“Never before has a goggle provided this level of…interchangeability…”
OK, to be fair, I’ve skewed this a bit. Smith isn’t claiming that this is the most interchangeable goggle ever, they are claiming that no goggle has ever “provided this level of peripheral vision [AND] interchangeability [AND] fog-free performance and seamless helmet integration in one package.” That’s a different claim.
But on the interchangeability front, the I/OX is very good, and works just like Smith’s smaller version of the I/O, the I/OS (see our review of the Smith I/OS). You rotate the pieces that attach the strap to the frame in order to release the lens—a move that isn’t required with the I/O.
It’s not the easiest to swap out on the market; that distinction currently belongs to the Anon M1 goggle. But personally, I’m not switching lenses much at all, so über-swap-ability isn’t a top priority for me. But you know what is?…
“seamless helmet integration”
There are a number of companies making some pretty great goggles these days, so much so that I wouldn’t consider wearing a goggle that didn’t integrate “seamlessly” with my helmet. There’s no reason to.
I’ve been wearing the Smith Vantage helmet for a couple of seasons now, and both the Smith I/OX and the I/O are perfectly suited for—in fact, designed specifically for—the Vantage. It’s a great 1-2 combo.
Optics
I’ve been using the “impossibly black” lens in the I/OX (I’d really like to party some time with the person who names stuff and writes product descriptions for Smith), and it is a sweet lens, as good as any high-sunlight lens I’ve worn from Anon, Giro, POC, etc.
To date, however, my favorite lens in the world is Smith’s Green Sol-X lens; great optics, and you look like a badass robot. But if you prefer to look like a badass fighter pilot, go with the Impossibly Black.
[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]
Bottom Line
The I/OX is everything you’ve come to like or dislike about Smith, but in a bigger package. If there is technological improvement over the I/O, it’s that the I/OX is even less prone to fogging than the not-prone-to-fogging I/O (see Will Brown’s review of the Smith I/O).
Aside from that, you’d be smart just to opt for the I/O, I/OX, or I/OS based on fit. Because, obviously, if you do find yourself in the middle of a Thermo-Galactic-Nuclear-Arms-Race, you’re not going to want to be distracted by goggles that are either too big or too small for your face. Right?
Where did you park your F15?
I think I left it at Taos, top of Kachina Peak.
Jonathan what size Vantage helmet do you wear, I just ordered a pair of I/O and I/OX one for me and one for my brother for x-mas, I was going to use the I/O but now I cant seem to decide but don’t want to open them up.
Hi, Brent – I’ve got the Vantage in a size medium, 55-59cm.
Which goggle felt like it fit the helmet better the I/O or the I/OX?
They both integrate with the Vantage very well, so that’s a non-issue. The question is which one will fit your face better….
I have major fog issues with my i/ox. Sometimes they fog slightly which I can live with but other times they fog right up and between the lens. I have tried using balacavas to redirect my breath. I think next year I will have to get the ones with the fan. I also noted that the bead of silicone they use to seal the lenses to the frame left many gaps. Not too happy with these but they have performed slightly better then previous Google’s.
Huh. I still haven’t had any fogging issues – ever – with this frame, or any of the three lenses I use with it. I almost never use a balaclava, but I do some days ski with a neck gaiter, and still no issues. Only problem I’ve had is when I’ve paired the I/Ox with a helmet other than a Smith. (See comment below.) So it does sound like the fan might be the best way to go. Thanks for your feedback.
How do they fit with a Sandbox Classic L/XL? Just wondering because I’m thinking of picking the I/ox’s up but don’t wanna look like I just came out of a mental hospital. With the sandbox would the I/o’s work better or not?
I’ve not tried them with the Sandbox, Dylan, so can’t say. I did, however, ski the other day with the I/OX and a Pro-Tec Riot helmet…and that combination didn’t work out well. The large lens of the I/OX didn’t sync with the brim of the Riot, and the Sandbox & Riot design at least look to be somewhat similar. And, FWIW, I have had zero problems syncing the Riot helmet and the I/O goggles – that combo works very well.)
I know this question isn’t specifically about the lenses, but since you have had both the Phenom and the I/O, I was wondering if you have had a chance to try and compare those with the newer Vice and how that fits in between the other two size-wise? If the visual field of the I/O is actually bigger than the Phenom, is the Vice more like the Phenom size-wise but just with easier lens change? Or is the Vice the same size as I/O but with a different style? I don’t get a feel for the difference on the Smith website.
Thanks.
People, like me, who wear glasses have serious fog problems. Having a person who never has fog problems review these goggles is like having an Olympic swimmer review life jackets. Isn’t there someone on your staff who wears specs?
Im with Steve, I wear glasses and have been helplessly searching for a ski goggle that i can put on and my (glasses) will not fog up. See for me, the goggles always do just fine, but my glasses fog up… The turbo fan got pretty bad reviews about the fan just randomly stopping … nobody wants to ski around with a dead fan in their goggles.
I noticed you are wearing the Green Sol X mirror lens on a snowy day. How does it perform in partly cloudy/ snowy conditions?