Anon targets long days on the mountain with WaveCel protection and magnetic coverage

Anon is entering the 2026–27 winter season with a collection focused on two familiar problems in snow sports: maintaining clear vision in changing conditions and improving protection without making helmets and goggles more complicated to use. The Burton-owned brand’s new range combines Perceive optics, bonus lenses, Magna-Tech lens changing and Magnetic Facemask Integration with WaveCel helmets designed to manage both direct and rotational impact forces.

The collection is built around established Anon platforms rather than a single headline product. The M4 and M4S goggles target skiers and snowboarders looking for a large field of view and quick lens changes, while the M6 continues the brand’s premium frameless approach. The Merak and Oslo helmets bring different interpretations of WaveCel protection, with the Merak offering a hybrid construction and extensive venting, and the Oslo prioritising low weight and warmth.

The M4 remains the technical centrepiece

The M4 is available in both cylindrical and toric configurations for 2026–27. The press kit lists the cylindrical version with a bonus lens and MFI face mask at £305, while the toric M4S package is priced at £305.

The cylindrical M4 package uses a Perceive Variable Blue lens in one colourway and a Perceive Variable Green lens in another. The toric M4S is offered with a Perceive Sunny Onyx lens and an additional lens for changing light.

The platform is designed around a wide field of vision and helmet compatibility. Its Magna-Tech system uses magnets to guide and secure the lens, allowing users to change lenses quickly without the fiddly frame manipulation associated with older goggle designs.

The M4’s ability to switch between cylindrical and toric lens formats is one of its more unusual features. Cylindrical lenses curve across the face but remain relatively flat vertically, while toric lenses curve in two directions to provide a more natural optical shape. Offering both formats allows Anon to cover different preferences within the same premium family.

For skiers, the practical advantage of the M4 system is flexibility. A clear or lighter lens can be carried for flat light, while the darker lens is used in strong sun. The faster the exchange, the more likely users are to change rather than continue skiing through poor contrast or excessive glare.

MFI creates a gap-free face covering

Anon’s Magnetic Facemask Integration, or MFI, uses magnets to connect a compatible face mask directly to the lower edge of the goggles. The system is designed to eliminate the gap between eyewear and face covering while allowing the mask to be removed quickly when conditions improve.

The company’s MFI system is available across several goggle families, including the M4, M4S, M6 and Sync. Different carrier sizes are used to match different frame designs and nose shapes.

The 2026–27 packages are sold with compatible MFI face masks rather than treating the mask as a separate accessory. That makes the goggles a more complete cold-weather system, particularly for skiers who regularly ride in wind, snowfall or sub-zero temperatures.

The integration also has a functional anti-fog purpose. A loose neck warmer or balaclava can direct warm breath into the lower edge of a goggle, increasing condensation. A closer connection between mask and frame helps control that airflow, although correct fit, ventilation and user behaviour remain important factors in preventing fogging.

MFI is not a substitute for a well-ventilated goggle. Instead, it is intended to make full-face coverage more secure and consistent while retaining the ability to remove the mask without taking off the goggles.

M6 brings premium optics to a second platform

The M6 package is listed at between £270 and £280 and includes a bonus lens and MFI face mask. The press kit shows the model in a watercolor colourway with a Perceive Variable Blue lens.

The M6 uses Perceive optics and Magna-Tech quick lens changing, with the frameless design intended to maximise the visible area. The lens system is also designed to maintain clear vision in changing weather, a key consideration for skiers moving between bright slopes, tree cover and cloud.

The M6 sits alongside the M4 rather than replacing it outright. The M4 offers the unusual choice of cylindrical or toric lenses, while the M6 is positioned as a premium, modern frameless goggle for users who prioritise a broad field of vision, low-profile styling and fast lens changes.

Both models reflect the direction of high-end snow eyewear: optics, ventilation, helmet compatibility and face coverage are increasingly treated as one integrated system rather than as separate decisions.

WaveCel moves protection beyond conventional foam

The major protection story in Anon’s 2026–27 range is WaveCel, a collapsible cellular structure positioned inside the helmet. According to Anon, the material is intended to act as a network of interconnected shock absorbers between the head and the outer shell.

WaveCel is designed to respond in three stages:

• The cells flex to help reduce initial impact forces.

• The structure crumples in a way comparable to a vehicle crumple zone.

• The cells glide to help redirect rotational energy away from the head.

That final function is important because rotational acceleration is associated with brain injury risk in angled impacts. Traditional expanded-polystyrene helmets are effective at managing many direct impacts, but systems such as WaveCel and MIPS are designed to address the additional forces generated when the head rotates during a collision.

Anon’s claims should be interpreted in the context of helmet testing. No helmet can prevent all head injuries, and protection depends on fit, correct use, replacement after impact and compliance with relevant safety standards. Independent testing has found that rotational-management systems can reduce rotational acceleration in some impact scenarios, but performance varies by impact angle, speed and location.

Merak offers a ventilated hybrid construction

The Merak WaveCel helmet is the more fully featured of the two models highlighted in the press kit. It uses a durable hybrid-moulded construction, WaveCel protection and 19 ventilation channels. The listed price is £280.

The ventilation design is intended to help regulate temperature during strenuous skiing and snowboarding. Nineteen vents give users more opportunity to manage heat build-up during climbs, warm weather or high-output riding, while the hybrid shell construction aims to balance durability with a refined fit.

