Scott LCG Goggle
Frame Color: Black/Orange
Lenses Included:
- Red Chrome
- Illuminator-50
Features:
- Scott Lens Change System
- Scott Fit System
- Molded lens case
- Silicone strip on goggle strap
Days Tested: 35+
MSRP: $185
The competition is very stiff in the world of goggles with quick-change lenses, and there’s a lot to like about the Scott LCG. It doesn’t feature the quickest lens-change system on the market, but it’s still very good, and comes at a price that’s hard to ignore.
If you’re in the market for a pair of goggles with an interchangeable lens system, you should give our reviews of the Anon M1 and M2 goggles a read. The M2 won a Blister ‘Best Of’ Award this year, and is seriously good; in terms of ease-of-use and lens/optics quality, we still consider the M2 the best goggle of it’s kind currently on the market.
(However, neither the Anon M2, M1, or WM1 incorporate a silicone strip on their goggle strap, which is a deal breaker for some people. The Scott LCG and the Smith goggles that I discuss below do have a silicone strip.)
I reviewed Smith’s new I/O7 recently, but found it a little underwhelming, given the $225 price tag paired with the fact that Smith’s updated lens change system on the I/O7 isn’t much of an upgrade from the original Smith I/O. If you’re going to be spending over $200 on a pair of goggles, I would consider the Anon M2 well before the I/O7. The Anon’s optics are just as good as Smith’s, in my opinion, and the Magna-Tech lens change system is considerably quicker and less finicky than that of the new I/O7 and the older I/O, I/OX, and I/OS.
But the M2 still costs $220, and though the optics are great and the lens change system is super slick, that’s still a good amount of money. Enter the Scott LCG.
At $185, The Scott LCG costs $35 less than the Anon M2 (not an insignificant amount), and its lens change system appeared to be a little easier to use and more efficient than that of the new I/O7 or older I/O models. True? I’ve worn the LCG off and on for about a season, and here’s what I’ve found.
Fit & Field of Vision
Trying a pair of goggles on in a store (with your own helmet) is obviously the best way to know if they fit you well or not, but if you’re considering buying a pair of LCGs online and can’t find a pair to try on first, here are some references you can use:
Scott describes the LCG as having a “Medium to Large” fit, which seems about right.
Compared to the Anon M2, the LCG’s fit and field of vision seem about the same to me. If anything, the frame of the M2 might be a little bit taller, but I can’t confidently say that if you find the fit of the M2 to be too big, you’ll think the fit of the LCG is too small.
Compared to the Anon M1, the Smith I/O7, and the original I/O (which has nearly the same fit as the I/O7), the Scott LCG and Anon M2 are definitely a little taller and a little wider, offering a slightly larger field of view in general.
The field of view offered by all of the goggles mentioned is totally satisfactory, however.
If you happen to know that the “Medium” fit of the original I/O or the new I/O7 is a little smaller than you’d prefer, you’ll probably like the slightly larger fit of the LCG and the M2 (though the Smith I/OX offers an even larger fit). And for what it’s worth, the I/O7 and I/O feel a little smaller on my face than both the M2 and LCG, but I like the fit of the LCG and M2 just as well
Lens Change Functionality
As it does involve a mechanical latch and a tab, the Scott’s lens change system on the LCG isn’t quite as streamlined as the Anon M2’s, but I find it less of a hassle to change lenses on the LCG than on the I/O7, or any other I/O model.
So the LCG lens change system isn’t the quickest and easiest on the market, but it’s still very quick and very easy. Take a look at Scott’s product video for a detailed look at how you change lenses with the LCG:
Changing lenses on the LCG, there a few things I’ve been particularly happy with:
- You don’t have to cram tabs on the lens into the frame’s nosepiece, or slot it behind any outriggers, which I’ve found is the most finicky part of swapping lenses on any of Smith’s “I/O series” goggles
- As Scott says, you can avoid touching the front or back of the lens while making the swap. The same could be said of the Anon M2, but not the I/O7—at least in my experience.
- You can change lenses with your gloves on, which you can also do with the M2 but I’ve never managed this with any I/O goggle.
Optics
Every pair of LCGs comes with two lenses and a molded lens case—a nice perk.
What bright light lens you get with the goggles will depend on the frame color you choose, though each pair, no matter what frame color, comes with Scott’s Illuminator-50 low light lens.
The Illuminator-50 is nearly identical to Smith’s Blue Sensor Mirror low light lens, and has a light yellowish/rose tint to it. If anything, the Blue Sensor has a slightly warmer hue to it, but in terms of contrast and clarity, the lenses seem the same to me.
Anon’s Blue Lagoon lens (which you can read about in my review of the M2) is my favorite lens for storm days when dealing with very low visibility and flat light. However, the Illuminator-50 still works quite well in these conditions and it does seem a little more versatile than the Blue Lagoon, which has an intensely yellow tint. I find I can wear the Illuminator-50 in slightly brighter, more sunny conditions than the Blue Lagoon and not be in need of a darker lens.
The “Orange/Black” pair of LCGs I tested came with Scott’s Red Chrome lens for bright-light / sunny days. The Red Chrome is still far from the darkest lens Scott makes, but is most comparable to Anon’s Red Solex lens (which you can also read about in my M2 review). The Red Chrome lens has a yellow/bronze tint like the Red Solex, though it’s a bit lighter. Even so, I haven’t found the Red Solex too light for partly cloudy and mostly sunny days.
Though not in conjunction with the LCG, I’ve also used Scott’s Black Chrome lens, which is much darker than the Red Chrome. It’s a lot like Anon’s Dark Smoke lens, and is preferable on bluebird, sunny days, especially if you’re skiing high above the tree line.
All in all, I don’t have anything bad to say about Scott’s lens options. I don’t like the Illuminator-50 lens quite as much as Anon’s Blue Lagoon for cloudy days, but it’s still a good, more versatile low-light lens.
[Editor’s Note: For those that typically ski with glasses under their goggles and are interested in prescription inserts, check out SportRx, which makes inserts for many popular goggle frames. We haven’t tested them yet, but are planning to review them in the near future and will post an update when we do]
Pricing
If the $220 price tag of the Anon M2 is too steep for you, and you like the slightly larger fit of the LCG (compared to the slightly smaller I/O7 or Anon M1), then I see no reason not to buy the LCG over the $225 Smith I/O7 in terms of functionality and ease of use. Especially when you factor in the LCG’s lower $185 price tag, it’s the clear winner in my book.
Bottom Line
There’s a lot to like about the Scott LCG. The goggle doesn’t feature the quickest, easiest lens change system on the market, but it’s still very good, and comes at a price that beats most of the competition.