Polarized ski goggles - does it pay off?

Sports and ski goggles are constantly evolving. One development in recent years that has gained significant traction in terms of lenses is polarization. What this is all about and whether you should jump on this trend for your ski goggles too, we explain in this blog.

What’s behind polarized lenses?

To understand if a polarized ski goggle is worth it for you, you should first know what this technical trend is all about. Not only does sunlight directly reach our eyes, but so does light from reflections. This reflected light is particularly bright on the mountains with a lot of snow and ice. To prevent this extra light from blinding you and tiring your eyes, it’s filtered out with polarization filters. So, while regular sunglasses and ski goggles protect your eyes from the harmful UV rays of the sun, polarized goggles also block out dazzling reflected light. You can read more about how these goggles work in our blog.

What are the downsides of polarized lenses?

Given all the benefits of polarized goggles, you might think they are perfect for skiing. However, unfortunately, that's not always the case. As is often the case, polarized lenses also have a downside. When skiing, the reduced light intake might cause you to miss differences and contrasts in the snow. This phenomenon occurs especially on icy surfaces, as they reflect strongly. With the polarization filter, icy patches become harder to see. Since this can quickly become dangerous, polarized lenses are not recommended for skiing. The same effect can also be seen on LC displays, like those in car dashboards or smartphones, where they are harder to read with polarized glasses.

What can you do about dazzling light?

Especially for skiers and snowboarders who are out on particularly sunny days or enjoy being on a glacier, better protection against harsh light is essential. If you feel overly dazzled while skiing, you can opt for ski goggles with particularly dark lenses. If you don't want to buy a separate ski goggle for every weather condition, you can go for goggles with interchangeable lenses. In the NAKED Optics Online Store, you will find a wide selection of ski goggles with interchangeable lenses. There you will also find a particularly dark-tinted lens (CAT.4), which is perfect for extremely sunny days and a trip to the glacier. The advantage of our ski goggles with interchangeable lenses is that you are perfectly equipped for days with low light as well, using our bad-weather lenses. Here you can learn how to tackle bad weather with your gear.

Credits: Florian Dorn