The model I tested was the “Candyz” with the silver mirror NoDistortion lens.

True to the manufacturer’s claim, these goggles have a flexible frame and good helmet compatibility. They were easy to take on and off and fit well with a variety of helmets I tested them with. The goggle also employs a simple feature that works with any helmet: the inside of the goggle strap has a sticky silicone layer that grips the helmet and doesn’t slip. Easy and effective.

Venting / Fogging
This goggle has good venting on the top and bottom of the frame and a standard dual lens to combat fogging. The lens never fogged during my test but the conditions were generally dry and not likely to cause fogging.

Field of view
These goggles have a good field of view but nothing above average. Compared to the great peripheral vision that some other goggle companies are offering with their dome-shaped goggles and oversized frames, the Shred Soaza was nothing special.

Lens quality
Shred claims that its NoDistortion “thermal double lens is allowed to adjust to varying altitudes without distortion. Air molecules may in fact pass through the micro-porous red PORON filter… while water and moisture are stopped from entering the space between the lenses.” It’s basically a little patch of waterproof-breathable material that allows water vapor to escape from inside the lens (in case you screwed up somehow and moisture got inside the space between lenses). It seems to work—I didn’t experience any interior moisture buildup.

The problem with these lenses is that I did experience visual distortion. While I could see the slope and the snow just fine, the lens slightly warped the image with blurry vertical lines. While this effect was slight, it was noticeable and somewhat distracting. It’s something I’d expect from a cheap, low-performance goggle but not from a higher price-point goggle.

Durability
I was also disappointed to find scratches on the outside of the lenses after only a few days on the hill. The goggles weren’t unnecessarily hammered, I kept them in their fabric sleeve when not in use, and certainly didn’t take too many tree branches in the face. Nonetheless, there were obvious scratches from my relatively mild use. The lens has a mirrored look to the outside finish so these scratches were noticeable to my companions as well as visible through the lens while using the goggle. After just a few test days, the goggles already looked tired and that was disappointing.

Summary
It ultimately seems that the redeeming quality of these goggles was the style and the look. They are not the highest performance, not particularly durable, and a little below the caliber I’d expect at this price (-4 points for low scratch resistance and lack of included lens options.) However, when loading the lift, the scraggly young lift operator made a point of telling me: “Sick goggles, dude.” Shred definitely has great model colors and great designs and makes a great looking goggle.