SunGod design and sell ski goggles and sunglasses. During a ski holiday to the French Alps with very mixed conditions, two pairs of ski goggles, Vanguards and Snipers, were put to the test. The goggles were shared with friends who are not as fortunate to have as many great outdoor products as I do.
SunGod allow customers to customise their choice of ski goggles. You can choose from a range of tinted lenses to suit different conditions, from cloudy and dull light to bright sunshine, as well as two types of lenses to improve clarity, 4KO and 8KO.
Clarity is measured by the Abbe Value. The 4KO has an Abbe Value of 31, while the 8KO lenses have an Abbe Value of 45.
It’s also possible to pick different colours and designs for the frames and straps.
The goggles also feature:
- Anti-fog vents
- Wide peripheral vision
- Larger frame size so they are OTG – over the glasses – compatible
- Scratch resistance lenses
- Lenses can be changed to suit the weather.
- 100 % UV protection
- Soft lens cleaning pouch
- Certified carbon neutral product.
- See SunGod.
On test: SunGod Vanguards ski goggles (with 4KO lenses)
Features of Vanguards:
- Price: From £120 with 4KO lenses or from £170 with 8KO lenses.
- Buy at SunGod.
The SunGod Vanguards ski goggles on test here came with two inter-changeable lenses. One lens was for high vis and one for snowy conditions.
The goggles are a great size. The trend is for over-sized goggles and these fit the bill. They fit over normal specs if you want to wear them underneath, rather than swapping to contact lenses. You might find that some bigger or wider specs do not fit that easily under the goggles but mine are fine.
The shape of the goggles fits into the shape of most helmets, too, to give lots of wind protection.
Whether it was sunny, cloudy, bright, dull or a very low light, the goggles offered great vision. My friend Lynz wore them on many days of the holiday and she was delighted with the performance. She found them to be light and comfortable, too.
Lynz preferred to wear sunglasses for the brighter and sunnier days but then switched to the goggles for snowy and low-light weather.
It’s great that you can swap the lenses to suit different conditions. However, the lenses are not the easiest to change so I recommend you do this in a place where you can sit down and focus. Trying to change the lenses on a cold and windy slope is going to test you. There are easier lens changing set ups, such as with magnets.
Overall, the Vanguards perform well and look great. The price is also very reasonable, especially as you can customise the design and for the high quality lenses.
The brand’s ethos is also good, especially the carbon neutral pledge.
On test: SunGod Snipers ski goggles (with 4KO lens)
- Price: From £105 with 4KO lenses or from £155 with 8KO lenses.
- Buy at SunGod.
The Snipers are also a good-looking pair of ski goggles, although with a more rounded look. I guess some people will prefer this style, but I like the look of the Vanguards more.
I found it easier to change the lenses on the Snipers and because there is a similar tint range and a choice of clarity, the performance is just as good.
My friend Tony was impressed by how well he could see the pistes with the 4KO Snow lens even in low-light and cloudy conditions. He did find that the nose piece of the goggles pushed down uncomfortably at times but he believes this was due to the hired helmet, which was pushing the goggles downwards. It’s therefore important to check your helmet fits neatly withe goggles and I think most modern helmets would fit well with the goggles.
Tony liked the look of the Snipers, as well as the option to change lenses according to different weather conditions.