and Axis models were tried.
Overall, the Giro lense in the Smith frame was my pick, but have not tried the Chromapops v Blue Sensors yet as a comparison.

 

[Started at 53]

You will never have great visibility in flat light, no. But I have found that YES, the right lens can make a HUGE difference. I think those of us with aging eyes are even more sensitive to it.

I bought the better half some Chromapop storm lens for Christmas, as he wears Smith 1/0 7s. He LOVES them. He already has the older storm lenses, and the Chromapop really are a huge step up from the older technology. The clarity and contrast they provide is amazing. He now wants to replace all his lenses with Chromapop. I'd consider it, since my Oakleys are wearing out, but I haven't found a Smith goggle that fits me as well as the Flight Deck XMs.

Betsy has the Flight Deck XM’s and loves the fit (narrow face) and the way they fit with the Giro Era Helmet is perfect.

I ordered her the Prism Pink Hi Viz lenses today for flat light. I am hoping they work well.

 

[ChrisFromOC]

Betsy has the Flight Deck XM’s and loves the fit (narrow face) and the way they fit with the Giro Era Helmet is perfect.

I ordered her the Prism Pink Hi Viz lenses today for flat light. I am hoping they work well.

I use the Prizm Pink for low light and they really work well for me. I use the Jade for sunny conditions, but find myself wearing the Pink most afternoons so that I can see better as shadows fall across the mountain.

 

[John O]

I haven't used the Chromapop or Prizm myself yet, but wanted to point out this thread that indicates the new Chromapop Storm Yellow Flash is a significant improvement over the previous Chromapop Storm: https://www.pugski.com/threads/discovered-a-fabulous-low-light-goggle-lens.6883/

 

[David Chaus]

I bought the Smith I/O7 with the Photochromatic Chromapop Rose Flash lens. So far, I’ve found them to be good in sunny weather, great in variable and changing light (clouds, bright day with shadows), and decent in flat light. Even did some night skiing with them. I haven’t tried the Blackout lens for bright sunny days yet, not sure I’ll need them in the PNW. I’m debating getting the Chromapop Storm Yellow Flash.

I still have my I/Os goggles, which I will use with my clear lens for night skiing. Still have the Ignitor Mirror and Sensor lenses that came with them, though those are scratched a bit, and I really like the contrast of the Chromapop Rose Flash. It is a bit weird getting used to the rose tint on some objects.

 

[DanoT]

It was a bright sunny day today so I had on the Smith Chromapop Black Sun goggles and they were great in the sun but I also had no real problems in the bottom 300' vertical which won't get any sun for another month.