❄ Anon M4 MFI® Snowboard Goggle Review (Part 1).
❄ Brand: Anon,
❄ Model: M4 MFI®,
❄ YOM: 2019,
❄ Gender: Mens,
❄ Colour: "Gargoyle",
❄ Lens: SONAR by Zeiss Silver 6% VLT / Infrared 57% VLT,
❄ Lens Type: Cylindrical/Toric,
❄ Frame Size: Large,
❄ Measurements: 230mm external across lens, 185mm external frame width, 163mm internal width across foam, 101mm maximum height, 45mm depth.
❄ Price: $Au459.99 ($US319.95) RRP @2024,
❄ Rider: 192cm (6'4") 93kg (205lbs),
❄ Rider Outerwear: Giro Range MIPS® helmet/OT Chips 2.0, Burton [ak] Helitack Jacket, [ak] Cyclic pants, [ak] Powergrid base layer, [ak] Guide gloves, [ak] Endurance socks, Burton SLX boots, Quiksilver TR Platinum 24L riders backpack,
❄ Snowboard: Bataleon Surfer 159, Burton Stun Gun 155,
❄ Bindings: Burton Genesis X Re-Flex™ (Large), Genesis EST™ (Large),
❄ Location: Furano/Kamui, Hokkaido,
❄ Camera: GoPro Hero 7 Black / Smatree S2C carbon pole.
NB. You can also scroll down to Part 4 of this M4 review where I have a closer look at the newer mid size frame Anon M4S.
I grabbed a set of Anon M4 MFI® with mid weight face mask in colour "Gargoyle" a few months ago as an update on my previous Smith OTG Knowledge goggles. Let's firstly talk about the price. The Anon M4 MFI® plus face mask sits at a pretty lofty $Au459.99 RRP @2024 in Australia, which is well, pretty damn expensive for a set of snowboarding goggles. Luckily I was able to grab my set on the EOS sale for 45% off ($Au223/$US150) which I felt was a pretty good deal.
So you may ask yourself..., "What are you getting for all this outlay $$$?"
Well really....., you're getting a hell of a lot, so let's have a look what you get when you ride with a pair of Anon M4 MFI® Snowboard Goggles.
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Kamui Hokkaido.
Firstly you're stepping into an interchangeable duel lens system. My goggles came with a cylindrical SONAR by Zeiss silver bright light lens (6% VLT) and a Toric SONAR infrared low light lens (57% VLT). You also get a small dual compartment goggle carry bag, a hard shelled sealable carry case protector for the spare lens and a very decent MFI® (Magnetic Facemask Integration) mid-weight face mask. I keep my goggles stored off the mountain in the fantastic Oakley Multi-Unit Goggle case.
www.snowboardingforum.com
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Furano Hokkaido.
So how did they all perform. I had 2 weeks in Japan to test them out and honestly the Anon M4 was brilliant. I used the low light lens for around 80% of the time as it was overcast and lightly snowing. The SONAR Zeiss lens gave me great uninterrupted clarity of vision throughout these conditions. To be honest I really can't tell much optical difference between the Toric and Cylindrical lens whilst using them. I'm sort of glad I have them both and kind of liked the Toric for low light. All the pictures attached are the low light Toric lens.
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Kamui Hokkaido.
Anon's magnetic lens attachment system is truly fantastic. They clip solidly into place and never have any problems with unwanted detachment if you have a fall. The lens stayed pretty much fog free almost the entire time and was able to vent any mist out super fast with their air flow system. I used the cylindrical silver bright light frame a number of days and it was superb in sunlight.
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Furano Hokkaido.
So the size....., well the Anon M4 has a pretty big frame at 180mm (7") across width, 105mm (4 1/8") Height and 45mm (1 3/4") depth. The measurement externally across the lens is 230mm (9"). I was able to easily fit my optical script insert frame into them perfectly. The Optometrist heat moulded my multi focal optical inserts by putting a bend in the bridge to match the internal curvature of the M4 frame shape and also extending the lower support arms so they sat inside the upper and lower frame more snugly without any slop or movement. Snowboarding with them on was fantastic and as good as my Smith Prophecy OTG's. I had a slight adjustment period in getting use to my optics which now had around a 10 to 20 degree frame bend.
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Furano Hokkaido.
Let's have a look at the face mask. For years I have been using the Burton Premium balaclava with my goggles which is a pretty solid system. Over the years Burton have been reducing the length of these balaclavas as a cost saving mechanism which now are much shorter than ones I've had from years ago. Well thankfully the Anon MFI® does not follow this trend as you get a massive length with the face mask. It has a purpose integrated breathing flap that exhaust vents out below to allow comfortable non fogging of lens. The face mask clips in pretty well to the goggles via 4 magnet clips under the nose bridge which held solidly and never released.
