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.

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