It’s no surprise that kids love the outdoors, and when it comes to outdoor activities, nothing quite gets the type of love that skiing gets. There are thousands of families who love to ski and have fun as they take to the slopes – even the little ones.
If you’re a snow-loving family, you want to make sure that your children are protected from the elements, and goggles will be an important part of that. Below, we’ll look into the best kids ski goggles available today, and share some important information to help you make the right decision.
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The Importance of Ski Goggles
Your young skier will need to have ski goggles to protect his or her eyes from the snow and some of the harmful rays of the sun. Most kids who ski are beginners, and they’ll need all of the help and support they can get while on the slopes. With ski goggles, your kids will be able to see much better as they ski, especially in low-light and increasing contrast situations.
Ski goggles also protect your child’s eyes in the event of a fall or a crash. Snow oftentimes hides dangerous materials that could easily come in contact with the eyes and damage them.
By having ski goggles, you can protect your kid’s eyes if they collide with objects on the ski slope – or perhaps even other skiers. You can rest assured that your children will be as safe as possible.
Combined with a helmet, ski goggles will reduce the chances of your kids sustaining any serious injuries.
In many situations, ski goggles will offer some much-needed insulation for the top half of your child’s face. The goggles will also stop the advancement of wind and snow from hitting their eyes. All of these features will help improve the ski experience and keep your child safe from any collision with the elements.
To be able to withstand the challenges of the slopes, kids ski goggles need to have strong lenses and frames. This will help improve protection, especially from the sun’s harmful rays. Snow is also known to be highly reflective, so UV protection becomes more important as your child goes higher up the ski slope.
The Best Kids Ski Goggles Reviews
1. Best Overall: OutdoorMaster Kids Ski Goggles
Ranking at the very top of our list of the best kids ski goggles are the OutdoorMaster Kids Ski Goggles. These goggles check every box imaginable, and they’re the perfect companions for your kids as they ski.
To begin, these goggles offer complete protection from the sun’s dangerous UV rays. If your kids have sensitive skin, you’ll want to have these goggles for them. Even without sensitive skin, UV rays are a danger to us all. These goggles protect your kids.
Moving on, you’ll also appreciate the goggles’ soft TPU frame, which is both comfortable and safe. In the event of a crash, the frame will protect your kid’s eyes, while also reducing the impact of collisions. It’s the perfect fit for children who are new to skiing.
The frame itself comes with cut-outs, which will fit any type of glasses available. Versatility is another area where these goggles shine, as they fit any helmet design, as well. With a mirrored lens and a VLT rating of 15%, the goggles are great for sunny days!
Pros
- Soft frame material
- Great for protecting your child’s eyes during collisions
- Complete UV protection
Cons
- A bit expensive
2. Best Budget: Findway Kids Ski Goggles
The previous best kids ski goggles are a bit on the expensive side, which isn’t the best for families on a budget. That’s where the Findway Kids Ski Goggles come in. They may not be the most expensive of the bunch, but they still give their competitors a good run for their money.
With the Findway Kids Ski Goggles, you have a pair of goggles that look and work great. The goggles’ Thermoplastic Polyurethane material and hydrophilic coating are perfect for comfort and protection. As expected, complete UV protection is available to shield your children from the sun’s rays.
Like the OutdoorMaster goggles, these also have cut-outs in their frame to protect your kids. The lenses are double-layered, so they resist fog and scratches easily. We also love the adjustable buckle and non-slipping strap, which make the goggles much more versatile for your kids.
A professional ventilation system helps to reduce fogging, while also optimizing airflow in the inner part of the lenses. As for the outer lens, the super-hardening technology ensures that they are anti-scratch.
Pros
- Affordable price
- Anti-scratch build on the outer lens
- Comes with an adjustable strap
Cons
- The frame is a bit bulky
3. Best Runner Up: PP PICADOR Ski Goggles
PP PICADOR is a famous manufacturer of outdoor equipment. So, it’s no surprise that their ski goggles rank among the best kids ski goggles. These goggles are known for looking pretty awesome, and they work just as well as the other options on our list.
With these goggles, you get a Thermoplastic Polyurethane frame material with polycarbonate lenses. Scratch-resistance and UV protection are part of the package for sure, with the goggles even ensuring impact resistance for kids between the ages of 3 and 12.
Thanks to their double-layer lenses, these goggles ensure anti-fog functionality. On the brightest days, you can rest assured that the goggles will prevent the entry of sunlight, as well. In the event of a crash, your child can always lean on the soft TPU material for protection.
PP PICADOR has also incorporated an OTG design, ensuring that the goggles fit glasses and helmets. An adjustable buckle improves versatility, so your children are covered at all times.
Pros
- Adjustable buckle
- OTG design
- Soft TPU material
Cons
- Elastic material may wear off over time
4. Best Under $20: LOEO Kids Ski Goggles
The LOEO Kids Ski Goggles are a great option for any child. These best kids ski goggles feel and look great, and their functionality is impressive.
