The blue light in the top left corner indicates that the heating is on. It's not super annoying like you may think. Unless your throwing flips over your right shoulder you're unlikely to notice it. Maya Hunger photo.
Abominable Labs' goggle is the newest solution to the age-old problem of fogging goggle lenses. While I have always solved this problem by bringing multiple pairs of goggles, squinting furiously, or not wearing goggles at all, Abom's new technology promises to make skiing blindly on powder days a thing of the past.
Abom's Fog-Free Technology
The three parts of the Abom lens, which heats a conductive film between the lenses, instead of using a fan to blow away moisture as other fog-free goggles have in the past. Abominable Labs Photo.
Abom's differs from other state of the art "fog free" goggles by using a new patented technology called KLAIR. Simply put, a small battery heats a conductive film that is sandwiched between the two-part lens. The company guarantees that any fog buildup will be eliminated in less than a minute once you hit the power button. During my testing, the goggle performed up to this standard or better.
These goggles would not fog naturally, even without the power on. So in order to test the technology, I left them overnight in my car during freezing temperatures, then wore them over my eyes as I panted up the 1,700-foot Mt. Glory boot pack the following morning. The steam from my face started to fog the inside of the lens. I hit the button on the right side of the goggles to activate the heating, watched the tiny blue light illuminate my periphery, and waited a minute for the fog to clear entirely.
After ten minutes, the heat will automatically deactivates to save battery life. You can also hold the button down to illuminate a yellow light, and the heat will stay on until the battery dies, which is about six hours. It takes about two hours to recharge the battery (if it's fully dead) from a wall outlet.
Style and Fit
The Abom is a medium fit with a thin frame and a comfortable, easily-adjustable strap. They fit with the Pret LID helmet that I occasionally use.
Out of the box, my biggest concern was that they may have a narrower field of vision than other goggles. The battery housing and heating unit sit on either side of the goggle, and may reduce your periphery view by two or three degrees. This probably isn't a big deal for most people, but it's worth taking under consideration.
CHECK OUT: evo's Last Chair Sale for awesome deals on this year's goggles
The battery, though small, causes the Abom to weigh slightly more than most goggles. For the few out there that are counting ounces, the Abom may not make the cut.
Lenses
These goggles come packaged with only one Carl Zeiss Polycarbonate lens with anti-scratch coating and a matte coating on the interior to reduce glare, though several others are available for purchase. Because the lenses house part of the technology that makes these goggles fog free, they run $100 a pop.
The lens I tested was X-Ray Grey, which is marketed as their most versatile lens, and allows 32% visible light transmission. On overcast days, these lens provided great visibility. On sunny days, I found myself wishing I had a darker lens to change into.
The lenses are easy enough swap out. I used a coin to pop out one side, then worked the rest of the lens out of the casing with my hands. Replacing the lens was a simple reversal, minus the coin. You can also remove the lens without a coin, it just takes a little practice.
The Bottom Line
I tested these goggles during 20-plus days of resort and backcountry riding in almost every weather condition imaginable. I loved that I could wear them all day – on the bootback, skintrack and long descents – and never worry about fog.
The big negative to these goggles is that they are one more thing you have to remember to plug in at night. However, they make up for this by saving you a lot of grief on the slopes. You can simply stop worrying about foggy lenses putting a damper on your day.
At $250, they are comparable in price to other top-of-the-line models. Check them out in more detail here. Be sure, too, to check out evo's full lineup of goggles, as the Last Chair sale they have going on right now could net you a sweet deal on a fresh pair of eye protectors.
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About The Author
stash member Pyper Dixon
Alaskan native. I moved to Bozeman, Montana to study skiing and paragliding at MSU, but somehow ended up with a Land Management degree. Now I live in Jackson, where I can continue my ski education without the distractions of school.
nylauria
January 1st, 2018
I am usually skeptical of the latest greatest technology so I’m the perfect person to test gear. My first day out was 7 degrees and I wore an an extra layer top and bottom to really sweat. I turned these on in the parking lot. Right out of the chute no fog. Hit a steep run for the first one to generate some moisture and no fog. Got to the lift and they immediately started to fog up right away (as typical with any goggles). I hit the boost once and by the fourth tower no fog. I ran through some other “tests” by putting a little snow on the vents via a pow pow run and they did fog a little due to the lack of ventilation. Hit the boost when I got to the lift and within several towers they cleared up. Bottom line is these are awesome goggles and if fog is an issue then just buy them. You should have reasonable expectations however because under some circumstances they will not be fog free. The most important thing to know is that compared to all the others out there, and I have had most of them, these are awesome, usually perform as promised and you don’t have to worry about the “don’t touch me” factor like Oakley Airbrakes (my all-time favorites) and other coatings . If you’re still hesitating I totally understand but just buy these. I love them so much I have two pairs: copper and yellow. Both have excellent contrast, are really comfortable, and are easy to use. Just be sure to keep them charged and if necessary keep a battery pack to charge them on the hill. Oh yeah, and keep them away from friends because they will steal them from you!! Buy some Abom Heets. No I’m not endorsed. Enjoy!!
nylauria
January 1st, 2018
PS, going to take them on an ice climbing mission up Hyalite to really torture them. I expect more fog but better results than anything else I have used. I’ll keep you guys posted. Happy New Year!!