I’m picky about my snow goggles. I’ve gone through many different pairs of them over decades of snowsport activities, and I know what separates an average pair from the best.
Whether cruising trails on a snowmobile or chasing deep powder on skis, I need to have something that will keep my vision clear through changing weather and lighting conditions.
The 509 Sinister X6 Goggles are the best snowmobile-specific option around. They have a comfortable fit, wide field of view, and many different lenses available to match the conditions you ride in.
There are a lot of other great goggles you can use when snowmobiling, so I’m going to put some other of my recommended top options in this list as well.
Goggles are essential for any rider who wears an open-face helmet.
Even if you wear a full-face style helmet with a visor, having a good pair of goggles stashed in your sled can come in handy if you want to take your helmet off to take a break.
Let’s get going, so you can see clearly all winter long.
Table of Contents
- Top Snowmobile Goggles
- 1. 509 Sinister X6 Goggles (Best Overall)
- 2. Oakley Flight Deck Prizm (Best for Night Riding)
- 3. KLIM Oculus Goggle (Best for Low Light)
- 4. 509 Sinister X6 Ignite Goggle (Best for Heated Goggles)
- 5. Julbo Aerospace Snow Goggle (Best for Anti-Fog)
- 6. OutdoorMaster PRO (Best Budget)
- 7. Smith I/O MAG Snow Goggle (Best for Glasses/OTG Fit)
- What to Look for in Snowmobile Goggles
- Snowmobile Goggles FAQs
- My Verdict
Top Snowmobile Goggles
To snowmobile safely, you need to see your surroundings clearly, even in blowing snow. All of the goggles reviewed below give you some of the best performance and clarity, no matter what sort of riding you do.
1. 509 Sinister X6 Goggles (Best Overall)
- Key features: Wide field of view, added clarity, OTG ready, anti-fog tech, comfortable fit, anti-scratch coating
- Lens system: Interchangeable
- Anti-fog: Yes. Coated lens
- Weight: 1.11 pounds
At the top of my list for the best snowmobile goggles is the 509 Sinister X6.
These are engineered to meet the needs of many different types of snowmobilers and offer a lot of high-end performance and comfort characteristics.
My favorite aspect of the Sinister X6 is how wide their field of view is. You can easily see in your peripheral to make quick turns and ride safely even at full throttle. Some goggles will make you feel boxed in, not these.
The lenses are also designed to promote optical clarity and depth perception. This gives you a very natural experience as you ride and allows you to anticipate every bump, twist, and turn that might be on the trail ahead.
They also have a triple-treated anti-fog technology built into the lens, further enhancing an already fantastic focus on vision and clarity. An anti-scratch coating adds durability and is effective at keeping the lenses in good shape even if you hit a branch.
The Sinister X6 is pretty comfortable, although the nose bridge isn’t my favorite design and takes some getting used to. It’s not uncomfortable, just noticeable.
And while the anti-fog coating is effective, don’t assume these will give you fog-free performance. If you run hot or get moisture on the inside, they can still fog up.
2. Oakley Flight Deck Prizm (Best for Night Riding)
- Key features: Rimless design, excellent field of view, compatible with many helmets, lots of lens options, High Definition Optics
- Lens system: Interchangeable
- Anti-fog: Yes. Coated
- Weight: 6 ounces
The Oakley Flight Deck Prizm are the best snowmobile goggles for night riding.
They have an easy and effective interchangeable lens system that allows you to quickly switch to a low-light lens option if you stay on the trail after dark. This makes them a safe choice to rely on at night.
Oakley is one of the top brands in the eyewear industry, and although these goggles aren’t specifically marketed for snowmobiling, these are still a great option to use.
The aspherical lens provides an extremely wide field of view, another characteristic that makes them the best option to use at night. Alongside this, you get a low-profile frame that keeps them light and comfortable.
The injection-molded polycarbonate frame is flexible and durable to keep you comfortable for endless miles on the trail. They are also lightweight and easy to adjust for added comfort.
An F3 anti-fog coating will keep your lenses clear, and High Definition Optics technology is built into any lens you choose, adding to an impressive set of features.
These are expensive, and you will want to purchase a lighter lens specifically for night riding, which can add to the overall price. That’s really the only downside to mention here though.
==> You can also get it on Oakley.com.
