Scott Prospect Amplifier Vs. 100% Armega

Written By: Aden Keefer

Scott and 100% are a couple big name goggle brands that sell like hot cakes. Scott has just released their brand new amplifier goggle/goggle lens, as the name states, it has new Amplifier technology in the lens. The new Amplifier lens is injection molded to provide improved definition and optical clarity, allowing you to see contours and transitions in the dirt like never before. They have also provided us sweaty boys and girls with a no-sweat face foam, they have also provided us with the Scott lens lock system, with articulating outriggers.

I have been wearing 100% for over two years now and I have come accustomed to the fit as well as the HiPER lens system they use. I have had issues with sweat falling off from the top layer of the foam and going into the lens in longer/hot motos. However, I do love how wide the Armega goggles are so I can see what's next to me and in front of me very easily. The past few weeks, my dad has tasked me with the job of comparing the Armega/HiPER and Prospect Amplifier goggles a little to help me with my testing/writing. I have done motos in both, crashed in both, sweated in both, you name it, I’ve probably done it all. The two main features that I love about the Prospect Amplifier goggle lens is how bright shadows and deep ruts can be for me. I wore the goggles on a cloudy day and oh my lord did it make a huge difference, it really brightened the dark State Fair MX dirt up and made it seem like it was sunny and 75 in Perris, CA. I also like Scott’s no sweat face foam that they have provided as it helped with my teenage pores as they rained down upon me. Although the Prospect foam was wet after a long moto, it didn’t leak down into the inside of the goggle.  Every time I am in the middle of the moto I sometimes can have a problem with sweat falling into my goggles with the Armega’s, but with the new Scott Prospect Amplifier goggle I haven’t had that problem yet. One downfall of the Prospect goggle is that it feels like the goggle doesn't fit snug up against/secure around my face. The 100% Armega goggles feel like it's nice and secured around my face and allow me to feel like there will be no dirt coming into my goggle for a visit. Although I didn’t get any dirt inside the Prospect frame, I just felt like it didn’t fit my nose area as good as the Armega. Maybe I am cursed with my dad’s nose? Who knows! The Armega HiPER lens although clear just doesn’t pop those shadows as much as the Scott lens did for me. I do notice that both lenses scratch easy if you don’t take care of them as well. Make sure to only wipe the lens with the goggle cloth bag each comes with.

 So after a few weeks of wearing the Scott Prospect goggle, I got to say I'm impressed with them. The new Amplifier lens helps brighten up some of the imperfections of our Southern California dirt. They works so good that when I went back to a regular clear lens, I wanted to switch back to the Amplifier lens because of how much brighter they made the track seem. The Armega goggles with HiPER lens does gie me a ton of clarity, but to me the Prospect just has a little more brightness to them on darker dirt. I will say that the injected molded HiPER lens of the Armega does give me the same amount of clarity, just not the pop that I get with the Amplifier. 

 If I had to choose what goggle to go with it would be hard not to pick either of the two as both the 100% Armega goggle or the Scott Prospect Amplifier goggle have its strong points. I guess this is what you call waffling in the Pulp MX Show world, but to me it would depend on the fit. I do think I am going to stick with the Armega goggles for the simple fact that they fit my face a little better at this time. If Scott made the nose area a little less wide and also provided a fit that was slightly up more on my nose rather than down on it, I would pick the Prospect in a second. I do feel like you can see more (side to side) with the Armega goggle, compared to the Scott prospect goggle, but the Sweat absorption and clarity have to go to the Prospect. 

However, being that I am not sponsored by any one of these companies yet, I might just wear them both to prove to my dad how much I like each of these companies’ products. My dad always said that you don’t have to wear just one company until you sign a contract. Well… I don’t have one of those so I might just wear both.

 As a side project, my dad let me try his Oakley Airbrake’s that he chooses to wear and I just didn’t feel like those provided as good of fit or as good of sweat absorption as the Prospect.

 If you’re a young rider like me and want a good product but also would love some racing support, 100% and Scott are probably the two best ones in my opinion to try and strove for. They seem to have the best goggle guys in the business as well as the most support for amateur motocross. For example, Scott sponsors amateur riders such as Chance Hymas, Evan Ferry and also the Pro Circuit Kawasaki team as well as the factory Husqvarna team. 100% sponsors the Lawrence brothers, what used to be the Geico Honda team and Star Racing Yamaha. So, if you're looking for a solid goggle and maybe a company that will give you support, these two companies would be the move. 

Breaking Down The Important Aspects, Who Wins:

 Fit: 100%

Clarity: Scott

Peripheral Vision: 100%

Sweat Absorption: Scott

Ventilation: Tie

Less Fogging Problems: Scott

Foam Feel Comfort: 100%

Ease Of Lens Change: 100%

Price: Scott Prospect/Amplifier $124.00

Price: 100% Armega/HiPER $100.00

On My Own Dime: Scott Prospect Roll Off System

Written By: Michael Allen

Although I am an off-road guy through and through, living on the west coast doesn’t exactly give my inner Scott Summers many opportunities to splash around in the mud.  It almost never fails that we get some showers throughout winter, but it’s pretty rare that we get a full on storm that coincides with a motocross race. Adding to the odd times of 2020, my phone informed me that the chance of rain was 100% for the 2020 Dubya Vet World Championships at Glen Helen. I have always been a person who likes preparing for things, but since becoming a father, dad prep has become a real thing. Come race day morning, I’m always ready to take on the world (and wipe its ass with my extra baby wipes). The night before the race I was prepping goggles and I remembered that I have one pair of roll offs that stay in my goggle bag just in case. I switched to wearing Scott Prospect goggles 99% of the time a few years ago when I tested a pair and loved them. I bought a pair and they have always been tucked away in my bag. To me they are more like a “if all else fails” option that I never want to use because they came pre-assembled and to be honest, I didn’t know how to rebuild them if I ever got them muddy. That’s when it hit me, I had worn them last year at the Tecate sprint enduro (mind you I only pulled the string three times because I wasn’t used to wearing roll offs) and never rebuilt them. I knew if I rolled the dice and didn’t rebuild them before the race, I was for sure going to need them and if I used them without rebuilding them, I would surely runout of pulls because that’s how life works. So I cleaned off the bench, got out all the rebuild parts, laid out a towel and went to work.

To my surprise, building the Works Film System was far more user friendly then I had anticipated. With the help of the how-to video on Scott’s website (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZr_4zkb12Y)  it only took me about 10 minutes until they were ready to have muck thrown at them. The canisters are very easy to clip on and secure to the lens, the anti-stick grid pops right on and the pre rolled film comes with a little sticker to use on the opposite side so you don’t need additional tape.  There are only two challenging steps of rebuilding the WFS; the first is getting the roll started straight on the dirty side because if you don’t start it straight the film can start rolling off center and cause issues. The other is getting the top of the film under the “mud flap” all the way across the goggle. I’m sure those steps will become second nature after a few more mud races although that may take a few years living in southern California. 

Just as the weather man said, as soon as morning practice came to an end and the national anthem was being sang, the skies opened up. As I headed to the line for my first moto I kept the goggles in their bag, tucked inside my riding raincoat (yes I’m an off-road guy who came prepared with many jackets, vests and raincoats). It’s funny how as racers we will take our nice clean bike to a mud race where we know the grit and grime is going to be mashed into every crevasse without batting an eye, yet as we go to the line, keeping our goggles and gloves clean and dry becomes more important than our first born child. As the gate dropped I quickly found that racing a 250f against 450s may have its advantages on some parts of the track, but the start straight at Glen Helen wasn’t one of them. Simultaneously I learned that once I was brave enough to take my hand off the bars and pull the string, the 50mm wide film on the WFS provides a larger view than most roll off systems. Luckily I pulled the string just in time to see more muck being thrown my way as the field of 450s seemed to be shrinking in size roaring into Talladega. The anti-stick grid that is between the lens and the film creates a small air gap so that if there is any moisture between the two surfaces, it doesn’t create any viewing distortion. In addition to the anti-stick function, the mud flap across the top creates an overlap so no moisture can come from above the film and create distortion. Throughout both moto’s that day, the WFS worked just as advertised and never left me in need of more clean film. The system can be bought separately for $40.00 or pre-installed on a set of goggles for $109.95. After spending my hard-earned money on the WFS, I am completely satisfied with the product and would recommend it to anyone who needs a straight forward roll off system with a wide peripheral field of vision. If you have any questions about the Scott WFS system feel free to reach out to me at Michael@keeferinctesting.com. 