The Merak is aimed at users who want a helmet that can operate across a broad range of conditions. It is not positioned as an ultra-minimalist model; instead, it combines advanced protection, ventilation and premium comfort features in a more substantial shell.

For resort skiers, the attraction is likely to be the combination of integrated protection and day-long comfort. A helmet that fits securely and manages heat effectively is more likely to be worn consistently than one that feels hot, unstable or uncomfortable after several hours.

Oslo focuses on weight and warmth

The Oslo WaveCel helmet takes a different approach. Listed at £225, it uses a lightweight in-mould shell, a micro-adjustable fit system and fleece-lined warmth.

The in-mould construction bonds a thin outer shell to the internal protective material, reducing weight compared with some hybrid designs. The micro-adjustable system allows users to refine the fit around the head, while the fleece lining is intended to improve warmth and comfort during colder days.

The Oslo is therefore likely to appeal to skiers who value low weight and an unobtrusive feel. It offers WaveCel protection without the larger vent count and more technical shell construction of the Merak.

That distinction gives Anon a clearer range structure. The Merak is the higher-specification, more ventilated option, while the Oslo offers a lighter and warmer alternative at a lower price.

Protection must work with the rest of the system

Helmet and goggle compatibility has become increasingly important as manufacturers integrate more features into both products. A helmet that leaves a gap above the goggles can expose the forehead to cold air, while an incompatible brim or vent layout can interfere with airflow and create fogging.

Anon’s MFI goggles and WaveCel helmets are designed to work as a combined head-and-face system. The aim is to create a close fit between the helmet, goggles and mask, reducing exposed gaps while keeping the lens ventilated.

The system still depends on choosing the correct helmet size and goggle fit. Users with different face shapes, nose bridges or eyewear requirements may need to try several combinations. Anon offers other models with over-the-glass compatibility, such as the Sync, but the M4 and M6 packages are not intended to accommodate prescription glasses over the top.

That is a reminder that technology does not eliminate the need for fitting. The best goggle is the one that seals correctly, stays stable during movement and leaves the vents clear when paired with the helmet.

A collection designed around adaptability

The common theme across Anon’s 2026–27 launch is adaptability. The goggles are designed to adapt to changing light through quick lens changes, the MFI system adapts face protection to weather, and WaveCel is designed to respond differently depending on the forces generated in an impact.

That approach reflects the way people actually spend time on the mountain. A single ski day can include hard morning snow, bright midday sun, snowfall, strong wind and warm spring conditions. Riders may also move between high-speed descents, lift queues, uphill travel and après-ski.

The collection is aimed at reducing the number of compromises involved in that day. A bonus lens removes the need to buy a second pair of goggles, MFI makes face coverage quicker to adjust and WaveCel provides a more sophisticated protective structure without requiring a bulky helmet.

Pricing and position in the market

The 2026–27 products sit at the premium end of the snow-accessories market:

Product Package Listed UK price

• Anon M4 cylindrical Bonus lens and MFI face mask £305–£315

• Anon M4S toric Bonus lens and MFI face mask £305

• Anon M6 Bonus lens and MFI face mask £270–£280

• Merak WaveCel helmet Helmet only £280

• Oslo WaveCel helmet Helmet only £225

The packages are priced above entry-level goggles and helmets, but they include features that would otherwise require separate purchases: an additional lens, face mask integration and advanced impact-management technology.

The value proposition depends on whether skiers use those features regularly. A skier who frequently changes lenses, rides in severe weather and wants an integrated face covering may find the package more compelling than buying individual products. For occasional resort users, a simpler goggle and helmet combination may offer better value.

The wider direction of snow safety

Anon’s launch arrives as helmet technology continues to move beyond basic impact absorption. MIPS remains widely used across the ski and cycling markets, while other manufacturers are developing systems aimed at reducing rotational acceleration, improving fit or managing energy through new materials.

The debate is no longer simply about whether to wear a helmet. Most serious skiers and snowboarders now accept helmet use as a basic part of mountain safety. The discussion has moved towards how helmets manage different types of impact, how they fit different head shapes and how consistently people will wear them.

WaveCel gives Anon a distinctive position in that conversation. Its cellular structure is visually and technically different from conventional foam liners, and its claimed flex-crumple-glide sequence offers a clear explanation of how the system is intended to work.

But safety equipment should be judged by independent standards and real-world fit rather than marketing language alone. Skiers should check certification, replace helmets after significant impacts and avoid using a helmet that is damaged, modified or too loose.

Anon’s 2026–27 proposition

Anon’s new collection does not attempt to reinvent the goggle or helmet. Instead, it refines a connected product ecosystem that has become central to the brand’s identity.

The M4 and M6 provide premium optics, bonus lenses and fast changes. MFI adds practical face coverage without the gaps and inconvenience associated with separate masks. Merak and Oslo bring WaveCel protection to two distinct helmet formats, giving consumers a choice between ventilation and feature density on one side, and lighter warmth on the other.

The result is a range focused on long days rather than single moments of performance. It is designed for skiers and snowboarders who want to move through changing light, weather and activity without continually adjusting their equipment.

That may be the most significant aspect of the 2026–27 launch. Anon is not treating goggles, helmets and face coverings as independent accessories. It is selling them as a single mountain-wear system—one intended to help users see more clearly, stay protected and remain comfortable from the first lift to the final run.