Snowblind? The perils of eyewear fashion
Has the goggle trend gone too far? Win yourself a pair of Oakley Airbrakes for your comments.
Snowboarding’s always had precarious relationship with fashion, and none more so than the whole eyewear conundrum.
Do you go the classic goggle look…?
Photo: Jeff Curtes
… Should the strap go around the helmet?
Photo: Oli Gagnon
… or inside?
Photo: Mike Weyerhaeuser
(That is, if you’re on the helmet side of the argument)
… Or are we going full Darth Vader?
… Goggles low enough down the face?
Photo: Cole Barash
… big enough?
… Have you avoided the dreaded twat gap?
… How about a Terminator-style head-up display?
… or should you keep it old school with some retro shades. Y’know, now that sunnies are ‘allowed’ again?
Photo: Cole Barash
But now it seems there is a new faux pas waiting to catch the fashion kook unawares. Goggles. Yep, that’s right, wearing any kind of goggles at all – at least, if you’re shredding in the street.
At first glance, this does kind of make sense. You’re not up a mountain, so why are you rocking a great big pair of polarised lenses? Back in the day you’d regularly see the likes of JP Walker hitting urban handrails with his goggles pulled up on his forehead. On night shoots especially it sometimes smacked of a snowboarder wearing them out of habit, or even keeping his sponsors happy (y’know, great big ‘O’ on the side and all that – and the Daily Mail can tell you all about how uncool that is, guys).
But like all things steeze, it has been taken to its logical extreme, such that it is now deemed straight-up ‘gay’ by the cool kids if a pro like Eero Ettala forgets to ditch the eyewear when shooting massive urban gaps in Helsinki. Like narrow/wide stances and baggy/tight pants, you gotta go the whole hog to keep things properly ‘legit’.
Then, the other day, this video popped up:
Now, jibbing Jeremy Jones has made a career of keeping up with the kids, and suffice to say these days he won’t be seen dead in a free pair of free Anons whilst trawling for spots in his native Salt Lake City. But when Jeremy’s struggling to see shit through the swirling pre-season snow – while his filmer is hunkered down in a hood and a cosy set of iridiums – then you know the style nazis have won. “I couldn’t see nothin’ cos of the snow” he tells his buddy after one slam. “I just went blind and hurt so bad.”
Forget the cops – are jibbers getting shut down by the fashion police?
Oakley’s Airbrake have a rad quick release lens, letting you switch up tints with minimal fuss as conditions change – surely much better than going blind like Jeremy? Best comments will win a pair!
Who cares, wear what works for you, just make sure you’re having fun, thats whats important
Really need new googles
googles can look how they want in my eyes every 1 has their own style if you want to look like terminater buy a pair that make you look like a robot. as long as they dont mist up protect your eye balls buy want what you want
f…the lens, no ride without goggles
Goggles are a must for me as a starting boarder, even if it is just so that you can watch the mad skills of other boarders on the slopes without them seeing your eyes bulge out of their sockets at the tricks they are pulling off.
I any good quality goggle that doesn’t steam up is better than what they look like.
Also defo goggles not glasses. I proper f***ed my shit up last season and my goggles played a huge part on saving my face!
The lens is all cracked but I guess they have better ventilation now! ha!
My next pair are going to be Anon Hawkeye, all my mates swear by them and they’re at a good price point.
I don’t care wether you like to wear the strap under or above the helmet, wether you like them huge or classic or even like to pull ‘em down over your mouth ’cause you have a tiny face.
I don’t even care if your wind resistent and like to rock those retro shades…I mean I love them too!
But where have we come that it’s now cool to don’t wear anything although you might even see something with shades/goggles and then start complaining after you bail?!
Ridiculous!
I’m totally pro anything as long as it stays functional it could even look good!
Wear what you want, what’s suitable to the conditions, and whatever you feel comfy in – in years to come the pictures of you wearing it will still be about to haunt you (like fluoro jackets, jester hats or twat gaps!), so you may as well be happy rocking it now.
I think it’s a bit tragic when people are so obsessed with looking ‘cool’ – it’s like they no longer love snowboarding for the fun, they just want to pose and say ‘look at me’.
