The best mountain bike goggles offer unparalleled protection against the sun, wind and trail debris and work seamlessly with the best full-face MTB helmets. Although primarily chosen by enduro and downhill athletes, the extra protection and security goggles provide can also make them a go-to for harder-going trail rides. 

Best mountain bike goggles 2024

• Melon Optics Parker
• SixSixOne Radia
• Smith Optics Fuel V.2
• Leatt Velocity 6.5
• POC Opsin
• The best MTB goggles

Melon Optics Parker

From £45

2023 melon optics parker hero.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Melon Optics is known for its affordable but super-customisable eyewear including the Kingpin and Alleycat sunglasses. The Parker is its more budget friendly goggle and comes with several customisation options that allow customers to pick the colour or pattern of the frame, strap and lens. Additional lenses cost £12.50 up to £17.50.

In practice, the Parker goggle provides excellent performance for the cash, offering a wide field of view and excellent comfort thanks to its microfibre face foam. The goggle's 360-degree venting system is effective, keeping fog well at bay and the Parker can accommodate Melon Optics' Rip'N'Roll kit which can be picked up for an extra £25.

For more, have a look at our Melon Optics Parker goggle review.

SixSixOne Radia

£40

2023 661 radia goggle hero.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Coming in at a very friendly £40 is SixSixOne's Radia goggle and, although it's not very expensive, it's the full package. It features a 40mm strap, a mirrored lens with anti-fog and anti-scratch treatments as well as 100 per cent UVA and UVB protection.

Although these goggles are shaped to work best with SixSixOne's Reset helmet, they fit very well with other options. The field of view provided is very good and although tinted, its lens has proven to be versatile both through the height of summer, and under cloud cover. They look great, too.

For more details on these goggles, read the SixSixOne Radia goggle review.

Smith Optics Fuel V.2

£79

2020 smith fuel v.2 hero.jpg, by Rachael Wight

Smith Optics does a great job of colour-matching its goggles to its current range of helmets and that was exactly the case in the pairing of the Fuel V.2 goggle with the Smith Mainframe helmet. Coming in a little pricier than other offerings in this buyer's guide, it gets a little more tech, such as a Sweat-X F.A.T three-layer face foam and an outrigger system to help the strap play ball with the edges of a full-face helmet better.

We were impressed with the Fuel V.2's ability to shift fog and the field of view is great. While the lens is clear and provides a comfortable tint that works well in a range of conditions, we found the goggle foam padding puts unwanted pressure on the nose.

If you like what you see, make sure you read the Smith Optics Fuel V.2 goggle review for more information.

Leatt Velocity 6.5

£120

Leatt-Velocity 6.5-goggles-review-100.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Where a lot of folks are pairing their goggles with half-face helmets, Leatt's Velocity 6.5 is best suited for use with full-face lids. Although, at this price, we would expect a clear lens included in the package, the Velocity 6.5 provides excellent clarity thanks to its durable lens which also provides an undistorted and wide field of view.

Downsides are few but we found these goggles to be rather heavy and needed cinching down properly to achieve good stability. However, the nose guard and tear-offs included in the pack make these goggles a great option for those who want to race.

For a deeper look at these goggles, read the Leatt Velocity 6.5 goggle review.

POC Opsin MTB

£50

2024 poc opsin goggle hero.jpg, by Liam Mercer

The Poc Opsin goggle provides an awful lot for a very reasonable price. It's sorted with a fancy double-pane lens that minimises fog and the minimal foam around the frame encourages airflow, further reducing any chance of fogging.

The Opsin packs a high-quality and super-clear smoked Zeiss lens, making it a versatile choice for both overcast and brighter days. The field of view is second to none, with no frame impeding vision.

While this all sounds awesome, it's not without a couple of downsides. First off, that double-glazed Zeiss lens scratches easily from the inside and replacement lenses are £65 a pop. If both of these niggles were fixed, these would be the best goggles on the market.

For a deeper look at these goggles, check out the POC Opsin goggle review.

The best MTB goggles

Melon Optics Parker

2024 melon optics best goggle top pick.jpg, by Liam Mercer

Taking home the coveted crown of our best mountain bike goggles buyer's guide is the Melon Optics Parker. It stands on the top spot thanks to its combination of excellent quality, its wide field of view and, frankly, its excellent value for money. That's ignoring the opportunity for customisation. Additional and replacement lenses are reasonably priced, too.

To understand why it's the best mountain bike goggles on the market, take a look at our detailed Melon Optics Parker goggle review.

How to choose the best mountain bike goggles

If you value protection and security, mountain bike goggles are well worth the investment. The thick strap keeps goggles in place while their durable frame and large lens provide enhanced impact resistance. These factors also keep mud, water, and debris from getting behind the lens. Below, we answer all your questions about mountain bike goggle performance and ownership.

Are mountain bike goggles worth it?

Even the best MTB goggles are pretty bulky and aren't something you'll necessarily use all the time as the comfort factor comes into play. Unlike sunglasses, which are lighter and can be used for long periods due to their lightweight and good airflow, goggles are quite cumbersome and sometimes restricting so it's only recommended to use them on descents.

Is there a difference between ski goggles and MTB goggles?

The main difference between ski and MTB goggles is the lens. Ski goggles are designed to reduce the mass of light that's reflected off of the snow. Because of that, they're often much more expensive and the lens isn't as durable.

Mountain bike goggles are friendlier on the wallet and they come with clear lenses or a lens that's better suited to picking up the colour of the trail for better vision in lower light scenarios. 

Can you wear mountain bike goggles with glasses?

Riders can wear mountain bike goggles with glasses as long as the glasses are small enough to fit with the goggles. However, many brands offer RX inserts, which are inserts that clip into a goggle frame that matches your prescription. 

You might also like:

• Your complete guide to the RockShox rear shock range
• Best mountain bike pedals 2024 - the best options from XC to Enduro
• Best mountain bike saddles - the best off-road options tested 2024