When it comes to getting kitted for skiing and snowboarding, there may not be a more fun piece of gear or apparel to shop for than ski goggles. The strap patterns! The colors! The mirrored lenses! I mean, we love a solid insulated jacket, but if you know how passionate we are about sustainable sunglasses, it should come as no surprise that we’re almost as easily excited by sustainable ski goggles.
So we did some digging to find a selection of more eco-friendly snowboard goggles, put them to the test, and are gonna let you know how they performed, how sustainable they are, what size faces they’re gonna work best for and more, right here, right now. So read on, and protect those peepers when you’re out on the snow.
Sustainable Ski Goggles
Opolis Ski and Snowboard Goggles
For perhaps the most sustainable snowboard goggles currently on the market, look no further than the Opolis Ski and Snowboard Goggles, which are not only good for the planet, they’re also super high quality, have easily interchangeable lenses, and are maybe our favorite goggles, style-wise.
They only come in two colors, and straps aren’t brightly colored and patterned, but we’re OK with that (plus, straps are easily removable to be repairable and replaceable, so if Opolis releases more colors in the future, you can easily swap them out). After all, it’s the lenses that really catch the eye. And we’re big fans of the mirrored cylindrical lenses.
The different colored goggle frames each come with a low-light and high-light lens (blue with white frames, orange with grey frames), and there’s an optional rose lens you can purchase separately.
Plus, the goggles come with a super nice StokedPlastic® zipper pouch and StokedPlastic® lens cleaner bag made of the same recycled materials as the frames.
As for swapping lenses, it couldn’t be easier and you can do it with the goggles still firmly attached to your face: just lift up on the little tab on the bottom right corner, pull the lenses away from the frames to disengage the strong magnets, and voila! lenses are off. To replace them, simply hold the lenses close to the frames and let the magnets do their thing. Too easy.
Fit: Large
While I could wear these goggles on my small face without too much difficulty or discomfort, they do seem better suited for medium-large faces. They fit Josh better than they fit me.
Sustainability
What makes these goggles so sustainable is that everything except the lenses is made with 100% recycled materials. But not just any recycled materials: ocean plastic. Opolis manages a network of partners in Indonesia and the Philippines who collect plastic waste from oceans and landfills near waterways to not only eliminate the need for virgin materials, but actually remove plastic from the environment. Win. (Each pair contains the equivalent of about 10 plastic bottles.)
Specs
- Cylindrical lenses
- Premium Polarized lens
- Magnetic lens system
- High- and low-light lens included
- Helmet compatible
- Non-slip strap
- Anti-fog
- VLT: 36% (orange lenses on grey goggles)-69% (blue lenses on white goggles)
Zeal Optics Cloudfall Goggles
Distortion-free spherical lens goggles that look dang good? That’s the Zeal Cloudfall Goggles. I mean, I’m a big fan of that colorful mirrored finish and rad artist-designed strap.
But in case you prefer something a little different, the Cloudfall goggles do come in a crazy array of colors and band patterns, we just dig these from the Haa Aani (Tlingit for “Our Land”) collection because for every pair sold, Zeal donates $5 to protect salmon habitats. They’re also designed by Tlingit artist Crystal Worl this season.
Though there are upper and lower vents, they did tend to fog up a bit during really high-output endeavors, like when Josh opted to hike uphill on a small beginner slope outside Las Vegas instead of taking the chair lift. Temps were above freezing that day, so the warmer weather combined with the extra effort may have played a large role.
The rail lock system, which holds the lenses in place, is easy to use. At least when it comes to removing lenses. All you have to do is push the lenses up to disengage the magnets and slide the lenses up and off the rails. Getting the lenses back on is another story. They have to be lined up just right, which means there’s very little chance you’ll be able to swap lenses without taking them off your head entirely (until you’ve gotten a lot of practice, anyway).
Fit: Medium-Large
These goggles fit a bit better on slightly smaller faces than the Opolis goggles, but they may still feel a bit big if you have a smaller-than-average noggin (like I do).
Sustainability
The straps of these ski goggles are made with at least 70% recycled materials (from plastic water bottles) and the frames and goggle bags are made of 100% recycled materials. Bonus: there’s no plastic in the packaging! As mentioned above, the Haa Aani line also helps support and protect salmon habitats and indigenous artists.
Specs
- Spherical lenses
- Everclear anti-fog
- Color filtration for enhanced definition
- Permashield hardcoat
- OTG (Over The Glasses) ready
- High-light and low-light lenses included
- Helmet compatible
- Non-slip strap
- VLT: 30%
Bollé Eco-Torus M
For a lightweight, small-framed, eco-friendly goggle powerhouse, allow me to introduce you to the Bollé Eco-Torus M. Sturdy, light, and designed to integrate perfectly with Bollé helmets (they work with other helmets, too, as we found out when snowboarding at RED Mountain Resort in Canada), these googles are a standout option for a number of reasons.
While we didn’t find the mirrored lenses as supremely reflective as we personally prefer, there were two things we absolutely do appreciate: 1.) That they’re available in small/medium sizes for smaller faces like mine, and 2.) they’re designed with OTG technology (Over The Glasses).
Yup, you can wear these babies with glasses. With most goggles you can try to wear glasses underneath, but goggle foam and frames can make it uncomfortable, especially if you wear chunkier glasses frames like we do. But with the Eco-Torus, the foam on the sides is shaped to offer a bit more room for glasses arms. Which Josh especially was stoked about because while I wear contacts most of the time, he doesn’t.
In any case, the lens shape is just slightly spherical, though not as extreme as the Zeal lenses, and they don’t cause distortion, but do ramp up the visual contrast. There are vents on the top and bottom and via tiny slots in the upper corners to aid in breathability and they’re available in several lens and strap options, including a photochromic lens (gets darker when the sun is brighter).
These are the lightest, but also the most budget-friendly option on this list (though the photochromic lenses are on par with the other goggles here). One downside, though? They don’t have removable lenses and don’t come with a second lens.
Fit: Small-Medium
These fit better on small to medium faces like mine. They felt much more comfortable than some of the other, larger options on this list.
Sustainability
The frames are made with renewable castor oil instead of traditional petroleum-based plastic and the strap is made of 65% recycled polyester.
Specs
- Spherical lenses
- Patented Volt color and high-contrast lenses
- Anti-Fog coating
- Anti-Scratch Coating
- Double Lens
- Flow-Tech Venting
- Volt High Contrast Lens
- 12-53% VLT depending on lens choice
Sustainable Ski Goggles: Bottom Line
Obviously which sustainable snowboard goggles you choose is a highly personal decision. You want them to not only look good, but perform and fit your face, too. Hopefully we helped you make the right decision so you can gear up sustainably and hit the slopes with confidence (and without suffering from snow blindness).
Wander on!
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Looking for more winter and ski gear content? Find our guide to layering here, our favorite ski kit here, a video comparing shell jackets to insulated jackets here, a review of a slope-ready intercom system here, and an ultimate beginners guide to snowboarding video here.
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Alisha is a freelance outdoor journalist and photographer based in Ogden, UT. She loves backpacking, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and snowboarding (even though she’s terrible at it). She’s also pretty sure she’s addicted to coffee. alishamcdarris.com