Sorry but I don’t think goggles look cool. Mind you…I don’t think you look cool when you don’t have them on either. At some stage we all get to the same point in life and realize function defeats fashion and safety rules supreme. Nobody in the park or the street is going think your ‘gay’ when you pull off that sick trick with those goggles on. But we are going to say you’re dumb as hell when you crash and burn on that rail when wearing goggles could have helped saved you some pain, suffering and embarrassment
I’ve only got one eye that works after an accident anyway so ill always protect the other with goggles and I dont give a fuck what anyone thinks about it, id rather look a dick than be blind.
Say goggles over and over, eventually it will sound stupid and you’ll realise that goggles are just goggles, and probably shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
p.s. goggles
I like to think it doesn’t come down to trends so much as an extension of the inherent “GO BIG OR GO HOME” attitude that pushes riders to the next level. I’ll admit that not wearing goggles is probably the lamest way of getting one up on your fellow pros but it’s worked by getting people talking about Jeremy.
I just hope that we see more creative trick progression (Lobster flip anyone?!) rather than some guy getting mad props for stomping a road gap naked. Although it would be funny as f”&$
Ask me now (26 Years old) and I’ll be like “Hell yeah sunnies all the way man, Who would want to look like the human fly in a blizzard?!?” ask me in about 10 years and I’ll be saying “The three most important part about snowboarding is safety, safety & safety. Fun comes last in that list :-P.
Seriously though I’d certainly get some of these for when I’m next on the mountain as it’s loads different from being indoors on the fake stuff. If they make you feel safe and give you that extra bit of confidence to carve then why not. Goggle on!
Brilliant, snowboarders are just brilliant at getting it wrong. I laughed when I heard JJ say, I couldn’t see because of the snow. I mean, come on, how long have you been riding? It is hardly a surpise is it? you have a board strapped to your feet, boots on, possibly even gloves (didn’t check) it is freezing cold and white. Add to that you are zooming along on a plank of wood, did you think that snow doesn’t matter anymore, shit dude, I don’t need sunnies anymore, snow bends round me. Well, I for one, want to see JJ’s entire section this season sans eyewear, powder, park, sunny, shitty, the lot. Then a shot of him lying in a dark room at the end of the season with blood pouring out of his empty eye sockets, cursing his own stupidity.
What will be funny is the amount of victims de la mode who will be ruining their own eyesite biting his steez in resorts round the world this winter.
Goggles for me please, everytime.
Goggles all the way! They just have the best functionality out of all the different styles of functionality. In terms of style, then you can choose whatever you like, but it doesn’t detract from the fact that goggles are the best all rounder whatever your needs are!
Forget the fad and stay RAD I say!
MY EYYYYEEEEEE’S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If your not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.
I still have a few problems in the look of riding with sunnies, especially when you’re rocking a helmet. Goggles have this way of making you feel all cosy and cocooned as well as making the day seem really sunny when you’ve got your yellow lenses on in bad light!
Without a doubt fashion is the main reason why JJ wouldn’t wear goggles on a shoot like this – lets face it, its snowing hard and he’s getting towed in really fast, so its bound to hurt the eyes without any protection.
I’d draw the line with wearing goggles inside though. There’s no glare, and unless they’re making snow at the time, there’s no eye danger. But then I reckon the kids you see in the domes wearing full on balaclava’s inside look pretty awful too.
I could be tempted to wear goggles on dryslope though, but I think you’d be laughed off the dendix!
Goggles shmoggles!! It´s all about the snow, the ride and the freedom you get when combining the first two!
I get a little bit saddened by all the fashonista talk and ‘rules’ that seem to be coming out these days. I thought snowboarding was about people going out and doing something they love, and not worrying too much about what they look like doing it. Of course there will be trends, the same as in any branch of society where kit is required, but potentially compromising your safety to follow a fleeting trend is a bit ridiculous.
If this opinion smacks of being sensible, fuddy duddy and a bit old and out of touch, then I’ll hold my hands up to that. I’d rather be that with good eyesight as that will last me into my mature years, a pair of sunnies won’t!
Lets face it, we’d all rather be focused, have our eyes on the prize and get the first trick of the season in the socket.
There’s nothing gaze about having an eye for fashion, but look. You wouldn’t want your pupils to lash out when they see you get hurt. That would just be balls. In fact, eye brow my head to those who sacrifice fashion for function. They usually end up looking the raddest anyway, especially with everyone goggling at them…
If you can’t see straight on this, do yourself a favour, write down an eyetemeyesed list of all the positives and negatives of wearing googles and I reckon it’ll become clear that while there are big things on the horeyezon for fashion, being able to spot your landing is just 20/20.
