Do You Need Goggles to Ski? (Solved)

Winter is just a few weeks away and it’s time to get ready to hit the slopes for some skiing! But before you are ready to head out, you need to make sure you have all the gear you need to stay safe.

One of the most important pieces of equipment for skiing is a good pair of goggles. Goggles protect your eyes from both the sun and snow. Plus, they also help you see better and keep your face warm.

But do you always need goggles to ski? Yes, ski goggles are A MUST. It is not safe to ski without them.

I can’t stress this enough, never ski without goggles. Safety comes first when you’re on the slopes.

In this post, I will walk you through why you need goggles to ski and the risks of skiing without them. Moreover, I’ll talk about when to wear them and if you can substitute goggles for a pair of sunglasses along with a couple of FAQs.

Why You Need Ski Goggles

There are several reasons why you need to wear goggles. Basically, they keep your eyes safe and provide a few significant advantages that can make a huge difference when you are skiing.

Some of these reasons are:

Protect Your Eyes

Ski goggles shield your eyes from the sun’s damaging UV rays as well as cold temperatures.

At high altitudes, you get more exposure to sunlight and snow makes the rays more potent. And it’s going to be cold as well.

If you ski without ski goggles, you are more likely to get frostbite on both your eyes and face. Wearing ski goggles will keep your eyes warm, but make sure they are properly tightened.

PS. If you wear glasses, you can get ski goggles that fit over them.

Acts As A Shield

Ski goggles protect your eyes from wind, cold, and dry air, all of which can cause discomfort and even pain. Plus, they also prevent your eyes from drying out.

If you get something in your eyes when you are skiing down, there’s a good chance you’ll fall over which might result in an injury.

Additionally, wearing goggles can also protect your eyes in the event of an accident by acting as a shield against sharp objects and massive snowdrifts.

Improve Visibility And Contrast

Ski goggles improve your vision by increasing visibility in low light and minimising any glares. They also improve your vision by increasing clarity and contrast.

You may have difficulties seeing in low-light circumstances without the goggles, which can lead to mishaps.

Should I Wear Sunglasses Instead of Goggles for Skiing?

Protecting our eyes from harm, while skiing is very important, and ski goggles are made to help us with that. But, do we always have to wear ski goggles? 

What about sunglasses, can we use them instead of ski goggles?

Simply speaking, no. Ski goggles are made especially for skiing, so they come with many features beneficial for skiers, which any other type of eyewear such as sunglasses can’t provide.

Some of these features are,

• Ski goggles are made to cover the entire area around your eyes and seal it, protecting any ice, snow or dust particles from damaging your eyes. 

• They are made to fit right to your face, with adjustable straps, to make sure nothing gets into your eyes, even from the sides. They can also be wired above your helmets.

• Ski goggles won’t come off no matter what move or jump you do but the same can’t be said for sunglasses.

• Ski goggles provide a wider range of vision, helping you see any incoming obstacles. And also allow you to enjoy a wide range of the surrounding beauty.

• Fog is something you can’t prevent from coming, it will always form around your glasses or goggles. But ski goggles are created to prevent airflow, making it difficult for the fog to form, so the amount of fog formed, when compared to sunglasses, is very low. 

• Accidents are bound to happen when skiing, ski goggles are made strong enough to protect your eyes in case of such accidents. Wearing sunglasses may result in them breaking and even hurting your eyes from the broken pieces.

All in all, wearing ski goggles while skiing, rather than sunglasses is the best option. However, if you still wanna wear sunglasses, you can wear them inside the goggles (which I wouldn’t recommend) or after you are done skiing.

So if you brought a pair of sunglasses instead of your ski goggles, rent a pair from the resort.

There are certain goggles out there that are designed  to allow skiers to wear glasses inside them.

When to Wear Ski Goggles

Now that we know the role ski goggles play in shielding your eyes from the chilly wind and flying debris, when should you put on your ski goggles?

You don’t necessarily wear your ski goggles from home. While this wouldn’t be a problem, it isn’t necessary.

You can wear it on your helmet, or take it in your hands. And gear up before getting onto the lift or minutes before jumping off from the lift to the ground.

If you wear the goggles over the helmet on your head, you can just pull them down and secure them before jumping off the lift.

I personally think this would be the best option since taking them into your hands could cause you to lose or misplace them somewhere along the way. There is also a chance that they might fall off your hand during the lift ride.

When you wear them isn’t necessarily important as long as they will be secured safely on your eyes, before jumping off the lift.

Bottom Line

Most people would never consider skiing without goggles, yet we all have heard of some people who ski without them.

While you could do it, the consequences would be catastrophic and I highly recommend that you wear ski goggles. They will not only help you enjoy the slopes better, but they will also keep you safe.

So, before you go skiing, make sure you have a nice set of ski goggles. They could mean the difference between a great day on the slopes and a bad day.

FAQs

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