Mountain bike goggles generally use a single lens, as they don’t need to resist fogging in cold conditions like a ski goggle. They may also have less foam around the frame than a motocross goggle to allow more airflow and keep you cooler when you’re pedalling. Lenses come in a variety of tints to suit different light conditions, with mirrored options being perfect for bright days in the open, and coloured tints offering contrast enhancement. Clear lenses are also really useful for winter days and mixed conditions.

Smith Squad goggle

Ideal for all conditions

Price: $85

By removing the foam around the goggle frame, the Smith Squad keeps you cool in the sun, but stops you from steaming up on damp, humid days. The frame is unobtrusive, so you get less of that tunnel vision effect, and it doesn't pinch your nose or restrict your breathing. We love the lenses, particularly the Contrast Rose Flash ChromaPop lens as it offers just enough of a tint to mute bright light, but allows in enough rays to let you see when you dive into dense woodland. Contrast and clarity are first rate, and if there isn’t sufficient light for this lens, there’s also a clear one included.

Buy Now

Giro Blok

4K widescreen experience

Price: $90

Put the Blok MTB on and the first thing that hits you is the clear, almost completely uninterrupted field of view. It manages this humungous vision without being overly bulbous or quirky. Giro's snowsports pedigree obviously pays dividends here. Its more traditional shaping, along with the butter-soft frame material, helps the Blok conform to almost every helmet and face shape without issue. The foam cushioning is covered in a super soft fleece-like material, leaving very few pressure points.

Buy Now

100% Strata Outlaw

Effective bargain goggles

Price: $25

The 100% Strata Outlaw is the perfect entry-level goggle, for when you want extra eye protection and clear vision but don't want to spend a fortune. Coming from the respected Californian brand, these goggles use the same lens as the rest of the 100% range, so you can easily upgrade to a mirror lens or find spares should the orginial lens get scratched. There's an anti-fog lens, dual layered foam that's soft against your skin and it even comes with a microfibre bag that doubles as a lens wipe.

Buy Now

Leatt Velocity 6.5 Iriz goggle

Best for roosting loam

Price: $89

If you're always getting peppered by flying rocks, dirt, loam or insects, then the bullet-proof Leatt Velocity goggles are for you. Every lens gets an anti-fog coating (oh, and they're bullet-proof) and an easy to understand light transmission ratio. The nose guard is removable, there's an anti-sweat fleece-backed foam padding, and the frame is compatible with Leatt's roll-off system for clear vision in wet or muddy conditions.

Buy Now

Smith Optics Squad XL goggle

Bigger and better

Price: $85

All of the features that make the Smith Squad our go-to mountain bike goggle, in a bigger and better package. First class ventilation and comfort combined with even more real estate, giving you more protection and clearer vision, with nothing to distract from the trail ahead. The bonus clear lens is really useful for murky conditions, but it's the ChromaPop lens that really has the wow factor.

Buy Now

Once you've tried riding in goggles, it's hard to go back. You can really focus on the trail ahead, and in dusty or damp conditions, you never have to worry about getting dirt in your eyes. The latest MTB goggles, like the superb Smith Squad XL, are also well ventilated, so you never feel claustrophobic. If you only occasionally ride alpine trails and bike parks, then the 100% Strata Outlaw does the job for a bargain price. For anyone who wants a seriously heavy-duty pair of goggles that should survive the apocalypse, check out the Leatt Velocity 6.5.