3. KLIM Oculus Goggle (Best for Low Light)
- Key features: 2 lenses included, scratch-resistant, excellent field of view, cellulose inner liner, good ventilation,
- Lens system: Easy interchange system
- Anti-fog: KLIM Clear anti-fog tech
- Weight: Not-specified
Low light conditions can happen at any time when you are riding, so you need to be prepared. The KLIM Oculus Goggle gives you the ability to adapt to changing light, making it the best option for low-light situations.
Two lenses are included with the Oculus, one low light, and one bright light. The slide-lock interchange system makes switching these lenses out simple. If the light changes rapidly, you can adapt in a matter of seconds.
The goggles also have an optically correct spherical design that increases visibility and enhances clarity of the field of view.
Both included lenses are treated with KLIM’s Clear anti-fog tech to give you fog-resistant performance and a layer of durability as well.
Good ventilation is made possible by a cellulose inner liner to prevent moisture from building up. Air-forced induction holes add another layer of breathability to keep moisture down for clear vision in low light.
This is another option that has a nose-piece design that I don’t enjoy that much. They are also relatively expensive and not a budget pick. The yellow color option is bright and in your face. It’s not my style but some riders might like it.
If you want to see clearly in low-light situations, these are my recommended choice.
==> You can also get it on CycleGear.com.
4. 509 Sinister X6 Ignite Goggle (Best for Heated Goggles)
- Key features: Super durable, ruggedly built, heated lens, lightweight even with battery pack, 5 hours battery life
- Lens system: Ignite heated lens tech, interchangeable
- Anti-fog: Heated system provides anti-fog tech
- Weight: 1.74 pounds
The best-heated snowmobile goggle option is the 509 Sinister X6 Ignite.
To be honest, I was skeptical about a heated snow goggle, but after trying these out, I can see why many riders like them.
I struggle with foggy goggles, usually while skiing when I’m working up a sweat. But it happens when I’m snowmobiling sometimes as well. The heated system built into these goggles offers some of the best anti-fog capabilities I’ve seen.
This is made possible by a rechargeable battery pack that you need to clip onto the strap. It will give you between 4-5 hours of heated capabilities.
In addition to the battery pack, these goggles offer all of the same features of my top choice on the list – the 509 Sinister X6. Excellent visibility, extended comfort, and good ventilation are just of few features to mention.
These are a great option if you snowmobile in severe winter conditions and want to keep your goggles fog, ice, and snow-free at all times.
You are going to pay for the heated capabilities of the Ignite, and they are expensive. The battery life will diminish the colder it is as well.
These are a unique option but worth the price if you want heated goggles.
==> You can also get it on RevZilla.com, CycleGear.com or Walmart.
5. Julbo Aerospace Snow Goggle (Best for Anti-Fog)
- Key features: Amazing ventilation to limit fog, wide field of vision, REACTIV performance lens, comfortable
- Lens system: Photochromic
- Anti-fog: Anti-fog coating, unique ventilation system
- Weight: Lightweight
If you’re like me and don’t really want to bother with a heated goggle but still want the best in anti-fog capabilities, where do you look?
The Julbo Aerospace Snow Goggle has some unique technology and construction that makes them the best snowmobile goggles for anti-fog needs.
Julbo has invented a patented SuperFlow system that allows the lens to sit off of the frame. This creates a layer of dead space for air to move through and heat to escape. And it does an amazing job of keeping your goggles from fogging up.
The Aerospace also comes with Reactive Performance lenses that are photochromic. This means they will change to adapt to different lighting conditions without you needing to switch lenses.
Soft dual foam against your face keeps the goggles very comfortable and the easy-to-adjust strap gives you the ability to fit them over any size helmet.
All of this high-end innovation does come with a hefty price tag. These are far from affordable. But I still recommend them for anyone who wants to limit the possibility of fog and explore some of the coolest goggle tech currently available.
6. OutdoorMaster PRO (Best Budget)
- Key features: Affordable, frameless design, multiple lenses available, universal helmet compatibility, comes with case and pouch
- Lens system: Interchangeable
- Anti-fog: Anti-fog coated
- Weight: Not specified
You don’t need to spend a ton of money to get a decent pair of snow goggles. With that in mind, the best budget pick for snowmobile goggles is the OutdoorMaster PRO.
These will give you everything you need to get by and have some solid features to offer, despite their low price.
A thermoplastic frame offers a lot of comfort, and the polycarbonate lenses are practical and durable. An interchangeable lens system allows you to take advantage of the 20 + lenses available for these goggles.
