Anti-Fog Sports Goggles: How To Choose, Protect and Maintain

If you're an athlete, you need to have the right gear while enjoying your chosen sport. This includes something as small as a pair of goggles. Unfortunately, even the most high-end goggles can fog up and ruin your experience. Here, we explain how to choose the right anti-fog sports goggles, as well as offer ways to maintain them for maximum performance.

Understanding the Problem -- Foggy Goggles

Poor visibility due to fogged lenses is caused by sweat, humidity, and temperature differences. The condensation of sweat will accumulate inside your goggles, blocking your view with tiny water droplets. In extreme cases, this can completely obscure your view and even lead to accidents or injuries.

Fogging up glasses is especially concerning in sports or activities requiring perfect precision, such as skiing, shooting, and volleyball, just to name a few. It's also a concern if you are looking for long-term use and durability. You need to pay special attention to fogging lenses when selecting your pair of glasses, to make sure you have the best vision and the ultimate performance.

Commercial Anti-Fog Solutions

Commercially available anti-fog sports goggles use different coating methods to prevent fogging. Examples of anti-fog coatings and technologies include:

• Hydrophilic Coating: This coating absorbs water molecules and prevents from condensing and sticking to the lens
• Hydrophobic Coating: This coating uses a slick surface, which causes water droplets to slide off
• Vents and Shielding: This technology uses vents to disperse hot air outside and sealed frame, typically made using silicone, which keeps sweat and moisture away from the lenses.

DIY Anti-Fog Solutions

You can also make your own anti-fog coating using simple household materials. Some of the most popular DIY anti-fog solutions are:

• Toothpaste: Apply toothpaste to both sides of the lenses and then wash it away with lukewarm water.
• Shampoo: Using your regular shampoo, make a thick paste and spread it on both sides of the lenses. Then, wash it off and dry the lenses.
• Vinegar: Create a mixture of one part vinegar and one part water and apply it to both sides of the lenses. Wait for five minutes and then rinse and dry.

Proper Maintenance and Care

Making sure your lenses remain fog-free is not just about selecting the right goggles or applying anti-fog solutions. You also need to take good care of your goggles by following a few simple rules to prevent the lenses from fogging up.

• Clean your lenses regularly using soap and water or a special cleaning solution for glasses
• Never leave your goggles exposed to high temperatures or direct sunlight.
• Never use harsh chemicals to clean your lenses.
• Never rub your lenses as this can damage the anti-fog coatings.

Design Features and Anti-Fog Technologies

When purchasing your ideal anti-fog sports goggles, make sure to take into account the following design features:

• Vents: Look for glasses with vents to allow hot air to escape, thus preventing fogging.
• Coatings: Check the type of coating used on both sides of the lens.
• Frameless: Frameless lenses are more efficient in preventing fogging as they allow hot air to escape around the whole frame.
• Fit: Make sure your goggles have an adjustable and snug fit to prevent any air from getting in.

Reviews and Recommendations

Here are some of the most highly recommended anti-fog sports goggles currently available:

Oakley O-Frame

The Oakley O-Frame Goggles are designed for extreme weather conditions and feature a double coated lens that prevents fogging. Additionally, they offer a streamlined fit that helps keep out wind and water thanks to their triple-layer foam.

Pros: Anti-fog and uv protection, comfortable fit, triple-layer foam, 100% protection from uv rays

Cons: Pricey, no vents

Uvex Ski-Goggle

The Uvex Ski-Goggle design is a frameless type that helps keep fog away from your lenses. It also comes with its own anti-fog technology, a hydrophobic double-layer coating that prevents condensation.

Pros: Flexible frame, uv protection, anti-fog coating, frameless design

Cons: Low ventilation

Aspheric Lens MX Goggles

The Aspheric Lens MX Goggles provide a wide field of view, thanks to their ventilated, asymmetric lenses. They also come with anti-fog, anti-scratch, and anti-static coatings that provide great vision in all conditions.

Pros: Superior vision in all conditions, extra wide field of view, ant-fog, anti-scratch, and anti-static coatings

Cons: Slightly bulky design

Safety Considerations

Make sure to select quality goggles that meet the standards established by the American National Standards Institute and its sport-specific guidelines. When shopping for goggles, look for the ANSI label of approval, which guarantees the goggle complies with the necessary safety standards.

Summary Review

Fogged goggles can ruin an athlete's performance, so it's important to make sure you are selecting lenses that prevent this from happening. The best way to do this is to look for anti-fog coatings, vents, and shielding when choosing your lenses. Additionally, make sure to take good care of your goggles and follow a few simple rules to prevent the lenses from fogging up.