I went out snowmobiling today and I found that my glasses kept fogging up. The face shield of my helmet was also fogging up. I ended up riding in -22 degrees at 50mph with no glasses and my helmet visor up. Somehow I made it through the day without getting killed or getting frostbite. I have the same problems with my glasses when I ride any form of open air vehicle or bike.
Lets find a solution once and for all. I'd like to collect as many suggestions for products as I can here. I'll try each one and I'll post the results. I've already heard a few. I can't remember the screen names these came from. I'm sorry I didn't give credit where credit is due.
Moving air over the glasses:
Today I put all my riding gear on in a warm tempurature and then I made sure to keep moving outside while leaving my visor one click open. The wind kept my glasses and visor clear as long as I was moving. The visor was closed enough that my face stayed warm also. As soon as I stopped however they started slowly fogging again. This does work extremely well but is difficult to maintain in some situations (such as snomobiling).
Rain-ex Antifog:
I'll try this out this week since it'll be below 0 all week. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Take care and I can't wait to hear more suggestions
dirt biker
The BikeForums Team
-adv-
This is an archived thread, you can find the full version of this thread, with images, links and more content here.
How about that antifog that is used for snorkel mask.
Portis
I've been through all of that. Then i found the solution in one word: Contacts
GreyGoat
well I have solved that problem with Smith turbo CAM goggles.. the cam stands for constant air movement.. has a little micro electric fan that runs on 2 AAA batteries in a box on the headband.. I can get off the bike steaming like a New York City manhole cover in January(well most January's anyway, maybe not this year) and not have my glasses fog at all!
zoridog
Rub raw potato on the lenses. I've never tried it but I hear it prevents fogging.
MarkS
well I have solved that problem with Smith turbo CAM goggles.. the cam stands for constant air movement.. has a little micro electric fan that runs on 2 AAA batteries in a box on the headband.. I can get off the bike steaming like a New York City manhole cover in January(well most January's anyway, maybe not this year) and not have my glasses fog at all!
Where do you get them?
Great poetic image, BTW.
MarkS
Someone's going to mention "Cat crap". Its available from REI or online. I haven't found it to be that effective, but I still carry the kit because its good to have a way to clean your glasses when away from running water.
Then again, maybe its only supposed to work in extreme cold, which I don't have, or on glass lenses (mine are poly...something or other).
Portis
I mentioned contact lenses earlier. They really are the only true way to get rid of the fogging. Get rid of the glasses. I just got back from a fairly chilly ride. 17F with some wind. It is nice to be able to cover up the entire face except for the eyes.
I could never do that in the past when i wore glasses. With that said, the best solution i ever found for trying to cover the face and wear glasses, are things called earbands. I wear a balaclava with one earband over my ears as intended. Another is worn backwards with the wider part used to cover my nose and mouth. http://www.allstarsalesltd.com/store/aqua-earband-dan.jpg
The balaclava comes right up to my lower lip, and i pull the earband over my nose. This covers all surfaces and leaves an opening for the nostrils to deflect air downward. The mouth is also covered by the "tent" that is formed by the earband. The majority of the air is deflected down and out away from the glasses.
This tends to work better into the wind, as there is still a bit of fogging, and wind will usually diminish it. This was the best solution i ever found. I tried all the wipe on crap, etc. and none of it worked. Again, the best option is to get rid of your glasses if you can.
dirt biker
It seems like a lot of people have already tried to fix this.
I know that getting contacts will ultimatley solve the problem. Luckily I can wear contacts but not everyone can. For people that can wear contacts this will most likely be the best solution.
I sent a few E-mails out to RainX and to a couple sport eyewear sites the other day. I'll try a few of these suggestions out tomorrow and post the results. I know I was supposed to do this yesterday but I got lazy and I had other things to do unfortunatley.
Good riding
dirt biker
GreyGoat
Where do you get them?
Great poetic image, BTW.
