What Lens Color Is Best for Overcast Days Snowmobile?

The winter season leads to fun activities like snowmobiling. When you find yourself riding down white slopes, it’s important to be wearing all the right safety equipment. Many often ask what lens color is best for snowmobiling on overcast days.

Overcast conditions mean the sky is more than 95% to 100% fully covered in clouds. This would also mean low-light conditions. For these reasons, some lens colors may work better. Typically, yellow or gold and amber or orange lenses are your best bet. You can also opt for pink or rose, green, and clear goggles.

Of course, these are merely recommendations. The way a person sees and perceives things in their surroundings should still be considered above anything else.

Why Choosing the Right Goggle Lens Color Matter: In Low Light, Mid Light, Bright Light, and Flat Light

Taking your snowmobile to the slopes for a fun and cold ride is one of many’s favorite winter activities.

If you find yourself taking your snowmobile out for a ride, you should already know how important it is to use and wear all the right gear and equipment. Part of the right snowmobiling gear ensemble is your snow goggles.

When you’re out shopping for a pair, one of the most important factors to consider is the color of the lens.

Choosing the right color of the goggle lens is essential for your safety while snowmobiling, whether the outside has low-light, mid-light, bright light, or flat light conditions. It helps maximize your vision and increase contrast and depth perception, allowing you to see the terrain and the details of your surroundings better.

What Lens Color Is Best for Overcast Days Snowmobile?

Overcast days mean that the sky is covered with clouds. It typically means that the sky is more than 95% to 100% fully covered with clouds.

So if you find yourself taking your snowmobile out for a ride on overcast days, what should the color of your goggle lens be?

There’s never going to be a definitive answer to this question because, like many things, we all see things differently. But while that is true, there are some general recommendations on what will work best for use on overcast days.

Yellow and gold color lenses

Gold and yellow ski goggle lenses are the most ideal for overcast days. This is because, on cloudy and overcast days, you will notice that it has a lot of blue light. Yellow being the opposite of blue light, yellow lens and gold-tinted goggles will block and protect your eyes from blue light.

The color also enhances contrast and sharpens the details of your surroundings, perfect for heavily overcast conditions.

Amber and orange color lenses

Amber and orange lenses also do well on overcast days. They reflect blue light and increase the definition of your surroundings.

Additionally, a more copper color will work great for especially foggy conditions.

Pink and rose color lenses

While pink and rose ski goggle lenses work best for low to mid-light conditions, they can also be ideal for overcast and cloudy days. These are ideal to use during dusk or dawn as well.

Green color lenses

Green lenses are great at increasing definition in low-light conditions while reducing eye fatigue on especially bright sunny days. They also work well on overcast to brighter days.

Clear lenses

Lastly, you can never go wrong with a pair of clear goggles. This is especially true if the skies are especially cloudy, with no sun seeping through. Additionally, clear lenses will work great if you’re riding at night.

What Color Ski Goggle Lenses to Avoid for Overcast Days

If there are certain colors you should try, there are also certain colors you should avoid on overcast days:

Brown and bronze color lenses

Brown and bronze lenses allow very little light to pass through to your eyes. Because of this, you should avoid these colors when you’re snowmobiling in cloudy or snowy conditions.

Gray and black color lenses

Gray and black lenses are perfect for very bright light conditions because they let very little light pass through. Just like brown and bronze lenses, they’re not ideal to use on overcast and cloudy days.

Blue lenses

Overcast days have a lot of blue light so it doesn’t make sense to wear blue lens goggles. What you’d need is a color that will contrast the blue light.

Goggles and VLT

Aside from the color of the lens, there is also another important factor to consider when you’re out shopping for a new pair: Visible Light Transmission (or VLT).

VLT is the amount of light that passes through the lens and into your eyes. This is listed as a percentage.

The lower the VLT value, the less light will pass through. The higher the VLT value, the more light will pass through.

Here are the standard VLT levels in ski goggles:

Conclusion

Snowmobiling is a beloved sport and activity when thick snow starts covering the slopes. Just like the rest of your gear and equipment, your snow goggles play an important role in your safety. So what lens color is best for overcast days while snowmobiling?

Overcast days would mean the sky is more than 95% to 100% fully covered in clouds. It can also mean that it’s a low-light day. Given these conditions, some color lenses would work better than others. When you know you’re riding on an overcast day, opt for yellow or gold and amber or orange lenses. Pink or rose, green, and clear lenses also work well.

Of course, each individual sees their surroundings differently. These are only general guidelines and how you see things should always take top priority.