Scott Prospect Goggle

Scott USA has the Prospect and it has been in circulation for over four years. Some of the standout features of the Prospect is a polycarbonate lens that is 1mm thick (versus 0.8mm thick like most other competitors lenses), the Scott lens locking system that consists of four locking pins that secure the lens to the frame of the goggle for safety (instead of feeding the lens into a groove and securing it with tabs), a wide peripheral frame, an updated two position outrigger system that can rotate to fit a wide range of helmet sizes, a No Sweat 3.2 foam, and a wider strap for better grip to the helmet.

I am kind of a pain in the ass when it comes to comfort with goggles and the Prospect goggle is one of only a few that I like. The No Sweat 3.2 foam against my face feels plush and soaks up enough of my sweat that it doesn’t drip inside the goggle on very hot days in the desert. There was no need to purchase any maxi pads products to add to the top of the goggle’s foam as it soaked up sweat adequately. The field of vision is very similar to the Oakley Airbrake as the Prospect goggle is as wide as its competitor. I have come to get accustomed to the peripheral vision I get with Oakley Airbrakes and the Prospect gives me a wide field of vision similar to that. It is however not so wide that it doesn’t fit in a wide variety of helmets. I went through several helmets while wearing the goggles (Shoei, Arai, 6D, Fly, Bell, Fox, Airoh) and the Prospect sealed to my face well in all of them. I did notice that the goggle does drop low on the nose, which took me some time to get used to. Compared to the other larger/wider framed goggles the Prospect will ride down almost to the edge of my nose and I have a large nose. Adjusting it to your face is key and I found the best way to get it to ride a little higher up on my nose was to get the goggle strap tighter and to remove the nose guard that the Prospect comes with. Doing this would allow the goggle to ride a little higher on my face and give me less pressure on the wider part of my nose. It didn’t affect the way it sealed to my face after doing so, but it did take a little longer than usual to find a way to position it correctly. So if you feel like the Prospect is riding a little low on your nose, try tightening the goggle strap a little more than usual. 

Changing lenses out on the Prospect is fairly painless. You can switch lenses out by popping two locking pins out on top of the frame and two at the bottom. Once those are popped out, the lens comes out easily and I was able to stick another lens in under two minutes! I wore the Prospect at a couple races where I didn’t get the greatest of starts and the four-post tear off design takes a little more of a tug to rip them off. However, the way the tear offs lay and fold onto themselves makes it easy NOT to pull more than one at a time. With some other tear off designs there is not enough excess tear off (at the end) to find and pull (while riding), so you end up pulling two or three at a time. With the Scott Prospect tear off design, it gives you enough tail that you can feel it easily with gloves and rip only one tear off.

When it comes to wearing what I want on certain days I seem to gravitate towards Oakley Airbrakes. Yes, I know Airbrakes are expensive and I don’t think I could afford having four sets (if I had to purchase them myself) of those just laying around for me to wear. With the Scott Prospect goggle pricing (around $99.00 vs. a $160.00 Airbrake) I could actually afford a few pairs. I would also be getting the same wide peripheral vision, almost the same clarity through the lens and almost the same comfort. I say “almost” because of the low nose area with the Scott’s. However, the Airbrake’s have been known to fog up on me on colder days and the Prospect goggles are much better with not fogging. The lens on the Prospect is more resilient to getting scratched, as the Airbrake goggle lens scratches easier if you don’t keep tear offs on the lens at all times. I could wipe the Prospect lens with my glove while riding and it wouldn’t get nearly as scratched as the Airbrake lens. The winner of lens changes still goes to the Airbrake, but the Prospect is less painless and quicker than most of the other goggles that are out on the market. Replacement lenses are not cheap at around $18.00-$23.00, but they are less expensive than Oakley Airbrakes.  

For around $99.95. I would consider this a very good wide peripheral goggle for the price. The field of vision, the comfort of the foam against my face, ease of finding the end of the tear off to pull efficiently and the convenience of replacing lenses make it a great buy. Setting up the goggle to fit up to your face might take you a couple rides to get comfy, but once you do you will agree that this is the best goggle Scott USA has made yet.

Tear-Off Gaskets

Tear-off Gaskets is a new patent pending product (Europe / US / Canada ) that will be available on the market by the end of 2020. The product was designed by a professional racer, for the everyday motorcycle enthusiast that rides in diverse weather conditions. The product itself starts with a biodegradable material that is compressible. The gasket is designed to sit 5mm in from the border of the laminated tear-offs. This helps the rider with clearer vision in the most extreme conditions. Tear-off gaskets are thick enough to create a compressible seal, yet thin enough to allow for a total of three laminated seven stacks with a gasket between each laminated stack. This allows riders to install twenty-one tear-offs, while ensuring that no foreign material will enter their field of vision. 

I ended up trying the Tear-Off Gaskets at the Dubya USA World Vet Nationals with my Oakley Airbrake’s and came away very impressed. Normally I am not a huge roll off kind of guy when it rains, so I thought the World Vet Championships would be a great way to try the product, since Mother Nature decided to bring the rain over the course of the day. Installing the gasket on the lens is not a huge process as well as stacking the laminates on literally took me only 10 minutes. I only used two gaskets and two stacks of laminates for a total of 14 tear offs. 

During my first Moto the rain came and I was surprised that by the end of the 20 minute moto, I still had two tear offs left and clear vision! No water or debris made its way between my tear offs and with almost everyone else pitching their goggles, I was stoked to have my eyes free from mud. I will say that you can see the outline of the gasket though the lens, but it doesn’t really hamper your vision when riding that much. When I first put my Oakley Airbrake’s on, I thought I would have a problem with the gasket being so visible, but during the muddy moto, I barely noticed it. Being a California guy, I never thought I needed this, but now that I had the chance to test the Tear-Off Gaskets, I am re-considering having some on hand in the gear bag.  

Tear-off Gaskets are manufactured in Canada. The product will be sold "direct to consumer" and through Online Retailers/Dealerships. Tear-Off Gaskets will be available for 9 different motocross goggles to and will be available for purchase in a 5pk ($19.99 CAD) or a 20 pk ($39.99 CAD). To me this is an item every off-road and motocross racer should at least have in their gear bag, just in case!

Please stay tuned for the product launch at www.tearoffgaskets.com

If you have any questions, or wish to place a booking order, please contact them at tearoffgaskets@gmail.com

On My Own Dime (Oakley Airbrake Goggles)

If someone was to pull the rug out from underneath me today and I was left with nothing in my garage, what would I replenish to start my moto life once again. I mean let’s face it, some of you may still think because I get free products/bikes/etc. that I will tell you everything is great. Well in case this is your first time here at Keefer Inc. we don’t exactly do that kind of thing. What if I was just like you and had to buy all my own shit, just so I could go riding with my buddies on the weekend. Once a week for the rest of 2020, I will talk about a product(s) that I would go purchase with my own money because it’s that good. Here is my second installment of O.M.O.D. 

If you are on the fence about what wide peripheral goggle to purchase you might want to check out this: https://www.keeferinctesting.com/gear-2/2019/6/3/goggle-shootout. I get a couple pairs of free Oakley Airbrake goggles from time to time, but I am far from a sponsored athlete or media guy. I purchase most of my Oakley products through RMATVMC and I do this because the Airbrake is by far my favorite goggle to wear with any helmet. I know what you might be thinking… Holy shit, I am not spending a $160.00 on a goggle. I totally understand this and I was that guy when the goggle was introduced. I thought it was obscured to spend that much money on a goggle. However, once I tried them and noticed how crisp/clear their injected molded lens was, how much ventilation I got, how good the foam was, as well as how much of the track I could view, I was hooked! 

