Smith Bobcat – Best of Goggles and Sunglasses

Kate Agathon

The newly-released Smith Bobcat performance eyewear offers the best of both goggles and sunglasses. Like a goggle, the shield lens offers full coverage from elements and also a wider field of vision for a full panoramic view. Like sunglasses, they are lightweight, and are easier to quickly put on and off.

 

A smaller version of the Smith Optics Wildcat, they are designed for multi-sport use including skiing and cycling. I preferred to use them while nordic skiing because they offered the perfect amount of coverage, and better air flow. They also looked amazing!

 

My initial interest in the Smith Optics Bobcat is because they are offered in a smaller face fit (hello, that’s me). Whether it is ski goggles or sunglasses, I’m always on the search for performance eyewear that fits my small head and face.

 

Despite being advertised as an alternative fit, very few times over the years have I ever found small fit eyewear that fits my face well. Consequently, while I was waiting for the Smith Optics Bobcats to arrive, I was both excited and somewhat skeptical about the fit.

 

When the Smith Optics Bobcat did get here, they immediately felt comfortable and fit my face better than some of the multisport shield eyewear made by their counterparts (begone, skepticism!).

No adjustment required. And thanks to adjustable nose pads, no awkward slippage down my nose. Suddenly, similar performance eyewear that I had been wearing prior to the Bobcats seemed ill-fitting.

 

Ever since I first tried them on, the Smith Optics Bobcats have been my performance eyewear of choice for nordic skiing (they unfortunately do not fit well while wearing a bike helmet because my face is so small).

 

I’ve worn them on incredibly bright bluebird days in Summit County with nearly blinding fields of snow and have been especially thankful for the ChromaPop lens that enhances contrast that would be difficult to see with any other lens.

 

While skiing in Leadville last week, I recall being particularly thankful because there were some anomalies in the groomed trails (a tiny tree stump sticking out, some icy sections, etc.) that I was able to see quickly and adjust my ski strides accordingly.

 

Like most ski goggles, the Smith Optics Bobcat comes with an interchangeable bonus clear lens for low-light conditions. While I prefer photochromic lenses that don’t need to be replaced, this is just me being lazy. The clear lens works just fine in gray conditions.

The final word? The Smith Optics Bobcats performance eyewear are comfortable and offer a wide field of vision that cannot be found wearing a standard pair of sunglasses. They fit me better than any of their multi-sport counterparts. I love wearing these for outdoor sports such as nordic skiing where helmets are not in use; they look great, fit well, and perform even better.

Key features:

 

• Hydroleophobic lens coating

• Small to Medium fit

• Hydrophilic megol temple & nose pads for a secure fit

• Auto-lock hinges

• 1 ChromaPop™ bright light lens and 1 interchangeable clear lens

• 5 base cylindrical lens

• Microfiber bag and zippered case included

• Hybrid TR90 & TPU construction

• Two-position adjustable nose pads

Kate Agathon

Dr. Of Stoke

Freelance writer, bicyclist, outdoor recreation enthusiast, social justice advocate, and mom to her furbaby, Utah the Adventure Dog.

 

A Colorado native, Kate considers the outdoors her mother ship. She brings her passion for bicycling, the environment, and issues of diversity to her writing. Her primary outdoor recreation activities are mountain biking, fat biking, snowshoeing, camping, peak bagging Colorado’s 14ers, road cycling, and Nordic skiing. After suffering two major knee injuries within four years, Kate hopes to return to alpine skiing next season.

 

Kate earned a bachelor’s degree in History from Colorado State University and later an MSEd and Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Purdue University. In addition to her education, Kate’s background serving on the Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Committee and experience working for non-profits and bicycle sales well position her to bring depth and understanding to the complex changes currently taking place in the outdoor recreation industry.

We also heard she has a (slight) obsession for blue heelers.