Without the right goggles, a bluebird day on the mountain is nothing more than a recipe for snow blindness.

Last month, we took to the slopes of Heavenly in South Lake Tahoe to test out some of 2014's primo ski and snowboard gear. In addition to a gaggle of boards, we brought bags, helmets, and a box full of goggles.

This winter we were looking specifically for eyewear that addressed two main challenges: comfort and lens-swapping. We also wanted to check in on the latest Recon-Ready goggles. Here are three of our favorites.

Spy Optics Doom (right)

The problem with most interchangeable lens goggles is changing the lenses is a total pain. Wrenching the frame open, removing one lens and wedging another in its place is a great way to get fingerprints all over the lens at best and broken eyewear at worst. (No joke, I've broken a frame trying to squeeze a lens into them before.) Spy Optics makes this a breeze with the Doom's ($185) ingenious Locksteady change system. Simply press a button on the side, the lens pops out, put the new frame in, and you're good to go.

I've tested countless goggles over the years and these are by far the easiest lenses to swap. The rest of the Doom's features work well enough – the minimalist frame provided a wide field of view, and the anti-fog lenses kept my vision clear. At least until I put on a facemask, which pushed hot, exhaled air directly into the goggles. Nevertheless, that fingerprint- and frustration-free lens change made these goggles one of our top three during Winter Camp. –Billy Brown

__Rating: 8 out of 10__Von Zipper El Kabong (left)

Thanks to its barely-there frame, Von Zipper's super-comfortable El Kabong ($195) sports a wide range of unobstructed vision. The thermo-polyurethane frame is so flexible you can actually fold these babies in half. That's good news, as it means they won't crack when you catch your toe edge and faceplant.

The lenses pop in and out with relative ease: The sides of the frame open up to expose a button on each side. Press both buttons to release, lift the center of the frame, and the lens is out. It's easier than just about any goggle we tested that wasn't the Spy Doom. Yes, the Doom is easier to swap out, but the El Kabong takes the crown when it comes to comfort. Its flexible frame wrapped perfectly around my face, while the plush polar fleece interior lining felt great against my skin. I'm usually stoked to take my goggles off at the end of the day. The El Kabongs I could've worn for weeks. –Billy Brown

__Rating: 7 out of 10__Oakley Airwave 1.5 (middle)

The world doesn't stop when you're on the mountain. While the chairlift provides an opportunity to check the time or see who pinged you while you were coming down the mountain, there's also Oakley's Airwave 1.5 ($649). These goggles let you do all this without taking your phones out of your pocket. They also track nearly everything you do on the mountain while managing not be overly intrusive or distracting. (All this info is displayed in the lower right corner of the goggles.)

Like last year's model, the Recon-powered Airwave 1.5 tracks your speed, altitude, descent, and airtime. This year's model has improved battery life. It lasted far longer than my iphoness on the mountain. An updated GPU also means quicker display transitions, which means Facebook, text, and phones call notifications appeared faster.

The live mapping feature is still a helpful replacement to the paper maps the resorts hand out. Plus, if you're lucky enough to have friends that also have a pair of Airwave goggles, Buddy Tracking can keep tabs on them while they ride with you.

Finally, they're still Oakley goggles. Oakley knows optics and the goggles fit well and had zero optical distortion. If you're serious about tracking your data (and checking your messages) while skiing or snowboarding, the Airwave 1.5 goggles are the way to go. –Roberto Baldwin

Rating: 7 out of 10