When you're having fun skiing with your friends, most of you may find that your goggles are cloudy, and you can't see the bumps and fall, or you can't see them and you can't ski happily.
In fact, goggle lenses can be taken care of to extend their lifespan, ensure a comfortable field of vision, and allow them to glide happily all day long.
This time, we asked Mr. Yamada of SMITH OPTICS, who has been making goggles since 1965, to talk directly about "enjoyable sliding & long-lasting lens care".
① Last timeTips for choosing gogglesThis time, I would like to ask you about a lens that is very important for sliding.Why do you need lens care in the first place?
Lens care is needed to reduce as much as possible cloudiness and eye fatigue as you glide through the mountains all day long.If you don't take care of the lens, the one you used once will soon become cloudy when you use it the next day and it will not be usable, or the scratches on the lens will make it difficult to see and your eyes will get tired. It is closely related to the part of gliding.
Lens care is necessary every time in the sense that you always dry what you use.
Also, if you are a user who has two or more lenses for each goggles and wants to take it to the mountain, it is important to carry it in the soft cloth bag attached to the goggles. increase.
(XNUMX) I would like to ask about the contents of lens care.First of all, how should I wash the lens?
Since there are different lenses from other companies, it cannot be said unconditionally, and it is necessary to check the website of the manufacturer used by the user. For SMITH lenses, vaporator lenses can be washed with water.Simply rinse the silicone-bonded vaporator lens with water from the faucet and gently wipe it with a soft cloth (push it to remove water).Then let it dry thoroughly.
The reason why the basic lens becomes cloudy is due to dirt and scratches.
SMITH lenses have invisible fine slits (grooves) on the surface of the inner lens, which increases the surface area and has the effect of absorbing the water in the goggles before it condenses.It acts as an anti-fog, so if the groove is clogged with dirt, the area that absorbs moisture to suppress fogging will become smaller.
It is desirable to wash and clean the lens once before spring, assuming that it will be used during the season if it is a new lens.It is enough to wash once or twice a season.
If the outer and inner lenses are glued together with a sponge, it is recommended that you wipe them off by gently pressing them after gently moistening them with a spray bottle, etc., as moisture may get inside if you wash them completely.
When washing the lens, I think cold water or lukewarm water is good.
By the way, does the anti-fog function deteriorate when washed?I think some users may think that, in the case of SMITH, the lens is impregnated (cancer = it is made by directly mixing the anti-fog material with the lens material), so Functionally, the anti-fog effect lasts semi-permanently.
Also, if you wipe the inside of the lens when you fall on a snowy mountain, all the water will enter the invisible groove, so it is recommended to absorb the water while pressing it with a soft cloth as much as possible.Tesh and paper napkins are not recommended as they can be scratched.For such situations, SMITH also sells a snow eraser that wipes off moisture.
③ Please tell us how to store after slipping.
Some users leave it in the car after slipping a lot, but if you don't want the lens to fog, take it back to your room first.Then remove the lens from the goggles and store it.In fact, most of the users who say "I'm in trouble because it's cloudy" either leave it as it is after slipping, or put it in a damp goggle case and leave it as it is.Keeping it moist is counterproductive, and in fact, if you leave the water between the goggles and the lens as it is, it will not evaporate easily.
Users who do not go to slip for a while should remove the lens from the goggles and use a desiccant (silica gel).You can use the desiccant contained in the sweets, or you can use the one sold evenly at 100.You can store it in a goggle case or an unsealed box, so keep it together. In the case of SMITH goggles case, part of it is mesh, so moisture does not stay inside the case, and I think it is best to put a desiccant in it.
④ What should I do if the lens becomes cloudy in the mountains?
It depends on the location, but if the inside of the double lens becomes cloudy, I think it is almost impossible to deal with it at that location.However, if the inside of the lens becomes cloudy, you can either remove the water using the method I explained earlier, or recently, you often have a hair dryer in the rest house, so you can dry it without overheating. I recommend it.
However, it is best to always have a spare lens, regardless of gliding level.
⑤ Please tell us the characteristics of SMITH's lenses, which have been making goggles since 1965.
In fact, SMITH has a history from 1965, and in terms of anti-fog, it is characterized by being made by directly impregnating (kneading) the anti-fog material into the lens material.
If used correctly, the effect will last semi-permanently, but the lens itself may change over time, so it is necessary to take that into consideration.
All goggles sold at authorized retailers in Japan are JAPAN fit except for kids goggles, and the shape of the foam on the nose is different, so it fits your face firmly.
We also have a wide range of lens types to suit various conditions. SMITH is based on the transmittance of the lens.Everyone has different eye colors, so I don't know which lens is the best, but if there is only one lens, the red sensor mirror with a transmittance of 55% looks the most almighty. I think it's easy.The heavy snowfall in Niseko and the powder company guides have given us feedback that this lens is the easiest to see during the season.If it is still dark, a yellow sensor mirror makes it easy to see even a night game.
In addition, the results show that the silicon-adhered vaporator lens is 5 times less likely to fog than the model in which the SMITH lens is made by crimping two lenses with urethane.Of course, even the model that is crimped with urethane is a lens that is quite resistant to fogging.
⑥ What are SMITH's recommended goggles this year?
This year we have released a new generation of I / O 7 with the ultimate in simplicity of system and functionality.A function that allows the strap to move up and down according to the needs of attaching it to the outside or inside of the helmet, a spare lens is also included, and a lens case for the spare lens is also included.
We also released SHOWCASE OTG, which is for WOMENS and allows you to slide while wearing glasses, and SQUAD, which is the latest flat lens model re-proposed by SMITH.
Although it has a wide field of view, it is actually the same frame as the high-end model spherical lens VICE, so it is possible to attach a spherical lens according to your mood.Conversely, you can attach a SQUAD flat lens to VICE.
When it comes to lens care, there may be surprisingly many users who just wipe it when it gets wet and forget it when it slips, but for those who want to have fun and get better at the parts that are directly related to gliding, please do not miss it. How about taking care of your lenses?
We also recommend that you try SMITH goggles, which offer various proposals based on lens quality, field of view, and variety of frames, at actual stores.
Click here for SMITH OPTICS Digital Catalog
interviewed and edited by
