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NESkier_26

Putting on skis
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Joined
Jan 23, 2016
Posts
112
Finally had a chance to try out the Chromapop Storm Yellow lens this weekend. I was very pleased with their clarity and contrast during the back end of the storm that went through the NE Friday and Saturday, and there was enough tint to the lens (65% VLT) that the visibility remained good after the sun came out. No problem at all going from sun to shadows as the afternoon lengthened. I'm glad I picked them up, even though I already own last year's Chromopop Storm pink lens (at 50% VLT).

Given the low sun angles at Sunday River that last until late February, I prefer higher VLT lenses for most of winter even on sunny days. On a bluebird day I'll probably opt for the pink lens, but in other conditions I'll go with the yellow Storm lens until late in the season.
 

johnnyvw

Out on the slopes
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Dec 20, 2016
Posts
1,665
Location
near RDU
I'm another one who went out and bought the storm yellow leans and finally got to try them in flat light conditions today. Definitely an improvement over anything I have had previously. They don't magically make the visibility like it's a sunny day, but usually I ski very tentatively in flight light, today I didn't have that issue. No fog, no snow, so those conditions will have to wait for another day. But definitely worth the money for me.
 

SSSdave

life is short precious ...don't waste it
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Sep 12, 2017
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2,516
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Silicon Valley
Skiing in low flat light conditions even with best goggle technology has always been unpleasant versus sunny conditions and affects performance especially in mogul fields where one needs to react quickly to so much irregular terrain. So thanks for the heads up on this new product.

Last time bought top tech goggles (Smith) was about 5 years ago and bought two. Did not like their goggle web design then and is more confusing now. The Smith Optics site with all their lens shape, frame color, size fit, lens technology, and lens color options, continues to be a most unpleasant place to locate non-standard configured model items. Issue is they really need a supplementary chart showing all the options instead of having customers wasting time drilling down into product model configurations that end up with increasingly limited option dead ends.
 

Dave Marshak

All Time World Champion
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Nov 17, 2015
Posts
1,454
There’s a lot of truth to that. The chromopop lenses are just trivex instead of polycarbonate, but you can’t know that from the website, which just has some bogus explanation of some different way of filtering light. They would have done better just by saying they use trivex, and they could have even quantified the benefit by quoting ABE values. Instead they just have marketing BS.

dm
 

DonC

Squeezing into my stabilyx tights
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Joined
Apr 6, 2017
Posts
211
Location
Boston
There’s a lot of truth to that. The chromopop lenses are just trivex instead of polycarbonate, but you can’t know that from the website, which just has some bogus explanation of some different way of filtering light. They would have done better just by saying they use trivex, and they could have even quantified the benefit by quoting ABE values. Instead they just have marketing BS.

And how many people are trying on a new Chromapop storm lens back to back with the old sensor? Until someone does at least that, I have to assume the reviews suffer from extreme confirmation bias. I just spent $$$ on this new goggle, damn straight it's better.
 

Scruffy

Making fresh tracks
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Nov 16, 2015
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2,429
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Upstate NY
I'm a believer in the Smith Chromapop storm lens for everyday use in the NE, they rock in low light conditions, and are just fine for my eyes in sunny conditions too. Mine are a year old and are the Storm lens, but are not yellow, they are a bluish tint.
 

PTskier

Been goin' downhill for years....
Pass Pulled
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Jun 16, 2017
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583
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Washington, the state
Most of the goggle makers are offering the new technology in color filtering lenses. Prizm from Oakley. ChromaPop from Smith. Vivid from Giro. Happy from Spy. Lumalens from Dragon. Illuminator from Scott. The list goes on....

One foggy day we were in a lunch place on the hill at Whistler. The shop there had a window looking out to the snow, and with permission, we tried Prizm, ChromaPop, and a couple of others at the window. For my eyes, the ChromaPop brought out the contrast the best. My own Prizm weren't high on the list, just better than the old tech lenses. A buddy's Spy Happy gray/green did very well, on the hill for me even better than ChromaPop. There is one foggy condition where my Prizm Rose lose all contrast--it is just pink haze (And Prizm Hi Pink might do better, but now I'm wary of Prizm). I do not like that, and these Oakley's are going into my box of spare stuff. I'll try Dragon Lumalens Amber for cloudy days and Lumalens Green Ion for sun. The Dragon will be my first pair of easy-change lenses. I have some Smith frames, and a new ChromaPop Storm Yellow lens may be my best solution. And, the Oakley strap is stretched out. Oakley (nor Smith) sells just the strap! For the Smiths, I found a pair of cheapo Smith goggles with the same strap at a spring sale, bought the goggles, and harvested the strap off them.

Cylindrical lenses seem to be the current fashion. Spherical lenses not so much, and they scratch more easily. The color of the lens and the density (VLT...visible light transmission) are very personal preferences.
 

