If there’s one piece of ski / snowboard gear that really hinges on personal preference, it’s goggles. They need to fit right. Keep those eyeballs protected from sun. Block against Mother Nature’s fury. And for many, have a bit of style to them. As soon as Jaime put on a pair of Dragon X2 Goggles, she fell in love. Why? Well, here’s the full Dragon goggles review and what made them her new BGF’s (Best Goggles Forever).
The X2s … Finally Large Goggles For The Smaller Face
One of the biggest hang-ups for Jaime when finding the right goggle is that her face is small. She would LOVE to have the periphery of the Oakley Flight Deck or the Vonzipper Capsule, but they pinch her nose and restrict her breathing. After hours of riding, this is painful and exhausting. And then she tried the Dragon X2s goggles. In regard to the X2 “s”, this stands for “small.” You still get all the wonderful features of the X2, but just a bit smaller so that a person like Jaime who has a smaller face can still enjoy the peripheral view of the big boys.
The Swiftlock System
For Jaime and I, we ride in a lot of variable conditions so we tend to switch out lenses quite a bit. In the past, I’ve broken many a pair of lenses on different goggles due to the frustrating changing system not working because it won’t “snap” into its spots. The Dragon’s Swiftlock lens change system makes it unbelievably easy to switch. All you need to do is flip the switch on the side, and it unlocks. You then pop out the one that’s in, put in the other, and lock it. Easy peasy.
Construction
Another thing that we’re big fans of with the Dragon X2 goggles is the way they’re manufactured. A lot of goggle companies slap some foam on top of goggles and call it a day. Dragon’s have a flexible but yet tough polyurethane construction even on the top. This makes them flexible even on the coldest days and yet strong.
Works Well With Helmets
Nothing’s worse than having a gap between the helmet and the goggles. The cold air can really give you the equivalent of an ice cream headache. Luckily, Dragon made sure the curve of the googles fit perfectly with helmets such as the Drift Wildhorn helmet. The seam between the two is next to nothing.
Frame Ventilation
Delving deeper into the construction of the Dragon X2 goggles, the ventilation on them is no joke. One of the biggest issues on a powder day for snowboard goggles is that they fog up. You’re working hard keeping the nose afloat and maybe you even take a tumble. With these bad boys, based on how they’re built, we were impressed how they seemed to never fog up even if you’re wearing a balaclava to protect yourself against the elements. This also means on those sunny spring days your eyeballs won’t sweat. Be that as it may, if you’re someone that has very sensitive eyes, this extra ventilation maybe a hindrance to you.
LumaLens For Almost All Conditions
One of the biggest advances in eyewear protection are the lenses that provide further clarity. For Dragon, this is their LumaLens technology. Think of it as High-Definition TV except in the real world. It alters the light coming into the goggle so that you can see all the undulations on the snow surface as well as reduce eye fatigue. This is not a gimmick! It actually does help a ton on a host of sunny days. In addition, we’ve noticed that compared to full-on sunny lenses or storm specific ones, this type of lens covers a greater spectrum of conditions.
My Kind Of Phobic
The LumaLens takes the childhood rhyme “I’m rubber you’re glue, whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you” seriously. Whatever technology they put on them, they seem to repel water, dirt, dust, and oil unbelievably well. Dragon states they are “Hydrophobic” and “Oleophobic.”
Great Goggle Case
For Dragon X2 snow goggles, another big differentiator to its competitors is the goggle case it comes with. Yes, it comes with the classic zip string soft fleece like carrier but ALSO a beefy lycra case too. There’s a spot to store the extra lens AND it has a magnet latch to keep it closed. Although this isn’t a game changer, when something has a hefty price tag, you expect a bit more white glove service. Their attention to detail for providing a nice storing spot is something I haven’t seen with other companies.
What The Heck Is Different Between The X1 and X2
If you’ve looked at the product line, you’ll be asking yourself, “So what’s the difference between the Dragon X2 goggles and the Dragon X1?” The main differentiation is that the X2 comes with the Swiftlock Lens Changing System while the X1 is your normal lens changing system.
Is The Swiftlock Worth It?
It depends on the type of person you are. For us, the extra fifty bucks to have the ease of swapping lenses in a snap is a no brainer. On the other side of the spectrum, if you aren’t a person that likes to switch lenses, going with Dragon X1 goggles is a great way to save some money and still get all the technology like the spherical lens.
For Those That Want Only The Best
To sum it up, the Dragon X2 Goggles are perfect for those that won’t settle for anything less than the best. The Swiftlock changing system makes sure that you won’t ruin your lenses when you’re swapping them. The spherical lens provides you maximum peripheral vision giving you that extra cushion to react and respond quickly to anyone or anything. Lastly, all of them come with a LumaLens AND an extra one for those especially stormy days. If you do pick up a pair, you won’t regret it.
Budget Friendly Options
On the other hand, if you’re a cost-conscious consumer or only spend a day or two on the slopes and want to rock a pair of Dragons, we suggest the D1. You still get the ability to have the clarity of the LumaLens at a fraction of the cost. Or, another great budget friendly option that will cover the basics are the Wildhorn Goggles.
Want To Learn More On How To Pick Goggles?
If you’re curious what the other major brands are offering and want tips on how to find the perfect goggle for you, be sure to read our in-depth guide:
