Helmet Compatibility
I primarily used the Contact with Giro’s new Range MIPS helmet. I tried the goggles with the strap both under and over my helmet. When used with the strap over the helmet, the Contact worked very well, never sliding down and creating a dreaded Gaper Gap. The goggle strap has two strips of silicon inside it that kept it in place on my helmet or my head.
However, if you’re going for the steezy strap-under-the-helmet look, this combo is not your best option. The plastic strap buckles dug uncomfortably into my head, and my goggles had a tendency to migrate down my face, away from the top of my helmet. This is probably mostly due to the very compact and form-fitting style of the Range MIPS.
I also tried these on with a Smith Gauge helmet and found them to work well with it; they also fit better with the strap under the Gauge. The Contact’s top rim is curved in such a way that it should work well with most helmets.
Optics
Unfortunately, since I only received the Persimmon Boost lens from Giro I can’t comment or compare to any of Giro’s other lens tints. That said, we’re hoping to get some additional tints from Giro so that we can update this review with other tint options for the Contact.
The lens tint I did receive, Persimmon Boost, performed very well as a low light lens. It did a very good job of bringing out snow contrast in flat light, and did well enough in mixed light that I would consider it as a plausible one-lens-quiver if I skied somewhere that was consistently overcast. Of course, as expected, it fell short in bluebird conditions, and was uncomfortably bright in any kind of direct sun.
Production Contact goggles will come with two lenses, a bluebird or “all conditions” tint, and a low light option.
Venting
The Contact did not vent as well as other goggles I’ve used. It has no vents on the bottom, and its top vent is somewhat limited. This meant that I had to take extra care to dry out the goggle every night, and I still experienced considerable fogging. Fortunately, it’s easy to pop the lens out and let it dry.
That fogging meant I got a lot of practice using the SNAPSHOT system. I ended up frequently popping the lens out for lift rides and letting the lens air out and de-fog before I popped it back in for the decent. This is where I really began to appreciate the magnetic system. I could take the lens out with one hand without taking the goggles off my head, and I could put it back in the same way.
Of course, in best case scenario you don’t have to deal with a fogged lens. But if you do, the Giro’s SNAPSHOT system is among the best available.
Pricing
At $240 with two of Giro’s Flash lenses—or $300 with one polarized lens & one Flash lens—the Contact is not a cheap goggle. It’s the same price as our long-time favorite, the Anon M2, slightly more expensive than the M1, and significantly more expensive than another classic, the Smith IO (although the IO doesn’t have any kind of magnetic lens retention system). So ultimately, the choice between the M2 and the Contact comes down to fit. If you like the magnetic lens retention system of the M1 and M2, but for some reason they don’t work with your helmet or face, the Giro Contact is worth a look.
Bottom Line
The Giro Contact google joins the growing ranks of goggles using magnetic attachments. While its SNAPSHOT system offers a little extra security, the hard-to-use button and super flexible frame hold it back from established options.
What is the green shell that Cy is wearing on page 2?
Hey Robin!
That’s the Sweet Protection Supernaut Jacket
Hi Cy.
Have you had a chance to put much time in the Sweet Protection Supernaut Jacket / are you doing a review of it? Quite keen to find out a bit more info on it as i’ve had my eye on it…
Cheers,
Jamie
Hey Jamie!
I put about 8 days in it while we were in NZ over the summer, before I passed it off to another reviewer. We should have a full review up soon though.
Thanks!
Cy
Hey Cy, do you know if this set of goggles is compatible with glasses? Thanks!
Hey Quinn,
I haven’t tried these on with glasses yet. I’ve been rocking glasses or contacts since I was 10, and have pretty much given up on wearing glasses with ski goggles, I’ve just had terrible experiences with fit and fogging.
That said, I think the Contact could be a decent option for using with glasses since the frame is a little more flexible and may be able to conform to the face a little better. However, if you are shopping in this price range for a glasses compatible goggle I would check out the Anon M3 that I just reviewed. They fit glasses inside as well, or better than any goggle I’ve used, and are a step up from the M3 in just about every other feature.
I am interested to see if Giro updates the Contact, or brings magnetic technology to any of their other goggles since this is their first offering, and it has the potential to be very competitive with some refinement.
I upgraded my goggles this season to the Giro Contact. I tried numerous manufacturers, including the highly regarded Anon goggles and found that the Giro Contact fit my face better. In contrast to the Anon, I also found the flexibility of the Contact and padding to be more comfortable. The Anon utilizes a stiffer foam which didn’t conform to my narrow face as well.
My experience with the Contact has been similar in most regards to Blister Reviews with a couple exceptions.