I searched for the best deal at the time on the internet.. forgot the name of the place that had them.. but it was a motocross/motorcycle type store.. and they had them in clear.. at the time most of my riding was in the dark so that was better than having shaded lenses.. I've since picked up a pair of tinted(orange and smoke grey) for $7 each.. and I think I paid $110 for the goggles.. Just need to shop around for best deal on the color lenses you like.. also they have mutiple sizes.. I ended up with an OTG model(over the glasses)
that may be a little big for some, the smaller ones may fog easier tho too .. no telling..
I used them again today it was about 19 degrees when I started riding... I was able to do my 10miles with the fan on low..(longer battery life).. nice if you ever have to stop, or even put a foot down at a light for a few when commuting.. you can easily flip the switch to turn the fan on hi with glove on... and kick it back to low when moving again etc.. Last season the batteries lasted me all winter and I used them alot.. this year I have only used them a few times, and I use a set of Bugz snowboard goggles when its warmer etc..
edited: here's a pic of the fan up closer on another model..and the battery pack / switch..
GreyGoat
contacts wouldn't do it for me even if I wore glasses.. I don't like the extreme cold anywhere near my eye sockets.. with goggles, a balaclava, and a neoprene facemask.. I can ride with no skin exposed at all and not fog.. ever..
Sponge
I
Rain-ex Antifog:
I'll try this out this week since it'll be below 0 all week. I'll let you all know how it goes.
There is my vote... and put rain-x on the outside of your shades or whatever your wearing when your caught in the elements
2manybikes
With wrap around glasses, use a strap that goes around your head to hold them on. Leave it loose enough so that you can pull them about 1" away from your face. On a faster cold section have them tight against your balaclava at the top for a good seal. When stopping, pull them out from your face for air flow to prevent fogging. When riding hard and very slow off road just let them hang around your neck. The powered goggles sound more convenient, maybe even more effective, but I have been doing this for about a decade, and I do it automatically now, it works great. I finally settled on a neck gaiter after about 11 years, over as many balaclavas as needed for the temperature, it can be pulled down under your chin, or up under your glasses as needed.
You need to adjust the ventilation depending on what covers your mouth and nose as well.
HiYoSilver
MSRP for Smiths is $160. Only for medium size heads.
HiYoSilver
Large size is available.
http://www.snowshack.com/smknotgogltu.html
Don't know if the problem is worth $160 yet, but we'll see.
Walkafire
Funny when I wear my (Scott) Clear Ski Goggles, they NEVER fog.
When I wear Glasses (Clear or Sunglasses) they will Fog a lot, when I stop of course...advice: Don't STOP! LOL
Once in a great while (when I think of it) I will use a anti fog wipe. We have a bunch at work, so I carry some with me... but never use 'em.
edp773
The goggles are $130 with free shipping here. $150 will get you the sensor lense.
If I had it to do again, I would like to try the medium sized smiths.. the large OTGs are ok but a little bulky.. and I don't have glasses that I need them to cover.. there is some peripheral vision loss, but for the extreme cold it's still worth it to me..
effigy
I saw mention of the Psolar Balaclava (http://www.psolar.com/) somewhere on the forums. The first testimonial mentions no fogging, and they sell a vapor shield that apparently takes care of this. I ordered mine tonight--I'll let you know how it goes.
Faust
I've been using Clarity Fog Eliminator for a few years now. It really works to prevent your glasses from fogging up on a cold day. Stopping for a light no longer means fogged glasses.
"The Fog Eliminator soft cloth spreads a dry, invisible ultra-thin coating that absorbs moisture. Fog microdroplets are absorbed into the coating, instantly spread across the film’s surface, and evaporate back into the air before fog can form. Each application gives hours and hours of protection, and the cloths are reusable 8-10 times."
http://www.nanofilmtechnology.com/products_name/clarity-fog-eliminator.htm
Performancebike has it and so does: http://www.google.com/products?q=Clarity+Fog+Eliminator&btnG=Search&show=dd&safe=off&scoring=p
Ernesto Schwein
Fogging is devilish to solve.
