A Review & Comparison Of The Best MTB Goggles To Buy Online
Eye protection gear for mountain bike riding is essential if you want to avoid any problems in your biking sessions. As with helmets and gloves, having a pair of mountain bike goggles is a non-negotiable move you must take for your safety.
Many riders tend to overlook how important MTB goggles are. However, if you're continually riding on areas with mud, rain, or dust, you may also be exposed to bugs, debris, and other hazardous agents for your eyes. Mountain bike goggles often provide the right eye protection you need, and they may also help you from experiencing watering in your eyes in fast descents.
Using other “goggles,” such as sunglasses or ski goggles, may be helpful at first, but they may not offer as much protection from debris as motocross goggles. On this page, we're going to take a look at the best mountain bike goggles you can find on the market, as well as some buying conditions you may consider before making a decision.
What Are Mountain Bike Goggles?
Mountain bike goggles are eye protection items you strap around your helmet so that you can provide the most efficient coverage and protection for your eyes. While regular sunglasses can do a good job for mountain biking, MTB goggles always offer the best protection possible.
In some cases, MTB goggles may even be able to go over prescription glasses, which is great for those who can't take their glasses off. While mountain bike goggles aren't necessary, they may be helpful in cases of riding downhill. There are many types of mountain bike goggles available, and we're going to cover all of them on this page so that you can get a decent pair that can fit perfectly into your helmet.
How to Know Which Model is Right for You
As mentioned before, mountain bike goggles offer a lot of protection for the user. However, they may not work correctly for preventing trail debris from getting into your eyes if they don't fit you correctly.
Overall, you must ensure that the strap grips the rear of your helmet securely. Moreover, you cannot strap it too tight since it can lead to discomfort and fogging in your goggle lens. Finally, you must check whether you have tunnel vision when using a particular pair of goggles. If you can see the goggle frame in your peripheral vision, you may want to go for other products since it can affect your vision in the long run.
Which Color Should You Choose for Your Lenses?
Keep in mind that mountain biking goggles often come with different lenses depending on what you want them for. In essence, these lenses work to help you adapt to variable light conditions. Darker lenses can help you feel more comfortable while riding, but if you're riding throughout dense areas, a clear lens may do the job.
Some manufacturers tend to add an anti-fog coating to lenses, which is amazing for wet weather conditions. Overall, there are many options available for you, so it's a matter of choosing what product feels the most appropriate for your riding conditions.
Are Goggle Lenses Replaceable?
One of the most remarkable things about MTB goggles is that some models allow you to get replacement lenses. You may want to change your lenses due to poor light conditions, or maybe your current lenses got scratched. Regardless of the product you're planning on buying, you must also consider how much changing lenses is going to cost for that particular model.
What Are the Benefits of MTB Goggles?
Many benefits come from using mountain bike goggles! Aside from being one of the best options for protecting your eyes, here's a list of all the advantages that come from using these products for your biking sessions.
- They provide maximum airflow and better ventilation than other goggles
- There are many lens tints available for you
- They're designed to fit full-face helmets
- They help prevent fogging
- Some models come with tear-offs for particular weather conditions
Can You Use Ski Goggles for Mountain Biking?
There has been an ongoing debate regarding using ski goggles for your biking sessions. In essence, you can use these goggles without any problems, however, there are some features you may want to keep in mind before going for one of these options.
First, most MTB goggles come with a clear lens, whereas ski goggles come with two-walled lenses, which are used as an anti-fog measure. Additionally, MTB goggles tend to be much more affordable, so if you're looking to save some money, you may want to go for these.
It's important to note that MTB goggles were specially designed for particular mountain bike conditions. If you want to go for the safest route possible, it's recommended for you to use these goggles instead of ski ones since they're both for entirely different scenarios.
Best Mountain Bike Goggles
Smith Fuel V1 MTB Goggles
One of the most remarkable things about the Smith Fuel goggles is that they come with mirror lenses, which are perfect for providing optical clarity while you're riding, giving you a higher performance grade. Additionally, these goggles come with a spare clear lens and a microfiber goggle bag for protecting them from scratches.
If your goal is to achieve more style with your goggles, these may be some of the best mountain bike goggles you can find on the market today. Moreover, they're much more affordable than other products on this list, making them the perfect option for those who are on a budget but still want to enjoy the benefits of having high-quality goggles.
You may read more about these goggles here.
Smith Squad MTB Goggles
While these are a bit more expensive than the product mentioned above, they make up for it with their incredible quality for riders. Overall, this product features a massive curved shape for the frame and a high-contrast ChromaPop anti-fog lens that allows you to have a clear picture of everything.
On the other hand, these goggles come with an excellent ventilation design that helps you in high-speed riding conditions with your dirt bike. While these Smith goggles are better suited for Smith full-face helmets, they also are a perfect fit for other similar helmets.