Oakley took a different approach to the goggle market when developing the Airbrake goggle back in 2013. They used different technology and put a pricepoint out there that most consumers just disregarded. In fact, I was one of those people! There was no way I could justify spending $160-200 bucks on a pair of goggles. Fast forward to today and wide peripheral, rigid frame, higher priced, HD lens goggles are the norm. The beauty of the Airbrake is the speed of changing lenses and clarity of the lens technology. The Switchlock system is the best in the business and it really relieves any headache of several lens changes. There are two lugs that center the lens on the frame and the levers lock it in place, that’s it! The PRIZM technology is similar to 100%’s HiPER technology and are very similar looking when riding, but comparing clear lens to clear lens, the Oakley Airbrake simply has more clarity than others. Vision and field of view are also the best in class. I get a slightly wider peripheral view when riding, but it’s only very minimal and may not be noticed by others, but since I have had so many back to back days with all of types goggles, I can nitpick this a little more. The Oakley’s frame fits into all the helmets I have tested in and sealing was never an issue. The face foam is comfortable as well as thick and that can soak up a good amount of sweat before dripping into the lens. Yes, they can still drip into the lens! 

The ventilation on hot days is superb, but on colder days the lens has a tendency to fog up more than I would like so a no fog cloth is key on colder days. I also notice that my eyes get watery on faster tracks due to the amount of airflow that come through the vents. This could be where the ports are placed on the frame and flow the air into my face. This was only felt on extreme fast GP style tracks. Do yourself a favor and possibly seal the vents with a light coating of baby oil if you’re riding dusty or very fast conditions to keep your eyes from watering. On normal motocross style tracks this was a non-issue.  

The lens itself is very delicate and can’t take much abuse. I seem to scratch both  PRIZM and clear lenses easier on the Oakley Airbrake than the Armega or Prospect. You will have to make sure to leave a tear off on the lens of the Airbrakes if you want to extend the life. The overall fit and feel of the Airbrake feels lighter and more compact even though the numbers on paper may not suggest that.

Goggle Price: $140.00-$200.00

Bonus Lens: No

Replacement Lens Price: $25.00 clear $50.00 PRIZM lens

Weight: 135 Grams

Fogging Issues: At Times, Yes When Cold

Laminate Tear Offs: Yes

Positives:

• Simple to swap lens out

• Fit/Feel

• Clarity with several tear offs installed

Negatives: 

• Lens scratches easily 

• Price

• Fogging issues

Wide Peripheral Goggle Shootout

As Matthes and I were driving home from riding one day he suggested that I do a goggle shootout. This sounded like something right up my alley since I have spent so much time in three specific pairs of goggles as of late: The Oakley Airbrake, Scott Prospect, and 100% Armega goggles have seen their fair share of riding time the past few months, so I thought could break down the positives and negatives of each one and compare them against each other. At the time of this test EKS Brand didn’t have their new wide peripheral goggle ready, so that is why they are NOT in this shootout, so don’t yell at me Steve! 

Criteria Breakdown: I went through several helmets while executing this shootout to ensure these goggles fit in the most common North American helmets. Each goggle was worn wearing a Shoei VFX-Evo, Arai VX-Pro4, Alpinestars M10, 6D ATR-2, Fly Formula, Bell Moto 9, and Fox V3. At the bottom of each goggle’s description is a rating for some key categories of each goggle for you to digest as well as pick which one you may like best. The rating chart is a ranking from 1-10. “1” being very poor and “10” being excellent. It’s up to you to decide which one fits your budget and type of riding based on the information that is given. If you have any questions about these goggles please email me at kris@keeferinctestnig.com. As always we keep an open door testing policy. 

Scott Prospect: 

Scott USA has been in the motorsport goggle industry for just over 40 years and have had the Prospect out for a few years now. A complete redesign from their top tier goggle “The Hustle”, the Prospect was in development for nearly two years. Some of the standout features of the Prospect is a polycarbonate lens that is 1mm thick (versus 0.8mm thick like the Oakley Airbrake lens), the Scott lens locking system that consists of four locking pins that secure the lens to the frame of the goggle for safety (instead of feeding the lens into a groove and securing it with tabs), a wider frame, an updated two position outrigger system that did fit a wide range of helmet sizes, a No Sweat 3.2 foam, and a wide strap for optimal grip to the helmet. The lens of the Prospect is not injected molded like the Armega and Airbrake, but still is very tough in its own right. I have yet to have a rock pop any lens out on me over my years of racing/testing, but to say that it can’t happen would be foolish. Having an injected molded lens almost assures that this will NEVER happen.

I am kind of a pain in the ass when it comes to comfort with goggles and the Prospect goggle was the only goggle (out of all three) that took me more time to get used to. Much like a pair of new boots, the Prospect has a unique feel. The way the foam (near the nose area) is cut out doesn't quite wrap around my nose like the other two pairs of goggles.The nose area of the the Prospect is wide and sits more near the bottom of my nose rather than on the bridge. That is exactly why it took some time for me to get used to them. Speaking of the foam however, the No Sweat 3.2 foam against my face feels plush and soaks up enough of my sweat that it doesn’t drip inside the goggle on very hot days in the desert. There was no need to purchase any maxi pads products to add to the top of the goggle’s foam as it soaked up sweat adequately. The field of vision is very similar to the Oakley Airbrake and Armega as the Prospect goggle is as wide as its competitors. It is however not so wide that it didn't fit/seal in the helmets used in this shootout. Compared to the others, the Prospect will ride down almost to the edge of my nose and I have a large nose. Adjusting it to your face is key and I found the best way to get it to ride a little higher up on my nose was to get the goggle strap extra tight and to remove the nose guard that the Prospect comes with. Doing this would allow the goggle to ride a little higher on my face and give me less pressure on the wider part of my nose. It didn’t affect the way it sealed to my face after doing so, but it did take a little longer than usual to find a way to position it correctly. So if you feel like the Prospect is riding a little low on your nose, try tightening the goggle strap a little more than you normally would. 

Changing lenses out on the Prospect is fairly painless, but not better than the 100% or Oakley. You can switch lenses out by popping two locking pins out on top of the frame and two at the bottom. Once those are popped out, the lens comes out easily and I was able to stick another lens in under two minutes, not the fastest, but not horrible! I wore the Prospect on a couple long tests at open tracks days and the four-post tear off design takes a little more of a tug to rip them off. However the way the tear offs lay and fold onto themselves makes it easy NOT to pull more than one at a time. The Scott Prospect tear off design gives you enough tail that you can feel it easily with gloves and rip only one tear off. 

With the Scott Prospect goggle’s pricing (around $80.00 vs. a $160.00 Airbrake) you actually afford a couple pairs. I would also be getting the same wide peripheral vision and almost the same comfort as an Airbrake. I say “almost” because of the low nose area with the Scott’s. The Airbrake and Armega frame fit better to my face (bridge of nose area sets higher up on my nose) and has zero issues with riding low on my nose like the Prospect’s do. However, the Airbrake’s have been known to fog up on me on colder days, but the Prospect’s and Armega’s haven’t. The lens on the Prospect is resilient to getting scratched and is probably the toughest lens in the group. I could wipe the Prospect lens with my glove while riding and it wouldn’t get nearly as scratched as an Airbrake and Armega lens.

For around $80.00 I would consider this a very good goggle for the price. The field of vision, the comfort of the foam against my face, ease of finding the end of the tear off to pull efficiently, and the lack of fogging makes it a great purchase. Setting up the goggle to fit up to your face might take you a couple rides to get comfy, but once you do you will agree that this is the best goggle Scott USA has made yet.

