Article: Why ski goggles fog up and how to avoid it
Why ski goggles fog up and how to avoid it
You're skiing down just fine, you stop at the lift, and within a minute you can't see a thing. Your goggles have fogged up. It happens to everyone, and most of the time it's down to how we wear them, not the goggles themselves.
In this guide you'll see why ski or snowboard goggles fog up, what they need to have to fog up less, and what to do on the slope and after skiing.
The #B Black Silver on a cold morning in the mountains.
The answer at a glance
| What's happening | What to do |
|---|---|
| You're sweating | Dress in layers, open your jacket at the lift |
| Your balaclava blocks the vents | Keep the bottom of the goggles clear |
| The goggles don't fit well | Adjust the strap, try them on with your helmet |
| You push them up onto your forehead | Keep them over your eyes or take them off completely |
| Snow got in | Shake it out, don't wipe the inside of the lens |
| They've already fogged up | Keep moving. If it doesn't clear, let them dry |
Why goggles fog up
Fog is moisture. Your face warms the air inside the goggles and sweat fills it with water vapour. When this warm, moist air touches the cold lens, the vapour turns into tiny droplets. The droplets scatter the light and the lens looks foggy, as ETH Zurich explains.
So two things cause it: a lot of moisture inside the goggles and a big temperature difference with the lens. Everything that follows reduces one or the other.
What makes goggles fog up less
Double lens
Between the two lenses there is a thin layer of air, like in double glazing. The outer lens stays cold, the inner one stays warmer, and so moisture has a harder time settling on it.
Anti-fog coating
It's a thin layer on the inside of the lens that “attracts” water. Instead of forming droplets, the moisture spreads into a thin, even film that doesn't block your view. But it's delicate: if you rub it, it wears off.
Vents
The goggles have vents along the top and the bottom. Air flows through them, and the moisture leaves with it. To do their job they have to stay open: no snow and no fabric over them.
Red Raven adult goggles have a double lens, with an anti-fog coating on the inner one. “It doesn't fog up no matter what”, writes one of our customers in his review of the #B line. Still, no goggles are immune: with a lot of sweat or the wrong handling, even the best pair can fog up. That's why what follows matters too.
6 habits that make your goggles fog up
1. You're sweating
It's the most common reason. When you get too warm, sweat turns into moisture inside the goggles. Dress in layers, so you can take one off when you warm up, and open your jacket a little while you wait at the lift.
2. Your balaclava blocks the vents
If the fabric covers the vents at the bottom of the goggles, the air stops flowing and your breath goes straight up onto the lens. Don't tuck it under the goggles. Keep the bottom of the goggles clear, so your breath can escape outwards.
3. The goggles don't fit well
If there are gaps against your face or your helmet pushes them down, moisture and snow get in. Adjust the strap so they sit firmly without being tight, and try them on with your helmet before you head up.
4. You push them up onto your forehead or helmet
Your forehead is warm and sweaty, and your helmet often has snow on it. The heat and moisture rise straight into the goggles. Keep them over your eyes as much as you can. On a break, take them off completely and leave them on the table.
5. Snow gets in after a fall
Snow blocks the vents and, once it melts, turns into moisture inside the goggles. Shake them so it falls out while it's still snow. Don't wipe the inside of the lens with your glove.
6. You rub the inside of the lens while it's wet
The anti-fog coating is on the inside and is very delicate. Tissues, gloves and sleeves scratch it easily, as the German consumer organisation Stiftung Warentest notes. Once it's worn, the goggles fog up more easily.
If they fog up on the slope
- Keep moving. The air flowing through the goggles dries them.
- Don't put them on your forehead. They'll fog up more.
- If they don't clear, take a break. Go somewhere warm, take them off and let them dry on their own.
- Don't wipe the inside while they're wet.
A break is enough for them to dry.
Care after skiing
- Let them dry on their own, at room temperature. Not on the radiator and not with a hairdryer.
- If the inside needs cleaning, wait for it to dry first. Then go over the lens gently with the microfibre pouch that comes in the box with the goggles. You don't need anything else.
- Store them dry in their pouch. For carrying them there is also a hard case, sold separately.
- Don't leave them wet in your bag or in the car.
Drying on their own, away from the radiator.
Do you need anti-fog spray?
No. Goggles with a double lens and an anti-fog coating don't need it. Just take care of the inside of the lens.
Moisture between the two lenses
That's a different thing. If you see moisture between the two lenses, where you can't reach to wipe, it's not down to how you wear your goggles. On Red Raven goggles this is covered by the 2-year warranty. Get in touch with us and we'll sort it out.
And kids' goggles?
Our kids' goggles (ages 10–16) have an anti-fog coating but a single lens, so they fog up a little more easily than adult goggles. Here the right habits matter even more: your child shouldn't push them up onto the forehead or wipe the inside.
Frequently asked questions
Why do ski goggles fog up?
Because the warm, moist air from your face touches the cold lens and turns into small droplets.
How do I stop my goggles from fogging up?
Don't dress so warmly that you sweat, keep them over your eyes and not on your forehead, keep the vents at the top and bottom open, and don't rub the inside of the lens.
Can I wipe the inside of my goggles?
Only once they're dry, gently, with the microfibre pouch. Never while they're wet and never with paper or a glove.
Do I need anti-fog spray?
No. With a double lens and an anti-fog coating you don't need it.
How do I dry my goggles after skiing?
On their own, at room temperature. Not on the radiator and not with a hairdryer.
I can see moisture between the two lenses. What do I do?
Get in touch with us. On Red Raven goggles it's covered by the 2-year warranty.
See all Red Raven ski and snowboard goggles. If you're not sure which lens to choose, read our guide on which lens is right for which weather too.
The images of mountain scenes are illustrative. The goggles shown are the real products.
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