Hiking Goggle Lens Color

[Bergamo]

Which color lens do you have in your hiking goggles?
thanx

[Mike P.]

That is a good question, the fact that I don't knwo shows you how often I've used them. I've worn my glacier glasses more & also a pair of yellow lens sunglasses typical that hunters or bicyclist wear on gray days.

Because of fogging, I think of the goggles only as a cold weather option to keep my face from freezing along with the neoprene mask & balaclava. I'm going to guess a lighter gray color & go home & verify that.

[MichaelJ]

Excellent question! Mine are amber. My choice of goggle was entirely influenced by having a pair that could fit over my glasses, since I don't always winter hike in contact lenses, so I didn't give much thought to the color as I could have my prescription sunglasses or regular glasses under them.

I think it matters a lot less to hiking than skiing, since you're moving at just a fraction of the speed and it's far less important to see the snow textures and contours. What's primarily important is as Mike says, face protection combined with other components to protect the skin and keep away frostbite in windy conditions, especially above treeline. I like to think of the goggles as weather protection, while really good sunglasses are important for being out there in nicer conditions. UV protection and minimal light passage in winter will really help you when out on a snowfield or above treeline on a sunny day.

[Bergamo]

I've read somewhere that wearing clear lenses over sunglasses was a good idea. I heard that amber was for overcast or foggy days and gray for clear days. Do you use polarized lenses with your sunglasses?
thank you

[MichaelJ]

Clear over sunglasses certainly answers most questions - the sunglasses handle the light, and the goggles take care of the wind/cold protection. However, fogging is always a risk when you double up like that. I should say that while I chose my goggles so I could wear them over my glasses, I do have fogging issues with my glasses when I'm really exerting myself, and if I just wear my contacts and the goggles, no problems at all.

As for amber vs. grey, it's certainly true that different color lenses work better for different weather conditions. Amber is said to bring out the texture and snow surface when the light on a cloudy day is really flat and otherwise shadowless. I find it very useful to have different color lenses for my ski goggles. But for hiking it doesn't make as much of a difference to me. I'm only walking at 2-3mph and a small bump in the snow isn't going to matter to me on foot or snowshoe like it will if I'm flying down the mountain on my skis.

Polarized lenses, however, are definitely the way to go. And not just for hiking or skiing, but all the time. The way they cut out glare from the ground, be it snow or pavement, is just wonderful and will take a lot of stress off your eyes.

[Mike P.]

I think mine are amber, kind of an orangey red color.

I have a good pair of cebe glacier glasses for sunny days so the only thing I want goggles for are bad days cold temps & wind where face coverage is a concern. This would normally be above treeline & usually involves blowing snow which will limit visibility. Since I generate a ton of heat, fogging is an issue so clear goggles and sunglasses would leave me blind. Even just the goggles fog soon so if I'm digging for them in the bottom of my pack, I'm heading down, quickly.

If I need them when I reach treeline, I better be on a peak with limited above treeline exposure like Hight/Carter Dome, South Twin, Pierce or Moriah. Heading up a Northern Presidential, Moosilauke or the higher Franconia peaks in weather requiring goggles is probably best avoided.

[Bergamo]

Wouldn't goggles be needed on any trip above treeline? For instance, on a decent day to Mt. Washington? ( I have never been that high in the dead of winter so I have no reference). How about hiking when there is some wind and snow on the below treeline trails?
thanx

[MichaelJ]

I do not find that I ever need goggles simply for the cold. I did a hike on a cloudy day to a tree-covered summit and it was -26° up there, and while I exposed very little of my face, using a full balaclava and a hat as well, I did not need goggles. There was no wind at all to speak of, so I just covered everything else up. I was also on Washington in temps between 8 and 15 (I think), but with no wind to speak of I just used sunglasses.

I've also been on the summit of Moosilauke with temps in the teens, but with 15-25mph winds, bright sunny day and no reason not to be up there, but it was necessary to make sure not a single spot of skin was showing, thus the goggles.

And yes, there are places below treeline where they could come in handy if the wind can still reach you through the trees. Along South and Middle Carter comes to mind as one example. My personal feeling is that generally as long as it's not windy and you keep your body warm, keeping just a small part of your face and eyes exposed is going to be fine ... your body will keep plenty of blood flow to that skin and protect it. It's when it's windy out, that 100% protection with goggles becomes necessary. Even with plenty of body heat, you can't keep up with what the wind whips away, and you definitely don't want to risk freezing the corneas of your eyes.

[Oak22]

My goggles have an amber lens. I have been using the same goggles for skiing/snowboarding that I bring with me climbing. I find that amber lenses are the best compromise for all light conditions. Generally though, I am wearing glacier glasses or sunglasses unless it is really really cold.

[Mike P.]

You typically see the world's best mounatineers with glacier glasses on good days above treeline in the Himalaya or Andes, etc.

Around here, most days above treeline in winter may be windy & cold so you should always carry them. but on clear days with lighter wind, UV eye protection is the important component, glacier glasses better than googles.

On colder days I have a wind-bloc fleece balaclava, one of the older ones, wind-bloc all over except small spot at mouth, a hood & a face mask that even goes over my eyes, leaving a small area around my eyes. If sunny I'm in sunglasses. So my goggles are for cold & windy where exposed skin may freeze real quickly. If it's that windy, for me I'm condiering retreating but then I'm often solo too.

With a decent group there are conditions I might continue a longer above treeline trip (say Franconia Ridge or Monroe & Washington, or Pierce & ike) but it's been a while since I've been out in a group liek that with an above treeline hike planned.

Agree with Michael J, that section of the Carter Ridge may be protected from views but it's narrow enough with few enough trees that the wind gets through there pretty good. I was surprised a bit when I did South Carter a couple of winters ago on a day with NH snow flurries. (IN CT that would have been a storm)