They also have an anti-fog coating and 100% UV protection to keep your eyes safe on those bright, sunny days. A wide field of vision and frameless design give you pretty good peripheral vision here as well.
The PRO also has universal helmet compatibility, so will slip over whatever snowmobile helmet you are using.
A budget pick does come with some tradeoffs, and you won’t get a lot of durability out of these. They will be good for a single season of heavy use, maybe two if you’re lucky. You’ll also have to pay extra for additional lenses.
==> You can also get it at Walmart.
7. Smith I/O MAG Snow Goggle (Best for Glasses/OTG Fit)
- Key features: Quality construction, multiple lens options, wide frame for OTG fit,
- Lens system: Interchangeable MAG system
- Anti-fog: Anti-fog coated
- Weight: 4.8 ounces
The Smith I/O Mag is the best snowmobile goggle for glasses. You need an OTG (over-the-glasses) fit if you want to wear goggles over your glasses while you ride.
The I/O MAG has a wide frame design that will easily sit comfortably on your face over your glasses. But they also have a lot of other great features to provide you with high-end performance.
A magnetic interchangeable lens system allows for an easy way to adapt to changing light. An AirEvac system and anti-fog coating reduce fog and increase airflow.
They are also very lightweight and have a dual-layer of DriWix face foam, making them an extremely comfortable option.
The I/O is expensive, even more so if you want multiple lens options. And while there are cheaper OTG goggles out there, these give you the best performance and fit combination.
What to Look for in Snowmobile Goggles
First things first, you don’t need to get goggles from a snowmobile-specific brand for them to work. Whether they say snowmobile, ski, or snowboard in their description, any high-quality snow goggle will meet the needs of most snowsports.
Lenses
Lenses are the most critical aspect of a snowmobile goggle. You want a fog and scratch lens resistant to give you performance on the trail alongside the durability to last you for seasons of heavy use.
An interchangeable lens system is also recommended as this gives you the ability to change out your lenses to match the conditions you like to ride in.
Size
The size of your goggles is something to consider in a few different ways. You might have a specific size of goggles you like to wear with comfort in mind. This could be smaller to fit better with your helmet or larger if you want the goggles to fit over glasses.
Larger goggles will have bigger lenses, which can allow for a greater field of view. This is an advantage that will enable you to see your surroundings better as you ride. One size isn’t better than the other; it all comes down to personal preference.
Comfort/Weight
You always want your snowmobile goggles to be comfortable. You’ll be wearing them for hours on end, and goggles that don’t fit properly can lead to headaches. Make sure to get an adjustable strap and that they sit comfortably on your face.
Snowmobile Goggles FAQs
Here are a few quick answers to some of the most common questions about snowmobile goggles.
What is the best lens color for snowmobiling?
The best lens color is whatever best matches your weather and lighting conditions. A versatile option would be something that blocks out UV light without being too dark. Darker lenses are better for brighter days, and lighter lenses are best for darker conditions.
I would recommend getting goggles that allow you to interchange lenses to adapt to changing conditions.
Do you need goggles for snowmobiling?
If you have an open face helmet, you definitely need goggles for snowmobiling. With a full-face helmet that has a visor, you don’t need to wear goggles underneath. I would still recommend having goggles somewhere on your sled for a backup.
How do you keep goggles from fogging while snowmobiling?
No goggles are completely fog-proof. But you can keep goggles from fogging up by trying to eliminate any moisture from getting inside of them while you ride. Anti-fog lenses and good ventilation in your goggles and helmet can help as well.
My Verdict
The best overall goggles for snowmobiling are the 509 Sinister X6 Goggles. These are the awesome pair that will give you a wide field of view, stay resistant to fog, and be comfortable all day long.
While there is a big difference between a good pair of snow goggles and a bad pair, all of the top options listed here will work for snowmobilers. These are critical pieces of snowmobiling equipment and you need to have a quality option at your disposal.
About Chaz Wyland
Steve
Terrible choice for number 1 as you won’t get replacement parts for sinister x6 goggles next year. Aviator or X7 should be up there for that reason, oh and yeah they work much better than the x6…
Chaz Wyland
Hey Steve,
Thanks for reaching out. Noted about the lack of parts of the X6 – I’ve had good experiences with them, and that’s why they made the list. But I’ll keep what you said in mind when I get around to updating the list here. Cheers to a solid winter season!