The Goggle Gospel: How to look after your off-road goggles

Goggles are perhaps the most overlooked and least considered piece of essential riding equipment amongst off-road riders. A set of functioning goggles can make any ride better and you probably don’t even realize it, which is why, all too often, riders do not give their goggles the love they deserve.

It doesn’t take long for a set of neglected goggles to start failing you and impairing your vision. This is dangerous and mostly avoidable if you follow some very simple guidelines when using and maintaining your goggles. The golden rule is, always treat the lens with care.

DO

Most goggles will come with a soft bag. Always keep your goggles stored in the soft bag to avoid scratching the lens when they are inside your gear bag and in transit. The soft bag is the ideal cloth for wiping your goggle lens clean, especially the inside of the lens.

Any decent goggles will have a lens with anti-fog qualities. The inside of the lens will be soft and sensitive to scratching. The inside of the lens is designed to absorb the moisture from your body heat. Always keep the inside of the lens dry and only ever use a soft cloth or goggle bag to gently wipe it clean.

If your goggle frame is dirty and the foam is in need of a wash, remove the lens, then hand wash the frame and face foam with warm water and a gentle soap. Hang them up to dry.

If you are on a ride and need to remove your goggles, put them on your helmet backwards to prevent any moisture or dirt finding its way inside your goggles and onto the inside of the lens.

If you are parked on the trail or side of the road and take your goggles off, place them on your bike’s handlebars facing up, to prevent any moisture or dirt getting inside the lens.

DO NOT

The easiest and fastest way to destroy a pair of goggles is to wear them around the chin-guard of your helmet. You will breathe directly onto the inside of the lens and quickly eliminate the moisture-absorbing qualities of the lens, making it fog and impossible to see through. You cannot undo this damage. Wearing goggles on the chin-guard of your helmet also distorts the goggle frame and over-stretches the strap and they may no longer fit your face or stay in place on your helmet.

Never rinse your goggle lens with water because it will destroy the anti-fog qualities on the inside of the lens.

Do not put your goggles in a washing machine with the rest of your riding gear, even with the lens taken out. The face foam is easily damaged and can pull away from the goggle frame rendering them useless.

Never wipe the inside of your goggle lens with paper towel or even a tissue as it will scratch the lens. The outside of the lens is much tougher and can withstand rougher treatment.

There’s no need to ride with scratched goggles or goggles that fog easily. Replacement lenses are available for most goggle brands for anywhere between $15-$30.