The best goggles are the ones you don’t notice, like a clear windshield between you and the world. Whether it’s a stormy powder day or a warm spring morning, the last thing you want to be doing is worrying if you picked the right lenses for the conditions or fidgeting with the fit of your goggles on your face.

Watch: Behind the Scenes of the 2024 SKI Test at Mt. Rose

These days, most goggles come with shockingly good lens quality—fog-free optic clarity and generous field of view is practically a guarantee—so finding the right ones for you is more a matter of preference. Do you want lenses that swap out based on the light or one lens that does it all? Do you like an oversized frame or more of a petite fit? Do you want a bubble-shaped lens with wide peripheral vision or a flatter, more low-profile look? Do you need them to fit over your prescription eyeglasses?

Amongst our group of highly opinionated testers, these 10 goggles stood out above the rest.

Updated March, 2025: We added two new goggles to our list—the POC Vitrea and Oakley Line Miner Pro—after extensive testing this season. Many of our original picks are now also on sale and we’ve reflected those price drops. 

At a Glance

• Best in Test: $260 at Amazon

  Lens shape: Cylindrical
  Number of lenses included: 1
  Face fit: Large

  Pros and Cons
  ⊕ Transition lenses adapt to all light conditions
  ⊕ No swapping of lenses needed
  ⊕ Feels lightweight on the face
  ⊗ The pointed frame style takes some getting used to
  ⊗ Expensive for single-lens option

  The first thing you’ll notice about the Julbo Razor is the pointy shape of the frame—two triangular daggers point down toward your cheekbones in what one tester called “vampire or Dracula vibes.” It’s a unique look that stands out from the rest but might take some getting used to—not all testers loved the extra bulk on their cheeks.

  They did, however, appreciate the goggle’s lightweight feel and airy breathability (“good ventilation on sweaty traverses,” one tester said). But it was the transition photochromic lens that truly won us over. One tester brought the goggles on a sunny weekend road trip to California’s Mammoth Mountain, thinking it came with a spare mirrored lens in the case. Turns out, this is a one-lens pony.

  Initially disappointed when she thought she’d be skiing in a low-light lens on a bluebird day, halfway through her first lift ride, she realized it was a lens that adapts to the conditions. “Genius! Transition lenses that actually work are a game changer,” she said.

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  Best Magnetic Lens-Swap System

  Anon M5 (Orig. $300)

  $240 at Burton $210 at Evo

  Lens shape: Toric
  Number of lenses included: 2
  Face fit: Medium to large

  Pros and Cons
  ⊕ Secure magnetic lens change system
  ⊕ Super breathable, full-wrap venting system
  ⊕ Optional integrated face-mask that attaches to the goggle with a magnet
  ⊗ Goggle strap is almost too sticky and hard to adjust on helmets

  The oversized Anon M5 had the beefiest and most secure magnetic lens system of any in the test. We swapped out lenses just for fun midday because it was so easy. “The magnets in the lens were so strong that I’d never have to worry about inadvertently popping them off on a chairlift,” one tester said.

  A flat toric lens provided full-range visibility, even in those hard-to-spot corners, and the durable hard plastic frame felt sturdier than goggles with softer, more pliable frames. One tester used them on a backcountry tour up Lake Tahoe’s Mount Tallac and appreciated the full-wrap venting, which released steam at the top of his climb.

  You can add a face mask/neck warmer, which attaches to the bottom of the goggle via magnet, for an extra $32. Our testers preferred their own detached neck tube, but it’s a nice integrated option for those who want full coverage from wind or sun. Nice touch: Spare lenses come with a handy icon printed on the lens to remind you what conditions it’s best for.

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  Best for Wider Faces

  Smith 4D Mag XL

  $340 at REI $340 at Backcountry

  Lens shape: Spherical
  Number of lenses included: 2
  Face fit: Large to Extra Large

  Pros and Cons
  ⊕ Immense field of view
  ⊕ Best-in-the-industry lens quality
  ⊕ Temple cutouts allow the goggle to be worn over eyeglasses
  ⊗ Pricey

  Smith’s 4D Mag is a top pick for skiers and riders looking for an extra-wide field of view. The new XL version of the goggle has the same qualities as the original—just even bigger, built oversized for those with wider mugs.

