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The smith I/O goggles have changed the game with other
companies following suit with the quick change lens technology. The large field
of view is amazing and the assortment of lenses available are amazing for every
condition. The only reason for not giving these goggles a full 10 out of 10 is
because of the price being a little on the high side. If you want a amazing
goggle and you have a larger head. I would these goggles.
If you want any info on lens options. I have tried them all and can give you
some information on any questions you might have. Just P'm me!
Performance
While riding the venting seemed to work well with minimal
fogging. When it came to doing a little trekking across the hill there were a
few time they would fog up while wearing a helmet. I could left the helmet and
the fogging would quickly disappear. I really like the quick change lens
design. It's easy to do on the lifts. The only issue I would raise is that
smith needs to design a small hard case to carry extra lenses so they don't get
scratched or cracked in transit.
Design
The nose piece on the I/O sits higher to allow for a more
form fit around the nose and to make sure it doesn't just sit on the nose and
create pressure points. The design on the sides of the goggle help disperse the
force and not create and pressure on your forehead or temples without being too
bulky like other larger viewing goggles. The venting on the goggles seems to
work great with fogging occurring only a few times with when a helmet was being
worn and we were trekking. The foam has been upgraded on the goggles since the
first year where there were a few issues (I owned the first year models) it
seems to fit much better with less deterioration occurring through the
season.
Value
The goggles have a MSRP of $180 but you could find them at
the start of the season for $160 easily. By mid season they were down to
anywhere from $120 to $90. At $160 the goggles seem to be a bit over priced but
I think no goggle should cost that much. $120 to $90 is a much better price
range, so if you wait till mid season you will get a much better deal.
Fit
First off, I have a overly large head, and on top of that my
nose is big too. It is hard for me to find a pair of goggles that fit right and
don't cut off air to my nose completely. The smith I/O goggles really solved
these problems. They fit great around my face and offer a wide field of vision.
Feel very comfortable with no pressure points on my face. I ride a POC receptor
helmet and it seemed very compatible with it and fit will.
Durability
My I/O goggles held up great through out the season. The
foam didn't start to tear up and the lenses are durable with the anti-fogging
working pretty well. The strap didn't fray up and stretch out much at all. The
frame is quite flexible and holds up in some nasty crashes (I've had too many
this season)
Based on my experience so far I'm giving them a 9. They were a bit more expensive than crowbars but thats for 2 lenses. If they were maybe $30 less I'd give them a 9.5. But thats neither here nor there. They look sweet and they're comfortable. Get them if you can
Performance
Although I haven't tried these bad boys out on snow yet they look like they'll do the trick. Every single review I found online said that there weren't any fogging issues. I was a bit sceptical about this because there aren't any vents on the front of the goggles, but we'll see about that in a month or so!
They are really comfortable to wear, the foam isn't itchy or coarse. They don't need to be super tight to sit right.
The lenses are spherical. You'd be silly not to get a spherical lens goggle these days. You get way clearer vision. The peripheral vision out of these is amazing, I struggle to see the frame at all.
Design
The design is sick and pretty unique. As well as looking dope it is functional as the lens on the outside of the frame design makes changing the lens mad easy. First try I had the lens changed in less than one minute. Basically the lens slots into the v shape of the nose bridge and is then secured to the upper part of the frame with the hinges at the top. You get two lenses with the goggle; the ignitor mirror for all round to bright conditions and the sensor mirror for low light conditions.
Smith seem to be the only ones with the clip at the back of the strap, which makes getting the goggles on a breeze. There are two length adjuster thinggies, one on each side of the strap.
I wear my goggles under my helmet to the straps are fine for me. I don't know how you'd go wearing them over your helmet though, as the straps don't look like they'd go super long. They'd must be alright though because the the straps attach to an outrigger system.
One thing that could be improved on the strap is to put a silicon bead around the strap like Oakleys. That really does make a difference and stops your goggles sliding around on your hair / hat / helmet.
The lenses are sealed double lenses, aint gonna be amy moisture getting between these! They've got a tiny valve on the outside on the lens that allows for pressure adjustment from altitude changes. The point of that is to stop anything funky happening to your lenses from increases / decreases in pressure. No one wants a warped lens! I don't know if it actually does much or if it is more of a gimmick, but its there so its all good.
Value
While they aren't cheap ($260 NZD) I think they're worth it. You have to remember that there are two lenses included, and they're so easy to change that you've pretty much got two pairs of goggles for the price of one.
Fit
The fit on these goggles is perfect for me. I've got a narrower face so it can be difficult finding something that doesn't look ridiculously wide.
These goggles are narrower than crowbars which is awesome, as I found crowbars to be really wide.
Durability
They look to be well built, and if my previous experiences with Smith goggles are anything to go with then these should hold up for 3 or 4 seasons at least. I've used Triads for the last 3 or 4 seasons and they're still going strong, I just decided to update the look.
The frame itself is really flexible. You could probably drive over it in a truck and they'd be fine. The lens would get fucked, but hey you can just swap it out right!
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