Are you searching for snow goggles and came across these? And now you are here for the review, right?
Congratulations! You are at the right place. If you do not have any idea about these products then let me help you out by giving my most honest opinion on them.
Keep reading!
Giro Snow Goggles
The company, aging more than 3 decades, was founded in 1985 by Jim Gentez. Having its birthplace in the USA, Santa Cruz, it started with the production of cycling helmets. Today it sells around every sport product that the market has to offer. Came quite a long way, hasn’t it?
Giro is known for its focus on innovation and design, so their snow goggles incorporate many features that cater to the needs of sports enthusiasts.
The snow goggles are a recent production of Giro’s line but have still managed to climb to one of the top positions quite soon! All thanks to its high utility and functions that enable it to stay there.
Smith Snow Goggles
Smith Optics, commonly known as Smith, is a well-established brand in the sports industry. It was founded in 1965 by Dr. Bob Smith, an orthodontist and ski enthusiast. Dr. Smith developed the first-ever snow goggle featuring a sealed thermal lens and breathable vent foam. Do you realize how legendary this invention was? It made revolutions in the anti-fog characteristic, and enabled glass wearers to feel comfortable in the goggles!
Smith Optics is renowned for producing high-quality eyewear and protective gear, catering to a range of activities including skiing, snowboarding, cycling, fishing, and more.
Smith’s snow goggles are known for their advanced lens technology, anti-fog features, and comfortable fit. You might have heard about the Chromapop lenses that enhance color and contrast and provide better vision, haven’t you? Well, it is the brainchild of Smith Optics!
In 2018, Safilo Group, an Italian eyewear company, acquired Smith Optics.
Smith vs Giro: A Comparison
We all know both these brands are the Ronaldo and Messi in the ski industry!
But, just like we do not know who is better between Ronaldo and Messi, we don’t know which is better between Smith and Giro.
Let us have a look at their features!
Material Used For Frame And Lens
It is very evident by the performance they provide, that Giro and Smith utilize advanced materials to manufacture their high-performance goggles. They incorporate lightweight & durable materials such as thermoplastic polyurethane for the frame. This ensures flexibility and impact resistance features to guarantee that you can get back up on your feet without much damage caused!
The lenses are typically constructed from polycarbonate, chosen for their optical clarity, shatter resistance, and UV protection.
Both brands emphasize innovative lens technologies—ChromaPop™ for Smith and Vivid™ for Giro.
Anti-fog coatings and ventilation systems are a must-have in ski goggles because they are the nervous system of the ski goggles. These features are indeed present in these brand’s models too, you cannot expect any less from them. But if I talk about the better one in terms of the ventilation system, then Smith it is.
Smith’s ventilation mechanism is far more advanced and excellent than any other brand in this industry and it is taken as an example to showcase the awesomeness!
Price Range
Both Smith and Giro are highly reputed and sought-after brands in the industry and have a good demand for their products in the market. Giro manages a balance between quality and affordability. Its goggles are moderately priced, with the price ranging from approximately $40 to $60-$70 only! Despite its accessible price range, Giro still delivers high-caliber products.
Conversely, Smith which is a premium luxury brand has a premium and luxury price range. The goggles start from around $80 and extend to over $250 for certain models. This pricing aligns with the standard of Smith’s products.
Varieties Of Models
Giro offers a variety of snow goggles for every category possible! You can check it out for yourself, maybe you will fall in love.
The Axis series include goggles that offer a wide field of view, the Lusi series is designed with a women’s-specific fit and regards both performance and aesthetics, the Grade series is used by young skiers who are just learning to ski, etc…
There are many different designs available in Giro’s line of models, but I liked Giro Moxie the most! Have a look at it, and you will know why.
Smith too offers a diverse range of snow goggles to meet the needs of different types of skiers. If you don’t like the first design you will love the third one. and if you don’t like the third one either then don’t worry, they still have a lot to offer! Starting with the I/O Series which is known for its quick-change lens system, the semi-rimless designs of the Vice series, and the wide view lenses of The Riot series. There are still many and including this many in one single article isn’t possible!
But here is the design that I adore the most! The Smith Range. Oh, just one look at it and I get a new motivation to ski!
Warranty
Giro provides a warranty of one year to the original consumer purchaser. The warranty is only for products that have manufacturing and workmanship defects.
Smith, considering that its products are on the upper quota of the price range, has been quite thoughtful when it comes to the warranty policy. It provides a limited lifetime warranty to the product to ensure it is free from manufacturing defects. Smith scores one more point here against Giro.
My Thoughts On Which One Is Better
After all this analysis, both of us know that these two brands are doing quite well with what they are doing. I leave it completely up to you to decide what you want because you know what is best for you when you read all these articles.
But, if I had to give my advice on this, Smith is a better option because you can never go wrong with its products. It has always been the best and its quality? Always impeccable! As I already mentioned earlier, the most important thing in goggles is the ventilation system. And there’s no other brand with a ventilation system as good as Smith’s. There is no room for disappointment when it comes to Smith’s products. The satisfaction utility will make you forget about the insane price!
These are some of the products I recommend from this brand, make sure to check them out! Drift Snow Goggles, Riot Women’s Snow Goggles, Smith Skyline, and Vogue Snow Goggles.
Happy shopping folks!
