Opinions? Smith I/O X Turbo Fan (and the lens options)? Small face

[Monique]

Side note: Yes, here on the East Coast, it's usually an "all or nothing" conditions for sunlight. A 35% VLT lens isn't terribly good at low light, nor good at bright light; it ends up being good at very little actually.

Maybe good at middle light conditions like I usually experience?

 

[Jake M]

Yes, but I guess it depends on your eyes. My eyes are very sensitive to light (particularly bright light which actually hurts my eyes) and I have outstanding night vision, so I find the "in between" lens to be useless. So I go light or dark, all the way. But my eyes might be freakish, and someone a bit more "normal" might benefit in those conditions you describe.

I suppose the I/OX would come with the bright/dark combo lenses, so see if those are suitable? If not, then the middle road?

Otherwise, the Aboms look extremely promising, provided the lenses/optics are decent. Anti-fog shouldn't come at the expense of good vision, so hopefully they have both dialed in.

 

[Monique]

If you get a chance to check out the Aboms, PLEASE report back! I'm VERY interested in how they feel, see, and work. I'd trade in multiple goggles and lenses for one solid set that has good vision and never fogs up. I'm on my third set of expensive goggles, and while I love the optics/vision of the I/OX, they aren't exactly svelte and lightweight with that battery pack.

Sigh. I went to Sun Logic and tried on both the Aboms and the Smith I/O X, and they were both pretty huge on my face and either put pressure on my nostrils or left a big gap between nose and goggle or both. The very patient saleswoman brought out a Spy goggle with some sort of passive venting system that's supposed to pull air through the goggle more effectively, but I couldn't be convinced, despite a very good fit. Then she suggested something else - the Smith Knowledge OTG. They are still huge, but not quite as huge, and fit well over the nose. A tiny bit of nose pressure, mostly because they stick out more than my Anons, which is kind of where we think some of the fog may be coming from (lens so close to my face). I tried all their lens options and went with the Red Sensor, which seems a little light for an overall lens, but she says she knows some instructors who wear it as their everyday. If I don't love them, I may try the RC36. There are only four lenses for this goggle, in any case. Clearly the lens swapping will not be anything like the Anons or even as good as the I/O Xs, but these actually pretty much fit my face and have the fan thing going for them.

ALSO they are only $160 vs. the $275 of the I/OXs - so definitely easier on the wallet. They seem to have the same fan and lens technology, so I probably won't miss whatever it is that makes the I/O X more expensive than the Knowledge.

 

[Jerez]

The phenoms have the same fan as the knowledge but are smaller in the face. Maybe you can contact Smith to see if you can order them to try on....

 

[Monique]

The phenoms have the same fan as the knowledge but are smaller in the face. Maybe you can contact Smith to see if you can order them to try on....

Well, I already bought the Knowledge, and they fit fine today (didn't need to turn on the fan, though), so I am not planning to buy any more goggles in the next couple of days ...

 

[James]

Well, I already bought the Knowledge, and they fit fine today (didn't need to turn on the fan, though), so I am not planning to buy any more goggles in the next couple of days ...

Since you like the Anon 35% vlt silver lens you would probably like the Smith Rc36 or Ignitor Mirror vlt 35%.

http://www.smithoptics.com/us/Root/Men's/Accessories/Lenses/Knowledge-OTG-Replacement-Lenses/p/KN4E

 

[Monique]

Since you like the Anon 35% vlt silver lens you would probably like the Smith Rc36 or Ignitor Mirror vlt 35%.

http://www.smithoptics.com/us/Root/Men's/Accessories/Lenses/Knowledge-OTG-Replacement-Lenses/p/KN4E

Yeah, I looked at both of those and went with the Red Sensor, but the lenses are actually pretty cheap, so I'm going to grab an RC36, which in person seemed similar to Oakley Persimmon, which I remember liking. The shop lady said those percentages are not a great guide, which I tended to agree with after looking through the various lenses at the shop.

 

[James]

I have the Oakley Persimmon lens in pretty much all year. It's a low light lens good for east. Looking in the shop can be deceiving. Not much light.