BETTER WITH BUBBLE
Smith went through more than 140 prototypes and had to build brand-new machines and manufacturing systems to make the first curved goggle lens, the 4D Mag. Where most goggles end suddenly at the bottom, the 4D lens continues to curve under, adding significant field of vision looking down the hill—25 per cent more than the expansive I/O lens. Additionally, the new lens allowed Smith to slim down the frame all over, further boosting field of vision. The difference wasn’t shocking until you switch to another goggle. It felt like the difference between panorama and portrait mode on a phone. Smith figures the 4D is to goggles what the original iPhone was to smartphones. “Expect lots of innovative ideas in goggle and lens ideas in the next couple of years,” says Smith’s product line manager Graham Sours. $340; smithoptics.com
