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Do Ski Resorts Rent Goggles? (Confirmed!)

Do Ski Resorts Rent Googles

Arriving at a ski area only to realize that you’ve forgotten something essential can be devastating. 

It can be a terrible inconvenience, especially if it’s something like goggles, which we rarely find someone with a pair to spare. 

Most skiers tend to forget minor things like a gaiter or a glove when going out to ski. But this is usually not a problem as you most likely have another pair in your ski pack or have a friend who can lend one.

When you forget your ski goggles, you aren’t likely to get any help on the slopes since most skiers only bring one pair. This might leave you wondering whether you can rent ski goggles in a ski resort. 

Well, the truth is that not many resorts have goggles rentals within or nearby, and those that provide them tend to be a bit expensive.

Renting ski goggles involves a lot of sizing issues and cleanliness problems. Trust me, it’s never pleasurable to hit the slopes with a grimy pair of ski goggles on your face. 

If you’ve just booked a ski trip to your favorite resort and don’t have ski goggles, I’d recommend getting yourself a pair before you set off for your adventure.

Why It’s Important to Wear Ski Goggles When Skiing

Why It’s Important to Wear Ski Goggles When Skiing

If you are going to ski for the first time, you might wonder whether it’s actually worth it to buy or rent goggles.

You might even think that ski goggles are unnecessary as not all the time you’ll ski in terrible weather. 

Some skiers wear sunglasses instead of ski goggles, but they don’t provide the best protection while out there. Sunglasses can easily fall off and get lost in the snow. 

Before you decide not to buy ski goggles or rent them if you forgot yours at home, here are a few benefits of wearing goggles when hitting the slopes. 

Protect Your Eyes from the UV Rays

Ski goggles protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet rays while skiing. When you are exposed to high-intensity UV light, it can result in eye damage, which may be short-term or long-term. 

Your cornea hurts from excessive exposure to UV rays and can, in turn, suffer from snow blindness. 

If you plan to ski in the mountains for several days and don’t want your eyes to suffer temporary or permanent damage, you can wear ski goggles with the right tint. 

While sunglasses may still provide enough eye protection from UV light, they expose your face to indirect light since they lack a seal around the edges.

Additionally, sunglasses come with smaller frames, which means that they will barely protect your face from UV damage. 

But with ski goggles and a ski helmet, a significant part of your face remains covered, so you’ll only have to apply sunscreen cream on the nose. 

You may think you only need ski goggles when skiing on sunny days, but the truth is that they are vital even on cloudy days. 

Keep in mind that the UV rays can bounce through the clouds and damage your skin and eyes when skiing on overcast days.

Ensure Less Glare

Another common issue most skiers have to deal with when skiing is sun’s glare. When you are hitting the slopes on a sunny day, the sun’s glare can limit your visibility and damage your eyes. 

You can protect your eyes and improve visibility by wearing ski goggles, as they come with a dark lens that minimizes glare. 

 If you want a more advanced solution, you can look for ski goggles with improved filters, such as polarized or photochromic lenses.

I have used polarized goggles when hitting the slopes, and they provide perfect protection from sun and ice glare that affect many skiers on the slopes.

One advantage of using polarized goggles when skiing is that they are more adaptable to different weather conditions. 

Provide Better Contrast

The last thing you want when riding downhill is the inability to distinguish objects on the slopes due to limited contrast. But you can easily solve this by wearing ski goggles.

Not only do ski goggles reduce glare but they also provide more contrast on the mountain when you are riding on a sunny day. 

This allows you to see any inclines in the slope and differentiate objects from shadows when riding downhill.

Nonetheless, it’s important to keep in mind that different color tints in ski goggles work best in different conditions. If you want an all-around weather solution, Bronze, yellow, and orange tint is an excellent option.

For sunny conditions, gray tint is your best bet, but you can also go for blue as it works great for both sunny and dark conditions. Permission, brown, and rose are a perfect tint for cloudy or overcast weather. 

Provide Better Contrast

Keep Your Face Warm

When skiing in cold weather conditions, the chilly wind can cause your eyes to water and reduce your visibility. Snow can also collect on your eyelashes, making it difficult for you to see clearly. 

Ski goggles play an essential role in keeping your eyes in a safe and more comfortable temperature while out there. 

While they have small vents that prevent the lenses from fogging, they have adequate padding and a big frame to block the wind from getting into your eyes.

Provide Better Fit

When buying any piece of ski gear, one of the most important aspects to consider is the fit. 

The right ski goggles will fit your face snuggly and complement the helmet’s fitting for your head’s comfort and safety.

And since ski helmets come with a clip where you can attach the goggle strap, your ski goggles will fit your face safely and are less likely to fall off while you ride downhill. You may not enjoy this when downhill skiing with sunglasses.

Guarantee Safety 

Along with eye protection from the harsh outdoor weather, ski goggles also guarantee safety for your eyes while out there. 

They protect your eyes from blunt objects, tree branches, snow particles, and anything that may hit your face and cause eye damage.

