Anon M4 Toric Review

Anon is a branch of Burton Snowboards, and they have been producing high-quality ski and snowboard goggles for many years. One feature we particularly appreciate is the inclusion of a magnetically attached face mask. The Anon Magnetic Face Integration (MFI) system lets skiers or boarders attach the face mask to the lower portion of the goggle, providing warmth and protection in frigid conditions.

Lens Quality

Anon previously used SONAR lenses made by Zeiss, but the company has since upgraded its M4 lenses to its Perceive line. They're characterized by offering outstanding contrast that helps you distinguish between shades of white and gray. In low, flat-light conditions, we really like these Perceive lenses because they let us see the terrain, so we can pick better lines and feel more confident on the snow. The Toric lens shape is a spherical style that mimics the curvature of the eye to prevent distortion, and we must say, they're very good and distortion-free.

Interestingly, the color accuracy is very good, but the Perceive Variable Blue S2 lens with a 21% Visible Light Transmission (VLT) increased color vibrancy, making colors seem to pop. Reds, for example, seem redder and brighter. Needles on evergreen trees seemed greener, and the sky seemed bluer. We liked it. The included low-light Perceive Cloudy Pink S1 53% lens provided even better contrast under overcast skies during a snow storm, though the color vibrancy pop wasn't quite as powerful with the lighter tint.

Comfort

The Anon M4 Toric uses a nicely-contoured dual-density frame that's stiffer around the edges and softer on the interior that goes near your face and nose. The multilayered foam is comfortable, and we could wear these goggles for several hours without feeling pressure points, though we did notice a bit of high-cheek fatigue after wearing the MFI face mask for longer periods. It tends to fit our testers with larger faces very well, but some people with medium and smaller facial features could also wear these goggles, though they often preferred options with a smaller fit. Anon has introduced a newer M4S version that's sized down for medium faces.

The triple-layer face foam provides ample cushioning, but it is thinner than some goggles to achieve a closer fit. Soft Outlast fleece covers the foam to make contact with your face and helps wick moisture. Anon has put a nice wide strap on the M4 with two wide beads of silicone to help keep it in place on your helmet. The strap is highly adjustable and can easily be extended to fit around a helmet or cinched down for use without. The frame shape fits well with most helmets with no gaps to speak of.

Ventilation and Breathability

During testing, we found the M4 ventilation and breathability to be very good. The top has a large continuous vent while the bottom has two smaller vents. The MFI face mask is positioned to keep about half of the lower vents open to retain good airflow even when using the mask. If you've ever fogged up your face mask while trying to use a balaclava pulled up over your nose, rest assured that fogging was not a problem while wearing the included mask attached to the magnets.

In addition to the top and bottom vents, Anon includes nearly hidden side vents. The combination of all the vents does a nice job with airflow. To further reduce fogging, the dual-pane lenses are treated with an anti-fog treatment called Integral Clarity Technology (ICT), which we found to prevent fog throughout all of our testing.

Ease of Changing Lenses

Lots of skiers loathe changing their lenses, which often leads them to ski with the wrong lens for the conditions. The Anon M4 Toric's “Magna-Tech” lens-changing system is a joy to use. It's made with nine points of contact using 18 powerful magnets. The lens is easy to pull off, even while wearing gloves, and the magnetic alignment system works super well, grabbing the lens and sucking it into position with a satisfying snap. So cool.

The Magna-Tech system is so easy to use that you can swap lenses on the fly while the goggles are still on your face.

Durability

During testing, multiple testers found the durability of different pairs of M4 goggles to be quite good. We ripped around the resort on powder days, and some testers even stuffed them into their packs for backcountry ski tours, and they appear no worse for the wear. The frame is on the stiffer side with more torsional rigidity than most of the other models in the test. The frame is a dual-molded PC-ABS/TPU plastic combination, and it seems to be very solidly put together.

We particularly like the Magna-Tech system because we don't have to touch the lenses much to get them perfectly into place, which keeps them cleaner and should reduce the risk of fine scratches from excess handling. We're not sure how the magnets are fused or attached to the frames and lenses, but they've all stayed in position. Over longer testing periods, the straps have retained elasticity, and the silicone has remained attached and grippy. The vent foam is a bit denser and thicker than we've seen on some goggles, and it seems extra durable. To help you keep the entire system protected during storage and travel, Anon includes a semi-rigid soft case that can hold the goggles, an extra lens, and the included MFI mask.

Style

The Anon M4 Toric has a cool, modern, futuristic vibe that seems to encourage you to crush runs. Sure, that's a subjective assessment, but these goggles simply look good.

They're not completely frameless, but the frame is thin and unobtrusive. Anon offers quite a few color options, and if you consider the ability to use cylindrical lenses in addition to the more rounded toric lenses, you have the ability to fine-tune the look if you want to nab a new lens in the future.

Should You Buy the Anon M4 Toric?

The Anon M4 Toric is an expensive goggle, but if you're willing to pay for quality and performance, it's a run-slaying winner. The white/gray contrast is truly excellent, and the overall clarity is superb. Its fit is definitely a bit large, but the ergonomics are solid, making it comfortable to wear all day (as long as you have a larger face). If you hesitate to change lenses as conditions change on the mountain, the ease and satisfaction of snapping in a new lens could remove your hesitation and let you rip runs like never before.

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