Bigger, Safer...but Better? | 6D's Max Goggle 3

Motocross goggles haven’t seen many updates for quite some time since Oakley Airbrake made locking in an injection-molded lens a near standard in the industry. While the current goggle isn’t really calling for a change, the crew at 6D Helmets thought otherwise. Insert the 6D Max Goggle, a design that turns your standard goggle into more of an adventure visor-style goggle. The key target with this product was safety, and most of us can relate to having some type of injury because of our goggles, right? Did they revolutionize the goggle game as we know it? Or does this prove the standard goggle design isn’t that bad after all? We find out.

Specifications

• MAXVIEW™ High Definition lens with industry-leading field of view,87% larger surface area than standard goggles
• Class 1 optically correct for distortion-free, high-definition vision
• Shatterproof polycarbonate shield for impact resistance 
• 6D FLOAT Fit™ A helmet-supported frame design that relieves facial pressure by shifting the goggle’s load away from the brow and cheeks. 
• 3D molded face foam provides a dust-resistant seal
• Two interchangeable nose interface options
• Durable 44mm silicone-backed strap 
• Multiple lens options available
• Tear-off and roll-off system compatible for changing race or trail conditions
• Offers UVA and UVB protection
• Exceeds EN1938 standards for impact
• MSRP: $169.95 MAX R clear lens / $189.95 MAX R blue lens 

First Impressions

First off, if you show up at the track wearing these, you’re going to get looks and questions, I can guarantee that. When I first saw the goggle, I’ll admit I was like, “Whoa, that’s different.” But the more you study it and think about it, the more you realize it’s actually a pretty amazing concept brought to life. On paper, and even just looking at it, I had fairly high expectations for how it would perform on the track.

Before heading out, you do have to make a few minor modifications to your 6D helmet to ensure no dirt gets in. You’ll remove two foam inserts located just below the visor and replace them with the provided pieces. After that, you install a gasket-style strip between the rubber and liner to seal off any gaps and keep dirt out. In the future, all production 6D helmets will come with these parts already installed, but for now, it’s something you’ll need to do yourself. There are also two different nose pieces to choose from, labeled “long” and “short.” I went with the long option, which felt best for me, while ML chose the short version to better suit his more protruding nose.

Putting the goggle on is similar to a standard setup, but you do need to make sure the bottom of the frame is tucked behind the helmet’s nose guard first before pulling the strap over. It’s easy to get a good seal between the goggle and helmet, and that suctioned feel is noticeable at first. For me, I ride with an adventure-style helmet fairly often, so I’m used to that type of coverage. I adapted quickly—it felt normal right away, and I appreciated having less pressure on my face.

Immediately, the peripheral view feels wider and easier to see, but honestly, it wasn’t as big of a difference as I initially expected. Still, from the first few moments, I knew this was going to be a fun day of testing this all-new goggle design.

On the Track

Once on track, it did feel different not having airflow through your nose or above your goggle area, but it also made things noticeably quieter. Having less pressure on your face while exerting the kind of energy motocross takes wasn’t something I thought much about, until I rode with this goggle. It really does make a difference and can help you feel calmer, and possibly even lower your heart rate while riding, which I’d like to test at some point. Breathing felt easier, and there was just an overall less-pressured feel to your face. The wider and taller lens is noticeable and nice for the added viewing area, but after going back-to-back with a normal Oakley Airbrake MX Goggle, the difference wasn’t as big as I expected. Now, if I were racing and really relying on my peripherals, I’d definitely want the extra coverage these goggles provide.

While we’re on racing, let’s talk about roost deflection. One of the biggest positives of this goggle, and something I wasn’t expecting, was how much less roost you feel in your face. I sacrificed my life for a real-world test and followed ML around Glen Helen for a few laps, eating roost in every section. There were sandy berms where he was railing and throwing dirt everywhere, and I rode straight through it without anything hitting my face. I didn’t feel the need to tuck my head down to avoid roost on the straights, and I felt way safer knowing a rock wasn’t about to bust my nose or crack a tooth. For someone who’s knocked teeth out, broken noses, and even just two weeks ago had a crash where my goggles smashed into my nose, I had a lot more confidence in the safety of this setup compared to a standard goggle.

We also had one of our photographers, who wears glasses when he rides, try these, and he was blown away by how much better it felt not having pressure on his glasses. So if you ride with glasses, this could be a huge win.

Now, with this design, you’re covering more of your face and losing a lot of ventilation compared to a traditional goggle. It wasn’t hot during our intro ride, maybe low 60s, and I still ended up sweating more than I normally would. With no airflow to your face and nothing around the forehead area to absorb sweat, it becomes noticeable. Multiple times, I had sweat running down my forehead that I couldn’t reach to wipe away, and it just sat there itching while I rode. That was a definite negative, and I can only imagine it getting worse in hotter conditions. I also installed the laminated tear-offs they provided. With the larger lens, the pull tab sits farther off to the side of the helmet, and once you get up to speed, they start making some noise. It was pretty noticeable, and while it’s just added sound, it could bother some riders. The tear-off holes could also be slightly smaller for a tighter fit on the pins. I had several instances where pulling one tear-off actually pulled two off the pin, leaving both tabs hanging, so the next time I went to pull one, I ended up pulling two.

And finally, while most people aren’t as lucky as us media idiots who get to test a bunch of different gear, it does make things tricky when these goggles only work with a 6D helmet. I know, real-world problems. I’ll shut up now and crawl back into my hole.

The Final Word

So, at the end of the day, what the 6D Max Goggle showed me is that there is a huge lack of safety in current motocross goggles, and this design drastically improves that. I don’t think this goggle has revolutionized the goggle world and that everyone is now going to change to this design, but I do believe it has a place in the sport. There are some pros and cons to this goggle, as we explained above, but you have to give major credit to the 6D crew for thinking outside the box with this idea. Safety is a huge factor for 6D, and they continue that mindset by bringing the Max Goggle to the market. For me, it’s a toss-up; I could wear it all the time, or I couldn’t. It’s not a life-changing, must-have item for me, but it does have the potential to get there.