Fogged goggles are the worst. You can’t see, your run’s ruined, and every wipe just makes it worse. I’ve had full powder days written off because I couldn’t see a thing.
The good news is fog isn’t random. It’s caused by a few simple things, and once you fix those, your goggles will stay clear from first chair to last. Here’s how to stop your ski goggles from fogging.
The reason your goggles fog
Fog happens when warm, moist air hits the cold inner lens. That’s usually your face heat, sweat, or breath sneaking up from your jacket. Once moisture builds, there’s no magic fix mid-run. The only real solution is prevention.
1. Keep your vents clear
This sounds obvious, but it’s the number one mistake I see on the hill. Your top vents do the heavy lifting. If your beanie, buff, or helmet brim blocks them, your goggles will fog no matter what brand you wear.
Do a quick vent check every morning. Look for any overlap between the helmet and goggle that seals the top edge. You want a clean channel for airflow, not a perfect seal.
2. Don’t wipe the inner lens
Every goggle has an anti-fog coating on the inside. Wipe that when wet and it’s done forever. If snow gets inside, tap or shake it out, then let it air dry. Once you scratch or remove that coating, no product or trick can quite bring it back.
3. Manage Your Sweat on Hikes
If you hike or bootpack, heat and sweat build fast. Crack your helmet vents or lift the goggles off your face at the top before dropping in. Let the moisture escape before it condenses.
Once you start descending, seal them back up — the moving air will do the rest.
4. Keep them off your head
If you take your goggles off, never rest them on top of your beanie or helmet. The heat and moisture from your head instantly fog the inner lens. Stash them safely in a pocket or pack.
5. Dry them properly at night
Don’t stick them on a heater or blow dryer. Let them air dry at room temperature with the foam and vents facing up. A warm vent or boot dryer nearby is fine – direct heat is not. If you ride multiple days in a row, leave them out overnight. Even slightly damp foam will fog instantly the next morning.
6. Use the right face covering
Buffs, balaclavas and masks that blow air up into the goggles are a disasfter for fog. You can feel it. That warm breath that hits your nose bridge. Get an approved balaclava that directs air down instead, or fold the top edge under your nose so air escapes below your chin.
7. Avoid over-layering and sweating
Most fogging isn’t from the weather, it’s from you overheating. If you’re sweating hard in your base layers or have no venting, that humidity escapes upward straight into your goggles. Unzip your pit vents, open your helmet vents, or ditch one mid layer before the climb.
8. Skip anti-fog sprays and wipes
Most of them either don’t work or ruin the coating. The only exception is if your goggles are already trashed and you’re trying to extend their life (using this anti-fog spray). Even then, apply gently and minimally.
9. Know when to retire your goggles
Once the anti-fog coating is gone and the foam starts holding moisture, the fog cycle gets worse every time. At that point, no trick will save them. If you’ve had your goggles for 4–5 seasons and they fog no matter what, it’s probably time for a new pair.
10. Choose goggles with real venting
Some cheaper models claim “anti-fog vents” but don’t move much air. The best ski goggles for fog resistance have frame venting, lens venting and a dual-pane lens. Models like the Smith I/O MAG or Anon M5 handle moisture better because they move air efficiently, not because of a miracle coating.
-> My list of the best ski and snowboard goggles of 2026.
Final Thoughts
Fog is not random. Keep the vents clear, stop touching the inner lens, manage heat before it builds and dry your goggles properly. Do those and your lenses have a much better chance of staying clear. If they still fog after that, the coating is done, the foam is soaked or the goggles are poor quality. Time for a new pair.
