Smith Stance 2013 - 2012 Review by The Good Ride

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Well made, many interchangeable lenses and will last a long time. People give Oakley and Smith big ups when it comes to goggles.  On those really wet pow days you can breathe up a steamy breath on the lens and it will de-fog in seconds. Much other company’s can does what Smith can when it comes to anti-fogging.   Smith made some good upgrades with the Stance Goggle.  Aside from the aesthetic changes added silicon to the back of the strap to hold on to a helmet as the Oakley Crowbar does.

Ethics Statement: We don’t get paid by the manufacturer to write these reviews.  No one is perfect and we do make money from the “Where To Buy” links below, but this is our best attempt at an honest and objective review from an average riders’ perspective.

Three riders have had a pair of Fuses for over 3 years, the Stances for 1 year and they have never let us down.  Now we are on to the Stance goggle and have almost a season under our belt. We have found it to be basically a re-styled Fuse. This is good. The old Smith Fuse is very similar in shape to the Dragon DX and the Anon Figment.  The new Smith Stance has evolved into a shape that is a cross between the aforementioned goggles and the Oakley Crowbar which we like more than the old Fuse.  If you combine these with Smith Helmets you create the best ventilation you can have with a nonpowered helmet goggle combo.

Only one rider fogs up these goggles but he is a hot sweaty bastard that fogs up any goggle he uses. If you are like him then go for the Smith Turbo’s that have a powered fan.   It sounds weird but you will get used to it.  We are big fans of the vent control on the front.  You can slide open or close the vent so on those cold days so you don’t get an ice cream headache.

The Stance and Fuse Goggles seem to miss that complete seal around the face.  For example, most of us found the goggles to fit well around the cheek/forehead but not well around the nose.  Over time the goggle forms to your face rather well but we would like to see more foam used and a better fit around the nose.

When it comes optical clarity the Stance, like all Smith Goggles, is excellent.  These goggles have a clarity that is up there or better than any goggle in the price range.  One thing we all really like with the Smith Goggles is the tint of their lenses.  They always have a color that really stands out and makes it fun to look through without sacrificing clarity.  Almost every sensor and ignitor mirror lens seems to create a vibrant tint to the snow and they seem to change with the light.

All in all both goggles are well made and a very good choice.  The price will be pretty good with the Smith Fuse but you might want the Smith Stance if you would like a newer design and silicone on the straps for extra grip.  We feel the Smith Fuse is an excellent choice if you are looking for good vision, good venting and aren’t that picky about the fit.