Smith I/O Fogging...Both lenses!! - Snowboarding Forum

Killian4488 · 02-20-2013, 05:47 AM

I purchased Smith I/O goggles to wear on my latest trip to Japan. I was excited, they looked sweet, felt and fit great, awesome peripheral vision.....
then I rode with them and they COMPLETELY fogged up. Not on the outside or inside but between the lenses. I swapped out the mirror lens with the rose lens that came with the goggles and this did the same thing!! They fogged up so completely that I couldn't use them. By the third day (another awesome powder day) I was so fed up and frustrated I purchased some overpriced Oakley A frames on the mountain.
These Oakley goggles were the same as my old goggles and again they worked flawlessly...essentially saving my trip. I later talked to a girl at a local board shop and she said lately they have been having lots of complaints about the Smith I/O lenses. I am trying to return them and getting a run around. Anyone have similar issues?

Sticking with Oakley from now on.

snowklinger · 02-20-2013, 02:10 PM

seems to be a common problem. Was always jealous of my boys gogs but he is like 4 out of 6 lenses now that get fog BETWEEN the 2 lenses and they are pretty much useless. (IOs)

skunkworks_ · 02-20-2013, 05:45 PM

I have a pair of IO/X goggles that had a small issue with fogging between the lenses. I contacted Smith's CS team via email and this is their response:

Quote:

For, fogging issues, sometimes if your goggles are fogging, the anti-fog properties of the lens have been overloaded. Drying the inner lens, by taking it out of the frame, and letting it air dry, is the best way to dry them out. However, if you are in a bind on the mountain, a hand-dryer will, in effect, reset the anti-fog capabilities of the lens. (Just be very careful to not get the lenses to close to the heat. It will warp your lens if it gets too hot, and they would not be covered under the Warranty.

If you leave your goggle in a wet hat/car/ski bag, water will work its way into the materials and cause fogging the next day. Much like boots and gloves, goggles need to be dried out overnight in order to be effective the next day. Vent foam, face foam, and lens materials should be dried out completely for effective fog prevention. We recommend you place your goggles in a warm, dry room over a vent or near a warming device to allow the goggle to completely dry out. If your goggle was worn on a wet day, you might even need to remove the lens from the frame to allow the lens and frame to completely dry out before wearing the next day.

Some dos and don’ts for fog-free vision:

1) Make sure your new goggles form a tight seal on your face. Take the time to try on different models to find the most comfortable pair that forms a complete seal around the face.

2) Wearing your goggle on your forehead will cause them to fog. Your head is like the smokestack steam, 30% of your body’s heat leaves through the top of the head. Placing your goggles on your forehead will trap this moisture, causing your goggle to fog.

3) Wiping goggles with excess snow in them will increase fogging. Smearing the snow and ice from your last wipe-out around inside your lens will only result in increased fogging and more frustration. If your goggles become filled with snow, knock out the majority of the snow. Then use a Smith Snow Eraser or soft cloth to mop out the majority of the moisture. Ideally, you’ll want to find a restroom automatic hand dryer to fully dry the inner and outer lenses.

FWIW, since I've stopped putting my goggles on my forehead, they've been working well.

rust1d · 02-20-2013, 10:38 PM

The other day I tried to clean my A frames and thought they looked totally greased up on the inner lense. Turns out it's the anti fog. Ended up scaping it off ruining the lense and eventually cutting it out. Bidding on replacements. I was looking at the I/O's they're expensive too.

extra0 · 02-24-2013, 07:16 PM

join the club, killian. I suggest you don't do what I did which was to keep warrantying/trying new lenses just because I/O look great - it's throwing good money (or time) after bad because all porex lenses fog in between (at least all 3 of the ones I tried, did).

I finally sold my I/O and bought a different brand goggle (without "porex") and I haven't had any problems since

TXBDan · 03-11-2013, 03:01 PM

Interesting, i use my I/Os for snowboarding east and west coast and for mountaineering. The only time i've ever had them fog is when i was hiking up a mountain and i kept looking down because i was facing into a strong wind. Looking down fogged them up, but them when i looked up again it would clear.

I do let my goggles dry out at night, though. I think that's a big part of it. I also never touch the inside of the lens as that can remove the antifog coating.

The-Snoopy · 03-11-2013, 03:20 PM

The only time i get fog in my I/O 's is when im carrying my board in the pow in knee deep snow getting all sweaty..

I Absolutely love the I/O. Best goggles i've owned by far, but seems there arent many that have the same results as i had..