Scientifically, as our breath contains moisture as we exhale, some of that water vapor gets trapped within the face mask causing wetout. I've found that if your face mask is tight around the mouth/nose, moisture has nowhere to escape except through the materials fabric. I've experienced this in the past with a tighter Quicksilver Lycra balaclava that would continually wet out pretty fast and then freeze. So tighter fitting material close to the face traps the water vapor in and consequently wets the fabric out. However aa the Anon MFI face mask sits way looser away from the mouth the water vapor is able to expel through either the vent or underneath through the bottom. Having air holes/mesh in the breathing ports will greatly assist in preventing this and in all honesty, I've never ever had my MFI face mask suffering from wet out whilst riding.
I've also additionally grabbed the Anon Tech Balaclava and Anon MFI® Hooded Balaclava and have attached my comprehensive review below.
www.snowboardingforum.com
Anon also make similar magnetic interchangeable lens versions for Women in the WM1 MFI® and WM3 MFI®.
www.snowboardingforum.com
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Kamui Hokkaido.
I had to sometimes lift my goggles partially off my face to sight the correct attachment location. The face mask has a pretty relaxed fit and does not sit too tight around the mouth feeling really comfortable on. The only downside is that you have to have it integrated to the goggles or not as it will fall down low below your mouth when not attached to the magnets due to the loose fit. This can be a problem when it's dumping down as you'll get a slight deposit and build up of snow occurring on the inside of the face mask. The Burton Premium balaclava due to its snugness prevents this and also allows you the ability to customize its fit to various locations on your face ie over the nose, under the nose, under the bottom lip or under the chin.
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Furano Hokkaido.
I grabbed a micro polar fleece skull cap from Aliexpress for $Au5 which is brilliant. I wear this under my helmet and it gives me close to having a balaclava system with the Anon face mask.
So all in all the Anon M4 with MFI® face mask system are a brilliant set of premium top tier snowboarding goggles. They are slightly more expensive than a lot of the competition but you're getting so much more value for your money making them a truly a fantastic high performing pair of snowboard goggles.
Seeing is truly believing ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
❄ Brand: Anon,
❄ Model: M4 MFI®,
❄ YOM: 2019,
❄ Gender: Mens,
❄ Colour: "Gargoyle",
❄ Lens: SONAR by Zeiss Silver 6% VLT / Infrared 57% VLT,
❄ Lens Type: Cylindrical/Toric,
❄ Frame Size: Large,
❄ Measurements: 230mm external across lens, 185mm external frame width, 163mm internal width across foam, 101mm maximum height, 45mm depth.
❄ Price: $Au459.99 ($US319.95) RRP @2024,
❄ Rider: 192cm (6'4") 93kg (205lbs),
❄ Rider Outerwear: Giro Range MIPS® helmet/OT Chips 2.0, Burton [ak] Helitack Jacket, [ak] Cyclic pants, [ak] Powergrid base layer, [ak] Guide gloves, [ak] Endurance socks, Burton SLX boots, Quiksilver TR Platinum 24L riders backpack,
❄ Snowboard: Bataleon Surfer 159, Burton Stun Gun 155,
❄ Bindings: Burton Genesis X Re-Flex™ (Large), Genesis EST™ (Large),
❄ Location: Furano/Kamui, Hokkaido,
❄ Camera: GoPro Hero 7 Black / Smatree S2C carbon pole.
NB. You can also scroll down to Part 4 of this M4 review where I have a closer look at the newer mid size frame Anon M4S.
I grabbed a set of Anon M4 MFI® with mid weight face mask in colour "Gargoyle" a few months ago as an update on my previous Smith OTG Knowledge goggles. Let's firstly talk about the price. The Anon M4 MFI® plus face mask sits at a pretty lofty $Au459.99 RRP @2024 in Australia, which is well, pretty damn expensive for a set of snowboarding goggles. Luckily I was able to grab my set on the EOS sale for 45% off ($Au223/$US150) which I felt was a pretty good deal.
So you may ask yourself..., "What are you getting for all this outlay $$$?"
Well really....., you're getting a hell of a lot, so let's have a look what you get when you ride with a pair of Anon M4 MFI® Snowboard Goggles.
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Kamui Hokkaido.
Firstly you're stepping into an interchangeable duel lens system. My goggles came with a cylindrical SONAR by Zeiss silver bright light lens (6% VLT) and a Toric SONAR infrared low light lens (57% VLT). You also get a small dual compartment goggle carry bag, a hard shelled sealable carry case protector for the spare lens and a very decent MFI® (Magnetic Facemask Integration) mid-weight face mask. I keep my goggles stored off the mountain in the fantastic Oakley Multi-Unit Goggle case.
Oakley Multi-Unit Goggle Case V Dakine Goggle Stash Review.
❄ Oakley Multi-Unit Goggle Case V Dakine Goggle Stash Review. ❄ Brand: Oakley, ❄ Model: Multi-Unit travel Case, ❄ YOM: 2014 to present, ❄ Size: Oakley 390mm x 250mm x 110mm (15.5" x 10" x 4.5"), ❄ Materials: 600D 100% Polyester ❄ Colour: "Black", ❄ RRP: $Au49.99+ @2022, ❄ Rider: 192cm (6'4")...
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Furano Hokkaido.
