Gear Review
Khuno Sports is an up-and-coming mountain-wear brand that specializes in curating the perfect snow goggles at the lowest price point. The Khuno team has been operating behind the scenes since 2018 and is based in Los Angeles, California. In addition to their goggles, the brand has also released T-shirts, hats, and windbreakers. I interviewed Tommy, a co-founder of Khuno, to talk about the brand and where it’s going.
Khuno was founded by a group of individuals who had worked in and became very knowledgeable on the ski industry and saw potential for change. Accordingly, Khuno’s mission has become to release the highest quality products with an extremely low price margin, build an inclusive community around their goggles, and demonstrate that sheer passion is more important than profitability.
Besides being so community-oriented, what separates Khuno from their competition is the power and technology that goes into crafting their lenses. Unlike many others in the industry, Khuno’s lenses have been designed in-house and completely from scratch. Khuno has been leading their own research and development (R&D) program and every goggle’s prototype has undergone thorough and aggressive testing.
The two most recognizable features of Khuno’s lenses are the magnetic replacement system and the anti-fogging technology. While the lenses can be popped out of their frame in just one swift bending motion, they are strong enough to remain in place through a fall or other abrasive conditions. Similarly, a pair of Khuno lenses will keep a rider confident as they rarely fog up whether the conditions are snowy and wet or cold and dry.
Still, however, the most impressive feature of Khuno’s lenses is their adjustable visual light transmission (VLT) percentage. According to EVO:
“The best goggles for flat light have a VLT ranging from 60-90%, [while] the best lenses for bright sunny days have VLT ranges from 5-20%.”
Most of Khuno’s lenses incorporate a fully adjustable VLT percentage system, making the same pair of lenses just as useable for a sunny day as they are for an overcast day. As Khuno states, “This assists with quickly recognizing icy sections, crevasses, and other miscellaneous terrain.” Being able to see clearly is one of, if not the most, important parts of riding, and Khuno’s goggles make sure to deliver regardless of the conditions.
Khuno’s best-selling pair of goggles is the Jaeger Series Colorado Edition, but their latest endeavor is their most technologically advanced. Most recently, the brand announced their collaboration Pro Series sets with popular YouTube vloggers Jonathan Buckhouse and Backflipping Benton, who have collectively amassed nearly 120,000 followers across their social media pages.
Both of the sets utilize the same frame, have magnetic and anti-fogging technology built-in, and are equipped with upgraded lenses that are not available on their other goggles. These lenses have significantly higher test results, meaning they can withstand threatening conditions, and they retail for $87.99.
The Buckhouse X Khuno Pro set features a unique band stamped with Buckhouse’s signature evolution logo. This pair features a lower VLT percentage to match Jonathan’s controlled style of riding and is limited in stock to 300 pairs.
The Backflipping Benton X Khuno Pros are also limited in stock to 300 pairs and express Benton’s love for Mother Nature. The band features an aquatic scene covered with clownfish and coral and is highlighted with Benton’s autograph on the outer rim. This set uses a slightly higher VLT percentage than the Buckhouse set and is representative of Benton’s outstanding style on the mountain.
Khuno said that working with the tandem was “a pretty awesome experience all the way around and that it was similar to riding with them in how they inspire such different ideas at a continuous flow.” This collaboration is one of Khuno’s several, going back to the Clawson x Khuno Windbreaker, but it is still just the beginning.
Creating Khuno Sports was a “leap of faith” for the founding members, but they have been grinding every day to make sure they are next up. Heading into 2022, Khuno’s main goals are to pursue a brick-and-mortar store location and to host more events to create a Khuno community. Khuno’s goggles and apparel can be purchased in several retailers across the country, on Amazon, or directly from their online store. Make sure to follow Khuno and look out for their new releases and giveaways.
Connect With Khuno:
Website – https://www.khunosports.com/
Instagram – @Khuno_Optics
TikTok – @Khuno_Optics
Facebook – Khuno Sports
Twitter – @KhunoOptics
Jonathan Buckhouse – Instagram & YouTube
Backflipping Benton – Instagram & YouTuube
