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TonyPlush

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Jan 4, 2018
Posts
492
Location
Minnesota
A lot of skiers own several shades of goggle lenses for different conditions.

My question: Do you swap your lenses during the day if the conditions change? If so, how or where do you carry the extra lenses?

My first thought is to throw lens #2 into my camelback wrapped in a microfiber cloth, but I’m worried that they could get crushed as I’m sitting on the lift.

Any suggestions?
 

raytseng

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Mar 24, 2016
Posts
3,330
Location
SF Bay Area
Even though I have smith i/0 I still think the swap is too cumbersome especially if it's a swap in snow. If I am carrying a 2nd set, I'm bringing the full second frame and lens in their microfiber bag, so the frame gives some support.
If I'm wearing a backpack, its an osprey, which has a upper goggle compartment near the neck that won't get crushed by a seatback.
 

oldfashoned

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Jan 27, 2016
Posts
395
I have Oakley Airbrake goggle and carry the extra lens in the cloth bag it came in. My jacket has an extra large security pocket that the lens fits good in. A side note is that i found a lens that works for most conditions except full on spring sun, but my sunglasses work for that. Find I swap out the lens less frequently now.
 

Lauren

AKA elemmac
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The Granite State
I don’t carry an extra lens regularly, I’ll choose what makes the most sense for most of the day and deal with it. If light is changing a lot during the day I err towards the lighter end of the spectrum (a low light photochromic is perfect for those days).

I keep an extra lens or pair of goggles in the car when on day trips, at the condo when at my home mountain, or in a backpack when I’m wearing one. I have a Smith lens case for when it goes into my backpack. When I carry it it’s normally in case they fog up (when hiking or heavy snow days), not because of changing light.
 

François Pugh

Skiing the powder
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
7,615
Location
Great White North (Eastern side currently)
I buy my extra lenses when googles go on sale at big discount; the extra lenses come with frames and straps.
I store the extra lenses in the frames they came with, and that in the goggle sock they came with. That way I don't have to mess around fitting lenses into frames; it's easy to just swap goggles.
I have often found goggles on sale for less than the cost of extra lenses. :ogbiggrin:
 

jt10000

步步高升
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Joined
Apr 21, 2019
Posts
1,128
Location
New York City
I have several pairs of goggles and some spare lenses. I generally travel to the mountain with two goggles in their bags inside my helmet, and ski with whichever one has lenses better suited for the conditions. Sometimes I'll have a third lens - one of the goggle bags has a sleeve for a lens. All the goggles are the same brand/model (Giro Onset) at the moment.

I've only been really downhill skiing a couple seasons, and a few times I've come into the lodge to switch goggles - but not often.

I can't see myself changing lenses outside in the cold. Maybe if the lenses were held on by magnets I would, but not with the Onsets.
 

pjs32000

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Jan 25, 2019
Posts
20
I simply put my spare lenses in a microfiber bag and wrap that bag in a knit winter cap for some light padding. I typically use the winter cap when having an après ski beer so I'd be carrying it anyway. Then I toss it in my pack, but I make a point to place it near the very top of the pack where it's less likely to get smashed between me and the chair.
 

givethepigeye

Really, just Rob will do
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Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
1,705
Location
Charleston, SC
Carry a couple of lenses. Make the call right before I walk out or parking lot and usually deal with it. both POC and Smith I/O's - always lean to the lighter when in doubt. I can deal with a little too much light better than I can with too little and flat light. ive skied in smith sensor mirrors in the full sun, yeah the weatherman was really wrong.
 

Tony Storaro

Glorified Tobogganer
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Mar 2, 2020
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7,805
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Europe
M4's and Scott lenses come in a separate hard case, so no problems carrying them in the internal jacket pocket.

And the M4's are a breeze to swap, I can do that on the go without even stopping.
 

Tony Storaro

Glorified Tobogganer
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Even though I have smith i/0 I still think the swap is too cumbersome especially if it's a swap in snow.

They are. A pain in the backside to swap. Awesome lenses but too much of a fiddling to swap. That's why I moved to M4.
 

Slim

Making fresh tracks
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Oct 2, 2017
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2,973
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Duluth, MN
I carry the spare lens in my jacket pocket i it’s soft bag. Lenses are quite strong, plus in that spot it is unlikely to be bent or broken. That way, I can swap lenses on the chairlift. I had I/O, and although not super easy, I could manage it on most chairlift rides easily enough.
now I have the I/O Mag XL, super easy swaps.
 

Davec1

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Aug 15, 2018
Posts
37
Location
Sydney, Australia
I had the Smith case but it kept opening and the lenses would fall out.

I looked a lot for a case that would zip closed and found the one below. I put the spare lenses in a soft sunglasses case individually so they dont rub or scratch on each other and then put them all in the hard case below. You can fit multiple lenses in each case, we usually only carry two or three but you could carry more if needed.

It sits flat and doesn't take up space in my backpack like a large goggles case would.

They have a soft back and can actually fit a pair of goggles if required. I have had many decent falls with them in my bag and never any issue.

We picked these up for $4 on Aliexpress. (link is here). You can also pick up the soft sunglasses cases on the same site for less than $1.

Ski case 3.PNG
 

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crgildart

Gravity Slave
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Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
16,324
Location
The Bull City
I actually have 4, FOUR complete sets of goggles in my boot bag ready to go. Three different tints (Amber, Dark, Light Yellow), and one spare amber set should the main one get lost or damaged. It's hard enough to boot up, gear up, remember what to stuff in the pockets, etc without also having to fumble around swapping out goggle lenses in frames in the morning or middle of the day should conditions change.
 

Ski&ride

Out on the slopes
Pass Pulled
Joined
Mar 15, 2018
Posts
1,633
Timely thread. I just bought a new goggle that comes with 2 lenses.

In the past, I tend to lose my spare lens that comes with whatever goggle/glasses, till I’m down to my favorite I’m using most days. I’ll see how long this one last.

My preference in powder days ogwink means my sunny day lenses simply don’t get used all that much. By March, when it’s really sunny out, I’m often skiing with sunglasses instead of goggles. Or maybe it’s the reveres: by March, I can’t find my dark lens for the goggle so I ski with my sunglasses! :(
 

Joe Strummer

Getting on the lift
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Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Posts
85
Location
Squamish, BC
My butler carries all my spare gear, including a dram of whiskey. By the end of the day I'm too pissed to notice the light conditions.
 

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