Wearing a decent pair of goggles, as you ride your ATV, will protect your eyes from dust, debris, dirt, and other harsh weather elements. Besides this, they will enable you to view your path more vividly, offer increased air compared to a closed visor and add to your comfort and style. So, goggles are the vital ATV accessories to accompany you on your next off-road trip.
But the question is how to get the perfect goggles for your helmet and how to wear goggles with your ATV helmet?
The common practice is to start with finding the right fit for both items. Ensure your goggles fit comfortably over your eyes without leaving any gaps around the edges. Once you have chosen the right size of helmet and goggles, wear them together to check if they fit well. Remember, the process may differ slightly depending on what helmet your using – full-face or open-face.
However, wearing goggles with your ATV headgear may be more complex than it is said here. In fact, finding the right fit, style, type, and adjustment techniques can be tricky. That is why this guide is a must-read for you.
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Why Do You Need Goggles for Motocross/ATV Helmet
It is no more news that goggles are an essential piece of gear that offers adequate protection against dust, wind, sunlight glare or any potential harm out there on the road. Here I am sharing the benefits I use ATV helmet goggles for.
Safety of your eyes
This can be attributed to the fact that ATV riding makes the rider encounter, as mentioned several times, a lot of dust, dirt, muck, and debris on the way. Riders’ safety can be at risk if their eyes are not well protected. However, if you have worn a pair of goggles, these elements cannot disturb your comfort let alone intrude near your eyes.
Better vision
Sometimes, the sun can shine brightly, hindering your vision during the day. To remain focused on your trail, you need gear to help reduce glare from the sun. Thankfully, goggles can help you achieve this objective. Here, you can wear tinted goggles during the day and have better vision. If you are riding your ATV during the night, consider choosing a pair of goggles with clear lenses.
Reduced wind impact
It is no secret that wind can affect your vision. If the wind is strong, your eyes will likely get wetter and can even interfere with your eyesight. To avoid such scenarios, consider wearing a pair of goggles anytime you are riding your ATV.
Visual appeal
Besides the above-mentioned advantages, goggles can also help improve your visual appeal whenever you are riding your ATV. To get the best results, you just need to choose a pair of goggles that matches the color of your ATV. Since these goggles come in a variety of colors, you will not miss a model that suits your color needs.
Pre-wear Checks: Pairing the Helmet and Your Preferred Goggles
Pairing an ATV helmet with goggles is essential for the safety and comfort of the rider. So, besides a fitting helmet, I ensure my target goggles complement my off-road needs.
I start by choosing the right size of both the helmet and goggles as they should fit snugly without any gaps in between.
I find it is also important to ensure that the goggles have a strap that can be adjusted to fit securely around the helmet. And you must check that the goggle exterior sit properly on the opening of your helmet. I always take goggles one size down my helmet to fit the helmet opening while purchasing online. To avoid any fitting hassle purchasing from physical sports store is my preferred option as I can take my helmet or goggles and check the fit by trying the one for other.
There are powersports helmet goggles set to buy and avoid that hassle of pairing and wearing as they are made to fit each other.
Whatever option you go for, do not forget about the visor of your ATV helmet. Make sure that you can set the visor with the goggles and helmet on.
If you have goggles, go for a helmet one size up to have a bigger viewport for a snug fit. And it is the other way round when you have the helmet. Then, go for smaller size goggles to fit the helmet opening.
Overall, pairing an ATV helmet with goggles is a simple process that requires proper sizing and adjustment techniques for maximum safety and comfort while riding. Are you ready to put on the goggles on your ATV helmet?
How to wear Goggles on an ATV helmet
For me, wearing goggles with an ATV helmet half-done by now given you have learnt how to pair helmet and goggles and choose goggles type, style. It’s a matter of a few steps and minutes. Here are the precise steps to follow to end up wearing goggles with an ATV helmet successfully:
Wearing goggles with full-face ATV helmets can be a challenge, but it is possible with some tips and tricks. Here are the steps to follow:
- Choose goggles that fit your helmet. You can measure the size of the opening of your helmet and compare it with the dimensions of the goggles. You can also try them on together in a store or buy a set that is designed to match. The goggles should be slightly smaller than the opening of the helmet and have enough padding to seal around your eyes.
- Put on your helmet and make sure it fits well. It should not move too much when you shake your head or try to rotate it. You can adjust the straps and the padding to make it more comfortable and secure.
- Put on your goggles over the helmet, with the goggles inside the opening of the helmet. If you have a full-face helmet, the nose of the goggles should be tucked into the chin guard. The goggles should fit on the helmet and rest snugly but comfortably on your face. If you feel any pressure, irritation, or marks on your face, you may need to adjust the position or the tension of the straps.
