By the way, what kind of goggles do you use?
From the type of frame, to whether the lenses are flat or spherical, and the lens color, mirror, or lens technology such as high contrast. There are many brands offering products with various features. When it's time to replace your goggles, you may find yourself overwhelmed with choices.
Among them, we will introduce a cheap goggle that you won't find at pre-order events or in stores. You could buy several pairs for the price of your regular goggles! We actually tried out these super cheap goggles
What's it like being the #1 best-selling goggle on Amazon?
While the price of gear is rising every year, what caught my eye was a pair of goggles that cost just 3,000 yen. I'd never even seen the brand name before. In the best-selling ranking of "snow sports goggles," the top three were all from a brand called "Findway."
Without much expectation, thinking, "Cheap goggles will definitely fog up easily," or "They won't fit my face," I took a look at the reviews for the top-selling product and found that as of February 9, 2023, it had 1,228 reviews and a four-star rating
Looking at the reviews, there are some negative comments such as "It gets cloudy, the lens comes off the frame," but there are also comments like "It's good value for money" and "It's sturdy for the price." I had to try it out, so I bought it
The model I purchased was "1. White Frame/Silver Lens (VLT 10.2%)" from the "[Findway] Ski Goggles, Snow Goggles, Snowboard Goggles, Upgraded OTG Wide Vision Baseball Lens, Windproof/Snowproof/Anti-Fog, UV Protection, Glasses Compatible, Lightweight and Impact Resistant, Sports Goggles for Adult Men and Women, Mountaineering or Skiing."
From reading the product features, it seems that even though these are budget goggles, they don't compromise on functionality. However, there are some points that concern me... With some anxiety and doubt, I wait for the product to arrive
The actual product arrival
The purchased item arrived safely a few days later. Delivery was excellent, arriving in just two days after ordering. Now, let's check the product's packaging and exterior
It was packaged in a simple paper bag, and there was no box to protect the product itself. The packaging was in good condition, so it didn't appear to be deformed. Since there was no box, it was packed in multiple bags. It seems that they are cutting costs by using a simple packaging
The goggles come in a FINDWAY case. The mirror lenses are protected with paper and there are no noticeable scratches
It comes with an instruction manual. It's in Japanese and English, but the Japanese translation is a bit strange. The product itself is made in China
The black part at the top of the goggles is the ventilation. It is just covered with sponge, so it doesn't have any special function
The frame material is TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), which is used by many manufacturers. It is easy to process, lightweight, and durable. It seems light and easy to use
The inside of the lens is covered with a protective film. It arrived in good condition without any scratches
I actually tried using it on snow
So I tried it out on the snow. I used it at night skiing at Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture at the beginning of the year
My impressions of each feature are as follows (perceptions may vary from person to person):
【whole】
As for the mirrored lenses, I'm happy with them. It's just my personal preference, but I don't like my eyes being visible, so this is perfect. They'll also block out the sun on sunny days
I don't wear glasses so I can't verify this, but the goggles themselves aren't large, so it seems like they wouldn't be compatible with glasses with large frames
I wasn't able to check this when I purchased it on Amazon, but when I tried them on, they seemed to be an Asian fit model. The height of my nose was just right, so they're a size that's easy to use and will appeal to everyone
[Spherical lens]
Compared to the goggles I normally use, the field of view feels narrow, even though they have wide-angle baseball lenses. Also, while there's no problem seeing things up close, when looking far away, like from the top of the slope to the base, the lens distortion is noticeable, making it feel like visibility is poor while skiing. It's especially difficult to see when skiing over moguls or in the park, and I thought, "It's scary because it's hard to see!"
Also, I personally tend to ski at high speeds, so I wouldn't recommend these to people looking for that style. However, they are a good value goggle for those who usually cruise leisurely, play in the snow, or as a starter model for those buying goggles for the first time
[Double lens]
The lenses have anti-fog coating, so they didn't fog up immediately after I put them on. I'm not sure if they're "better than Italian lenses" as described on Amazon, but the ventilation is so good that it's almost too breathable. The wind blew through and my face got cold
[Helmet compatible]
The band can be attached to a helmet without any attachments. The back of the band has a rubber anti-slip coating, so it stays in place comfortably. However, the curve of my helmet (Oakley MOD3) and the goggles didn't fit, leaving a gap, so that's a no-no. Cold wind blows in through that gap, so I probably won't use it in a blizzard. Compatibility with helmets varies depending on the manufacturer. The downside is that you can't actually adjust it before purchasing
My honest impression after trying it out this time was, "It's better than I expected!"
The day I tried them out was a clear night ski day with no snowfall, so the conditions were a little too good, but there were no problems using them. There's nothing particularly strange about the design itself, so it's unlikely anyone would notice that they're 3,000 yen goggles
This model actually comes in a wide variety of colors. I checked on Amazon and found that there are 21 different colors ! Another great thing about this model is that you can customize the frame and lens combination to your liking.
However, since they cost about 1/10 of the price of regular goggles, it's difficult to expect the same functionality and visibility as the ones you normally use. I'd like to test their durability in the future to see how they perform over a longer period than just a day or two.
As for their intended use, I think they would be good for people who are going skiing or snowboarding for the first time but don't have their own goggles, or as a spare.
Not long ago, cheap goggles were seen as completely useless, but I can see that they've improved every year.