Maybe this is just my vision but all those with me… Let me hear you say aye aye!
wear whatever you like, but don’t bitch about not being able to see if you’ve gone for style over substance! I’ll drink your frozen tears.
Maybe JJ didn’t have any goggles on him? He can’t wear the cameraman’s goggles if they’re made by a non sponsor!
I’m sponsored by Mister Byrite so would have to run through the streets naked if I split my trousers or crapped myself. Same happened to JJ.
Ironically and luckily, those kids hating on others now, will grow up and be laughed at by the next generation. No one will have any pity as they will die by the sword, and hopefully they will be sat in their lonely room, crying into their evening cornflakes meal, filling the internet with nasty comments and liberating their vitriolic soul for a moment.
My rule is to not read comments after an online article or video. The ungrammatical ramblings of modern youth is painful on the eyes and poisons the mind with hate.
Luckily, for now at least, online haters don’t say much in the real world, for fear of getting a clip round the ear and 30 foot atomic suplex off a chair lift.
Who really cares what they look like? Just make sure you spend the money to get ones that actually protect your peepers….burning your eyeballs hurts like F**K…trust me on that one!
Isn’t the lesson here just that Jeremy Jones is a tool? That’s what I learned from that video…
Yup, another thing to add to the long list of snowboard fashion disputes. However here in the UK the pros and cons of whether they are necessary on a street jib is a fairly moot point. But really has the whole discussion of snowboard fashion become a moot point? And are the fashion police really there anymore? If the super pros started riding in ridiculously over sized bright coloured clown suits would you?!?
“err jimbo….ppssps…ppssp..ppssss…..”
Oh yes of course they already have. Well what if they started wearing lumber jack outfits with massive tache’s, HA! Boy would we laugh then!
“….ppsspsppsspppssss…..”
Errhermm… right of course, yes… well imagine if they started wearing – heaven forbid – that most hated of idiotic headwear, the NOVELTY ANIMAL HAT!
“err..sss..sssfpppffHRRhhNICoosssMULhhherherr…”
Ah my most humble, er, humble apologies Sir Muller…
Well then looks like we’ve covered pretty much everything. Guess as long as you are ridiculously sick at riding then you can wear whatever you like and get away with it. Think I’ll spend more time practicing then and less time browsing the shelves or online stores imagining that I’m f**cking great.
I am wicked you know, got all the gear look, I’m wearing a ‘Sex Instructor’ t-shirt.
Dont be a slave to the fashion police
your not up there to look good!
Why the funk are you even talking about this..? Oh wait, now I’m talking about it too. Maybe Jeremy is just so dedicated to snowboarding and his sponsors that he is willing to throw everything on the line including his sight just to keep the stoke alive?! Or maybe he is just a bit of a stroker… He’s wearing waterproof mock denim for f*cks sake.
Wasn’t it Skull Skates who ran the ‘Function not Fashion’ ads back in the day? JJ is a Jib-Jedi but he’s always come across as a bit of a twat. Not wearin goggles WHEN ITS LASHIN SNOW is takin the dedicated follower of fashion a step too far. Then again, Who cares? :)
Function over fassion I say.. hurts me to see people wearing super chromed polorized goggles on a cloudy day. Yellow lenses are superior for overcast/cloudy days and we have known this since the 80′s but somehow people quickly forget and choose to ride snowblind instead.
