For the average winter sports enthusiast on one or two boards, ski goggles are a necessary but rather unloved piece of equipment that is usually only used in the worst weather conditions. In fine weather, however, the respective sunglasses model of the season is preferred to ski goggles, after all, with rather narrow sunglasses, the surface area of the face to be tanned can be maximized, which is one of the main interests of the common winter sports enthusiast. For freeriders and freestylers of the younger generation, on the other hand, functional ski goggles are the means of choice in all weather conditions. The significantly enlarged field of vision, the reduced risk of fogging and, last but not least, the obligatory snow owl goggle face as visible proof of a good winter season are positive factors here.
Salomon's XTEND XPRO 12 ML Blue/Solar ski goggles are the top model in the Salomon ski goggles product range and are therefore equipped with all kinds of features that, in addition to their actual function (if they have one), are also intended to provide a "great style" or a "great look" - according to the manufacturer's claim regarding the multi-layer Tri-Tech mirror coating or the frame with a lacquer finish. There's no accounting for taste. My verdict is positive. The goggles are very stylish thanks to the narrow rim and the blue mirror coating and therefore live up to the marketing claims.
Fit and helmet compatibility
Salomon claims that the goggles harmonize best with its own helmet series. However, the goggles also harmonize perfectly with other helmet brands (Giro, Red, Uvex). There is no dreaded gap between the goggles and helmet. The goggles fit the face well and rest comfortably on the face, everything as promised and as it should be.
The only annoying detail for helmet wearers are the rubber strips attached to the back of the inside of the goggle strap, which are designed to prevent the goggles from slipping off. They do an excellent job of this, which is definitely an advantage for beanie wearers, but is not needed by helmet wearers due to the respective safety device. If you quickly pull the goggles onto the helmet and have not paid the correct attention to symmetry, the goggles are more difficult to pull into the correct position due to the rubberized parts, which I see as a small disadvantage.
Optics and practical test
Of course, the goggles have a "revolutionary ventilation system" to remove any moisture from the goggles as best as possible and thus maintain a clear view. So much for the marketing promises, but how do the goggles perform where it counts - on the mountain in different conditions?
The goggles were tested both on fair weather days and on days with poor visual conditions such as fog and snowfall. Compared to other ski goggles, the field of vision is significantly larger, which is a positive aspect across the board. The blue-mirrored lens with a light transmission of just 16 percent clearly comes into its own on the predominantly sunny days for which it was designed. Even in strong sunshine, you are not dazzled and can therefore concentrate on the essentials. In snowfall and fog, the low light transmission is noticeable, as was to be expected. However, the contrast remains acceptable despite the low light output. If you're not very sensitive to changes in light conditions and don't want to always have two pairs of goggles with you, you can still use the goggles in bad weather.
The ventilation function works well as far as possible. Despite this, the upper edge of my glasses fogged up in warm weather, although I am one of those people whose head sweats a lot and I therefore cause every pair of glasses to fog up sooner or later. On a positive note, the fogged-up lens could be "de-misted" again by briefly waving it in the air, a sign that the ventilation system is doing its job.
Conclusion
The Salomon XTEND XPRO 12 ML Blue/Solar meets the expectations of a good pair of ski goggles. They are comfortable to wear, helmet-compatible, the ventilation system works and the large field of vision is impressive. In practice, the optical properties correspond to the assumptions made in theory. They work very well in the area for which they were mainly designed - predominantly sunny days - and, as was to be expected, have slight disadvantages due to the dark lens in poor visibility conditions. The consistently good contrast in all visibility conditions must be emphasized, which speaks for the quality of the lens. If you have the 159.95 euros to spare and value details such as metal inserts on the temples, which provide "a touch of luxury and clear branding", you get a very well-functioning pair of ski goggles with an appealing look.
Advantages & disadvantages
+ Large field of vision
+ Effective ventilation prevents fogging quite well
- Relatively tar
Details
Panoramic field of vision
Proven fit
High optical quality thanks to spherical lens
Anti-fog system
