Opolis Optics Vertex Ski Goggles Review

Ski goggles need to have a really strong appeal to stand out on a shelf anymore. Whether it’s price, polarization, photochromatic capabilities, customization options, or claims of “enhanced peripheral field of vision,” every goggle seems to have an angle. The market is so saturated, and so many big-name brands dominate the space, that it’s no longer enough just to offer a good pair of goggles.

GearJunkie has tested goggles with all of these claims and features. But one of the strongest marketing hooks I’ve come across comes from Opolis Optics.

The brand claims every one of its goggles represents 10 bottles worth of recovered ocean plastic. The only component that isn’t made from recovered materials is the lens. That sounds like greenwashing. But the brand even provides traceability information on where the plastic in your goggles came from, and what communities benefited from it.

When I spoke with the brand’s founder, James Merrill, I was impressed by the environmental angle. But I couldn’t help but wonder how the goggles performed as goggles. So I asked for a pair to test. They sent me their latest model, the Vertex, and I took them out on some of the last (and sunniest) days of my ski season

In short: The Opolis Optics Vertex ($249) are extra-wide cylindrical lensed and polarized ski goggles. They’re lightweight, feature a simple yet secure magnet-assisted lens-changing system, and come with a cool storage/transportation soft case. But the most interesting thing about these goggles is their frame and strap base materials, which are completely sourced from ocean trash.

Check out GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Ski Goggles.

Opolis Optics Vertex Ski Goggles Review

At GearJunkie, we tend to be very skeptical of claims of environmentally friendly products made from recycled this or recovered that. There is an awful lot of greenwashing in the outdoor industry, and we’ve seen just about all of it.

So naturally, I was skeptical of Opolis’s “10 water bottles in every pair of goggles” claim. But a friend was very insistent that this brand was different and encouraged me to talk with the founder. So I did. And the brand story behind Opolis is almost as interesting as the products themselves. Opolis actually started as a proof-of-concept venture for its parent company, Stoked Plastics, which was also founded by Merrill.

Stoked makes polyurethane pellets from recovered ocean plastic. It has a proprietary process that returns ocean plastic to its virgin state, making it one of the few base-material companies that can produce soft plastics like those in the Vertex Goggles out of these recovered materials. Also, unlike most injection-molded recycled or recovered plastics, Merrill says Stoked’s plastics contain 10 times more recycled or recovered material makeup.

But selling recovered ocean plastic pellets can be challenging. So Merrill decided to make a high-quality product using that plastic, demonstrating what was possible with Stoked Plastics. Opolis was born, and today its products are in REI, Paragon Sports, L.L.Bean, and more. Merrill’s proof-of-concept became a business unto itself.

Vertex Design

I am a big fan of cylindrical goggles, but typically I prefer the frameless look. The Vertex goggles have a thin frame, but they’re so low-profile that they still look pretty cool.

The soft plastic frame is flexible when the lens is not installed and would be very difficult to break. At the corner of the strap, where it attaches to the goggles, there is a small pressure lever. That releases the strap’s contact point, which then slides out. I imagine this is to swap straps for different colors or patterns; however, I can’t find any accessory straps or replacement straps on the Opolis website.

The magnetic lens swap system is very easy to use. I simply grabbed the corner of the lens and twisted the soft plastic frame, and they popped out, no problem. Sometimes, I hesitate to trust magnetic lens attachments. I’ve had more than one pop out when I didn’t want them to.

However, these feel particularly secure. I still haven’t had a yard-sale crash while wearing these goggles. So I can’t attest to whether or not the lens would pop out in that scenario. But I’ll update this review if I get testing impressions on that front. The elastic strap is easy to adjust with the two plastic sliders at the back.

On the Slopes

The days I wore the Opolis Vertex goggles were some of the warmest and sunniest of my season. At first, I was worried the “Grey Wolf” lens wouldn’t be dark enough to protect my extra-sensitive eyes. However, once on the snow, my anxieties were put to rest.

The Vertex lens was both very protective, and its clarity was great. I could easily see the terrain and textures of the snow as I skied over it.

Still, I wish the goggles had come with a blackout lens and the Grey Wolf, rather than the included white-out replacement lens. I’ll likely never use that — but again, my eyes are more sensitive than most.

The goggles were also particularly comfortable. I wore them on some warm spring days and never felt overheated. The foam on the inside is very soft to the touch and not itchy whatsoever. I imagine they would be fairly warm on a colder day, but alas, I didn’t get any testing during true winter conditions.

As a nice bonus feature, Opolis includes a slick little nylon carrying case for these goggles. It’s light enough to fit in a ski pack for backcountry travel and padded to protect your eyewear.

Style-wise? I think these are some of the coolest goggles I’ve tried this year. I’m not in love with the big logo design on the left side, but the shape, “salt” colorway, and look I found overall pretty cool.

10 Water Bottles

Of course, the big marketing hook already discussed is the environmentally friendly plastic these goggles are made from. Opolis claims that each pair of its goggles contains 10 water bottles’ worth of ocean plastic. They have the receipts and the traceable data to show you exactly where it came from.

For skiers and snowboarders, climate change is becoming an increasingly pertinent topic. People want to invest in brands that aren’t greenwashing and offer legitimately environmentally friendlier alternatives to standard plastic products. Opolis offers both goggles and sunglasses to meet that demand.

Opolis Vertex Ski Goggles: Who They Are For

Resort skiers and riders will appreciate the performance of these goggles, whether on the resort or in the backcountry. They’re comfortable, the lens is polarized, and has great clarity. I wish it came with a blackout lens, but perhaps the brand will offer one in the future. I would say these goggles performed every bit as well as the goggles I’ve tested from much bigger brands, like Oakley and Smith.

If you’re environmentally conscious about your product purchases, then Opolis Optics goggles are a no-brainer. And since they’re priced similarly to almost all of the goggles in GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Ski Goggles, it’s not like you’re paying more to own a more sustainable product. While my season is winding down, I’m keeping these in my ski bag, and I’ll be stoked to bust them out again when snow starts flying again later this year.