Regardless of whether jibbers are getting “shut down” by fashion police/ aren’t secure enough in who & what they are to “care” about what other people think about them in the first place/ just be yourself & if you rule people flock to whatever it is you do/ look like anyway, who cares? I’m just saying this, I’m calling it, you heard it here first! This is the next step in the evolution of snowboarding optics,
http://www.myspacemuseum.com/848b.jpg
Click on the URL there & you’ll see! I’m predicting Oakley to be the first to come out with this ’cause let’s face it, it’s already a big O & they won’t even have to necessarily use a logo ’cause you’ll already know it’s them. It’ll be their response to Rurocs & taking the whole big goggle concept to the next level, it’s called the Bubble Helmet! :oO
You’ll be able to buy one in each “lens” tint that you want. Just imagine, you can carry a bag of them in the back of your SUV or whatever & then stick a couple extra in your backpack for changing light conditions on those days when you might need them, you’ll literally be “balling” & the epitome of new school pimpology, ballers rejoice! Shoot, they’ll obviously have a Shaun White signature model of course but he’s gonna’ have to figure out what to do with all his hair inside of one. It’s the ultimate helmet, goggles, & facemask technology, you just can’t mess with it! Just make sure you don’t hack a loogie somewhere or you’ll be hating it. They’ll have turbo fan import/export exhaust system technology along with the finest of anti-fogging as well already built into them. They’ll be babe magnets! You can rock your headphones in ‘em, shoot, even the brothers with afros will dig these, perfect fit! ; )
I think I’d call it the LightBulb as far as a name for the 1st model goes, but what do I know? Oakley will probably never listen to me & just laugh that off anyway, they’ll wanna’ call it something like The HubbleBubble or something, while all the kids that really shred will just call it the CrackPipe, you know what I’m sayin’?! :oO
I could keep goin’ on & on here, but you heard it here first peeps! In about 5 years (maybe less if we’re lucky), they’ll have their current prototypes perfected & the patents obtained for it & they’re going to unleash it & it’s going to lead to a whole new revolution in snowboarding optics AND outerwear to! The integrated, seamless, brand spankin’ new “powder skirt” technology for your head & neck so you don’t have to worry any more about any of that pesky, terribly cold snow getting down your jacket & into your neck, chest, or back region either (damn those backcountry tomahawks that mess everything up)! You won’t even have to worry about losing your goggles any more, they’ll never leave your head…, the outerwear counterpart/mate for these is obviously a new, improved onesie & even the boots are built in! :oO
I honestly don’t know why somebody hasn’t already come up with this, it’s obvious that it’s the most functional, underrated, epitome of technology & steeze/”style” you’ll ever possibly witness!
http://media1.policymic.com/site/articles/16489/photo.jpg
Red Bull will still be in the game of course & Shaun’s sponsors probably won’t change any, but that’s the nature of the game, cash money ya’ all!
Alright, enough of me rambling on & on here, take it easy guys & girls, & oh yeah, don’t forget, have fun while you’re out there shredding to, peace! : D
Stop torture yourself with stupid questions and go ride. SNOW IS COMING ! :-)
Broken bones, shredded skin, and going blind due to lack of goggles because they were “uncool” is stupid. Nothing more nothing less.
Dont listen to the crowd, especially when they are wrong.
What’s wrong with looking cool on the snow? But function should come first… you know if you’re wearing the correct lens straight away after riding for a day.. but how many lens do you actually have?
Goggles are one of the most important bits of kit if you can see the cliff or pillow line that your about to hit then you shouldn’t probably hit it!
whether your wearing them with or without helmet with the strap over or under makes no difference it shows who you are and how you perceive snowboarding. If your a park cruiser you probably dont need the latest newest switch lens tech as you gunna be to busy chatting to that girl you met last night in the bar in between snaking all the lines but mr back country would.
Goggles are what you make of them whether they are for looking cool or solely of practicalities sake.
It makes no difference what eyewear you wear as long as you can see and you’re happy with them. F**k everyone else, if they wanna go blind because goggles aren’t cool enough, or because shades aren’t in fashion anymore, let them. Then when all the poseurs are snowblind, and cant ride anymore, all the normal people out there who couldn’t care less what they look like will have more mountain to shred.
Personally the weather and what i’m doing are my deciding factors, if its a nice day of casually carving up the mountainside i’d probably be wearing a beanie and shades (wrap arounds not retro ones still gotta protect your eyes), if the weather kicks up a bit i’ll swap to my goggles. If i’m park riding its always helmet and usually shades but again thats weather permitting, i’d rather stop for 5 minutes swap to my goggles and keep shredding while the weather still isn’t too bad and get another half hour of park time then risk my sight….
But thats me, and what i think somebody may think is stupid….
All i can say on the matter is as long as your shredding, do what you want but remember that it could still be affecting everyone around you.
At the end of the day we’re all commenting because we want a free pair of goggles! So I’m calling this debate bias in favour of those people who like wearing goggles, hooray for goggles!
Ok my names fletch and i a goggleholic, its got so bad now the crew book an extra 5 lbs for my baggage allowance.
It started by getting some bad fitting dragon dx’s, some serious piss taking triggered my need for google related bingeing, what followed was limited edition purchasing, then followed onto a seriously destructive crowbar lens fetish, i even started buying seperate frames just because i needed something new and different. I think the lowest point came when i bought a google case, i knew the piss taking would be merciless, but i needed it as i cant carry them all around with me!