- Check your vision and ventilation. You should be able to see clearly through the goggles without any distortion, fogging, or glare. You can use special lenses or coatings to enhance your vision in different light conditions. You should also have enough airflow to prevent overheating and sweating.
These are the steps to wear goggles with full-face ATV helmets. However, you may need to experiment with different combinations of helmets and goggles to find the best fit and comfort for you. Live demo on how to wear goggles with ATV helmet will certainly help you better understand the process. I am referring to this video.
ATV Helmet Face-shield vs. Goggles
Face shields and goggles are two types of eye protection used with ATV helmets. They have different advantages and disadvantages depending on the riding conditions and preferences. Here is a brief comparison of face-shield vs. goggles of ATV helmets:
Face-shield: A face shield is a transparent visor that covers the entire face and attaches to the helmet. It can provide extra eye protection and visibility, especially in rainy or snowy conditions. However, a face shield may not fit well inside some helmets, causing discomfort, pressure, or irritation on the face.
Some full-face helmets feature a face shield lock. But this can be a problem if you want to wear goggles, as the strap may get in the way and prevent the visor from locking. So, you may end up with a loose face shield and a pair of goggles.
Goggles: Goggles are separate eyewear that fit over the eyes and seal around them. They can provide a greater field of vision as the goggles sit closer to the face. They can also prevent dust from getting in the eyes and sticking to the inside of the goggles.
However, goggles may not be compatible with some helmets, causing difficulty putting them on or removing them. Goggles may also drive glasses into the bridge of the nose for those who wear prescription glasses. It may fog up in humid or cold conditions. Some goggles may require a nose guard or a beak protector to prevent sandblasting or raindrops on the upper lip.
You may need to experiment with different face-shield combinations, helmets, and goggles to find the best fit and comfort for you.
Tips on Wearing Goggles with ATV/Motorcross Helmet
These are my tips on how to wear your motocross goggles with zero hassle and get the most out of it:
- Always make sure that your goggles fit snugly on your face while offering much-needed comfort and protection from debris and wind.
- Ensure that your goggles are compatible with your ATV helmet opening.
- Make adjustments to the visor so that it fits well with the goggles. Ideally, there should be no openings or gaps between the goggles and the visor.
- Try to change the lens once in a while so that you can improve your visibility when riding your ATV. You may have lenses for reduced sunshine in the day time and clear detachable lenses for night riding.
- Consider using exhaust air to defog your goggles’ lens.
- When cleaning the lens, you can use soap and water. If possible, clean the lens once you are done with your trip. More importantly, use a piece of cloth when cleaning the lenses.
- Always go for quality goggles to get value for your hard-earned money.
FAQs
Do I need to wear goggles when riding my ATV?
Well, it is optional for you to wear goggles with a helmet whenever you are riding your ATV. However, wearing goggles will add to the safety of your eyes and comfort. The off-road trails are full of debris, dust, and dirt.
If your eyes are not well protected, these harsh elements might find their way into your eyes and thus affect your visibility. Apart from these elements, a strong wind can hinder you from opening your eyes. Moreover, goggles help you to prevent glare from the sun during hot weather.
Do motocross goggles fit all helmets?
Not really. For instance, if you obtain an adult’s pair of goggles, they will not fit on a kid’s helmet. Due to this, you should consider getting goggles that are meant for your particular helmet size. Here, a kid’s pair of goggles will fit well on a kid’s ATV helmet. On the other hand, an adult’s pair of goggles will fit well on an adult’s motocross helmet.
Should I wear contact lenses alongside ATV helmet goggles?
Yes. There is no harm in wearing your contact lenses whenever you are wearing a motocross helmet. However, your eyes might encounter some challenges if you are riding on dusty terrain. If dust gets past your goggles, your vision can be impaired. In this case, you need to carry some eye drops to improve your eyesight or vision.
Should I wear glasses alongside ATV helmet goggles?
Although you might wear your eyeglasses alongside motocross goggles, you might encounter some discomfort. This can be attributed to the fact that you might have to keep adjusting your glasses occasionally. To be safe, you should keep trying which pair of goggles work well with your pair of eyeglasses.
To avoid all these hassles, you should consider LASIK eye surgery to have unlimited fun when riding your ATV, as you may not need to wear a pair of eyeglasses anymore.
Final Words
For me, wearing the right goggles with any off-road helmet can draw the line between misery and fun. There can be debate between snowmobile vs ATV helmet vs motorcycle helmet but so far goggles matter every helmet can have it. For optimal results, consider going for the goggles that meet your needs and comfort demands. From the lenses’ quality to the type of protection they offer, there are many parameters that you should check when choosing goggles for your ATV helmet.
After that, wear them as I have suggested above. Consider all the ideas on how to wear goggles with an ATV helmet, and you will have unlimited fun on your next off-road trail.