Keep in mind that these goggles come with integrated tear off posts, which can help you in extremely muddy conditions. Overall, these are great goggles with an excellent lens that can provide you with better performance while riding in a bike park or other areas.
Read more about these goggles here.
Bell Descender Goggles
The Bell Descender goggles feature a simple design, but that makes them one of the most lightweight products on this list. One of the best features about this pair of goggles is that they're designed to fit any full-face helmet on the market, which is perfect for those who don't want to go swapping their helmets to fit a particular pair of goggles.
Thanks to this product's premium jacquard strap, you can ensure a tight and safe fit over your helmet, so you don't have to worry about the goggles moving while you're in extreme riding conditions. If you're looking for maximum helmet compatibility, this may be one of the best choices to consider.
As the manufacturer mentions, both the frame and the clear lens were designed for optimum vision while riding, so you don't have to worry about anything with these. Read more about this product here.
100% Accuri Enduro
100%'s Accuri Enduro is one of the greatest products regarding high-end biking. Keep in mind that this brand specializes in making racing gear, making it logical for this product to be high quality. Overall, it features large exhaust vents, a nine-pin lens retention system, and many more features.
The Accuri Enduro can fit both a full face or a half-shell helmet. Thanks to its anti-fog system, you don't have to worry about losing vision in particular weather conditions. However, the best thing about the Accuri Enduro is that it uses a Lexan lens, which is highly impact-and-shatter-resistant. Overall, these are some of the best mountain bike goggles you can find considering their price to value ratio.
Read more about this product here.
Oakley Airbrake MTB Goggles
Oakley's goggles are a decent option for bikers considering their price. This product features a high-quality frame and nose bridge that provide extra protection for the user. Additionally, they feature a factory lite vent mesh, which promotes better airflow and ventilation.
If you're looking for a wider FOD lens, this may be a great choice since these goggles come with a considerably large lens, allowing you to expand your vision range without any problems while riding. Moreover, if you're looking to swap lenses without leaving any fingerprints, the Airbrake goggles come with a SwitchLock that allows you to make the change seamlessly.
Finally, this product comes in two different lens tints, which are the Prizm Trail Torch and the Prizm Low Light tints. Overall, this is an excellent product to consider if you have the money for it. Read more about this product here.
FOX Racing Vue Vlar Goggles
FOX goggles have always been some of the best mountain bike goggles for those looking for a wide FOV, and the Vue Vlar is no exception. These goggles can fit a wide range of helmets, which is great news for those who are looking for a universal fit option. Additionally, its internal materials are soft enough so that you don't even feel you're wearing the goggles.
These Vue goggles come with a polycarbonate lens that allows you to have a clear vision on warmer days. In case you want to swap your lens, you can easily do it by turning the anchors upward and switching. While the lens switch isn't magnetized, we found it fairly easy in comparison to other products on this list.
Read more about these goggles here.
Poc Ora Clarity Goggles
If your goal is to be as comfortable as possible while riding your bike, the Poc Ora goggles are likely the best mountain bike goggles you can get today. These goggles were designed to fit their own helmets with no pinching or gaps around the edge. Additionally, the frame is flexible enough to fit your face without any problems.
The Poc Ora goggles come with a triple-layer foam that feels extremely soft on the skin. Additionally, the lens offers a wide range of view for your riding. In essence, you're getting one of the most comfortable goggles on the market at a decent price. However, keep in mind that this model doesn't have many tint options available for the lens.
Read more about this product here.
Leatt Velocity 6.5 Goggles
The Leatt Velocity goggles have proven to be one of the products with the best build quality on this list. As the company claims, you can enjoy from an unobstructed 170-degree FOV, which is more than enough for most bikers.
Additionally, these goggles feature injection-molded lenses, making them extremely resistant against severe weather conditions or hits. As for the lens quality, we found this product to have an impressive quality; these goggles have a clear, mirrored, and ultra-contrast lens. Additionally, the lens is roll-off and tear-off ready.
One of the most interesting features about these goggles is that they come with a removable nose piece, which you can adjust accordingly for your protection. Considering their price, we believe these are the most resistant goggles on this list.
Read more about this product here.
Scott Prospect Goggles
If your goal is reliability, this may be the product for you since the “Scott” brand has been making goggles for many decades now. The Prospect goggles are some of the largest we've ever seen on the market, which may or may not be good news for you.
In case you're looking for big goggles with a high-quality lens, you may consider this option. However, keep in mind that the lens swaps aren't as simple as with other products. Read more about this product here.
Bottom Line
It can be challenging to choose the right pair of goggles at first. If you've never worn goggles for biking, now may be the right time to do it. Remember your safety comes first, and you must invest in it as much as possible!