So how did they all perform. I had 2 weeks in Japan to test them out and honestly the Anon M4 was brilliant. I used the low light lens for around 80% of the time as it was overcast and lightly snowing. The SONAR Zeiss lens gave me great uninterrupted clarity of vision throughout these conditions. To be honest I really can't tell much optical difference between the Toric and Cylindrical lens whilst using them. I'm sort of glad I have them both and kind of liked the Toric for low light. All the pictures attached are the low light Toric lens.
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Kamui Hokkaido.
Anon's magnetic lens attachment system is truly fantastic. They clip solidly into place and never have any problems with unwanted detachment if you have a fall. The lens stayed pretty much fog free almost the entire time and was able to vent any mist out super fast with their air flow system. I used the cylindrical silver bright light frame a number of days and it was superb in sunlight.
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Furano Hokkaido.
So the size....., well the Anon M4 has a pretty big frame at 180mm (7") across width, 105mm (4 1/8") Height and 45mm (1 3/4") depth. The measurement externally across the lens is 230mm (9"). I was able to easily fit my optical script insert frame into them perfectly. The Optometrist heat moulded my multi focal optical inserts by putting a bend in the bridge to match the internal curvature of the M4 frame shape and also extending the lower support arms so they sat inside the upper and lower frame more snugly without any slop or movement. Snowboarding with them on was fantastic and as good as my Smith Prophecy OTG's. I had a slight adjustment period in getting use to my optics which now had around a 10 to 20 degree frame bend.
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Furano Hokkaido.
Let's have a look at the face mask. For years I have been using the Burton Premium balaclava with my goggles which is a pretty solid system. Over the years Burton have been reducing the length of these balaclavas as a cost saving mechanism which now are much shorter than ones I've had from years ago. Well thankfully the Anon MFI® does not follow this trend as you get a massive length with the face mask. It has a purpose integrated breathing flap that exhaust vents out below to allow comfortable non fogging of lens. The face mask clips in pretty well to the goggles via 4 magnet clips under the nose bridge which held solidly and never released.
Scientifically, as our breath contains moisture as we exhale, some of that water vapor gets trapped within the face mask causing wetout. I've found that if your face mask is tight around the mouth/nose, moisture has nowhere to escape except through the materials fabric. I've experienced this in the past with a tighter Quicksilver Lycra balaclava that would continually wet out pretty fast and then freeze. So tighter fitting material close to the face traps the water vapor in and consequently wets the fabric out. However aa the Anon MFI face mask sits way looser away from the mouth the water vapor is able to expel through either the vent or underneath through the bottom. Having air holes/mesh in the breathing ports will greatly assist in preventing this and in all honesty, I've never ever had my MFI face mask suffering from wet out whilst riding.
I've also additionally grabbed the Anon Tech Balaclava and Anon MFI® Hooded Balaclava and have attached my comprehensive review below.
Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava Review.
❄ Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava Review. ❄ Brand: Anon, ❄ Model: MFI® Tech Balaclava, ❄ YOM: 2021, ❄ Size: Mens, ❄ Colour: "True Black", ❄ Material: Polartec® Power Grid™ fleece ❄ Compatibility: M3, M2, Relapse and Relapse Junior. M4 and Sync goggle require (gray) XL carrier for optimal fit. ❄...
Anon also make similar magnetic interchangeable lens versions for Women in the WM1 MFI® and WM3 MFI®.
Anon WM1 MFI® Snowboard Goggle Review.
❄ Anon WM1 MFI® Snowboard Goggle Review (Part 1). ❄ Brand: Anon, ❄ Model: WM1 MFI®, ❄ YOM: 2020, ❄ Gender: Women's, ❄ Colour: "Ruby", ❄ Lens: SONAR by Ziess Sunny Red 14% VLT / SONAR Infrared 57% VLT, ❄ Lens Type: Spherical, Magna-Tech®, ❄ Price: $Au349.99 ($US229.95) RRP @2023, ❄ Outerwear...
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Kamui Hokkaido.
I had to sometimes lift my goggles partially off my face to sight the correct attachment location. The face mask has a pretty relaxed fit and does not sit too tight around the mouth feeling really comfortable on. The only downside is that you have to have it integrated to the goggles or not as it will fall down low below your mouth when not attached to the magnets due to the loose fit. This can be a problem when it's dumping down as you'll get a slight deposit and build up of snow occurring on the inside of the face mask. The Burton Premium balaclava due to its snugness prevents this and also allows you the ability to customize its fit to various locations on your face ie over the nose, under the nose, under the bottom lip or under the chin.
Anon M4 Toric SONAR Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Furano Hokkaido.
I grabbed a micro polar fleece skull cap from Aliexpress for $Au5 which is brilliant. I wear this under my helmet and it gives me close to having a balaclava system with the Anon face mask.
Anon M4 Toric Sonar Infrared low light lens 57% VLT, Furano Hokkaido.
So all in all the Anon M4 with MFI® face mask system are a brilliant set of premium top tier snowboarding goggles. They are slightly more expensive than a lot of the competition but you're getting so much more value for your money making them a truly a fantastic high performing pair of snowboard goggles.
Seeing is truly believing ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