Expert Review: POC Fovea Clarity Goggles
This review is my honest opinion of the goggles, which I purchased with my own money in November of 2021.
All photos courtesy of Austen Law
About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the goggles, which I purchased with my own money in November of 2021.
My take
The POC Fovea Clarity Goggles are a wonderful large-framed everyday riding choice for any light-condition goggles. They are stylish oversized goggles made for any rider from beginner to expert.
About this gear
- Model: 2022 POC Fovea Clarity Goggle
- Size: Medium/Oversized
- Does it feature lens replacement?: No
- Fit: True to size, but a larger goggle overall
About me
- Helmet: 2022 POC OBEX Backcountry MIPS
- Wear glasses with goggles: No
- Experience: 26 years skiing and 16 years ski racing
Test conditions
- When I bought them: November 2021
- Days used: 30+
- Lenses I own: Spektris Orange
- Weather conditions used in: Sunny, cloudy, stormy, and rainy
- Where I’ve used them: Mt. Bachelor, OR, and Mt. Hood, OR
- Terrain: backcountry, powder days, resort days, and apres-ski.
How they perform
What I was looking for
I was looking for a new pair of POC goggles that had a great field of vision with a good frame around the lens to protect the lens. A goggle that fits well on my large face and a goggle that was comfortable for all-day riding.
Why I chose this gear
I ended up buying the POC Fovea Clarity goggles because not only were they stylish, but they were really comfortable. They matched well and fit flush with my POC helmet. These goggles were really comfortable for all-day riding and didn’t ever fog up, even in wet riding conditions. I considered some other options, like the Oakley Flight Deck and Smith I/O Mag goggles. I liked the magnetic convenience of swapping lenses from the Smith goggles and the field of vision from the Oakleys, but I liked the POC's frame fit.
What I love about them
- Fit: 100% contact with all of my face and all comfortable pressure from the goggle. No aggressive jabbing anywhere or lack of product in the bridge. A great fit overall.
- Comfort: Comfortable both from the frame design and from the triple-layer foam padding, which is great for contouring to all face shapes. Great comfort for all-day riding and doesn’t pressure my face so hard it leaves a mark.
- Lens replacement: These POC Fovea Clarity goggles do not come with a replacement lens, but I purchased a few other lenses for low light and ultra-bright days. It is fairly easy to change the lens if one knows how to. The frame is stiffer than other brands, so be careful when swapping lenses.
- Ventilation: The ventilation on the Fovea Clarity is pretty good. They have a decent vent system on the top of the frame and some vents on the bottom of the frame under the lens, so overall good ventilation system if one isn’t skiing in the pouring rain.
- Visibility: With the standard orange lens, these goggles are great. In most conditions, these can see really well. As a high-end optics company, POC makes really good lenses and can see really well in most conditions, like snowy to clear bluebird days.
- Face frame: I have a large face, so these goggles fit really well as normal-sized goggles.
- Strap: The strap is a high-quality elastic strap with a silicone grip on the inside to keep those goggles in place in the helmet or hat.
- Helmet compatibility: With the POC Obex helmet, these goggles fit great. They are nice and flush, so there are no gaps or spacing, just a perfect fit.
- Features: These googles, as for most of the POC family of goggles, have anti-scratch treatment, which helps reduce surface damage, UV protection up to UV 400, and a great mirrored lens to keep my eyes safe from the sun’s reflections.
- Durability: Not easily scratched and held up well over the entire season last year.
Issues I’ve encountered
- Lens Quality: In the past, I have had some problems with the lens from POC when it rains. The goggle tint/mirror literally will wipe off as I’m skiing, but thankfully that has not happened while I have owned these, as I purchased low-light goggles for rainy days.
Favorite moment with this gear
Trying these POC Fovea Clarity goggles on for the first time, I knew these were going to be great everyday riding goggles. I tried these out on a sunny day with some new snow, and the field of vision combined with the comfort of these goggles was phenomenal. It allowed me to see so much more. Finding the right fit and comfort is important because it improves one’s ski day.
Value for the money vs. other options
These are high-end goggles and don’t come with an extra lens, but they feel incredible, and the field of vision is great. They are comfortable, and I can ski all day without annoyance. These are great oversized stylish goggles. Another option is the Oakley Flight Deck. They fit well too, but they didn’t sit flush with my POC helmet, so it was a clear choice of what goggles to choose. The convenience of the magnetic change out from some of the Smith goggles is awesome, too; however, they didn’t feel as comfortable as the POC.
Final verdict
Combining comfort and field of view with the Clarity lens, the Fovea gives great trust in vision in all conditions. The Clarity lens is designed for high contrast optics for various light conditions. With the anti-fog coating, these goggles keep me on the move, making the POC Fovea Clarity goggles a great choice for all-condition riding goggles.
