Oakley Canopy Goggles Review
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Oakley Canopy Prizm Red Frame
New for the ski and snowboard season, Oakley took the next step in goggle lens technology introducing a new lens technology called Prizm. The Oakley Canopy is a larger framed goggle that incorporates the Prizm lens technology and is helmet compatible with most helmet brands on the market.
Testing the Oakley Canopy Goggles at Steamboat
Prizm Lens Technology
The new Prizm lens by Oakley has 3 different versions of the lens, Black Iridium, Jade Iridium, and Rose to accommodate all types of light conditions. In my test with the Oakley Canopy goggles, I tested out the Black Iridium lens with the red frame color. The Black Iridium lens is best for sunny days as well as sun with a mix of clouds. My testing conditions consisted of blue bird days, mixed sun and cloud days, and completely nuking snow days. As you might imagine, the best conditions are definitely the sunny days. One thing in which the Prizm technology allows for is advanced clarity in which the lens allows you to see more of the snow features vs. a traditional goggle lens. One thing that I have found with the goggle lens in the faster I am going, the less I am able to pull out some of the snow features. This may be my eyes aging, but I found while I thought the technology does a much better job at pulling out snow features, it is not completely perfect yet. Keep in mind that you have to take my comments with a grain of salt as one of Oakley’s top ski athletes is Lindsey Vonn and she’s probably going a little faster that I am down the slopes and it sounds like they work for her at mock 5 speeds. To learn more about the Prizm technology take a look at the video below.
Helmet Compatibility
One of the key features that I look for in a goggle is that it matches up with my helmets I wear. The last thing I want while skiing is to get distracted by negative temperatures shooting like pins and needles into my forehead. The Oakley Canopy has a small curvature over the top of the goggle which means it sits flush with most ski and snowboard helmets on the market. I tested this goggle out with the Smith Vantage Helmet and found the combo to work perfect for me while out on the slopes.
Oakley Canopy Goggle Strap
To keep the goggles sitting on your helmet, there are 3 lines of silicone to keep the goggle strap from moving up or down on your helmet.
Oakley Canopy Goggle Comfort
Oakley Canopy Goggle Foam
While many people think that all goggles fit your face the same, there are a couple small details that really stick out on good pair of goggles. In the Oakley Canopy goggles, Oakley cut the foam on these goggles to relieve pressure on your nose which allows you to breath of your nose a little easier. In some of the goggles out there, the foam compresses your nostrils which makes it a little harder to breath and makes you sound like a cartoon character when you talk.
The fleece layer that sits on your face is very comfortable and non abrasive. I’ve worn these goggles for many ski days ranging from 2 hours to 8 hours in a day. Whether it was a warmer or super cold day, I found the fleece layer to stay comfortable on my face. In addition, after I am done skiing, I don’t have an impression from the goggles pushing too tight on my face.
Goggles that Breath
To prevent moisture buildup in the goggles, Oakley uses air vents at the top of the lens to filter air in and out of the inside of the goggle. The air that comes in is never to cold or piercing, but it is just enough to provide a consistent comfortable environment that doesn’t fog up.
Styling
Oakley Canopy Goggle Strap
I tested out the red frame with the Black Iridium lens, but as with most Oakley products, there are a number of color combos and lens options in the Oakley Canopy goggles.
Final Thoughts
For a snow goggle with a reasonable price, the Oakley Canopy Goggle is extremely versatile and is an excellent option for skiers and snowboarders alike. For more info on the Canopy Goggle and other Oakley gear visit www.oakley.com or www.amazon.com/oakley.
