Bob Smith, Inventor of Fog-Free Ski Goggles, Dies
Josh Wolfe 05.01.12
Robert Earl “Bob” Smith, who in 1965 created one of the most invaluable components in the ski and snowboard world, died on April 18 at his home in La Quinta, California. He was 78.
Dr. Smith’s design kick started Smith Optics, a leader in outdoor eyewear. According to Tag Kleiner, marketing director for Smith Optics, Dr. Smith died of heart failure; just days after a pacemaker had been implanted.
Dr. Smith, an orthodontist for many years in Alta, Utah, began working on the revolutionary goggles in 1964. As an avid skier, he set out to fix the problem with the then-fog-capable goggles that would be more suitable for winter sports. By 1967, Dr. Smith had made a deal with Klaus Obermeyer, founder of the Obermeyer ski apparel company. He began producing and selling goggles under the name Smith in 1969.
As an ever-evolving company, Smith now makes goggles for motor sports, law enforcement and military use. Dr. Smith will long be remembered as a man who loved skiing the mountains and was able to bring comfort to his fellow enthusiasts when they are carrying his name through the deep powder for winters to come.
It didn’t take long for me, following in my father’s footsteps (literally), to develop a deep appreciation for the outdoors. Because it’s there in the wind, in the rain and a cool summer sunrise where I’ve learned more than in all the classrooms combined. My journalistic work is the sum of all I’ve taken from the outdoors and all I want to give back.
It was during a long, grueling two-year stint working as a banker in Huntsville, Alabama, I finally realized I needed to follow my dreams. After sojourning several places across the country, I now call Asheville, North Carolina, home, where I am the co-founder, publisher and editor of The Golf Sport (www.golfsportmag.com) magazine and editor of Sporting Classics Daily (www.sportingclassicsdaily.com). I am also a contributor to OutdoorHub and Global Outfitters, and hope to really inflate that balloon over the next couple years.
For me, it’s the power of the pen that makes the outdoor adventure live forever – as it is resurrected on the page in front of me. I am so fortunate to be a part of the outdoor community and make my passion a career.
