True Anti-Fog OTG Goggles That Passed the Test; 509 Sinister X7 Ignite S1

[CB Utah]

I wear glasses so dealing with goggles can be an issue unless I'm moving down the hill.  I've always preferred wearing prescription sunglasses and regular glasses for night skiing but thought I'd see what else was out there.  Smith formerly made a goggle with a fan but they are out of production.  I started looking around snowmobile shops since virtually everything they have is powered, heated, etc. and decided to go all out and get a pair of over the glasses-compatible goggles with a fan and heated lenses.  The full name of the product I'm reviewing is the 509 (brand) Sinister X7 Ignite S1.  509 makes several different varieties, some without heated lenses, some with heated and some with both fan and heat.  Testing consisted of wearing the goggles in mid-50 degree weather, snowboarding, hoofing it around the base by the lift, pulling up my Buff sun guard snug against the bottom of the goggle frame, trying to redirect air up to them when I breathed, etc.  They just plain work.  A tiny bit of fog formed when I first put them on but the auto mode (there are two modes, manual and auto) detected it and on came the tiny fan while the lenses heated.  I couldn't detect any heat transmitting to my face nor did the fan interfere with my vision.  About the only thing I noticed, was when my surroundings became quiet, I could barely hear the fan.  It's mounted high enough that the sound appears to be coming from somewhere farther away on the mountain.  It's virtually silent.  The lens swap process is exceptionally fast.  The battery pack is fairly small, isn't noticeable on my helmet and charges off a USB hooked to the laptop.  Battery life has not been an issue.  Overall, I'm pleased with the goggles and recommend them.  The best part is snowmobile equipment dealers are dumping product now, so you can get screaming deals like I did, if you shop around.  For those liking bigger lenses on goggles, there's an Aviator 2.0 model that has the same functionality and costs maybe $20 more.  For the engineers, you can get the free 509 app and modulate the individual settings and truly customize them.  Second photo shows the view, looking at the top of the goggle where the micro fan is.    

[Neil Gendzwill]

Wonder what battery life is like when it’s cold? I’m often riding in -15C or colder. 

[CB Utah]

Hi Neil, that’s a great question.  509 claims 4 hours run time on auto setting, with a potential to stretch that to 8 on manual setting.  No mention of temperature used to test battery life by 509.  I bought these late so I tested during exertion from 45-60 degrees F.  Chest freezer is at other house otherwise I’d start them up and drop them in for you and test.  They are made specifically for snowmobiling and seem to be popular with that community.  One can purchase a battery cable extension and snake it into the jacket where the battery is in a pocket to keep it warmer.  The extension cable is about $20 US.  I believe an extra battery (not the battery box) is around $40 US.  Hope this helps.