Goggle Price: $80.00

Bonus Lens: Yes

Replacement Lens Price: $10.00

Weight: 138 Grams

Fogging Issues: No

Laminate Tear Off’s: Yes

Rating Chart:

Ease Of Replacing Lenses: 5

Lens Clarity: 7

Field Of Vision: 9

Fitment In Helmet: 8

Foam Feel/Absorption: 8

Overall Comfort/Fit On Face: 6

Ease Of Ripping Tear Offs: 9

Positives:

• Lens toughness

• Great price for a wide peripheral goggle

• Sweat absorption

Negatives: 

• Not the quickest for replacing lenses

• Fit takes some time to get used to

• 10 or more tear off’s clarity/vision is distorted more than Airbrake

100% Armega:

I will be the first one to admit that the older 100% goggles were not my “go to” goggles. They pinched my nose and the clarity of the lens wasn't my favorite. The new Armega goggle has changed my thought process about grabbing a pair to ride with for the week.The 3D modeled lens – this is a polycarbonate material that is specifically designed to have zero optical distortion. There are no imperfections in these lenses which means you can focus on the imperfections on the track instead. Furthermore, their premium lens offering is called HiPER technology which helps contrast red/blue/green color spectrums to really enhance what you are looking at. The best way for me to summarize this is that it almost feels like polarized sunglasses – what you are looking at just seems to pop more. Part of their marketing for the Armega goggle is “Ultra HD Vision” – now I’m not quite sure what to make of that slogan, but know that you might only really notice this HD vision when wearing an Armega goggle that has the HiPER lens in it. This lens technology is however still just behind the Oakley Airbrake Prizm lens in clarity. When wearing a stack of 14 laminate tear offs on the Armega lens, it does become clear that the Airbrake is the favorite when it comes to stacking tear offs for a long moto.

The ventilation system they designed for the Armega is also interesting. There are two induction ports on either side of the nose guard that help force air into the frame of the goggle. This air is funneled right into the foam layers (which are perforated by the way) with the intentions of eventually reaching your face. 100% had the goal of maximizing airflow for hot days and also for the cold days – because on the cold days, the more air you have flowing inside the goggle, the less likely they are to fog up. The Armega is the best no fog goggle in the group, so if you’re a cold rider weather rider these goggles would be my first choice. To tie this ventilation design together, they integrated a sweat channel into the upper part of the frame. This channel forces your sweat away from the lens and out of the goggle on either side of the frame. This is something that I got to test a little while racing the past couple weeks and I can tell you that sweat still in deed does find its way into the inside of my lens. Although it didn't distort vision while racing, you could visually see the perspiration on the lens itself. There isn't a goggle in this shootout that eliminates sweat completely from dripping inside your lens. The Armega does it very well, but DOES NOT eliminate it completely. 

The Armega goggle has the second best lens clarity of the bunch and resistance to scratching is very good (much better than that of the Airbrake). Most importantly the nose area of the Armega fits my big ass nose well and doesn’t leave a pinching sensation or blisters like their old goggle did. The foam is soft to the skin and fits in every helmet I tested, which I can appreciate because I wear so many different types of lids when performing bangers for social media. Changing the lens is also much easier than the Prospect and on par with the Airbrake so that is a welcome addition to the Armega. The pricing of the Armega is $120.00 (with the HiPER lens) so it’s slightly more expensive than the Prospect. Without the HiPER lens (clear) the cost goes down $20.00. If you’re wondering, yes, the clear lens to me is still very HD like. 

Goggle Price: $120.00

Bonus Lens: No

Replacement Lens Price: $25.00 clear $55.00 HiPER Red Mirror 

Weight: 141 Grams

Fogging Issues: No

Laminate Tear Off’s: Yes

Rating Chart:

Ease Of Replacing Lenses: 8

Lens Clarity: 8

Field Of Vision: 9

Fitment In Helmet: 8

Fitment On Face: 8

Foam Feel/Absorption: 9

Overall Comfort/Fit On Face: 8

Ease Of Ripping Tear Offs: 6

Positives:

• Lens clarity

• Fit/Feel

• Sweat absorption

Negatives: 

• Sticky tear off posts

• Feels heavier than other goggles

• Price of HiPER lens 

Oakley Airbrake:

Oakley took a different approach to the goggle market when developing the Airbrake goggle back in 2013. They used different technology and put a pricepoint out there that most consumers just disregarded. In fact, I was one of those people! There was no way I could justify spending $160-200 bucks on a pair of goggles. Fast forward to today and wide peripheral, rigid frame, higher priced, HD lens goggles are the norm. Hence this shootout! The beauty of the Airbrake is the speed of changing lenses and clarity of the lens technology. The Switchlock system is the best in the shootout and really relieves any headache of several lens changes. There are two lugs that center the lens on the frame and the levers lock it in place, that’s it! The PRIZM technology is similar to 100%’s HiPER technology and are very similar looking when riding, but comparing clear lens to clear lens the Oakley Airbrake simply has more clarity. Vision and field of view are also the best in class. I get a slightly wider peripheral view when riding, but it’s only very minimal and may not be noticed by others, but since I have had so many back to back days with all of these goggles, I can nitpick this a little more. The Oakley’s frame fits into all the helmets we tested in and sealing was never an issue. The face foam is comfortable as well as thick that can soak up a good amount of sweat before dripping into the lens. Yes, they still drip into the lens! 

The ventilation on hot days is superb, but on colder days the lens has a tendency to fog up the worst of any goggle in the shootout. I also notice that my eyes get watery on faster tracks due to the amount of airflow that come through the vents. This could be where the ports are placed on the frame and flow the air into my face. This was only felt on extreme fast GP style tracks. Do yourself a favor and possibly seal the vents with a light coating of baby oil if you’re riding dusty or very fast conditions to keep your eyes from watering. On normal motocross style tracks this was a non-issue.  

The lens itself is very delicate and can’t take much abuse. I seem to scratch both  PRIZM and clear lenses easier on the Oakley Airbrake than the Armega or Prospect. You will have to make sure to leave a tear off on the lens of the Airbrakes if you want to extend the life. The overall fit and feel of the Airbrake feels lighter and more compact even though the numbers on paper don’t say much. Lastly, let’s cut to the large elephant in the room shall we… The price! At $160.00-200.00 they are the most expensive in the shootout and that is a turn off with consumers. However, if you’re looking for the best feel against your face and lens clarity that is second to none then this goggle is the ticket. If you’re an off-road guy that rides slower terrain in colder conditions this wouldn’t be my first choice, due to the fogging issues I have had (even with a no fog cloth). 

Goggle Price: $160.00-$200.00

Bonus Lens: No

Replacement Lens Price: $25.00 clear $50.00 PRIZM lens

Weight: 135 Grams

Fogging Issues: No

Laminate Tear Off’s: Yes

Rating Chart:

Ease Of Replacing Lenses: 9

Lens Clarity: 9

Field Of Vision: 9

Fitment In Helmets: 9

Fitment On Face: 9

Foam Feel/Absorption: 9

Overall Comfort/Fit On Face: 9

Ease Of Ripping Tear Offs: 8

Positives:

• Simple to swap lens out

• Fit/Feel

• Clarity with several tear offs installed

Negatives: 

• Lens scratches easily 

• Price

• Fogging issues

100% Armega Goggle First Impression

By: Dominic Cimino

Over here at Keefer Inc. its pretty well known how much we love wearing the Oakley Airbrake goggle. Plain and simple, we feel that this could be the best offering on the market for performance, comfort, and style. Fast forward to this past week when 100% decided to throw a wrench into that goggle train by introducing their new Armega - a completely new offering by the highest selling goggle brand in the industry. At first glance, the Armega is damn sexy and we are excited to really put it through the paces in the upcoming weeks of testing. This read is a quick shakedown after the press introduction held at a private ranch… somewhere down by Mexico. 