  The lens is designed slightly curved over the bottom of the frame, which Smith says increases peripheral vision by 25 percent. Our take? “The lens quality is among the best in the test and field of vision is hands down unmatched,” said one tester, who wore the goggles skiing inbounds at California’s Homewood ski area on a powder day and backcountry touring on Lake Tahoe’s west shore. “They would be comically large on smaller faces, though.”

  The magnetic lens system is straightforward and feels secure, considering how big and bulky the lens is. Ample venting on top kept steam at bay during high exertion resort laps. The 4D Mag XL has temple cutouts so it can also be worn over eyeglasses, too. Overall, testers agreed that If you’ve always struggled to find high-quality lenses in a frame that fits your bigger-than-average face, and you don’t mind paying a little more for the great quality and fit, these solve your problem.

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  Best for Smaller Faces

  Glade Adapt 2S (Orig. $149)

  $119 at Glade $159 at Amazon

  Lens shape: Cylindrical
  Number of lenses included: 1
  Face fit: Small

  Pros and Cons
  ⊕ Reasonably priced
  ⊕ One-quiver goggle
  ⊕ Works well with a range of helmets
  ⊗ Less expansive peripheral vision than others in the test

  The idea behind the well-loved Glade Adapt 2 is to offer a solid one-lens goggle that you can bring with you anywhere, in any light conditions. That’s a hard promise to deliver, but Glade does it well with a photochromic lens that shifts in tint as the intensity of UV rays changes. This lens has an exceptionally wide range of light conditions that it can handle, from bright sun to milky skies.

  The Glade Adapt 2S is the same goggle but in a smaller size, designed for those with more petite faces or people who don’t want oversized goggles that take up half their face. One tester brought these goggles—and these goggles alone—on a ski touring trip to Norway. “This is now my go-to travel goggle when I don’t want to bother bringing a change of lenses to accommodate different light conditions,” they said.

  During testing, it fit seamlessly with a variety of helmets and was comfortable (read: no pressure points) on various sized faces. That said, testers did feel that the peripheral vision wasn’t quite as good as some of the goggles in the test, but that the convenience of not having to carry additional lenses—and the Glade’s low price point—compensated for that. Plan on keeping these around for a while—if you scratch the lens, you can buy a replacement lens for $70 to swap in.

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  Best Fit and Comfort

  Shred Gratify (Orig. $180)

  $180 at Shred $110 at Peak Ski Shop

  Lens shape: Cylindrical
  Number of lenses included: 1
  Face fit: Small to large

  Pros and Cons
  ⊕ Expansive field of vision
  ⊕ High-contrast lens you don’t need to swap out
  ⊕ Large enough to wear over eyeglasses
  ⊗ Strap felt tight around larger helmets

  Another winner in the one-lens-only category, the Shred Gratify goggles come with a do-it-all lens (we tested a mirrored rose option) that had excellent contrast-boosting optics in flat light and was still dark enough for full-sun days.

  Some transition lenses make your eyes feel strained after a day of squinting in bright light, but these lenses offer solid protection from glare. No eye fatigue here. The lenses extend to the edge of the frames, making for a wider than average field of view. And though we probably wouldn’t buy a pair of goggles entirely because they felt nice and comfortable on our face, these impressed testers with their neutral, unobtrusive feel and lightweight, airy ventilation.

  “The goggles have an easy-to-love universal fit,” one tester said. Another tester wore them while snow blowing and powder skiing during Tahoe’s biggest storm of the winter. “The fit was great during high-motion activities—not too tight and no need for lots of fiddling,” she said. It’s worth mentioning that some of our testers with larger noggins mentioned that the goggle strap felt tight around their helmets, so keep that in mind. Bonus: The Gratify goggles can be worn over prescription glasses.

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  Honorable Mention

  Sweet Protection Connor Rig Reflect (Orig. $220)

  $165 at Backcountry $220 at Evo

  Lens shape: Toric
  Number of lenses included: 1
  Face fit: Medium to large

  Pros and Cons
  ⊕ Excellent peripheral vision
  ⊕ Low-profile
  ⊕ Super comfy face foam
  ⊗ Only comes with one lens

  In order to increase the field of vision, goggles these days have gotten massively oversized. But the Sweet Protection Connor Rig Reflect offers a large field of vision without dramatically increasing the span of the goggle. These sleek frameless goggles do that thanks to a toric sculpted lens that gives you an understated feel with ample side vision.

