This is a well-known question among beginner skiers. Not all goggles are costly and neither are all expensive.
But how do you know if goggles are expensive or cheap? There must be some criteria that show what determines the cost of ski goggles.
Think no more because in this article I am going to answer all the questions you might have regarding the price of ski goggles! So let’s get into it.
What Is The Price Range Of Ski Goggles?
To answer this question in two words, “It depends”. The real question should be, “The price of ski goggles depends on what factors?” The most important factor is quality, which comes from the brand name. And a brand earns a good reputation only when the materials or features are good.
You must have noticed that high-end, luxurious brands like Smith Optics, Oakley, and Anon are known for producing some of the most expensive goggles. Certain models under these brands may cost you $400-$500+, which is not a cup of tea for normal buyers. Unless you are saving money to purchase them, it is going to be difficult for you to get your hands on these babies. Smith, Oakley, and Anon are like the Gucci, Prada, and Dior of the ski goggles world.
On the other hand, there are brands that have a good reputation among buyers and in the market like Blenders, Glade, Giro, etc… But these are known to produce good-quality ski goggles at an incredibly affordable rate. The ski goggles of these brands have a decent price range of less than $150 or $200. The best thing about these goggles is that their quality is equal to all the high-end brand ski goggles while keeping their price quotient accessible.
Why Are Some Ski Goggles So Expensive?
Just like we discussed in the section above, there are cheap, as well as expensive goggles. It all depends on the build material and the features of the goggles at the end.
Material Used In Making
When we go to buy clothes, we know they are cheap if they’re made out of polyester, cotton, denim, etc.. Expensive clothes are mostly made of chiffon, silk, leather, etc… Just like that ski goggles also have certain distinctions when it comes to expensive or cheap quality materials.
When buying expensive goggles, you will notice terms like ‘polycarbonate lenses’, ‘carbon-fiber frames’, ‘photochromic lenses’ (one of the best kinds of lenses available in the market), etc… These materials account for the durability that these goggles maintain for a long time.
Cheap goggles are made of nylon frames, acrylic lenses, ABS plastic, etc… All this makes the goggles flimsy and makes them look very weak overall. They do not last for a long time, having a warranty of hardly six months.
Features Of The Goggles
Remember when touch-screen phones were not a staple? All of us used to have a phone that had buttons on it. Even before handy phones, there used to be telephones which were not even portable. Now tell me if the phones of that time were any similar to the smartphones nowadays. Why do we all prefer smartphones? Definitely, because they provide us with features that the button phones could never have.
There are certain features in ski goggles that are considered to be basic, for eg; ventilation. It is a must-have in ski goggles! Ventilation is what distinguishes normal eyewear from ski goggles. The quality of this ventilation also matters and accounts for the final price.
Features like double anti-reflective coatings, polarized lenses, high power UV protection, magnetic lens swapping system, heating pads, etc. are considered to be premium. The goggles that have these features are definitely expensive.
So, now that you know what are the ingredients that make expensive goggles, you would want to know whether expensive goggles are better than cheap ones, right? Like I said, I am going to answer all your questions so let us be done with this one too!
Are Expensive Ski Goggles Worth It?
Yes. They definitely are worth it because Smith and Oakley have to be the best brands that produce goggles! Not only are they of good quality but are durable and thus are a long-term investment for you. This is why expensive ski goggles are preferred by skiing enthusiasts.
But that does not mean that the goggles from Blenders or Glade or Zionor are not good enough! They are in fact some of the best available in the market, as reviewed by some professional skiers. They use the same material (of lower quality) to build the goggles and have the same features. They might have durability issues thus you will need to take extra care of them but apart from that, everything about them is flawless!
Conclusion
I have presented in front of you both the expensive and cheap priced goggles, and have shown their advantages and disadvantages. Now it’s your call.
An expensive ski goggle is indeed a very good investment if you have the capital for it. If you do not, then the low-priced goggles are equally great! Choose according to your likeness.