No need to bore you with every minute detail of this goggle, because I’m sure by now you have possibly read about it since Wednesday. But I would definitely like to highlight the important traits that really stand out. First off, the 3D modeled lens - this is a polycarbonate material that is specifically designed to have zero optical distortion. In laymen terms, “I can see clearly now the rain is gone…”. Joking, but really - the field of vision is really damn clear. There are no imperfections in these lenses which means you can focus on the imperfections on the track instead. Furthermore, their premium lens offering is called HiPER technology which helps contrast red/blue/green color spectrums to really enhance what you are looking at. The best way for me to summarize this is that it almost feels like polarized sunglasses - what you are looking at just seems to pop more. Part of their marketing jargon for the Armega goggle is “Ultra HD Vision” - now I’m not quite sure what to make of that slogan, but know that you might only really notice this HD vision when wearing an Armega goggle that has the HiPER lens in it.

Another key feature that stands out is the ventilation system they designed for the Armega. There are two induction ports on either side of the nose guard that help force air into the frame of the goggle. This air is funneled right into the foam layers (which are perforated by the way) with the intentions of eventually reaching your face. 100% had the goal of maximizing airflow for hot days and also for the cold days - because on the cold days, the more air you have flowing inside the goggle, the less likely they are to fog up. To tie this ventilation design together, they integrated a sweat channel into the upper part of the frame. This channel forces your sweat away from the lens and out of the goggle on either side of the frame. This is a pretty cool feature that I really want to dive into more now that summer is approaching. During the press ride day, I was able to log a pretty decent moto to where I did actually break a sweat. When returning to my truck and removing the Armega, I noticed that the face foam was still wet - just like any other goggle I’ve worn after a solid 20+ mins. Maybe I didn’t sweat enough for those channels to actually be put to work, but I will definitely try again when we start nearing 100 degrees in SoCal. 

Lastly, the overall comfort of this new goggle is really nice. The foam is super plush and it feels good when wearing it. The field of vision is plenty wide, as is the actual strap itself, and the goggle just has a solid feel to it. The lens is built well and snaps into place in the Armega frame very securely. There is very little flex which promotes safety and the security of knowing nothing will become dislodged from an impact. In regard to the lens locking system - it is definitely convenient to change lenses, but honestly the Oakley set up is still way more efficient. In addition, I feel the Oakley Airbrake frame sits wider and more flush against my face than the Armega does, but than again, I’ve only had one day riding in this new product. And if you want to continue comparing apples to apples, this new 100% Armega goggle with the premium HiPER lens lands on the shelf priced at $120 - a complete steal when comparing this to our preferred goggle of choice. 100% is onto something with the Armega and we look forward to punishing this goggle more in the upcoming weeks. Please hit me with any questions you might have (dominic@KeeferIncTesting.com). Thank you for reading!

Second Opinion: I am a big pain in the ass when it comes to goggles. I love wide peripheral vision and am used to that Oakley Airbrake lens clarity. Now I only have a couple days (four 30 minute motos) under my belt with the Armega’s, but I have some thoughts for you. The Armega goggle has the clarity of the Airbrake lens and even when using 14 laminate tear offs, the clarity is so much better than that of a standard lexan lens. Most importantly the nose area of the Armega fits my big ass nose well and doesn’t leave a pinching sensation or blisters like their old goggle did. The foam is soft to the skin and absorbs sweat well, which I can appreciate on these long hot humid days we’ve been having up here in the desert. Ventilation seems to be on par with the Airbrake and taking the lens on and off is very painless. So far I have been enjoying my time in these goggles, but will get you more of a durability report very soon. -Kris Keefer

Leatt Velocity 6.5 Goggle

It seems like every company in the moto industry is pushing one another to be better in every way and the consumers are reaping the benefits. As with a lot of other companies, Leatt is now offering a premium goggle and we were one of the first media outlets to get our hands on a pair. I have stated in other stories that I HATE changing goggle lenses, no matter how careful I try to be I always end up with my ugly smudged fingerprints all over the inside and outside of the lens. I was thrilled that Leatt decided to go with a pre curved hard lens that snaps out with ease. In fact, the lens is technically “bulletproof” (although our other tester Matt said it didn’t hold up to a .45cal) using a military ballistic impact standard lens material. To install or remove the lens the outriggers un-clip forward and the lens comes out and up from of the nose guard to be easily removed. Re-installing the lens is the reverse process, but can sometimes be tricky to get back over the small side posts under the outriggers. The large 50mm anti slip strap stays in place and takes minimal adjustment to get the fit correct. 

I wore these goggles in a variety of conditions including moto, desert racing and trail riding so I feel like I got all of the bases covered (when it comes to riding and race testing the Velocity 6.5). The first time I tested these goggles was at the Mint 400 with a team of buddies and let me tell you, I definitely tested the bulletproof features of the tough lenses (more on that in a second). The 6.5 is breathable and at the high speeds of the mint 400, I never felt like there wasn't enough air flowing through the goggle. The field of vision is large and the foam contours my face shape well, although for some reason I feel like the lens is slightly far from my face. This isn’t a bad thing necessarily, but when wearing helmets with a close chin bar these goggles can be a hassle to get into the eye port. In fact one thing I noticed was that when wearing the 6.5 goggles with my new Leatt helmet I found it a pain in the ass to get the goggle into the eye port with the nose guard on the goggles, so I ended up taking the nose guard off the goggles to make it easier take on/off. I got to test out the strength of the impact resistant lens when I got passed racing the Mint 400 at about 85 MPH. Let me tell you, nothing hurts quite as bad as having small rocks pelt you while trying to hold onto a bike at high speed. I heard the rocks hitting everything and to my surprise the lens didn’t show any damage after the race, in fact I’m still using the original lenses.  

When it comes to the downside of the new Leatt goggle all my focus is pointed at the tear-off system. When using traditional tear-offs, stacking more than two or three really hurts the clarity of vision as the lens gets somewhat distorted. After I noticed this problem I decided to try their laminated tear-offs, which has much better vision, but needs some work in the fitment and tear off capabilities. After all of the tear-offs are installed there is a noticeable gap between the tear-off and the lens (on the non-pull side) which lets dirt, water, and other debris fall between the tear-off and the lens. It seems as though the lens is nice and pre curved, but when putting a flat stack of laminated tear-offs on, the stacks want to stay flat and not perfectly contour the lens. Adding to this, the post on the lens has a plastic square underneath it, which doesn’t let the tear off sit flat on the lens. Another small critique of the tear offs is that on the pull side, the hole for the post seems too large and makes it easy to pull multiple tear-offs at one time. Leatt also offers a roll off system that I haven’t been able to try, but I am looking forward to getting my hands on. (editors note: The tear off problem also could be that this “off-road” guy needs to learn how to rip tear off’s in the air better).

The foam on the 6.5 is very comfortable and while it isn’t the most absorbent foam I have ever felt, I never had a drop of sweat fall into the eye area. I am a little weird and tend to wash goggles at least every or every other time I ride, so having an easy to remove, cleanable, replaceable lens was a big plus for me. On some goggles the strap tends to start to curl after a couple washings, but I haven’t seen that yet from the 6.5. Overall, I was impressed at the new high end goggle offering from Leatt and  with a pricepoint of $79.99 it’s hard to beat. If you’re a guy that wears Leatt and ABSOLUTELY HAS to match, you just hit the jackpot, but if you’re a guy who doesn’t care about matching and just wants a good goggle, you’re stoked because in my opinion this goggle is worth a try. If you have any more questions about the new Leatt Velocity 6.5 goggle feel free to reach out to me at Michael@keeferinctesting.com. 

Oakley Prizm Lens

Oakley introduced the PRIZM lens technology to us a couple years ago. PRIZM is an effort to build contrast through maximizing your natural color vision. What Oakley is trying to do with a PRIZM lens is identify what colors you're naturally prone to seeing effectively then look at the environment and match up those colors, so you have a lot of contrast, which is supposed to give you better depth perception, and ultimately gives you performance value to your riding.