Dont fall into my trap, i now routinely expect greif every trip as soon as i unpack!
Gotta have goggles guys, don’t want those retinas being burnt on the slopes. Would seriously damage your chances in the evening too!
Oh, Beer Goggles
I love to put them on
Next to eachother at the bar
She’s thinkin’ he’s the one
I’m thinkin’ where’s my car
She thinks I look good
Obviously she didn’t smell that fart
“Oh, what kind of cologne is that you’re wearing?”
Hey man, it’s a start
“Hi, my name’s Barbie”
“My name’s Ken”
The perfect couple ’cause we’re drunk in the head
I’m drunk again
(Repeat Chorus)
And one size fits all!!!
It’s gotta be goggles all the way. Good luck findin yer shades if yer wipe out in 3ft of pow!!! Inside or outside the helmet? Whatever’s comfy!!! Some goggles just don’t fit with a helmet properly & you end up with the dreaded euro gap to fit em on, but each to their own. All that matters is shredding & havin a laugh :))))
“What do you need to see for “. “Oh yeah Sight is totally over rated ”
Point break classic phrase !!
Have the best of both worlds ride with your lens out, Thats right folks just rock your frames ;)
No seriously just wear whats right for you, who cares anyway your snowboarding for fun
i don’t talk about jib, but anyway when you ride fast in the mountains you are obliged to wear goggles, or you can’t see nothing.
I reckon so long as people are comfortable with what their riding in it makes no difference. There’ll always be that divide from shades to goggles, like there is from hip-hop to indie etc etc. Having fun and shredding with your mates is most important, as for me I used to be an out and out sunnies wearer, now though I keep them back for the Apres and make i get none of the white stuff in my eyes by using goggles.
Bla bla bla..
Well as they’re no longer of use to any of you, I could do with a pair of those Oakleys so I can fully commit to my Master Chief sexy roleplay with the Mrs.
1. Goggles stop your eyes getting cold – i know that sounds stupid but its true.
2. They keep the wind out of your eyes.
3. The stop snow blindness.
4. The help you pick out terrain in flat light.
Sunglasses do none of the above – also they sit to close to your eyes which scares me. Smack your face and end up with shards of plastic embedded in your eyeball.
I used to be a snowboarder like you, but then I took a rail to the face…
Isn’t snowboarding all about FREEEEEEDOM? Freedom to wear whatever the hell you want is nice start isn’t it?
Personally I value my face in its current state and shall be wearing my goggles next time I strap in, however if you choose not to… well… FREEEEEEDOM.
On a side note, I believe you have my stapler…
As my mate Sam always said “Fashion not function”
As a new rider, i’m open to all aspects of the culture. I see people rocking baggies, and rocking skinnies. Riding goretexed out and others looking like they came in off the street.
Since this is all new to me. I accept it. I have preferences, but I don’t judge someone by their snowgear choice.
Let’s face it, none of us wear clothes that aren’t inspired by fashion. To wear truly performance only based apparel you’d have to go the way of the athlete, the swimmer in those crazy looking/badass onesies.
If you choose to impede your performance in heavy snow by not wearing goggles, that’s your choice. Ride with em, ride without em.
In the end, how you choose express yourself through gear (or lack of) is entirely up to you…
Ride however gives you the most enjoyment regardless of fashion. After all, isn’t that why we ride? Because we enjoy the hell out of it.
Ok so this was a ridiculously tough decision – some really really good comments here. We have however come to a decision and our decision is final! So…
Congratulations to James O’Hara – we found your comment most amusing and the goggles are yours humble sir! Send an email with your address in it to sam@whitelines.com and we’ll get them sent out to you.
If you weren’t lucky this time, keep an eye out for more debate comps coming up over the next few weeks!
BANGIN! Thank you so much boys – I knew one day spouting shit would pay off! I’ve emailed. Thank you again!
I dont think it matters as long as they work well, had the shitiest pair of foged, scratched up lenses at the gorm last week was a nightmare better without that day. So its important to have good goggles especially in low light. I saw a review for a replacemtent lens the other day the guy said he got it tried them on and said he could see his eyes through the lensand that wasnt cool so set them back. Get over all the fashion bullshit, do whats comfortable and keep rippin.
I paid a pound for mine from the charity shop .Hope they will suffice Bo)
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