/Snoopy

Bactine · 03-15-2013, 11:35 PM

Yeah I've used my I/O goggles for 2 seasons now maybe 30 days on them, not counting countless days shoveling out the driveway with them on hah. I love them never really had them fog up to the point where I remember having to remove them.

Maybe I've been lucky but I have 3 different lenses for them and never had fogging issues with any of them

MotleyJue · 03-17-2013, 02:45 PM

I've owned countless pairs of of Oakley and Smith goggles and I have not had a problem with either of them. It would be a broad statement for me to say, they are the best, but I will say they are my fave(I/O). An explanation would that most of the time, users have issues because their face masks are contoured underneath the nose and that causes your hot breath to fog up the lenses.

extra0 · 03-17-2013, 03:37 PM

^if that were true (which, in my case, it wasn't), the lens would fog on the inside of the lens, not between them.

It takes something pretty effed up to fog between lenses and smith I/O (or any of their "porex" lens) are the only ones I've heard of doing that

02-20-2013, 05:47 AM	#1 (permalink)
Killian4488 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 4	Smith I/O Fogging...Both lenses!! I purchased Smith I/O goggles to wear on my latest trip to Japan. I was excited, they looked sweet, felt and fit great, awesome peripheral vision..... then I rode with them and they COMPLETELY fogged up. Not on the outside or inside but between the lenses. I swapped out the mirror lens with the rose lens that came with the goggles and this did the same thing!! They fogged up so completely that I couldn't use them. By the third day (another awesome powder day) I was so fed up and frustrated I purchased some overpriced Oakley A frames on the mountain. These Oakley goggles were the same as my old goggles and again they worked flawlessly...essentially saving my trip. I later talked to a girl at a local board shop and she said lately they have been having lots of complaints about the Smith I/O lenses. I am trying to return them and getting a run around. Anyone have similar issues? Sticking with Oakley from now on.

02-20-2013, 02:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
snowklinger Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: fuck boulder Posts: 2,805	seems to be a common problem. Was always jealous of my boys gogs but he is like 4 out of 6 lenses now that get fog BETWEEN the 2 lenses and they are pretty much useless. (IOs) __________________ is it late october yet?

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02-20-2013, 10:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
rust1d Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: b.c Posts: 8	The other day I tried to clean my A frames and thought they looked totally greased up on the inner lense. Turns out it's the anti fog. Ended up scaping it off ruining the lense and eventually cutting it out. Bidding on replacements. I was looking at the I/O's they're expensive too.

02-24-2013, 07:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
extra0 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: CA Posts: 582	join the club, killian. I suggest you don't do what I did which was to keep warrantying/trying new lenses just because I/O look great - it's throwing good money (or time) after bad because all porex lenses fog in between (at least all 3 of the ones I tried, did). I finally sold my I/O and bought a different brand goggle (without "porex") and I haven't had any problems since

03-11-2013, 03:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
TXBDan Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 126	Interesting, i use my I/Os for snowboarding east and west coast and for mountaineering. The only time i've ever had them fog is when i was hiking up a mountain and i kept looking down because i was facing into a strong wind. Looking down fogged them up, but them when i looked up again it would clear. I do let my goggles dry out at night, though. I think that's a big part of it. I also never touch the inside of the lens as that can remove the antifog coating.

03-11-2013, 03:20 PM	#7 (permalink)
The-Snoopy Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Denmark Posts: 72	The only time i get fog in my I/O 's is when im carrying my board in the pow in knee deep snow getting all sweaty.. I Absolutely love the I/O. Best goggles i've owned by far, but seems there arent many that have the same results as i had.. /Snoopy

03-15-2013, 11:35 PM	#8 (permalink)
Bactine Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 7	Yeah I've used my I/O goggles for 2 seasons now maybe 30 days on them, not counting countless days shoveling out the driveway with them on hah. I love them never really had them fog up to the point where I remember having to remove them. Maybe I've been lucky but I have 3 different lenses for them and never had fogging issues with any of them

03-17-2013, 02:45 PM	#9 (permalink)
MotleyJue Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Colorado Posts: 11	I've owned countless pairs of of Oakley and Smith goggles and I have not had a problem with either of them. It would be a broad statement for me to say, they are the best, but I will say they are my fave(I/O). An explanation would that most of the time, users have issues because their face masks are contoured underneath the nose and that causes your hot breath to fog up the lenses.

03-17-2013, 03:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
extra0 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: CA Posts: 582	^if that were true (which, in my case, it wasn't), the lens would fog on the inside of the lens, not between them. It takes something pretty effed up to fog between lenses and smith I/O (or any of their "porex" lens) are the only ones I've heard of doing that