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Safety
Gear - Goggles Protection for Your Eyes
"If a man can't see, he can not fight,"
or so the saying goes; however, for an ATV racer
or trail rider, these words could never ring more
true. Vision is a priority when it comes to going
fast, and goggles not only protect, but in some
cases enhance your vision, which will allow you
to go as fast as your riding ability will allow.
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If
a man can't see, he can not fight, which
is why goggles should be worn at all times
while riding or racing
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Even if speed is not your goal, riding at a slow
trail pace or when working on the farm, goggles
can keep you from having all sorts of issues with
your eyes and should be part of everyone's safety
equipment. Cruising along at a blistering 20 mph
can find you riding blind if dirt or worse impacts
your eye. This causes your eye muscles to contract
violently as a safety measure to protect your
vision. You may think you can deal with it, but
you just aren't designed to handle what your body
will do regardless of how you want your eyes to
react. With that said, a basic, inexpensive set
of goggles could be all that stands between you
and the possibility of a temporary or permanent
eye injury.
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There is
a goggle made for everyone's taste and
budget with prices ranging from the as
low as $10 to well over $100 for a top
of the line goggles, but regardless of
your budget, goggles should be worn at
all times while riding as they protect
your eye, and if you can't see, you can't
ride
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Goggles can run the gamut from inexpensive and
plain to hyper-expensive and loaded with specific
options and colored lenses...are we still talking
goggles or buying a car! A quick browse around
the local riding area will surely turn up several
types of goggles; all performing their basic intended
purpose of protecting your eyes. Even if it’s
just a simple clear goggle, you have choices to
make. Several manufactures offer systems for riders
that help combat the conditions we face when out
on our ATV's and UTV's. There are two main types
of "systems" that are rooted deeply
in the racing scene, "roll-off’s"
and "tear-off's", and even a combination
of the two.
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| Goggle
Roll-Off Film is housed in two cansisters
on the sides of the goggles, and a pull
of the string advances the roll and provides
a clear strip of sight |
The roll-off systems utilize a canister of film
that is housed in two side compartments mounted
to the goggle frame. A simple string is pulled
to bring fresh, clear film over the main portion
of the lens for better visibility when dirt, dust,
and mud coat the lens. This system works extremely
well for many people and rates high with racers
in most forms of off-road, open-wheel and motorcycle
riding/racing. The replacement film is relatively
inexpensive and usually is sold in racer packs
of 6 or 12, with an average cost of $10 to $19.
You even have the option, from Scott USA, to add
a roll-off system to several of their goggles
if they were purchased without the system. At
$36, this could be a great addition for someone
looking for the added feature without breaking
the bank.
A recent addition to the roll-off system from
Scott is the "Mudflap". The Mudflap
is a small flap of plastic that the roll-off film
slides under at the top of the goggle, which helps
prevent mud from entering from the top of the
film plane. Roll-off’s do work well, but
if you get water or mud under that strip of film
you will see how difficult riding can be when
you are looking through the murky and hazed mess
that can be created.
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| Pro
ATV Racer, John Natalie Jr pulls a tear-off
from his goggles during a race |
Tear-off systems have been around since before Jeremy
McGrath was drooling on his bib, and are even used
today by law enforcement tactical units and military
Special Forces, for the very reason we use them
when riding. A quick "tear" off of a preloaded
"film cover" gets you back to clear vision,
a high priority when sailing over a 70-foot triple
or taking down the bad guys. Tear-off’s mount
to your lens via two small spuds on the goggle lens
and are stacked so that the tear-off’s can
be loaded. A quick pull on the front tear-off will
reveal a clean one and then you’re back in
action. Tear-off’s suffer the same fate as
roll-off’s when water or mud gets between
the layers so neither system is foolproof. Tear-off’s
can be purchased in either small or large quantities
all the way up to 50 packs for those that like to
buy big and save a buck or two. One note on the
tear-off’s themselves is that they are not
biodegradable and many tracks around the country
are limiting their use as they litter the track
and pit areas and cause somewhat of a pain in the
rear for track personnel to clean up.
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