Dave Marshak

All Time World Champion
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Nov 17, 2015
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And how many people are trying on a new Chromapop storm lens back to back with the old sensor? Until someone does at least that, I have to assume the reviews suffer from extreme confirmation bias. I just spent $$$ on this new goggle, damn straight it's better.
I'm using Chromopop yellow and Ignitor mirror lenses. Both are very good, but the yellows are the best goggles I've ever had. The ignitors only come out on sunny days now, so not often in the East. Knowing what I know now, I probably would have gotten Chromopop everyday, just to get a little darker and to get urethane lenses.

But you are correct that it's all confirmation bias.

dm
 

DonC

Squeezing into my stabilyx tights
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Apr 6, 2017
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211
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Boston
If anyone is interested, REI has a very good selection of current smith goggles on clearance plus an extra 25% off, bringing the I/O goggles to $105.
 

fatbob

Not responding
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Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,288
BUMP

After continuing to struggle in total whiteout blizzard conditions at the weekend (I know no goggle can perform miracles) and having almost permanently switched to a hi Yellow lens all the time to maximise vision when any cloud comes over ( I wear contacts when skiing so that gives me a little extra eye protection) I've just ordered some Dragon Lumalens Pink Ion to check out if it helps me on the bad alpine days.

Anyone got any experience with these? At the price differential I thought it was worth a trial vs the Smith and Oakley options as they look pretty similar to Oakley Prizm Hi Pink in theory (without the marketing budget). Kinda confused by Smith Chromapop at the moment - some lenses are still referred to as Chromaopo Storm without a colour reference - anyone got the definitive lowdown on the low light end of the range?
 

PisteOff

Jeff
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Apr 27, 2017
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Las Vegas
@ChunderBlunder and I use POC Lobes Goggles with the Carl Zeiss spherical lenses. We have 3 lenses each from the yellow up to the bronze/green bright light lens. Have been very happy with these goggles/lenses. Changing a lens couldn't be any easier than the Lobes.
 

fatbob

Not responding
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Nov 12, 2015
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6,288
So probably owe a review of the Lumalens Pink Ion. I used it so far for a few days of quite bright/slightly overcast spring conditions which in fairness were too bright for a high tranmission lens. But I was pleasantly surprised, no real eye strain, reading snow texture was good and lens seemed resiliant to sweat dripped on it. Main colour fault was at certain angles e.g. looking upslope toward the sun they rendered bright yellow clothing as white which confused me as I thought someone else had dropped in on our line and my buddy disappeared.

So outside performance envelope but still not a disaster. Swapped to an Orange/Persimmon though later in the week as a bit more relaxing in hi sun
 

Dwight

Practitioner of skiing, solid and liquid
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Will be getting the Squad with the 2nd lens being the yellow storm. Should help at night for me.
 

Bruuuce

My advice is worth what you paid for it.
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Steamboat Springs
And how many people are trying on a new Chromapop storm lens back to back with the old sensor? Until someone does at least that, I have to assume the reviews suffer from extreme confirmation bias. I just spent $$$ on this new goggle, damn straight it's better.

I just bought the yellow storms so I'll be using them head-to-head with the sensors I've been using for the last two years. I don't care which end up being better so I guess I can report back on the relative experiences. If the yellow storms are an improvement, great. If not they'll go to a new home and I'll stay with sensors.
 

DoryBreaux

Not the Pixar Character
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Nov 13, 2015
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Sleeping in a mop closet
I've been impressed with Chroma Pop every time I put my goggles or sunglasses on. Equally impressed with Prizm, just not with the big O that comes with it. Although the free ones are nice... :roflmao:
 

Bruuuce

My advice is worth what you paid for it.
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Aug 8, 2017
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610
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Steamboat Springs
I just bought the yellow storms so I'll be using them head-to-head with the sensors I've been using for the last two years. I don't care which end up being better so I guess I can report back on the relative experiences. If the yellow storms are an improvement, great. If not they'll go to a new home and I'll stay with sensors.

Well, I did this test last week. I skied them back to back with the sensors. Just my experience, but I didn't really notice a significant difference. I thought they did a great job, but so did the sensors. I wouldn't choose one over the other. YMMV
 

blikkem

Booting up
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Joined
Apr 10, 2017
Posts
67
Location
NYC
I have been using Yellow Sensor Mirrors for many years (even on brighter days because it never really bothered my eyes when the sun came out. That's just me, not a comment on the lens). Last year I bought the Chromapop Storm Yellow Flash and used them for half a season. They are a little bit better, not a world of difference though. The yellow tint is lighter on the Yellow Sensor Mirrors, the shadows a little darker on the Chromapops. I noticed this more trying them on side by side but less in real world use. I would say the Chromapop Storm Yellow Flash are a good replacement for the Yellow Sensor Mirrors.
 

Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
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Nov 1, 2015
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Reno
Here's a question that someone who knows a lot about eyes may know.
Does the pigment in someone's eye determine which tint or color in a goggle (or sunglass) lens works best for that person?

I find the blue hues work best for me.
Some find the yellow or rose work best.
 

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