When you’re blazing a trail on the slopes, protective eyewear is an absolute necessity. However, these days, goggles can do a lot more than just protect your eyes.
By incorporating the latest technologies, modern goggles are providing amateur and experienced skiers with a helping hand towards maximising their performance. To help you get a grasp of what tech is currently available, here are five of the latest innovations that will help improve your skiing experience.
A computer that straps to your head
Heads up displays (HUD) have been a must-have gadget for tech savvy skiers for a few years now. Nevertheless, this year, the innovations in this particular area have moved forward significantly yet again.
Recon Instruments have recently partnered with Oakley and Smith Optics to create the Recon Snow2 HUD. Taking the form of an unobtrusive screen that fits inside the lens of your ski goggles, the Snow2 is essentially a computer that straps to your head.
Digital updates that the Snow2 can put before your eyes include data about speed, altitude, descentand quality, as well as weather updates. Essentially, the Snow2’s HUD capabilities are so advanced, you’ll start to feel as though you’ve become a skiing version of the Terminator.
Next generation transitional lenses
Any skier with a modicum of experience will tell you that not being able to see properly is the fastest way to ruin a day of quality skiing. That’s why many manufacturers ring-fence a large proportion of their R&D budget into developing ski goggle lenses that provide crystal clear clarity for every eventuality.
In recent years, goggles with transitional capabilities have included multiple, interchangeable lenses, with different tints for a range of light qualities. The problem being, if the transformation in light quality is relatively extreme, this means you still have to take off your ski gloves every time you want to change a lens.
In preparation for this year’s season, however, several manufacturers – including Dragon Alliance – have concentrated on manufacturing one transitional lens that is able to cope with every type of varying low light and full sun.
Augmented reality on the slopes
Thanks to a crowd funding campaign launched last year, the world has now been introduced to the first pair of augmented reality (AR) ski goggles. RideOn goggles combine the capabilities of a HUD with a see-through user interface (UI) that places AR graphics in the centre of your field of vision.
Thanks to a method invented by the manufactures, you can interact with the UI – that appears as if it’s floating 15 feet in front of you – using only your sight. As such, you don’t need external devices or even voice activation to access maps and other important information while skiing at high speeds.
RideOn goggles even add to the experience of skiing with friends by incorporating a selection of fun features. Not only can you connect with ski buddies to access their location, but you can also create several games and challenges using the goggles, which introduce a completive edge to the day’s snow-themed pleasures.
Pixel perfect pics
The explosion of smartphones with high-quality cameras has created the expectancy that every meaningful moment in life – and some not-so-meaningful – must be broadcasted across social media. While the kids these days say: “if there’s no pics, it didn’t happen.”
However, despite technological advancements, capturing your skiing efforts in pixelated form via the more traditional methods remains a challenge. For this reason, ZEAL Optics have manufactured the HD Camera Goggle – a pair of skiing goggles that includes an in-built, full HD camera, which allows you to take and share action snaps with ease.
A flying selfie camera
Okay, so this last one isn’t strictly a goggle innovation, but it’s so cool we just had to let you know about it. Lily is the world’s first throw-and-shoot camera and uses drone technology to capture high quality aerial photos and videos.
According to the inventors of Lily, you can adjust the camera’s settings so that once you’ve thrown it into the air, it will automatically follow and film you in action. Unsurprisingly, it’s this feature that is currently getting the skiing fraternity very excited.
For a preview of what this exciting piece of tech is fully capable of, checkout this video.
Can you think of any other goggle innovations that will improve your skiing experience? Then please join the discussion in the comments section below. Or, if you want to grab an innovative pair of ski goggles for some of the cheapest prices around, check out our collection now.
