Are Photochromic Ski Goggles Worth It? An Honest Answer

Yes, photochromic ski goggles are worth it for most people who ski mixed days. A photochromic lens gets darker in the sun and lighter when the clouds roll in, all on its own. Ours go from 65% VLT in low light to 16% in bright sun, so one lens covers most of a normal day without stopping to swap. Where they're not worth it: if most of your days are full bluebird, full storm or night laps, two dedicated lenses will do a better job at those extremes.

Here's who a photochromic goggle makes sense for, what it costs compared to a two-lens setup, where it falls short, and which of ours to look at.

Who are photochromic ski goggles worth it for?

The quick way to decide is to think about your normal ski day, not your best one.

If most of your boxes land in the left column, a photochromic lens is probably the best money you'll spend on your goggles. If they land on the right, you'll get more out of a dark lens and a bright lens and a quick swap.

What does a photochromic lens actually do?

A photochromic lens reacts to UV light. When the UV gets stronger, the lens darkens. When it drops, like when the clouds come over or you head into the shade, the lens lightens back up. You don't press anything or carry anything.

VLT is the share of light a lens lets through. A higher number is a lighter lens. Our photochromic snow lenses sit at about 65% VLT in low light and get as dark as 16% in bright sun. For context, our darkest regular lens, Sunny Day Black, is 10%, and our flat light lens, Grape Ice, is 72%. Our ski goggle VLT chart shows where every lens fits.

Are photochromic goggles worth the extra money?

Here's what the options cost on our site right now:

So a photochromic goggle costs a bit more than the same goggle with one regular lens, and a bit less than a goggle plus a spare. What you're really paying for is not having to think about it. The trade-off is range: a two-lens setup can go darker and brighter than one photochromic lens.

Where photochromic falls short

To be straight about it, photochromic is a great all-rounder, not the best lens for every extreme.

• Bright bluebird days. At its darkest a photochromic lens sits at 16%. A dedicated sun lens like Sunny Day Black goes to 10%. On a bright spring day you may want the darker lens. Our spring skiing guide covers those days.
• Storms and deep flat light. At its lightest it sits around 65%. A lens like Grape Ice at 72% lets in more light and adds contrast, which helps when the snow loses its shadows. More on that in our post on goggles for low light and snowy days.
• Night skiing. There's no UV at night, so a photochromic lens stays at its lightest. That's still darker than a clear lens. For night laps, a clear lens (80 to 99% VLT, for our smallest frame) is the better call. Our night skiing goggle guide goes deeper.
• It isn't instant. Photochromic lenses usually darken faster than they lighten back up. Ducking in and out of the trees on one run, the lens can lag a little behind the light. For tree runs we like a lens in the 40 to 70% range, so many riders who ski mostly trees still carry a bright lens.
• Behind glass. Car windows block most UV, so the lens won't darken much in the car on the drive up. That's normal, not a fault.

In the cold. Our photochromic lenses change slower in the cold because of the chemical reaction, but we try to improve our process every year.

Photochromic or carry a spare lens?

That's the real choice, and both work. All three of our snow goggles use a magnetic lens, so if you'd rather swap than go photochromic, a mid-tint in the goggle and a bright lens in your pocket is a solid system. Our post on the best ski goggles for changing weather walks through both plans lens by lens, and our magnetic lens guide covers how the swap works.

One thing to know before you buy a spare: our lenses only fit their own frame. A lens for our smallest frame won't go on our largest frame, so buy the lens made for the goggle you own.

Which of our snow goggles come with a photochromic lens?

• Our smallest frame, the Valorie Snow: photochromic in Black, Green or Purple, all 65% to 16%. The Purple adds a contrast boost for flat light. If you already own one, the Photochromic Green lens is sold on its own.
• Our largest frame, the Emily: Photochromic Black, 65% to 16%, with an oversized spherical lens. The spare photochromic lens is sold on its own too.
• Our widest view goggle, the Esme: there's no photochromic lens for it right now. Run Shred Green (24%) for sun and some cloud and carry Grape Ice for flat light. A blue photochromic Esme lens is coming in early December. It'll carry the same price difference our photochromic lenses have over fixed tint today, $32 more on a goggle and $20 more for a spare lens.

Not sure which frame suits your face? Our post on cylindrical, spherical and toric lenses explains the shapes, and every frame is in our goggles collection. If you wear glasses, our prescription insert fits all our goggles, so you can run a photochromic lens with your prescription behind it.

Do photochromic lenses wear out?

The photochromic effect can slow down over the years, mostly with heat and a lot of sun. We wrote a full post on how long photochromic lenses last, so we won't repeat it here. On the damage side, our Lifetime Good Day Guarantee covers all damage, including scratches, crashes, breaks and even loss. Our post on what lifetime goggle warranties really cover explains how ours works.

And if you're still on the fence, we have a 60 day used trial. Ride them for 60 days. Most brands won't let you take the tags off.

What we run at Lake Louise and Sunshine

Photochromic is worth it for everything except super foggy days, because it doesn't let in as much light as a fixed tint lens. So I run Grape Ice on pow days and Photochromic Green for everything else.

FAQ

Do photochromic goggles work on cloudy days?

Yes. With less UV the lens stays lighter, around 65% VLT on ours. Even on cloudy days at altitude there can be enough UV to darken the lens a bit. In real flat light or a storm, a 72% lens like Grape Ice is brighter.

Can you use photochromic goggles for night skiing?

You can, but it isn't ideal. With no UV the lens stays at its lightest, which is still darker than clear. A clear lens is the better pick for night laps.

How fast do photochromic ski goggles change?

Not instantly. Photochromic lenses usually darken faster than they lighten. They're best for light that changes over a run or a day, not for every shadow on the way down.

Can I add a photochromic lens to the goggle I already have?

If you own our smallest frame or our largest frame, yes. The spare photochromic lens is $90 and goes on with the magnetic system. Lenses only fit their own frame, so pick the one made for your goggle.

Are photochromic goggles better than polarized?

For skiing, photochromic is the better fit for most people, because it gets lighter when the light drops and you can still see the shine off icy patches. Our only polarized lens is the Black lens on our sunglasses.

Until next time, have a Good Day!