Adidas Progressor C Goggles Review
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Adidas, a company most known for its footwear and outerwear, happens to be the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, so it makes sense that they have expanded into other areas including eyewear for active pursuits. The Adidas Progressor C goggles are the company’s entry into the world of ski and snowboard goggles and they come in at a mid-level price point. I spent a few days on the slopes with the White Shiny color with Blue Mirror Lens for my Adidas Progressor C goggle review and I have found some positives and some negatives to report back on.
Adidas Progressor C Fit: One of the biggest and widest goggles on the market
I have what is about an average width face that if anything moves towards wider side of average. For comparison, I find that the Smith I/OX fits me well and that falls under the oversized goggle category. The Progressor C is a very large goggle and we will talk about the benefits of that in the next section. On my face, I immediately ran into a problem with the width because they were simply too wide to fit my face and they left a gap between the sides of the frame and my skin, failing to create a seal. When compared to most quality goggles on the market, the Progressor C has a very rigid frame that does not flex much. This means that they won’t wrap the face nearly as well and will really only work for you if you have the exact face shape they were made for. This is made worse by the fact that the foam that sits on the face is also stiff and non-conforming. I like the idea of the Clima-Cool fabric since it reduces sweating but it needs to be backed by a softer foam.
As for how the goggles work with helmets, the height worked fine and left no gaper gap with my Smith Vantage helmet. I always suggest trying a pair of goggles out with your helmet to make sure it is compatible.
Wide and Clear Vision
The Adidas Progressor C’s oversized shape leads to a really wide view with a great field of vision. You barely notice that there are goggles in front of your face and can just see all around. My review sample came with the Blue Mirror Lens and I found this to be a great set up for Colorado days that usually include a combination of sun and shade. The contrast on the snow was very good and when it got a little darker in the afternoon, I had no problem seeing clearly. I did notice that the lenses seemed to be lacking in the oleophobic coating department because I had trouble removing fingerprints with just the included case/cloth.
Quick-Shift Lenspod System: Easy lens changing
Adidas created the Quick-Shift Lenspod System to give the Progressor C goggles a fast and easy way to swap out lenses as needed. Every company has its own approach to this and Adidas’s solution is one of the best. In order to pull out the lens, you only have to grab it and give it a good tug. It is held in place by clips all around the frame and they come out without extraneous effort. Putting in a different lens on the Progressor C is just as easy; simply line it up and press it in until it clicks in all the latches. I was bummed that the goggles didn’t include a spare lens like many of their competitors but Adidas does price these at a more moderate level.
Conclusion: A good start but needs improvement
The Adidas Progressor C goggles offer great vision and an excellent lens changing system but struggle in some basic areas. Fit is key with any goggle you wear all day and the Progressor C will only fit the widest of faces well. A too-rigid frame and non-conforming face foam lead to a less comfortable feel than some competitors. On a good note, the Quick-Shift Lenspod System is a great way to quickly change out lenses without fiddling around. If you have a very wide face and are looking to save a little over the top of the line options from the likes of Smith and Oakley, give the Progressor C a try. Otherwise, I’d keep looking. For more information visit amazon.com/adidas.
