Prevent Goggle Fogging

The infamous fogging goggle problem… We have all dealt with it and we have all been annoyed by it. Yes, some riders do better than others and some goggles also deal with it better than others. In this entry I am going to discuss why and how to prevent fogging.

Lets first discuss how fogging happens. It happens when cold air and hot air meet. That simple.

Make sure your goggles fit your face. We do not want all the heat from your head going into your mask. Your foam should be a little thicker than your helmet padding. Ski goggle foam and some rebranded ski goggles sold as snowmobile goggles simply do not provide this because they are built without an open face helmet in mind. Our Gavel helmet and Verdict goggles provide this, but many others do not. You can check this by installing your goggles and looking at the foam. What is your face going to hit first? Is that where the seal should be? You do not want to foam to be really thick and cause comfort issues and push the goggles way out causing other issue.

Don’t take your goggles off! Remove your whole helmet. I see people complaining about fogged goggles and next thing I know they have them over there neck, dangling from the handle bars or have a special snap system it is dangling from. Take your helmet off. If you are going to ride without goggles, put them in a dry spot and wrapped. Don’t put your goggles in a cold spot with wet or damp gloves. Don’t put them under coat. Best spot is an under hood goggle bag or a hard goggle case in a bag—All Verdict goggles come with a hard case.

Buy goggles from a company who has put thought into venting for snowmobile helmets. Venting is huge because that is what will balance the moisture and heat with the outside. Look at how the goggle is vented and how big the vents are. JUDGED has stepped out of the box on venting, but other companies venting methods work pretty well.

Don’t let any blowing snow fall inside your goggles or helmet.

Do not touch the inside of your goggles. I know that is impossible, but watch the guy who always fumbling around with his goggles. Notice he is always the one fogging up like crazy and complaining. If you see a friend scraping the inside of his goggles with his fingers or glove, throw them in the woods for him. Buy an extra goggle and not extra lenses. Buying multiple lenses is a great idea on paper and may seem cheaper, but it is a bad idea. You need to leave your lenses alone.

Don’t overdress because you’ll generate more perspiration and water vapor that can fog or freeze on the inside of your goggles. If you are hot, shed a layer or open up your vents. If your head is real warm, ditch the balaclava. You should not need a balaclava in warm conditions unless you are using an ATV helmet with a bad fitting goggle setup.

Do not do the goggle pump. Skiers can get away with this, but our helmets hold too much heat. Pumping will push in warm moist air and cause more of an issue.

Ditch the nose piece. The nose piece can hold and catch heat. Let that air out.

Carry a second pair of goggles, just in case the first pair still fogs up.

The next time your buddy asks why goggles never fog let him know you bought a JUDGED combo and you follow the manufactures recommendations!