When it comes to motocross riding the PRIZM lens translates to the identification of bumps, square edge, and transitions between textures in dirt, thus allowing you to see better in shallow ruts. There are three PRIZM lenses to choose from: MX Black Iridium (designed for full sun exposure), MX Jade Iridium (designed to enhance the green colors when riding in and out of trees), and MX Bronze (enhances vision in lower light and is dark enough to notice subtle transitions in full sun). 

I tested the black iridium PRIZM lens in the morning/afternoon then the bronze lens in the evening riding sessions. I also had another pair of goggles with a clear and tinted lenses for comparison. The first thing I immediately noticed when putting on the PRIZM-equipped Oakley goggles was the clarity the lens provided. If you haven't tried an Oakley lens then it’s tough to describe over text how good they can be. Compared to a standard clear lens the crispness that came through the PRIZM lens is almost like you're wearing a corrective lens inside your goggle. I tested the black iridium PRIZM lens in the late afternoon test sessions, on a track with several corners heading into the sunlight, plus sections that were through trees and completely covered with shade, and the transitions between sunlight and darker colors were easier to see. It impressed me that the black iridium lens cut down glare from the sun so much as well.

I started off the late evening sessions using the PRIZM Bronze lens, but once I switched over to another goggle company (with a clear lens) to compare is when I could really tell the difference. The glare from the sun was extremely harsh and it was more difficult to see the lines I was aiming for when entering corners. Even with the standard tinted lens the clarity just wasn’t there like when I had (when riding with the PRIZM lens). Of course, it’s never going to be perfect riding directly into the sun, but the PRIZM lens helped me considerably in those conditions. 

While the standard tinted lens helped with some glare and direct sunlight, I struggled with shade though corners and through shaded tree sections. The transition wasn't as good and I lost the ability to focus on my line where the shadows began. This is where the PRIZM lens excelled because its capability to perform in both direct and low sunlight is something I have never experienced with a goggle lens. 

When stacking laminate tear offs (pack of seven) on the PRIZM lens it doesn't lose its clarity and the benefits stay intact. There isn't another goggle out there that I have tried that can say that. The lens itself DOES scratch easier than other standard lenses, so my suggestion is to leave at least one tear off on until you can change out to another pack. This will help prevent scratches to the expensive lens! 

So the downside to the PRIZM lens is that it is costly. At $45.00-$75.00 a lens, there aren't many of you that want to spend that much coin on a goggle lens right? I get it! This is for the serious racer that wants the most performance out of their lens. Orrrrrrr the guy who rides all freaking day and well into the evening. I am happy with a standard clear Airbrake lens and the clarity it comes with, but I do have a couple of PRIZM lenses on hand (in my gear bag) for those special hard to see places I ride. You can check out the PRIZM lens over at oakley.com. 

Spy Foundation Goggle Product Review

Spy introduced their “Foundation" motocross goggle a few months ago and I have been giving them the ol “Keefer Tested” torture setting. I love a wide peripheral goggle, but I also want the goggle to seal to my face and fit inside a wide range of helmets that I wear. There has been a trend of wide peripheral goggles being introduced the past couple years, but only a few get me a excited enough to actually wear them after initial testing. The Spy Foundation goggle has been giving me those “post testing” signs and here is why. 

The Spy Foundation goggle is a High Definition (HD) Lexan® lens that is designed to provide sharper and more accurate vision in all lighting conditions, while reducing distortion in the peripheral areas. It comes with an installed Spectra™ lens and bonus clear lens with posts. Spy’s RISE™+ ventilation system utilizes the Venturi effect to draw air through subframe vents above the goggle and in-between your helmet, this is said to create a vacuum that pulls hot air from behind the lens. The Spy Foundation goggle offers a 45mm roll-off system, triple-layer Isotron™ face foam with moisture-wicking Dri-Force™ fleece, that is facially contoured to try and provide a comfortable, dry seal that lasts. Spy’s spoiler-style outriggers keep tear-offs lying flat while trying to provide a tight and secure fit to the face. An extra-wide 45MM silicone-ribbed strap (trust me it’s wide) stops goggle slipping and shifting while being aggressive on the track. Lastly the Spy Foundation goggle includes a free removable nose guard and 10-pack of tear-offs (that’s pretty cool). 

The Foundation goggle’s peripheral vision is excellent and provides enough room to fit in a wide range of helmets such as the 6D ATR-2, Fox V3, Shoei EVO, Arai VX-Pro4, Bell Moto 9 Flex, and Fly F2. However, you will have to be patient and get it to set correctly inside your lid, especially because the outriggers are very close to the edges of the eyeports of most of the above mentioned helmets. I did notice that once the goggle was on my face that the foam of the Foundation goggle was very plush and soft feeling. The foam was also good enough to soak up most of my sweat that I provided for the test during the hot summer months (in the desert). The fitment to my face and around my nose was nothing to write home about, but in the world of goggle fitment, no news is good news I say. If I don’t have anything to say abut fitment, it usually means that the goggle fits nicely. In other words, if I am not bitching about the thing, it’s pretty good.  It didn't pinch my big obnoxious nose and sealed my face well enough that it didn't allow any unwanted dirt inside the goggle. The ventilation was excellent, but it was almost too good at times because it draws so much air that when I was riding faster/flowy type tracks, it caused my eyes to water (because it draws so much air through the ports). On most motocross tracks I tested it wasn't a problem, but on trail rides and fast sections of the track you will be able to feel this.

Changing out lenses is not as easy as an Oakley Airbrake goggle, but it wasn't that much of a pain that I was cursing Spy’s name. It was painless enough that Mrs. Keefer could handle the duties with out any problems. The clarity of the lens wasn't anything “crazy good”, but it was nice that when you stacked seven tear offs on the lens, that it didn't distort my view on the track. I can appreciate this because there is nothing more annoying to me than losing my vision because I want to run more than four tear offs. 

The price of $110.00 is steep for a non-rigid lens, so just be forewarned when you go to purchase. The Spy Foundation goggle comes in nine different color ways and is available now. You can check out the complete line of Spy goggles over at spyoptic.com.   

Rip Clear Moto Goggle Lens Protection Product Review

If you could pick out one annoying thing about getting your gear ready, what would it be? For me it’s changing goggle lenses; although some goggle brands (like Oakley and Scott) are easier to change than others, I still never look forward to installing a new lens. Well Rip Clear makes protective lenses for just about anything that needs clear vision, from Go Pro’s, goggles and even cell phone screen protectors, Rip Clear has something for everything. They reached out to Keefer Inc. Testing to see if we would be interested in trying some goggle lens protectors and since Keefer has watched me fumble with lenses multiple times he sent them my way. In the pack of lens protectors there are two universal fit goggle protectors, two wet wipes, one micro fiber cloth and two dust removal sheets along with step by step instructions. To be 100% honest, my first time installing a protector I messed it all up and had to junk one before figuring out the whole process and fitment. Seeing as these are universal fit, depending on the goggle, you may have to trim the sides to fit between the tear off posts on your lens (at least I did on the Scott Prospects). Once the protector was trimmed I made sure the lens was perfectly clean and carefully installed the “Rip Clear” following the instructions closely. 

One thing I noticed was that I had to be very careful making sure the edges were all the way down and to make sure the bubbles were out from under the protector before riding. If there are any bubbles or a lifted edge and you go out for a ride, it collects debris and makes the high spots noticeable in your field of view, which can be annoying for some riders. If everything is installed correctly you can ever so slightly see the edge of the protector but not enough to be bothersome. The reason Rip Clear started selling goggle lens protectors is because no one likes changing lenses all the time (and it’s expensive). These can make your lenses last longer and are also claimed to make the lens stronger (although I never tested the theory). After some time with the Rip Clear protectors I have to say they are definitely more scratch resistant (especially in the Costa Rican mud where you may or may not have ran out of tear offs, thus forcing said rider to have to wipe the lens with muddy gloves) than your bare goggle lens and I haven’t had to change lenses as frequently. After some use and abuse they start to peel up on the edges and that’s when it’s time to replace them. You can just take off the old one, clean the lens and install a new Rip Clear. While the outside of the lens stays much more scratch resistant, the inside is still the standard  lens. 

