Trax 2 Treadz
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De-Mistyfying Goggle Fogging
Goggle manufacturers have made great strides in providing fog free vision but fogging is still the predominant complaint when discussing goggles. With that in mind we offer these six tips to keep goggle fogging at bay:
Understand the goggle. Goggle manufacturers approach fog free vision in various ways. 1. No-fog coatings applied on the inside surface of the lens. 2. Vents to allow hot, moist air to escape. 3. Volume. The greater the volume inside the goggle, the greater amount of moist air required to create fogging.
Don’t overdress. This is the # 1 reason goggles fog. You should be slightly cool on your first chair ride of the day. You are going to be skiing and exerting yourself and this will burn calories and generate heat. If you overdress you will be retaining too much heat and this will vent upwards through the top of your jacket and into the bottom of your goggle through the vents. The inside of your goggle is no place for warm moist air since this will inevitably result in fogging. Given the same temperatures, you should consider wearing slightly less clothing on a powder day or layer so that items can be removed when necessary.
Interference between helmet and goggle. Make sure there is adequate space between the top of your goggle and your helmet. Air must vent out the top of your goggle when you stop skiing and if the fit is too close, this will not be possible.
Improper cleaning of your goggle lens. Your goggle lens has a no-fog coating applied to the inside surface. This coating works by absorbing moisture. When the molecules become oversaturated, they swell up and become difficult to see through. If you try to wipe the goggle clean when it is in this state, you will move the coating around on the surface of the lens or you will remove it entirely. If you succeed in moving it around the lens, when it dries, the lens will appear to be scratched. If you remove it entirely, you will no longer have a viable no-fog coating and fogging will occur with greater frequency.
You’ve fallen, now what? If you fall while skiing and your goggles fills with snow, remove the goggle and shake out all the big clumps of snow. Put it back on and ski to the lift. While you are riding the lift, remove your goggle and place it inside your jacket. The warmth will melt any remaining snow particles and the no-fog will absorb the moisture. When you reach the top of the lift, your goggle should be ready to go. If you must remove water droplets from your goggle, dab the water from the lens, do not wipe it.
Blocked vents. When skiing on snowy days you must monitor the condition of the vents on the top of your goggle. As snow accumulates on the top of the vents it decreases the goggle’s ability to vent properly. When you stop, hot air rises and goes out the top vent. If this vent is blocked, the likelihood of fogging will increase.
Avoid the cold start-up. When traveling to the ski area it is important to keep your goggle in a warm place. If you drive to the area with your goggle in the back of your truck or in a box on your roof rack, your goggle will be extremely cold on both the inside and outside lens surface. Your face will be 98.6 degrees and your goggle lens will be zero or colder. Put your goggle on and you get instant fogging. Not a good way to start the day.
Goggle manufacturers have made great strides in providing fog free vision but fogging is still the predominant complaint when discussing goggles. With that in mind we offer these six tips to keep goggle fogging at bay:
Understand the goggle. Goggle manufacturers approach fog free vision in various ways. 1. No-fog coatings applied on the inside surface of the lens. 2. Vents to allow hot, moist air to escape. 3. Volume. The greater the volume inside the goggle, the greater amount of moist air required to create fogging.
Don’t overdress. This is the # 1 reason goggles fog. You should be slightly cool on your first chair ride of the day. You are going to be skiing and exerting yourself and this will burn calories and generate heat. If you overdress you will be retaining too much heat and this will vent upwards through the top of your jacket and into the bottom of your goggle through the vents. The inside of your goggle is no place for warm moist air since this will inevitably result in fogging. Given the same temperatures, you should consider wearing slightly less clothing on a powder day or layer so that items can be removed when necessary.
Interference between helmet and goggle. Make sure there is adequate space between the top of your goggle and your helmet. Air must vent out the top of your goggle when you stop skiing and if the fit is too close, this will not be possible.
Improper cleaning of your goggle lens. Your goggle lens has a no-fog coating applied to the inside surface. This coating works by absorbing moisture. When the molecules become oversaturated, they swell up and become difficult to see through. If you try to wipe the goggle clean when it is in this state, you will move the coating around on the surface of the lens or you will remove it entirely. If you succeed in moving it around the lens, when it dries, the lens will appear to be scratched. If you remove it entirely, you will no longer have a viable no-fog coating and fogging will occur with greater frequency.
You’ve fallen, now what? If you fall while skiing and your goggles fills with snow, remove the goggle and shake out all the big clumps of snow. Put it back on and ski to the lift. While you are riding the lift, remove your goggle and place it inside your jacket. The warmth will melt any remaining snow particles and the no-fog will absorb the moisture. When you reach the top of the lift, your goggle should be ready to go. If you must remove water droplets from your goggle, dab the water from the lens, do not wipe it.
Blocked vents. When skiing on snowy days you must monitor the condition of the vents on the top of your goggle. As snow accumulates on the top of the vents it decreases the goggle’s ability to vent properly. When you stop, hot air rises and goes out the top vent. If this vent is blocked, the likelihood of fogging will increase.
Avoid the cold start-up. When traveling to the ski area it is important to keep your goggle in a warm place. If you drive to the area with your goggle in the back of your truck or in a box on your roof rack, your goggle will be extremely cold on both the inside and outside lens surface. Your face will be 98.6 degrees and your goggle lens will be zero or colder. Put your goggle on and you get instant fogging. Not a good way to start the day.