As with all ski goggles, the first thing you’ll notice about these ones is how they look. The goggles incorporate reflective lenses, although you can get them in different lens configurations and frame options.
They feature characteristically soft frames, as well as an impressive ventilation system on the top and bottom slides. This system will optimize airflow and reduce fogging, ensuring that your kids don’t have any obstructions to their view.
As you would expect, UV protection is assured with these goggles. They also feature a soft sponge on the backstrap, fitting your kid’s face and reducing skin reactions.
Pros
- Sponge at the back strap
- Adjustable buckle
- Ventilation system
Cons
- They scratch too easily
5. Alternative 1: Anon Kids’ Relapse Jr. Snowboard/Ski Goggles
While they don’t rank highest on our list of the best kids ski goggles, the Anon Kids’ Relapse Jr. Snowboard/Ski Goggles are still an incredible choice that you’ll love. If your kid is into both snowboarding and skiing, it’s an even more perfect fit for them.
The package comes with a goggle bag and an MFI face mask, which will make skiing even more comfortable for your children. The MFI technology uses a magnetic connection to keep the goggles on your face. The goggles also incorporate a non-slip silicone strap, which keeps them firmly in place.
The primary feature here is the dual-layer foam, which ensures a comfortable and tight fit on your child’s face. The goggles also come with a full-perimeter vent channel, which reduces fogging and optimized airflow.
The presence of cylindrical pre-curved lenses ensures that the goggles will easily wrap around your child’s face, while the Integral Clarity Technology delivers anti-fog functionality.
Pros
- MFI technology
- Cylindrical Precurved Lens
- Innovative anti-fog design
Cons
- Doesn’t protect well against sunlight
What to Consider When Purchasing Ski Goggles For Kids
The Goggles’ Shape
Perhaps the most important thing to consider is the shape of the goggles. This will determine their fit and comfort for your kids.
For most female goggles, you get a small and narrow frame. This is an ideal fit for girls’ faces, which tend to be smaller and more compact. On the other hand, boys’ goggles tend to come in different frame shapes and styles.
Most of the kids’ ski goggles come with simple and affordable lenses. These keep the goggles inexpensive, but you can rest assured that they’ll remain durable.
The Frame Size
Like the shape, the frame size will also vary. It will primarily be determined by the size of your kid’s face and head, but you can let your personal preference in and determine a specific look you’re going for. Large, oversized frames have become popular recently, so your child may want to go for those.
The small-frame goggles come with smaller fits and are shorter and narrower than the average ski goggles. As you would expect, they’re built for kids with smaller faces or those looking for a smaller design.
The medium-frame goggles have the regular depts, height, and width, while the large frame goggles are designed to be wider and broader in every sense. The large goggles also have deep frames, helping them to fit larger faces.
Lens Types
When it comes to lenses, you want to be as careful as possible when choosing the right one for your child. Generally, there are different options, all based on the amount of light they accommodate. Some also affect how you see the ski slope, so you need to be careful.
Here are some of the options available:
Polarized Lenses
These lenses will reduce the amount of glare that you get from the sun and snow, which reflects the sun’s rays. With less glare, your child will be able to see for much longer without getting tired or squinting. Even better, the polarized lenses will allow your child to see clearly in low-light conditions. So, it’s a win-win.
Photochromic Lenses
Photochromic lenses are also popular because they offer optimal versatility. They lighten or darken based on the ambient light without having to be manually adjusted.
These lenses offer exceptional visibility, regardless of the light conditions. The lenses become darker when sunlight is at its peak, and they brighten up when the ambient light starts to reduce. With this versatility, your child will get optimal convenience and visibility whenever it’s needed.
Mirrored Lenses
Also known as chrome lenses, mirrored lenses give full or partial reflectivity on the outside. They come with mirrored coatings, which will restrict the entry of additional sunlight, especially on very sunny days.
By reflecting more light and allowing less light to pass through, the mirrored lenses help a great deal to reduce glare. However, keep in mind that your child’s visibility on overcast days will be affected if their goggles have mirrored lenses. Since they allow less light, you need to consider these lenses carefully.
Non-Mirrored Lenses
These lenses don’t come with any reflectivity. So, light enters through them as it pleases. We generally recommend non-mirrored lenses if your kids will be skiing on overcast days or at night. They allow sunlight on sunny days without causing any glare, as well, so you don’t have anything to lose.
Lens Shape
You also need to keep an eye on the lens shape if you’re selecting ski goggles for your kids. The shape of the lens will have a significant impact on your kid’s field of vision. You should keep the peripheral vision in mind because the lens shape will either enhance or obstruct it.
Generally, you can choose between a spherical lens or a flat lens.
When a pair of goggles has a spherical lens, you get a lens shape that matches the curved nature of your eyes. These lenses offer reduced distortions to vision, and they even improve your peripheral view. In general, they offer sharper and clearer views and are exceptional for kids. The only issue with them is that they tend to be more expensive.