 I noticed that after being able to use my lens for longer durations of time, the inside of the lens really starts to take more of a beating (especially in dusty conditions). If I had to put a number on it I would say that a lens lasts 1.5 to 1.75 times longer than not having a Rip Clear. So depending on how much a lens costs for your goggle (anywhere from $10-$40 nowadays) a set of Rip Clear Lens protectors ($20 for a pack of 2) may be worth the investment for you to get a little more life out of your lens (plus you won’t be cussing at your goggles or your wife and changing lenses as frequently). I would say my main gripe about the product is that it’s slightly difficult  to get the protector on perfectly and have no bubbles between the lens and protector. As of right now Rip Clear only offers a universal protector that fits between your tear off posts, but after talking with the company they plan to release a few goggle specific (for the more popular models) protectors soon, that will have holes for tear off posts and reach further towards the edge of the lens. The company let me know that as long as there is a demand for something that needs a protector, they will be more than happy to make it. I think for more hardcore moto riders this may not be the ideal product because let’s be honest, some moto riders are divas about field of vision and may have more money than your average blue collar off-road rider. I for one come from an off-road background and I can really see a need for making lenses last longer, especially when conditions get nasty. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any more questions about his product at Michael@keeferinctesting. Or check out Rip Clear at ripclear.com. 

Make sure the lens is clean and dry before installing or bubbles might form. 

Fox Vue Goggle Review

Fox has been building and selling goggles for over ten years, but nothing they have brought to production has been this advanced until now. The Vue goggle is the latest model in Fox’s goggle program and is available now. It’s the product of an extensive R&D collaboration with Fox’s Moto-X Lab athlete Ken Roczen and takes over as Fox’s new top-of-the-line goggle. The Vue’s design focuses primarily on maximizing the rider’s field of vision, but it has two other interesting and practical design elements – the dual-material frame construction and a strap-outrigger system that doubles as a locking mechanism for lens removal/replacement. Genius! Fox offers three different colorways of the Vue goggle, the white and black colorway retails for $119.95 and the red for $129.95 (with spark lens). I am huge fan of the Oakley Airbrake goggle and its wide peripheral and easy to change lens system, so when Fox introduced the Vue, I was excited to see how it worked on my face while at the track. 

The dual-density frame construction (with an ABS/nylon outer frame and softer TPU faceplate) allows the goggle to seal to your face shape really well. They do feel rigid when holding them in your hand, but are flexible enough to give the rider comfort and refrains from letting dirt inside the goggle. The triple-layer face foam is soft and wicks away sweat effectively on hotter days, even my heavy sweater tester commented that the Vue’s foam was more effective than his 100% goggles he currently has. No Maxi Pads needed people! The Peripheral Vision is on par with the Oakley Aribrake and Scott Prospect as the Fox Vue’s field of vision is excellent. The Vue goggle fits inside a wide variety of helmets like the Bell Moto 9, Shoei VFX-EVO, 6D ATR-2, Arai VX-Pro4 and of course Fox’s own V-3. The pre-curved injection-molded polycarbonate lens (which is similar to what appears on the Oakley Air Brake goggle) offers two huge benefits: optical clarity and much better protection against roost than conventional Lexan lenses. I have had more than a few Lexan lenses pop out on me when a sizable rock has hit my goggles (while racing in the past).

 With the polycarbonate lens I have had several roost/rock moments and the lens has stayed in tact. The combination of 360-degree ventilation foam and the lens’ anti-fog treatment means the Vue goggle resists fogging much better than most other goggles I have tried with a single-layer lens. As much as I love the Oakley Airbrake goggle they do have a problem with fogging on colder days. I have tested the Vue goggle in lower 30 degree Fahrenheit temps and the lens will not fog. Boom! I have heard that Fox will be coming out with a dual-layer lens soon for you die hard, east coast, cold weather riders. Changing out the lens is easy to do by popping the outriggers off of the frame then popping the lens off its four posts. However, if I am nitpicking, which is what I do best, I would say that the Oakley Airbrake is easier to change lenses out by a hair. The Vue lenses, to me, are easier to change out than the Prospect by the same margin. Another benefit of a pre-curved polycarbonate lens is when you stack a pack of seven tear offs on the Vue goggle, the clarity stays in tact once installed. The Vue goggle clear replacement lenses are slightly less expensive than the Oakley Aribrake at $19.99 and are the same price as a Prospect replacement lens. 

If you're looking for a great wide peripheral goggle, I think the Fox Vue is a great goggle at getting comfort, vision, clarity and sweat absorption. You can check the goggle out over at foxracing.com and purchase a set over at rockymountianatvmc.com. 

Now, I already know what you guys are about to email me! “Kris, what if I wear Fly or Thor gear? Can I wear these goggles with other branded gear companies”? Ehhhhh boy…I created a monster! Yes, go ahead and wear the Fox Vue goggle with your Fly gear! The Vue goggle is good enough to mix and match, but just make sure your pant, jersey and gloves match though ok? -KK

Blur Optics B-50 Goggle Product Review

I’m always excited to try new products when it comes to testing, especially when it’s a product that some people laugh at or may write off before even trying it. When I first heard I’d be testing a goggle that had a magnetic lens I too had some questions, but after several rides I have the answers to your questions that you may be asking to yourself. The B-50 is Blur’s highest price point goggle with an MSRP of $89.99, which admittedly seems like a lot since Blur has been more known for selling a lower price point, budget goggle. However, don’t judge a book by its cover; the B-50 has become my go to goggle in my assortment of goggle choices. 

Tiny yet powerful magnets hold the lens in place. Yes, it's strong. 

Starting with the frame, the B-50 gives you a fairly large field of vision since it doesn’t need to have a tall frame for the lens to sit in. The vents on the top and bottom of the goggle breathe very well, and even though I had some no fog cloth on hand, it never caused any fogging issues, even on colder days, doing longer moto’s or trail rides. The foam fit my normal sized nose nicely, sealed to my face well, and fit great inside of 6-D helmet that I wear most of the time. We did also fit the goggle inside of a Shoei VFX-EVO, Arai VX-Pro4, Fox V4, Bell Moto 9 and Suomy with no fitment issues. Admittedly I’m a bit of a sweater and when the goggles were new the foam didn’t absorb my heavy sweating very well. I had a few drips fall into my eyes at the beginning of the test, but for reasons unknown to me the more I rode with the goggles, the better the foam seemed to break in and soaked up my perspiration adequately. One of the many upsides of the B-50 is since the lens pulls right off, I was able to wash my goggles with the rest of my gear, and re-use the same lens after washing without much fuss. The adjustable strap is nothing fancy, but does the job well and always stays in place with the silicone grippers. 

Let’s get to the part that everyone wants to know, does the lens fall out easily? No, I never had a lens come off unintentionally. I’ve had some small crashes (not head bangers), been roosted by Keefer lap after lap (when he’s lapping me), and taken many bushes to the goggles and have yet to have any issues. As far as I’m concerned, if you have a lens pop off, you have other issues……like how you’re getting back to the truck or how much your hospital bill is going to be. Not your goggle lens. Does it seal to the frame? Yes, the magnets are very strong, and the lip of the frame has not let anymore dust into the goggle than any other goggle on the market that I have tested. Does the lens rip off when you pull a tear-off? No, I’ve gone through traditional tear-offs as well as the laminated packs, and the lens never budged. Since the lens is so large, they all come with a mud flap at the top (that is out of the viewing area), to put the tear offs under so nothing gets between your tear-offs and lens. One downside is Blur does not offer a roll-off style system yet, so all you east coast mud-boggers may want to take that into consideration before making the purchase. 

