Your options when it comes to snow prescription eyewear are threefold. The first is to go for a pair of winter-specific sunglasses; the second choice is to stick with your current prescription frame and wear it underneath a pair of specialised goggles; and the final route is to have an insert made to your prescription which can fit in any number of snow goggles. Each option confers its own advantages, so let’s look at each in turn.
adidas have a great choice of eyewear designed for use in the harshest environments. For most adidas options your prescription is glazed into an insert which easily clips into the nosebridge area of the frame. Among others, great picks from the adidas range include the Elevation ClimaCool, Terrex Pro and Tycane Pro Outdoor models. All three offer goggle-style protection with an aggressively wrapped frame giving excellent lens coverage, a real boon for visually-demanding winter sports. Foam surrounds help to seal the ocular area away from the harsh elements, keeping your vision comfortable and reducing the risk of unwelcome lens fogging.
The adidas Elevation Climacool is aggressively wrapped with a 10-base lens curvature, providing superior peripheral vision and protection.
Julbo are a brand with well over a century of experience in specialist eyewear manufacture for unforgiving alpine conditions. Their photochromic technology and Category 4 lenses are the perfect option for extremely bright weather and high glare areas such as glaciers. The Trek and Explorer models are both tailor-made for some of the more aggressive outdoor sports including trail running and mountaineering. Both of these models provide full coverage of the eye area to maximise vision and comfort. Retaining straps come as standard on both models, and 360° adjustable temple tips provide the added security of an exceptional fit around the ears. If you go down the directly glazed route, great lens options for winter conditions include the photochromic Zebra and Cameleon tints, which are both capable of darkening to Category 4 and are equipped with a contrast-boosting lens tint – ideal for use in rugged terrain!
The great thing about a pair of made-to-order, directly glazed prescription sunglasses is that you can choose exactly the type of lens you’ll need to be best prepared for your adventuring. Another directly glazed option is the Wiley X SG-1. Best suited to a medium or large fit, this military-grade model passes ballistics tests and is certified for use as a safety goggle. The removable wind gasket provides complete protection of the eyes, with a wrap-around design maximising the SG-1’s field of vision. There is an eclectic choice of lens options on offer through the Wiley X prescription programme. Great choices for snow use include the Orange and Brown lens tints, with optional mirror finishes providing an extra level of protection from glare.
If you’d prefer not to splash out on having a new prescription glazed for your time away, or perhaps you can’t bear to part with your favourite ophthalmic frame, then OTG goggles are the perfect choice for you! OTG goggle designs are intended to house a pair of prescription frames within the goggle, providing an expanded cavity and notches within the sides of the framework to allow the frame to sit in a fixed position. Several RxSport brands provide OTG-ready models including Bolle, Oakley and Scott.
The Scott Notice OTG is an excellent entry-level choice for those who prefer to stick with their Rx frames on the snow.
The Bolle Boost OTG is a smaller goggle designed for kids, while the Emperor OTG is a more extravagent, larger-framed design for adults. For excellent vision on a budget then check out Scott’s Notice OTG and Habit OTG models which offer understated style with exceptional performance. If you want to stay on the cutting edge of seasonal style then even some of Oakley’s most recent models, not least the spectacular Flight Deck, come equipped with discreet frame notches under the strap anchors to maximise Rx compatibility.
Last, but by no means least, comes the most popular option for RxSport customers. We’ve tested compatibility of proprietary and universal prescription goggle inserts with every model we offer to help maximise the selection available to you. Every goggle brand on RxSport offers at least a couple of insert-compatible models, so you’re spoilt for choice! If you already have a pair of goggles, then we offer our universal prescription inserts as standalone products.
Bolle are RxSport’s most popular option when it comes to prescription goggles. Their proprietary insert fits into every adult model in their range, going from the smaller Nebula and Duchess models to the larger Emperor and Virtuose – Bolle’s first snow goggle with lens interchange technology!
Bolle are our most popular choice for prescription goggles. Pictures is the Virtuose, Bolle’s first model with lens switching technology.
You can get your prescription insert glazed with several different lens materials and glazing options. At the entry level, 1.50 CR39 lenses offer great value for money and are what you can expect to find at most high street opticians. For those with higher-powered prescriptions, Super Thin, 1.67 High Index lenses are ideal. An anti-reflection coating comes as standard on Super Thin lenses which helps to reduce unwanted reflections and eye fatigue and improves clarity. If you’re prone to suffering from lens fogging when on the snow then Sport Anti-Fog lenses are the ones for you. These toughened 1.59 polycarbonate lenses feature the Optifog UV coating, which is a fusion of anti-fog, anti-scratch and anti-reflection technologies, providing everything the lens needs to offer unmatched clarity and strength in all conditions.
We would love to be a part of your next sporting adventure. No matter if you are carving turns on the slopes or taking on an uphill challenge, we want to share your journey on our socials. Just tag our eyewear in your post and use the hashtag #RxSport
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