POC Nexal Clarity Goggle Review

A relative newcomer to the goggle game, POC has quickly risen to the top by throwing money at the right athletes to get their name out there, and then delivering a quality product that stands out aesthetically. It’s easy to see their Swedish roots in the toned down, but never boring, look of the POC Nexal Clarity Goggles.

The maximalist name hints at everything that’s packed into the minimalist look, and the end result is a goggle that does more and says less.

ZEISS Lenses

The most important part of any goggle is the optics, and the POC Nexal Clarity Goggles have that covered with their extremely high-quality Clarity by ZEISS lenses. The reviewed pair of POC Goggles came with two options, a mirrored Spektris Orange option for bright days and an unmirrored grey lens for mixed conditions. Both are a cylindrical shape that sits closer to the face, providing an on-trend look that’s extremely functional thanks to the near complete lack of blindspots.

The touch points on the Nexal Clarity are top-shelf as well. Triple layer face foam provides a secure fit wit an excellent seal while still feeling soft on cold skin, and the dual-adjust strap is silicone lined to help it stay put on helmets, hats, or hair.

Genuine Innovation

As good as those features are, they’re not exactly unique. There’s lots of goggles with great lenses, and once you cross a certain price threshold everyone is giving you triple layer foam and a silicone backed strap. So what does the POC Nexal Clarity do to stand out from the crowd? Well for one thing it’s shaped different.

If you look at the bottom of the goggles you’ll notice the frame extends lower than the lens. POC calls those little protuberances “Zygomatic Bone Covers”, and they extend the footprint of the goggle on your face. Trying the goggle on for the first time you are aware of them if you think about it, but very quickly they disappear into the background other than how they contribute to an overall more comfortable fit by spreading the pressure out across more of your face.

But they really come to the forefront on high-windchill days. By covering a bit more of your face, they provide a bit more protection from winter’s worst. The difference is noticeable even for habitual balaklava wearers, and it takes the biting edge off when you’re riding an exposed run or a particularly long lift.

Another deviation from the standard outline is the outriggers on either side of the frame. Lots of goggles have outriggers, and they help a goggle adapt more comfortably to wear with a helmet by better aligning the strap connection with the outside diameter of your helmet. But POC put particularly large outriggers on the Clarity goggles. Particularly large, and particularly rigid outriggers. If you’re wearing a helmet that’s great news, these goggles fit more comfortably and integrate better with a helmet because of them. But if you’re not a helmet wearer, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere. Or start wearing a helmet.

Odd Choices

Despite being generally packed with positives, there are a few things about theses POC Goggles that are a little off. Most noticeably there’s the choice of included tints. The Spektris Orange option is good for high-er light conditions, offering a balance of protection and visibility that’s perfect for partly cloudy days or bluebird days in the trees. But it’s not quite dark enough to be a true “heavy sun” lens. On the flip side the unmirrored grey offers true color perception and a touch of protection, making it perfect for partly sunny days or mid-day snow.

In abstract they’re both good, versatile lenses that will work for most people most of the time. But as a pair they leave a tremendous amount of uncovered territory. The Spektris Orange Lenses would be insufficient on days where there’s no hiding from the sun, and the unmirrored grey would be too much when you’re really socked it. It’s a problem that can easily be solved by buying additional lenses, but at an MSRP of US$230 for the Nexal Clarity goggles as reviewed it feels like POC should have included lenses that cover a broader range of conditions.

Another odd detail is the adjustable venting. Using a toggle at the top of the frame, you’re able to open and close the vents beneath the foam a the top of the goggle. It works as advertised, shutting out airflow or allowing it depending on how you set the toggle. But what exactly is the benefit of that feature? POC claims it’s designed to provide added protection at high speeds, but the point of goggle ventilation is to fight fog. Fog that hinders visibility, vision that you’ll very much want when traveling at high speed.

It’s not a make or break feature, especially since you can just leave the toggle in “open” and wear the POC Nexal Clarity Goggles fog free. But it feels like a complication for complication’s sake, and is incongruous with the goggle’s otherwise streamlined approach to tech.

But neither of these issues overshadow the things the POC Nexal Clarity does right.

POC Nexal Clarity Goggle Pros & Cons

Pros:

• High-quality ZEISS lenses for optimal vision
• Comfort features like triple layer face foam
• Innovative design with Zygomatic Bone Covers

Cons:

• Limited included lens options
• Large outriggers may not suit non-helmet wearers
• Adjustable venting might be unnecessary

Overall Impression

With great optics and all the right comfort features they’re giving you vision that’s comparable to anything offered by brands that have been making goggles a lot longer. But unlike those brands they’re willing to think outside the box, giving you things like the Zygomatic Bone Covers and a helmet-first outrigger design that’s a welcome feature for the safety conscious.

Even the adjustable ventilation, however useful it is in the real world, represents what POC is doing right. The Nexal Clarity Goggles ($229.99) represent everything we already know we want in goggles, but are also showing us new ideas that no other goggle has ever offered before.

Related Goggles We Tested

1. 1. POC Opsin Goggle
   2. POC Orb Goggle
   3. Vaurnet Everest Goggle