First and foremost, these are superb goggles: the FOV is excellent, the fit is excellent, and the quality of the Zeiss lenses are sensational. And when paired with the Giro Range MIPS helmet, the “system” is impeccable.
Comments regarding the difficulty of using the button are exaggerated in my opinion. It’s a stupid-simple system that adds a minimal extra layer of security. I’ve never had an issue with the lens popping off. But it’s worth noting that I use two hands when removing my goggles — Goggles require proper care to maintain (especially given the cost of a high-end pair) and one-handed removal is something a lifelong wearer of glasses simply doesn’t do by default.
I am also not one to carry an extra set of lenses for skiing inbounds all day. The extra lens pouch is certainly stowable, but it’s a bit large to carry in a pocket. I simply look at the weather report and select the lens that would work best for the days conditions. For touring, the button actually makes it easier to grab the edges of the lens.
Persimmon Blaze lens — Superb low light
Black Limo lens — Bomber bright light
The Persimmon lens is just an all-around terrific lens. I wore these lenses by “mistake” on a couple sunny/overcast days and found that their clarity was outstanding.
The Black Limo lens, however, is a bonafide blazing sun day lens. They don’t perform well at all in low light conditions simply because their tint is too dark.
This lens combo comes standard with one of the Contact Goggle packages Giro offers for $250. Neither are polarized lenses, but you can purchase as many additional lenses as you like.
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RX-Wearers
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I had one final requirement for new goggles that has proven to be the bane of my skiing experience: I wear glasses. I can’t wear contacts.
There are very very few goggle options for people who wear glasses. Manufacturers simply do not cater to people who don’t wear contacts. And there is nothing less comfortable, in my opinion, that wearing goggles over glasses or being forced to wear athletic glasses like Oakleys with specially-milled RX lenses on days when goggles are mandatory.
Add to this reality the fact that there are also pathetically limited options for RX goggle inserts and people like me tend to either go without corrective lenses or we grin and bear setups that are simply uncomfortable to wear all day long.
All of this together makes goggle shopping a less-than-favorbale experience.
About seven years ago, I purchased a pair of Rudy Project goggles that accepted a Rudy Project goggle insert for RX wearers. Even though the insert was manufactured by Rudy for Rudy Goggles, the curvature of the insert did not fit the lens it was designed to fit, so the outside edges of the insert (nearest my temples) scratched deep grooves on the inside of the goggle lens. Still, it was the best solution I’d ever found.
The standard universal RX inserts that pinch to fit a wide range of goggles simply suck. What makes the Rudy insert so much better is that the insert adaptor has a nose piece that is fitted to the internal frame of the goggle and utilizes a screw mechanism to allow for a perfect height adjustment.
In shopping for a new goggle this season, I was fully expecting to have to find a new RX lens insert too. I was shocked and pleased to find that the Rudy insert fit the Giro Contact perfectly, even better than it fit the Rudy goggles they were designed for. The insert “system” I’m referring to looks to have been updated since I purchased it so many years ago, but it’s the RUDY PROJECT “GOGGLE INTERFACE” combined with the RUDY PROJECT “GOGGLE RX CLIP ON ADAPTER”. I assume little has changed in terms of its shape and function.
This setup fits the Contact perfectly. The nose piece fits securely into a deep groove in the frame and prevents any lateral movement whatsoever. When securely in place, the curvature of the RX adaptor matches the Contact lens while providing for a large enough gap between the insert lens and the goggle lens to allow ample airflow with no rubbing or scratching. The RX insert height adjustment’s butt-end is just wide enough to bridge the gap of the Contact frame and seat itself on the frame’s edges without punching through the foam.
RX Insert Performance with the Contact Goggle:
The fit of the insert is so secure that I’ve only had to deal with minimal fogging when skiing and only on the most challenging days. I’m also extremely careful to never, ever touch the factory anti-fog coating on the inside of the Zeiss lenses.
Can glasses be worn with the Contact? Depends how thick the arms of your glasses are. The softness of the foam would probably allow for it without too much discomfort. But why be uncomfortable?
Finally, it’s worth considering that the shape of my face and the flexibility of the Contact’s frame may have a lot to do with why this setup works for me. Either way, if you require a prescription, this is an option worth looking into.
The Contact combined with this RX insert has been nothing short of miraculous. What a difference it makes to be able to see clearly.
So, I bought the goggles last Sunday and wore them two days later while skiing, no fog with the mask on while skiing all day- perfect! But when I finished skiing and was packing my stuff and placing them in the car – guess what happened ?! Despite using both hands to place the goggles on the helmet, the lens popped out and fell on the parking ground… now I have three little scratches – and what do I do now?! 250$ for a lens that is not practical because we do put the goggles on the helmet at least once during the long skiing day – when you want to take them off.