Goggle Lens Materials and Scratch Resistance

I've been skiing for 40 years. In that time ski equipment has evolved
dramatically. The evolution of goggles has been pretty minor, but fog-
and frost-resistance have improved significantly. What has NOT improved
AT ALL is the cream cheese material goggle lenses seem to be made of. I
am EXTREMELY gentle with my goggles. The only time they are out of
their cloth bag is when I'm on the slopes. As soon as I'm done for the
day I put them back in the bag. When they get dirty I clean them with
soap and water or liquid lens cleaner and a soft cloth or tissue. I
never wipe them when dry - with anything. Nevertheless, they never last
more than about one season without acquiring so many fine scratches as
to impair vision significantly. What's the story?

For reference, I have a pair of Briko glasses I've used for several
years mountain biking. These see FAR more action and abuse (read,
crashes, branches, flying mud, etc.) than my ski goggles, and yet are
far freer of scratches. Ditto my everyday eyeglasses - that get about
100x the wear my goggles get.

Clearly (ahem) it's the material that ski goggles are made from that's
the culprit. Why can't they be made from the same stuff my bike glasses
are made from?

wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been skiing for 40 years. In that time ski equipment has evolved
dramatically. The evolution of goggles has been pretty minor, but fog-
and frost-resistance have improved significantly. What has NOT improved
AT ALL is the cream cheese material goggle lenses seem to be made of. I
am EXTREMELY gentle with my goggles. The only time they are out of
their cloth bag is when I'm on the slopes. As soon as I'm done for the
day I put them back in the bag. When they get dirty I clean them with
soap and water or liquid lens cleaner and a soft cloth or tissue. I
never wipe them when dry - with anything. Nevertheless, they never last
more than about one season without acquiring so many fine scratches as
to impair vision significantly. What's the story?

For reference, I have a pair of Briko glasses I've used for several
years mountain biking. These see FAR more action and abuse (read,
crashes, branches, flying mud, etc.) than my ski goggles, and yet are
far freer of scratches. Ditto my everyday eyeglasses - that get about
100x the wear my goggles get.

Clearly (ahem) it's the material that ski goggles are made from that's
the culprit. Why can't they be made from the same stuff my bike glasses
are made from?


I've had goggles that scratch up by just looking at them and others that
would need to be abused.
The cheaper goggles use cheaper lens material while the higher end goggles
use a harder lens material
that doesn't scratch as easy and has less distortion. I stop buying the
cheapy goggles so my
goggles last at least two seasons. Buy higher end goggles if you want them
to last.

JQ
Dancing on the edge

wrote:
Why can't they be made from the same stuff my bike glasses
are made from?

Ski goggle lens are double layered and have to be flexible enough to
overcome misalignments in manufacture - ski goggles are not precision
instruments.

Ski goggle lens have to be flexible enough to fit radically different
face shapes.

Ski goggle lens have to be flexible at -30deg.

Ski goggle lens have to be cheap enough to sell into a market that
already thinks everything about the sport is too expensive.

I think it's remarkable they last as long as they do. That said, mine
last for several years with little or no special care - I squiggy them
off with that silly thumb squiggy dodad, wipe them with napkins at the
chalet, sand blast them with blowing ice on the ridges and toss them in
my ski bag when done. You probably have bad lens karma - pray to the ski
goggle god.

Briko is crap. They spiderweb scratch so easy. I use Oakley goggles
and they are far more scratch resistant than anything else I've tried.