  “Medium-sized fit with large-sized vision,” one tester wrote. “I felt like I could see twice as much peripherally as other goggles. Extra good news on a crowded resort Saturday when you need to have your head on a swivel.”

  Prospective buyers should know that the Connor Rig goggle only comes with one lens. If they want another lens for different conditions, they’ll have to order them separately at an additional cost. Fortunately, the lens swaps out easily, and the one we tested—which Sweet Protection calls Bixbite—was quite versatile. “Excellent in challenging light conditions,” one tester wrote. “Made things pop but still true to color.” The foam against the face felt “plush and pleasing,” according to another tester.

  All agreed that these are ideal for all-day resort rippers looking for a wide field of view and a lens that can handle most conditions.

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  How to Choose the Right Goggles

  Lens Tint

  First consider whether you want goggles with lenses that can be interchanged—so you can swap lenses to fine-tune your vision based on the weather and light conditions—or if you prefer to skip the whole carrying around extra lenses task and have one transitional lens that can handle a wide range of conditions.

  Frame Size

  In terms of frame size, if you have a larger or rounder face, you’ll want more oversized goggles. If you’ve got a slight or narrow face, opt for goggles that run small. Some goggles come in a small version. If you wear prescription glasses, look for goggles with the OTG (over the glasses) indicator.

  Lens Shape

  Three lens shapes dominate the goggle market these days: spherical, cylindrical, and the newer arrival, toric. The shape impacts how the lens performs, the width of field, and the price of the goggles.

  • Spherical lenses have a rounded, bubble-like effect, with wide peripheral vision that curves away from your eyes on both axes. Spherical lenses tend to be inherently fog-free thanks to increased volume, offer undistorted vision, and cost a bit more.
  • Cylindrical lenses curve across your face but are flatter up and down. They have a more low-profile, smaller volume and they’re easy to keep scratch-free since they’re flatter against your face. They tend to be less expensive.
  • Toric lenses are newer to the scene and combine aspects of the previous two shapes, making it a low-profile goggle that retains peripheral vision.

  Ventilation/Fogging

  Newer goggle models have extensive ventilation and an inner lens coating to prevent fogging. However, physics dictates that if there is sufficient moisture being provided from within, combined with warm and moist outside conditions, the goggles might eventually fog up.

  When backcountry skiing, it is best to keep goggles in your backpack and get them out for the descent to avoid fogging issues. Don’t hike with them on your hat, helmet, or worse yet, around your neck. When you’re skiing at the resort, keep your goggles on your face as much as possible.

  A trick for tram or gondola riders is to take them off and hang them from a window or tip of your skis to help keep them dry and shed some moisture. If you just put the goggles up on your helmet, they will not air out sufficiently, and the vents on your helmet could also pump additional moisture inside the goggle. Read more here.

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  How We Test Ski Goggles

  • Number of testers: 12
  • Number of goggles tested: 29
  • Number of lenses scratched during the test: 1
  • Number of test goggles lost on a ski trip: 1

  To determine which goggles were the biggest crowd pleasers, we took dozens of new-for-this-season goggles and distributed them amongst a dozen hardy skiers and riders based in California’s North Lake Tahoe. Ranging from ski-industry veterans to weekend shredders, these hard-working testers spent the season wearing a multitude of goggles while resort skiing and backcountry touring around Tahoe as well as on trips to Mammoth, Jackson Hole, and even a bucket-list excursion in Norway.

  We asked testers to wear the goggles in all kinds of weather and light conditions, then fill out a feedback form that indicated everything from face fit to lens quality to helmet compatibility. In this test, we looked for adaptable, versatile goggles that were compatible with a wide range of helmets and fit on a variety of face shapes and sizes.

  Using tester feedback, we narrowed the 29 goggles down to these 10 models that earned the highest marks.

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  Meet Our Testers

  Category manager and Outside contributing editor Megan Michelson is a freelance journalist and skier based in Tahoe City, California. A former editor at Outside and Skiing magazines, she’s been testing and reviewing ski gear for going on 20 years now. She brought in some extra help to put goggles through the ringer in a range of conditions, including Lake Tahoe-based test crew specialists like bespectacled Peak Design CFO David Anhalt, splitboarding Tahoe realtor Maura Mack, and community organizer Kirstin Guinn.

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