As for the flat lens, they tend to have more glare and limit your field of vision. Goggles with flat lenses are really best suited for professional skiers who can do without the added peripheral vision. They’re not deal-breakers for kids, but we don’t necessarily recommend them.
Lens-Change Capabilities
We all know that it’s pretty easy for light conditions to change as the day goes by. You may even come across different light conditions as you move from one part of the ski trail to the other. You want your child’s goggles to be able to accommodate the changes, so differences in lighting won’t affect your child so much.
Some frames allow you to swap out lenses if you want. This is why there are easy-to-change goggles, which allow you to swap lenses on the go. If you want to have the right lenses at all times, you should consider getting these goggles. You can just sit on a chairlift and switch your lenses in less than a minute.
Some goggles are moderately difficult to change. To switch lenses here, you’ll need to snap the lenses’ tabs out of the frame, then put in the new lenses. Be sure to check if the goggles you’re considering for your child can switch between lenses.
Understanding VLT
One of the most important metrics to keep in mind when selecting a pair of ski goggles will be the Visible Light Transmission (VLT). This is essentially a metric that determines how much light your lenses will let through at any given time.
In general, goggles with a lower VLT percentage will block more ambient light. If you’re skiing on a sunny day and would like to block light, goggles that have a 15% VLT are a good idea.
The higher the VLT percentage, the more light the goggles will let in, so if you’re going to a low-light location, goggles with a VLT percentage of about 75% should be fine. It will offer proper depth and contrast perception, allowing you to ski comfortably.
Unless you want to get two types of goggles, we recommend getting a pair with a VLT rating between 40% and 70%. This way, you get the versatility you need to ski regardless of the weather and light conditions.
You might want to check the ski resort you’re going to determine their average sunlight metrics and know what types of goggles to buy. It’s a bit of work, but it may be worth it in the long run.
Tips For Proper Ski Goggles Care
Ski goggles are important if your kids hope to have an awesome time at the slopes. This is why you want to keep them well taken care of. Below, we’ll share some important care tips for you to keep in mind.
Storage
If you’re buying a new pair of goggles for your child, you’ll probably receive them in a microfiber bag. The bag will protect your goggles, especially if you’re packing heavily. It also doesn’t take up much space, so you get the best of both worlds.
For great performance and long-lasting fun, store your child’s goggles in the bag.
Temperature
Being lackadaisical about your child’s ski goggles won’t help if you’re looking for long-lasting use and functionality. Extreme temperatures can affect the goggles’ foam, causing it to deteriorate much faster.
From the sharp colds in the winter to the immense heat of the summer, you need to keep the goggles in good condition and ensure that the weather doesn’t affect them.
Proper temperature storage also ensures that your child’s goggles won’t get too foggy when they need them. This is another reason why we recommend storing your goggles in the storage bag and at room temperature.
Cleaning Techniques For Ski Goggles
When they’re on the ski slopes, your child’s lenses will get wet. There’s basically no way around that. While you can clean your child’s goggles, you want to be very careful.
The first thing you should take note of is that you should never rub the inner and outer parts of the lens when they get wet. Excessive rubbing can remove the reflective finish on the outside, or an important coating on the inside.
If your child’s goggles get wet, tap off as much excess snow or water. Then, blot the lens carefully with a soft cloth or your goggle bag.
How to Clean Your Outer Lens
While skiing, several things could affect your child’s vision. Some of the most prominent include ice, snow, and rain. This is why you should clean the outer part of your child’s goggles.
Generally, we recommend that you just shake off any impurities and let the lens air dry. From there, you can get a microfiber cleaning cloth and wipe the lens carefully. If there’s any ice on the lens, you can warm it up before you clean it. Just put the goggles inside your jacket, so the ice can melt off naturally and you don’t run the risk of scratching the lens.
You also don’t want to wipe your goggles with a rag or your ski gloves. These materials will affect the reflective lens and coating, and potentially lead to scratches.
Be Especially Careful With The Inner Lens
When it comes to the inner lens, you’re dealing with something much different. Most goggle manufacturers use anti-fog coatings on their interior lenses, and these coatings are very fragile. Any problem with the wiping, and you’ll basically damage the coating.
To keep the anti-fog coating layer in good shape, we recommend that you leave this part alone. If dust or snow makes its way to that area, simply shake it off and wipe it very carefully with a microfiber cloth. Then, let the lens dry naturally.
If you find any moisture and wipe the inner lens, you run the risk of wiping away the anti-fog coating, as well.
Remember to never wipe the inner part of your child’s goggles when the lenses are wet. The anti-fogging treatment is located inside, and it becomes very soft when wet. If you’re not careful, you could just scratch it off.
Final Thoughts
Getting the best kids ski goggles for your little ones isn’t too hard if you know where to look. As you reach the end of the article, you’ve hopefully made up your mind about what you’ll be getting.
Skiing is fun, but it’s important to stay safe while doing it. As you take your kids out to ski, make sure to keep them safe by buying the best glasses you can afford.