Are you a flat-light whiner (I am)

[ski_resort_observer]

Like many things in our life improved technologies happen often. Goggles are no exception. For NE, light amber/persimmon work best if you don't want to change lenses or have two good goggles, one for sunlight, one for cloudy/snowy days.

The new advances in optic technologies means even tho they are darker looking but when put them on it's pretty amazing how they still brighten up and increase the contrast for a cloudy flat light day and also work great on a sunny day. No reason to use clear unless for night skiing.

If you want to have two goggles, one with the light amber/rose and one with yellow, that works too. It's interesting that the yellow tint goggles look blueish on the shelf, especially the chrome/mirroe models.

As mentioned Prolens, a small company in NH does a great job for replacement lens. They even have a chart so if you have no clue as to what brand of goggles you have you can figure that out. The prices are great and it usually takes 3/4 days for shipping. If the frame and foam gasket are in good shape it's a good alternative to buying new goggles.

Nowadays most goggles have duel lens and have been treated on the inside with the new high tech anti-fog treatment so if you wipe the inside you could be looking for some new goggles as the layer is very sensitive. Dab don't wipe. The Scott snow eraser works great.

The best optics are spherical in shape for clarity and distortion but in general those are the goggles $75 and up. Conversly, the $30 Scott Classics work very well also. Nothing fancy just good basic goggles. Nowadays the mirror/chrome lens are for show only. They used to cut down about 5% of the light input. The amplifier/sensor optics has really made a big diference in just the last couple of years.

My current fav pair are Scott Storm OTGs but I also like my Giro Roots. It seems like Oakley A frames are fav among the ski patrollers here at the Bush. Oakley has come out with a couple of new top end goggles that have a fan built in but I'm not convinced yet on those. The I/O's have a diferent way of mounting the lens using clips, kinda like the storm windows we have on our homes making lens changing very easy.

 

[ALLSKIING]

I am.....While skiing down steep runs with rocks,ice,waterfalls,bumps it helps to see.

 

[bvibert]

If I have trouble seeing due to flat light I just shut my eyes...

Seriously, most of my skiing is at night, so I guess I'm kinda used to skiing in poor light conditions. I used clear lenses for night time and have a pair of goggles with light amber lenses for cloudy days.

 

[severine]

In the words of Obiwan-- "Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them." "Reach out with your feelings."

Learn to feel with your feet rather than take in every detail with your eyes.

One drill some people do is to put a piece of tape on the bottom 1/3 of there goggles so they only look at least 20-30' ahead. You don't necessarily have to that, just forget about using your eyes for the detailed snow info; use you eyes only to plan you path down the hill by looking at least 20' ahead.

Interesting approach.

The best optics are spherical in shape for clarity and distortion but in general those are the goggles $75 and up.

Or you can catch a deal on SAC. I got my Smith Phenom Spherical Goggles for $44.03 on SAC.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

I dont want to have to switch lenses,,,i want a dedicated pair with yellow lens..any suggestions on manufature or where to get them?

 

[shwilly]

For the last 2+ seasons my everyday goggles have been A-Frames with the light yellow / "Iridium" tint. I can only remember one or two days when I wished they were darker.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

I dont want to have to switch lenses,,,i want a dedicated pair with yellow lens..any suggestions on manufature or where to get them?

A yellow lens lets in 85-92% of both reflective and direct sunlight....could be a problem on a one of those few sunny days we have in the northeast. The light amber/light rose/persimmon tint 45-60% works great under all conditions.

Since you asked I think most of the major manufacturers make good goggles with several versions of the yellow tint. It's all about your personal preferences as far as what bells and whistles you want. Diferent frame styles, diferent graphics on the frames and strap, type and placement of strap/buckle, paint job quality, chrome/mirror, fit, lens quality, cost, vent system etc.

I would go to a good shop and check out the diferent ones. I sell Smith, Scott, Oakley and Giro and they all have several fine goggles with yellow lens. After you have figured out what you want then go online and you can probably get them cheaper or get lucky like Sev did and wait for a pair to appear on SAC. Course, if the shop helped you decipher thru the myriad of choices in a friendly and professional manner you can buy them there.

 

[Terry]

I am icing my knee and on crutches because of flat light. I was carving nice turns, probably going way to fast,and went into the shadows. I didn't see the foot high drop in the trail that I hit and my right leg went out from under me. Needless to say a huge yardsale ensued. When I picked myself up off the snow, my right leg was numb. I skied to the bottom and called it a day. By the time I got home, I couldn't bear any weight on it. The dr said nothing was torn, but bad sprain, possibly cracked bone. Went for xrays today, havn't heard back from him yet. I am pissed at myself for being so stupid. Hope my season isn't done allready.

 

[ckofer]

If I have trouble seeing due to flat light I just shut my eyes...

Seriously, most of my skiing is at night, so I guess I'm kinda used to skiing in poor light conditions. I used clear lenses for night time and have a pair of goggles with light amber lenses for cloudy days.

