What's good for Winter Cycling Eyewear ... Day and Night?

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Motorad

I've heard of using ski-goggles, but can anybody recommend good ones that work good for keeping your eyes (and around your eyes) warm? Also, some I see from REI mention UV-protection, and one ski-goggles even come polarized (for $170), but I'm not familiar with how good this ski-goggle protection protect the eyes from glare any better than regular sunglasses. And if these ski-goggles are tinted (or polarized), does this mean that you can not use them at night time?
< http://www.rei.com/product/744430 >

My main source for personal gear has been REI, and they have at least a dozen different ski-goggles, ranging from $60 to $180. There are really no customer reviews to speak of, and there is no reference on REI's website about using their ski-goggles for winter cycling:
< http://www.rei.com/product/744431 >

And ... if the ski-goggles are the best eye protection in the daytime ... what is the best eye protection at night time?

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bigfo

http://www.eyegearzone.com/products/8/68?cat=42
These are some goggles that have interchangable anti-fog lenses. I used them last winter and loved them. I had some issues with a different pair that I bought and the owner was very helpful. A little fogging here and there when I stopped at intersections but not bad. Well worth the price!

thaetviking

Try sierratradingpost.com and campmor.com. I have a set with orange lenses and have used them for riding home at midnight. They were a cheap set for $35. You do not need to get fancy.

zippered

are you sure you want goggles?

i tried riding with them before, and i didn't like how my peripheral vision was reduced. i ride fairly short distances in city traffic; for longer trail riding it would be worth the investment

i use clear safety lenses when it's really cold, or my regular interchangable sunglasses. the trick is to get the layering on your face right so you don't get too much cold transfer on your forehead or too foggy from your breath.

derath

I wear these year round

http://www.wileyx.com/images/items/large_71.jpg

They have removeable temples that can be replaced with the goggle strap. The strap is nice in winter when I am wearing my balaclava.

I have red tinted and clear prescription eyecups for mine.

-D

Portis

The greatest thing i've found for winter cycling eyewear is contact lenses. IOW, no glasses at all. It allows you to cover everything on your face with NO fogging issues with eye wear.

derath

The greatest thing i've found for winter cycling eyewear is contact lenses. IOW, no glasses at all. It allows you to cover everything on your face with NO fogging issues with eye wear.

Great for those who can tolerate contacts...

tpreitzel

Portis

It's not really the contacts themselves that are great it's the fact that they let you cover your entire face without having glasses fog up.

tpreitzel

It's not really the contacts themselves that are great it's the fact that they let you cover your entire face without having glasses fog up.

I disagree that contacts, especially gas permeable, aren't great, but I get and got your original intent. ;) Yes, the ability to cover your entire face is important in the winter. Men have it a tad easier. :)

CsHoSi

I recently got some new-tech oaysis contacts to try so I can wear goggles more comfortably on the moto and extreme biking than with glasses. They still dry out my eyes in warmer weather, like the old contacts did. The cold, dry wind would not fare well.

The vented goggles still fog up when working hard or not moving, but they do keep the face comfortable with a balaclava. I don't ride in traffic much, mostly trails and the 6.5 miles to get there right now. I'm getting prepared to start touring, I don't want to mess with contacts so will probably stick with my large prescription safety glasses. They fog up quite easily but also dissipate quickly.

I'm curious how resistant the Wiley-x goggles are to fogging? I believe last I looked they had a vented model too. I wish my insurance covered them, I wouldn't hesitate finding out.

longhorn31

My experience with Wiley-x goggles is that they fog badly - can't remember the model.

derath

My experience with Wiley-x goggles is that they fog badly - can't remember the model.

They do fog at times. My experience is pretty much any single lens solution will fog. The only good goggles I have ever owned were double lens.

That being said, with some anti fog and wearing them slightly loose (so you can get airflow) they aren't horrible. They still fog up when I stop, but my glasses do that as well.

Benefit is that I picked them up on ebay for about $40 so they were the most cost effective solution so far.

They don't fog the rest of the year when I wear them just as sunglasses.

-D

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