While the goggles are not necessarily a compelling field, their large coverage ensures that your face has better protection than you would have when wearing normal sunglasses. 

What is the Cost of Renting Ski Goggles?

The cost of renting ski goggles can range from $5 to $12, depending on the ski area. This seems less money and even more convenient compared to the cost of other pieces of ski equipment.

However, renting ski goggles is expensive in the long run, given that you can get a good pair by adding a few dollars to what you would pay when renting goggles. 

You can buy a good pair of ski goggles at around $20 as long as you get them out of season.

Should I Buy My Own or Rent Ski Equipment?

Should I Buy My Own or Rent Ski Equipment

In my opinion, buying your own goggles will put you on the right foot when it comes to getting an enjoyable and comfortable skiing experience. 

Sure, the initial cost is a bit higher than renting, but you’ll end up paying more when renting goggles every time you go skiing.

And while some ski rentals may offer discounts to help you save money when renting ski equipment, there are other disadvantages of renting goggles.

As mentioned earlier, fitness problems are a major issue as it’s not all the time a ski rental shop will give you goggles that fit your face properly.

And if your ski goggles don’t fit properly, they may fall off while skiing. Goggles that don’t fit correctly will also not provide you with the right protection and comfort.

Some rented ski goggles may be overused and worn out with ineffective straps. This will make it difficult for you to secure them properly to your ski helmet.

It’s also common to find rented ski goggles that lack enough padding. When you think of all the sweat of different people who rent goggles in a shop, it makes the most sense to buy your new pair.

Moreover, you cannot be sure about the quality when renting ski goggles. While the retailer may try hard enough to provide you with goggles that are in working condition, it’s usually hard to guarantee quality.

FAQs

FAQs

Q: Do Ski Resorts Have Goggles?

A: Yes, some ski resorts offer goggle rentals for skiers. However, it’s important to bring your own ski equipment as not all resorts rent everything skiers need to hit the slopes.
If you have arrived at a ski resort for your ski trip and realize that you have forgotten your goggles, you can check for nearby shops to rent a pair instead of skiing with your eyes exposed.
Skiing without goggles can be dangerous as the outdoor weather elements like chilly winds and sun glare can damage your eyes. 
The best thing to do is to bring your own gear for the next ski trip, as it can be expensive to rent ski goggles every ski holiday you take.

Q: Do Ski Resorts Provide Ski Boots?

A: Yes, many ski resorts rent ski boots for skiers who don’t have their own equipment. If it’s your first time skiing and you haven’t bought your own boots, you may consider getting a decent pair from a ski rental shop. 

Most ski rental shops provide rental packages for ski equipment. The packages usually include skis, bindings, ski boots, and poles. 
For snowboarders, you can get a package that comes with snowboard boots, a snowboard, and bindings. 

Renting boots for skiing will reduce your initial skiing costs if you are working on a low budget and cannot afford to buy a piece of your ski equipment at once.

However, if you ask a more experienced skier, they will tell you that renting ski boots isn’t a good idea. Ski boots are designed to fit the skier’s feet comfortably and conform to their shape.
So, if you rent your ski boots rather than buy a new pair, chances are that you will end up with boots that don’t fit you properly.
I recommend buying your own pair of boots when going out to ski, even if it’s your first time hitting the slopes.

If you don’t have a choice and must rent equipment to hit the slopes, it’s important to make reservations beforehand, especially when visiting the resort at the peak of the ski season. 

This way, you will know that at least you’ll get the right size and will be ready for pickup when you arrive at the ski area.

Q: Is Renting Ski Clothes Worth It?

A: Whether renting ski clothes is worth it or not depends on a number of factors. It is worth it if you are a first-time skier and aren’t sure if you’ll like the sport or not. 

Renting ski clothing is also more convenient if you want to start skiing and don’t have enough money to buy all the ski equipment needed. 

You get to try out different brands and might even get a discount if you get all your ski rental equipment in one ski shop.

On the other hand, renting equipment and clothing from ski shops is ultimately expensive, and might not be the best option if you want to hit the slopes frequently. 

It’s also pretty hard to get clothes that fit you perfectly from ski rental shops, which can sometimes be frustrating. It also compromises your comfort and style.

Q: Do You Need Ski Goggles at Night?

A: Yes, ski goggles are still necessary when skiing at night. It can be tempting to remove your goggles when darkness kicks in, but you shouldn’t give in to this temptation. 

While there are no UV rays at night, you still need to protect your eyes from chilly winds, snow, and other outdoor objects.

Final Word

Final Word

If you forgot to bring your goggles for skiing, some ski areas will allow you to rent goggles. However, it is always best to buy new ski equipment to save money and time.

Buying your own ski goggles will ensure that you get a pair that fits properly and guarantee comfort while hitting the slopes.

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Picture of Lisa Hayden-Matthews

Lisa Hayden-Matthews

An avid Skier, bike rider, triathlon enthusiast, amateurish beach volleyball player and nature lover who has never lost a dare! I manage the overall Editorial section for the magazine here and occasionally chip in with my own nature photographs, when required.
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