When Active Junky got wind (and it was a warm breeze) of ABOM technology at a previous Snowsports Industry Association (SIA) gathering, we smiled broadly if not skeptically. Standing near the conference hall snack bar, we were more prepared to get our sinuses cleared by sriracha than see our goggle lens defogged by an act of electron alchemy.
Fast forward a few months, the same crew now supplemented by sponsored ski and ride athletes on the shoulder of Chile’s Valle Nevado Resort. Early ABOM production samples, fully charged up with straps adjusted for helmet variances, stood ready to launch up the lifts – to a top elevation of nearly 17,000ft after skinning. As plumes streamed off the hanging glacier above, the condors paid our fired-up test crew little notice.
And then the team began dropping in. Well stretched and ready to fly, higher lifts got immediate attention as the “active mode” indicator in the ABOM goggles lit up to correspond with lens-clearing energy. An improvement, in fact, that manifested itself so fast as to be virtually unnoticeable. A quick button bump back to neutral set the stage for periodic “boost mode” activation to refresh the views.
Cliff bands. Headwalls. Side country terrain. Ski-accessed aeries. All found ABOM in the mix as athletes released their late summer adrenaline after an all-night LAN Airlines flight and corkscrew drive up from the city. Both ski and ride proponents took turns triggering the KLAIR technology as they traversed the mountain in search of powder.
Without question, a strong, promising start in moving from Denver cafeteria to Chilean couloir. And then the ebullient testing team dispersed to seize video projects, backcountry expeditions and the joy of parenthood (yes, another birth announcement corresponded with the delivery of the ABOM Goggle at 9,843ft base elevation).
Forward even faster now to the company’s 2016-2017 line. The rough edges in frame construction and lens integration have vanished (likely vanquished by the detail-hounds at HQ as well as their R&D and production centers). The interface between cold exterior air and warm interior air is now defined – and defended – with even greater zeal.
Not insignificantly, gloved operation of controls is more tactile so skiers and riders are far more confident of their now enhanced, LED-confirmed settings. Battery life, along with recharging cycles, is refined as one continues to get longer, the other more condensed. Fit and finish are polished with edges more seamless to protect user, clothing and the ski goggles themselves.
Ah, but the lens choices are the biggest reveal. The ABOM attitude has always revolved around safety and performance. As a result, only defogged goggles suited to weather conditions, terrain and personal preferences are truly practical genius. The octet of switchable lens options now coming our way recognize the full spectrum of alpine light management challenges facing domestic and international stoke seekers.
More like a hybrid of electromagnetic radiation theory, on-snow practicums and manufacturing innovation, the eight configurations rely upon ABOM’s pursuit of three factors: 1) materials selection including base lens, films and coatings; 2) deposition and lamination of elements on interior and exterior surfaces; and 3) assembly of fully-formed, field-mountable Carl Zeiss technology.
Weatherproof. Swappable (interchangeable, if you prefer). Helmet-compatible. Lightweight while reducing glare. The 6-hour battery pack in action (recharged) in 180 minutes or less. All profound, but only when harnessing leading lens technology. Given the Goggle’s rating as investment-grade gear, Active Junky advocates selection of two or three lens options as good sense – including new mirrored choices. This, even as the brand continues to add to the array of frame and strap combinations.
Not long ago, the ski patrol and legion of snowcats shuttled the Active Junky test team off the Chilean slopes while an orange band of alpenglow stretched along the high Andes. Below, the constellation of lights from Santiago pushed upward to meet us in the brisk air. We’d accomplished our objectives, all of them, including speed flying off the neighboring mountain.
The hot tub below beckoned as the thought of local wines became specific, red-centric requests. And now, tucked securely away in well-loved 32L packs, the ABOM Goggles waited patiently for a chance at USB revival in the night. Along with a mission to clear the way for the next day’s first tracks.