I've found night skiing is not really flatlight. The lights can cast good shadows. I'm glad to see I'm part of a 25% crowd. Actually, I don't worry about the light conditions much when all of the snow is soft, it's more the variable conditions where I start whining a little.

 

[Paul]

I am icing my knee and on crutches because of flat light. I was carving nice turns, probably going way to fast,and went into the shadows. I didn't see the foot high drop in the trail that I hit and my right leg went out from under me. Needless to say a huge yardsale ensued. When I picked myself up off the snow, my right leg was numb. I skied to the bottom and called it a day. By the time I got home, I couldn't bear any weight on it. The dr said nothing was torn, but bad sprain, possibly cracked bone. Went for xrays today, havn't heard back from him yet. I am pissed at myself for being so stupid. Hope my season isn't done allready.

Best of luck, Terry. I did that last year and ended-up with a Tibial Plateau Fracture, a cracked Fibula, and a ruptured ACL.

Flat light sucks, get well soon.

 

[ckofer]

I am icing my knee and on crutches because of flat light. I was carving nice turns, probably going way to fast,and went into the shadows. I didn't see the foot high drop in the trail that I hit and my right leg went out from under me. Needless to say a huge yardsale ensued. When I picked myself up off the snow, my right leg was numb. I skied to the bottom and called it a day. By the time I got home, I couldn't bear any weight on it. The dr said nothing was torn, but bad sprain, possibly cracked bone. Went for xrays today, havn't heard back from him yet. I am pissed at myself for being so stupid. Hope my season isn't done allready.

Sorry to hear it. Hopefully you get the right diagnosis and treatment approach.

 

[bvibert]

I've found night skiing is not really flatlight. The lights can cast good shadows.

Flat light, no light, whats the difference..

 

[jack97]

I've found night skiing is not really flatlight. The lights can cast good shadows.

For night skiing, it depends, sometimes the shadows doesn't cast out and the light gets dim at the middle of the trail.

Actually, I don't worry about the light conditions much when all of the snow is soft, it's more the variable conditions where I start whining a little.

That's where your feet has to have to feel the snow.... this past weekend had variable conditions, hard granular, soft coating and machine groomed. Then in the afternoon, soft granular and boilerplate. I think of it as a great way to start feeling and adjust my skiing to the conditions.

 

[Terry]

I can actually see better when night skiing. The shadows show you the contour of the snow. The only tough thing to see is thin spots.

 

[darent]

sometimes even the oakley high light transmission goggles don't help!! flat light on big open slopes is the worse.

 

[andyzee]

I am icing my knee and on crutches because of flat light. I was carving nice turns, probably going way to fast,and went into the shadows. I didn't see the foot high drop in the trail that I hit and my right leg went out from under me. Needless to say a huge yardsale ensued. When I picked myself up off the snow, my right leg was numb. I skied to the bottom and called it a day. By the time I got home, I couldn't bear any weight on it. The dr said nothing was torn, but bad sprain, possibly cracked bone. Went for xrays today, havn't heard back from him yet. I am pissed at myself for being so stupid. Hope my season isn't done allready.

All the best Terry, hope it works out.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

I have goggles, for sunny days, partly sunny days etc....Just cannont find a shop that carries a goggle with a pure yellow lens...all are amber or rose colored....Smith's fit me the best

 

[gmcunni]

Just cannont find a shop that carries a goggle with a pure yellow lens...all are amber or rose colored....Smith's fit me the best

i picked up a pair of Smith Fuse goggles after Christmas. I tried night skiing a few times and didn't like the lens. Smithoptics.com sells extra lens and had a yellow one (and clear too) for my pair, http://www.smithoptics.com/Fuse_19_301.html

 

[Greg]

I can actually see better when night skiing. The shadows show you the contour of the snow. The only tough thing to see is thin spots.

I agree. I think that the lights light up the snow pretty well. The only problem is the shadows between lights.

As far as flat light during the day goes, I only have a problem with it when I've been skiing in good lighting all day and then I lose it. Yesterday at Hunter is a perfect example. Great light all day, but in the afternoon, my last run on Lower K with no sunlight (sun was behind the hill) and snowmaking to boot was rough. Typically, I have no problem on a day that starts and ends cloudy.

 

[Edd]

I am icing my knee and on crutches because of flat light. I was carving nice turns, probably going way to fast,and went into the shadows. I didn't see the foot high drop in the trail that I hit and my right leg went out from under me. Needless to say a huge yardsale ensued. When I picked myself up off the snow, my right leg was numb. I skied to the bottom and called it a day. By the time I got home, I couldn't bear any weight on it. The dr said nothing was torn, but bad sprain, possibly cracked bone. Went for xrays today, havn't heard back from him yet. I am pissed at myself for being so stupid. Hope my season isn't done allready.

Was that at SR? If so what trail was it on?