Being out on the open road, riding your bike, is one of the greatest feelings. But when road debris, dirt, and dust, gets blown into your eyes, it can cut the day short. It’s important to find a pair that’s going to be comfortable enough to wear all day, and look stylish too. As more and more states are requiring that riders wear helmets, having a good pair of goggles to wear with it may become one of your favorite pieces of safety equipment.
Debris, like rocks, can be flung off the road by cars. These can be fling back by cars, and may seriously injure you if they were to strike you in your eyes. When picking out goggles, make sure you find a pair with polycarbonate lenses. Glass lenses are not safe, because they can be shattered by a blow from a rock. This will make them useless. Polycarbonate is a plastic that is nearly shatterproof, and will protect your eyes from serious damage.
Goggles are available in all kinds of colors and tints. Choosing darker tints will allow you to see during the day, and help prevent glare. By not having to worry about glare and having to squint to see around, you’ll be safer on the road. However, at night, darker lenses can be more dangerous than helpful. Switching to a pair with light lenses or polarized lenses will increase nighttime contrast. Companies offer goggles with all kinds of lenses for all different levels of light. You’ll still need goggles at night, so find a pair that gives you enough visibility to make it possible to see at night.
If you don’t want to carry around multiple pairs of goggles when you’re out riding, some goggles offer pairs with interchangeable lenses. You can change them as you need them, based on how bright it may be as you’re out riding. You’ll only have to carry around all the different lenses. Another option is photochromic lenses, albeit they are more expensive. They can change how much light is allowed in through the lens depending on how much light is being shined in from the outside. They may be the most expensive choice, but they can also be the most convenience.
Sometimes you can’t always sacrifice the necessity of prescription glasses in order to wear a pair of goggles. But companies are now offering pairs with oversized lenses that accommodate for prescription glasses. A pair that is big enough for your prescription frames will give you protection from debris, and still give you plenty of visibility. Some brands even offer goggles with prescription lenses. You can order them through the manufacturer. They’ll give you great visibility and protection, but they aren’t as big and bulky as other goggle types may be. Often the bigger goggles can put too much pressure on your face, which is why you may want to order a pair of prescription goggles.