Ski Goggle VLT Chart: Which Lens for Sun, Cloud and Night

Here's the short version. On a bright bluebird day, run a dark lens around 8 to 18% VLT. When it's sun with some cloud, go 18 to 43%. For cloudy days, flat light and snow, go up to 43 to 80%. For night skiing, go clear or close to it. If you only want one lens, a photochromic lens that moves between 65% and 16% covers most of the days in between.

VLT stands for visible light transmission. It's the share of light that makes it through the lens. A 10% lens lets 10% of the light through and blocks the rest. A clear lens lets almost all of it through. Lower number, darker lens.

The ski goggle VLT chart

Lens makers sort lenses into five categories by VLT. The ranges come from the international standard for ski and snowboard goggles, ISO 18527-1. Here's what each category is for on the hill:

Most skiers live in categories 1 to 3. Category 4 is for glacier and high alpine trips, and category 0 is for night laps and the darkest storm days.

Where our snow lenses sit on the chart

Here's every lens we make for our three snow goggles, with its VLT and where it lands:

One thing to know before you shop: lenses only fit their own frame. A Valorie Snow lens goes on a Valorie Snow, an Emily lens on an Emily and an Esme lens on an Esme. So pick from the rows that match the goggle you ride.

Shred Green is worth a quick note. It looks green from the outside, but when you look through it you see a brown/purple hue. That's what sharpens things up on a day with sun and some cloud. Shred Blue is the Emily's version of that 24% lens, and it handles the same kind of day.

What VLT for sunny days?

For a true bluebird day, go dark: 8 to 18%, which is category 3. Snow bounces the sun right back up at you, and if you squint all day, your eyes are tired by lunch.

Our darkest snow lens is Sunny Day Black at 10%, for the Valorie Snow and the Emily. If the sun might not stick around, a 24% lens like Shred Green or Shred Blue still works in the sun and handles some cloud too.

What VLT for cloudy days and flat light?

When it's grey, go bright: 43 to 80%, which is category 1. Flat light is when cloud spreads the light out so evenly that the snow loses its shadows. Rollers, dips and ruts all blend together. A dark lens makes that worse because it takes away light you need.

Tint colour matters here as much as the number. A purple or red tint adds contrast so the shape of the snow stands out. Our two 72% lenses are both built for this. Grape Ice is a light purple, and it fits all three of our snow goggles. Gasolina has a red-blue tint and fits the Valorie Snow and the Emily. For more on grey days, read our guide to ski goggles for low light and snowy days.

What VLT for tree runs?

For riding in the trees, 40 to 70% works well. The trees give your eyes something to judge distance against, which helps a lot on a flat light day. But the shade under the canopy is darker than the open run, so a dark lens loses the detail you need. Grape Ice and Gasolina at 72% sit right at the bright end of that range, and a photochromic lens in its light state (65%) sits inside it.

What VLT for night skiing?

At night, go clear or close to it. In Edmonton the sun sets around 4:15 PM in late December, so a lot of weekday laps happen under the lights. Under lights, a dark lens throws away the little light you have, and the bumps disappear. Our Valorie Snow Clear lens runs 80 to 99% and is made for night skiing. We go into tints, lit runs and snowy nights in the best ski goggles for night skiing.

Where photochromic fits on the chart

A photochromic lens changes tint on its own. It darkens as UV gets stronger and lightens when the UV drops. Ours run from 65% in low light to 16% in bright sun, so one lens covers categories 1 through 3. That's most of a normal ski day.

To be straight about the limits: at its darkest it's 16%, which is lighter than Sunny Day Black on a full bluebird day. At its brightest it's 65%, which is great for cloudy days but not a night lens. You can get the Valorie Snow with a Photochromic Black lens (plus Green and Purple), or the Emily with Photochromic Black. If you're wondering how long the effect lasts, we covered that in how long photochromic lenses last. And for days that swing from sun to snow, here's how we set up ski goggles for changing weather.

VLT isn't UV protection, and it isn't colour

• UV protection: how dark a lens is has nothing to do with how much UV it blocks. A clear lens can block UV just like a dark one. Check the UV rating on any lens you buy.
• Lens colour: two lenses with the same VLT can look very different. The tint changes contrast, so a purple 72% lens and a plain grey 72% lens won't show you the snow the same way.
• Mirror coatings: a mirror on the outside cuts glare coming off the snow, but the VLT number is still what tells you how much light gets in.

Picking lenses for a Canadian winter

Most of my days are at Lake Louise and Sunshine Village, and I find Alberta weather a bit more variable than BC. In BC it's usually either bluebird or socked in. Alberta doesn't get as much snow, so a lot of days are just cloudy. That's why I run a high-clarity lens like Grape Ice most of the time. For the rest, I pair it with Photochromic Green or Photochromic Black, or a fixed tint like Sunny Day Black or Shred Green for the sunny days.

If you only want to buy once, pick for the light you see most. Canadian winter days are short and a lot of them are grey, so many riders get more use out of a bright lens than they expect.

The simple kit is two lenses: one from category 2 or 3 for sunny days and one from category 1 for grey days. For the Valorie Snow or Esme, that's Shred Green and Grape Ice. For the Emily, it's Shred Blue and Grape Ice or Gasolina. If you ski at night, add Clear on the Valorie Snow. Our snow goggles use a magnetic lens system, so a swap on the hill takes seconds. Here's how magnetic lenses work.

If you'd rather not carry a spare, go photochromic and keep a clear lens at home for night laps. And if you wear glasses, our prescription insert fits all of our goggles, so every lens on this chart is open to you. Browse every frame and lens in our goggles collection, or read up on cylindrical vs spherical vs toric lenses if you're still choosing a frame. Riding bikes in summer? The numbers shift a bit on dirt, so we wrote a separate guide on what VLT is best for mountain biking.

FAQ

What does VLT mean on ski goggles?

VLT means visible light transmission. It's the percentage of light the lens lets through. A low number is a dark lens for sun, and a high number is a light lens for cloud, snow and night.

What VLT is best for cloudy days?

Go for 43 to 80%. A lens with a purple or red tint, like our 72% Grape Ice or Gasolina, adds contrast so you can see the shape of the snow.

What VLT is best if I only want one lens?

A photochromic lens is the easiest answer, because it moves from 65% to 16% on its own. If you want a fixed lens, pick for the light you see most: a 24% lens if most of your days are sunny, a 72% lens if most are grey.

Is a higher VLT better?

Not on its own. Higher VLT means more light, which is what you want in flat light and at night. In bright sun, a high VLT lens lets in too much light and you'll squint.

Do all ski goggle brands measure VLT the same way?

Most brands use the same category ranges, so the numbers line up. But tint colour and coatings change how a lens looks on the hill, so two lenses with the same VLT won't always feel the same.

Until next time, have a Good Day!