Not shocking, the lenses are hands down easier to change than any other goggle on the market, it really is that simple, just pull on the tab, and they come off from the bottom right corner. Being that they are so easy to change the B-50 makes the need to have 3 sets of goggles (one with each style lens) null and void. For example, you're going on a long trail ride and start the day off with a smoke or tinted lens and then the sun start dipping behind the mountains. Most of us off-road guys have been there right? Instead of having to take your goggles off (in order to see) to get back to the truck simply take an extra clear lens with you (in your fanny pack) and pop it in! Boom! Clear vision and goggles on all the way back to the pits! Lenses are obviously more expensive than standard lenses at $29.99 each, but unlike other high end goggle manufacturers, whose lens prices vary from $25.00 for clear, to $95.00 for special lenses, the B-50 lenses are all the same price. So if you have to be the “cool” guy and have the name brand popular goggles that’s fine. However if you’re open minded and want to try a really cool, innovative product, I highly recommend you give the Blur B-50 goggles a try. From easy lens changes to an easily washable frame, Blur seems to be trying to add more of a high end google to their line up and to me it’s not only a great idea, but a great goggle to wear as well. You can go to bluroptics.com to check out the complete line up that they have to offer. -Michael Allen  

If you have any questions about this test please feel free to email me at michael@keeferinctesting.com

2017 Favorites

The holiday season is upon us and 2017 is almost a thing of the past. When I am at the track I often get asked what are some of my favorite things I have tested and used for 2017? Although this is tough to narrow down because I have tested so many great things throughout the year, I wanted to compile a list of some of the most memorable bikes, parts, gear and accessories that I either wanted to keep in my garage or I would purchase myself. Here is part one in no particular order. 

2017 KTM 450SX-F Factory Edition: I liked it so much that I got heat from Matthes on if I was going to turn full orange brigade. I chose to race the 2017 KTM 450SX-F Factory Edition at Loretta’s and became a fan of its smooth roll on engine character, an air fork I could live with and a chassis that loves hard pack square edge tracks. Although I struggled at Loretta’s, I learned a lot about the bike and what its advantages and disadvantages were. It was reliable (for the most part) and I enjoyed my time on it on thoroughly. One of the top three bikes for me in 2017. 

2017 Yamaha YZ450F: You knew this was coming. No, it’s not the sharpest handling 450 machine out on the market, nor is it the lightest of them, but the Yamaha is stable, has an incredible engine (that is exciting) and suspension comfort every other manufacturer should try and emulate. Did I mention it was reliable? Yes, that too! 

Arai VX-Pro4: One of the most comfortable helmets you can put on your head. The inside of an Arai VX-Pro4 is like wrapping a soft, cozy pillow around your brain bucket. The round shape of the shell fits my head well and I appreciate some of the colorways Arai offers. The Arai VX-Pro4 has been around a while, but they have updated the helmet and gave us long nose riders more room near the chin bar now which is a welcomed site. The helmet has ventilation you can open or close and an eye port big enough for wide peripheral goggles.  

FAAST Company Spoke Torque Wrench: The most important tool I have in my track toolbox is this Faast Company spoke torque wrench. This spoke torque wrench comes pre-set at 48 inch pounds, but can be adjusted to  your specification anywhere from 10-100 inch pounds, select your own torque or use Faast Company’s recommendation for your application. Simply tighten the spoke until you hear and feel a click, and you know the spoke is adjusted to the correct amount of tension providing you an even pull over your whole wheel for exceptional strength. Dumb ass proof! Just the way I like it! 

Oakley Airbrake Goggles: Expensive, but there is no other goggle that is as comfortable on your face as the Oakley Airbrake. Most average consumers would not want to purchase a $160.00 rigid frame goggle and I understand that. I am simply putting the Oakley Airbrake goggles in here because they are the goggle I look to when I get geared up. A wide peripheral goggle with a lens changing system that literally takes 10 seconds, foam that is not only plush but soaks up sweat well and laminated tear offs that do not distort your vision when you stack 14 or more on!  

CTi Knee Braces: After all these years riding a dirt bike and I finally got a pair of CTi knee braces this year. CTi knee braces are custom fitted to your legs and are second to none in quality. The carbon frames are super lightweight when putting them on and the rotating knee cup system is smooth and never gets hung up inside your pants. They mold onto your legs and almost feel like they are not on at times. When it comes to protection of the knees, these braces set the standard for others to follow. 

Works Connection Elite Clutch Perch/Lever: You want a buttery smooth feeling clutch pull? You have come to right place. The Works Connection Elite Clutch Perch/Lever has been around for years, but never gets old when you put one on your machine. Whether you have a brand new 2018 or you got your old 2004 two-stroke sitting in the garage, the WC Elite Perch/Lever makes your clutch pull feel like new. The adjustment wheel is big enough that you can adjust on the fly and the detent pressure is set to just the right amount of pressure to make it easy to spin in the air. 

Alpinestars Tech 10: I ride with a lot of different brands of boots, but the Tech 10 has been a staple for me and my size 10 feet for quite sometime. The Tech 10 boots are very comfortable on hard landings and have an incredible soft feeling sole. The shock absorbing quality of these boots are second to none and as I get older I appreciate this more. My ankles and feet have never been sore after a long day of riding and the Tech 10 boots have me feeling secure and locked in on the bike. The Tech 10’s weigh in at roughly 10 pounds and while they are not the lightest boot on the market, the protection I do feel on the track is so good I am willing to overlook the heavier feeling I get at times. As you can see these are a fairly worn pair of Tech 10s, but they are still in the rotation and keep my feet happy on long test days. 

VPT4E: Looking for a good pump replacement fuel? The VP T4E is great for all early and late model four-stroke motorcycles. The newly blended T4 fuel, which now is called T4E gives you better throttle response and more pulling power from bottom to mid range. It’s not going to transform your machine to an instant fire breather, it just gives a little extra crispness and is more consistent of a fuel than your standard pump gas. 

Garmin Forerunner 910XT: If you don’t have a manfriend or a hot chic with large ta-tas to write times on a pitboard for you while you are doing motos the Garmin Forerunner 910XT is the next best thing. The GPS enabled watch can record your lap times with its auto lap feature, take your heartrate, speed, how many calories you burned and much more. This is one thing I don’t leave home without when I go to the track to burn laps. I can log all of my data from my watch to my laptop at home with just a simple USB cable. If you're looking for a do it all moto/cycling watch the 910XT is the best that I have found. Check out Amazon for the best deal on these suckers!

Asterisk ZeroG Pant: You're a knee brace guy and your knee braces slip down over a long day of riding Asterisk has the fine for you. The Asterisk Zero G pant is a base layer compression pant that encompasses the knee brace to help keep the brace in place against your leg. The extra long length of the pant can fold back up and over the brace, traps the brace and a Velcro enclosure (located at thigh area) holds it all together. The Zero G pant is designed to make it simpler for all of us to slide the pant over the knee brace, as well as allowing the brace to move with your legs without restraint on the bike.

Fox FlexAir Pant And Jersey: The new second generation FlexAir  pant has a new chassis that includes a new knee design that removes some material for a more aerodynamic, streamlined fit. There is an updated two-piece rigid waistband and closure system along with the removal of the pant liner to try and decrease ounces and unwanted heat for the summer. The updated 2.0 FlexAir jersey has a new bonded cuff along with a TRUDRI fabric blend to keep weight down and breathability up. For 2017 this was one of my favorite gear sets to wear on any given day. The fit was great and the ventilation of the gear was second to none. Not to mention all of the LE colorways Fox came out with in 2017 was insane! Come on Fox lets see some bad ass LE colors for 2018! 

Pro Taper Fuzion Handlebars: Are you a crossbar kind of rider? If you're looking to go from a 7/8 handlebar to a 1 1/8 size the Fuzion is a great option. The flex locking system allows riders to choose between a stiffer, more controlled handlebar feel or a softer more shock absorbing feel depending on terrain and rider preference. Changing the bar from “Locked” to “Unlocked” takes only seconds by simply turning a knob. The Fuzion utilizes Pro Taper’s exclusive aluminum alloy, 4mm wall design for lightweight, strength and comes in six different bar bends. If I am going the crossbar route, this Pro Taper handlebar is a less rigid choice.