As a skier I realized back in high school that eyeglasses just weren't going to cut it, but going to contact lenses isn't the total solution. Anyone that has skied someplace like. . .say whistler where there is a lot of vertical and a lot of temperature gradient between top and bottom, has experienced mid-mountain fog. This is pretty much what cyclists put up with, they make their own mid-mountain fog and haul it around with them. Ventilation schemes on ski goggle designs are only effective if you are moving fast enough to keep fresh air circulating, the first time you come to a stop at something like one of those inconvenient-intersection-things its all over.
The situation is actually compounded by really really cold temps. I wear contacts and after about -10F I have no choice but to wear some sort of eye-protection (not that there aren't many good reasons to wear eye protection both on the road and trail) any speed at all at -15F on down and my eyelashes are freezing and yes. . .contact lenses start freezing. If I come to a stop at cold temperatures, often one breath and my eyewear instantly have a bullet proof layer of ice on them. I've tried some venting tactics-ski masks with strategically placed bits of duct tape that are intended to direct my breath downward and away from the glasses but sooner or later I'm squinting through a slit. Visibility is the single biggest obstacle I encounter riding in sub-zero weather.
Not all glasses are created equal. I've gone through several styles of eyewear and some were definitely more effective. I had pretty much settled on Smith Bazooka sliders with the yellow lens, they seemed to have the balance between air space and protection and were reasonably durable but an unanticipated trip through the washing machine last spring reduced their service-life. I found some photochromatic Julbo "Instincts" on clearance last summer and so far so good. I also bought some crap called "FOGTECH" advanced one-step-anti-fog-solution at REI last week. We shall see.
I think Machka claims to wear eyeglasses no matter what the weather but I suspect she has developed some sort of bat-like sonar with all that night-riding she does.
longhorn31
I wear contacts, but I have to wear glasses over them or I can't see after a short time. I've worn Uvex Genesis safety glasses with their anti-fog coating. They actually work pretty well. I've tried many many of the products applied to lenses and found none of them work very well.
effigy
I saw mention of the Psolar Balaclava (http://www.psolar.com/) somewhere on the forums. The first testimonial mentions no fogging, and they sell a vapor shield that apparently takes care of this. I ordered mine tonight--I'll let you know how it goes.
I received/tried my PSolar HX Helmet Balaclava today, and it's an impressive product. It was ~20°F and my ears felt a little drafty, but the neck fleece certainly did its job. The warming module performed as advertised: I never took one cold breath. The "Vapor Shield" (which is just a foam sticky that covers the gap around the nose) worked also--I didn't fog up once. Hooray!
I was previously using the Under Armour ColdGear Hood, which, aside from fogging my glasses, worked great. For those that may not need the whole warming module contraption, you may be able to order the Vapor Shield alone and stick it to your current balaclava. It's pricey considering it's size and simplicity ($5), but if it gets the job done...
Hezz
Here is an outlandish idea that I just had. The climbers on everest used to use goggles that were no more than a narrow horizontal slit in a totally opaque lens to protect thier eyes from snow blindness. Perhaps this idea could be adapted to a pair of dark lens goggles. If the slit is only about 1/8 inch wide and two inches long not much cold air would get in so the eye would stay warmer than with nothing on, yet some air would get in to help ventilate the inside of the goggle. The lens would not be opaque like in the old goggles so you would have better peripheral vision but if the goggles fog you have a certain amount of pure vision through that slit that cannot fog up. The extra ventilation may also help keep the regular lens clearer.
Anyone with some old spare lenses for thier ski goggles want to give it a try.
Bikepacker67
Does anyone else think that Portis must lack tear ducts?
I don't know about the rest of ya'll, but I can't ride in cold weather without glasses of some sort.
Hezz
Just wanted to post this picture of some Inuit snow goggles to illustrate the concept as it could apply to modern goggles.
Here is a quote from the website that discusses the goggles: "These inuit snow goggles were collected by Henry Larsen while aboard RCMP ST ROCH, 1929-1948. The intense sunlight of the springtime in the Arctic, when reflected from the snow-covered ground, causes a temporary condition called snow blindness. To prevent this, the Inuit made snow goggles. These were fashioned to fit the contours of the face snugly to allow light to enter only through narrow viewing slits that restricted the field of vision and reduced the amount of light that reached the optic nerve. The area behind each eye slit was hollowed out to prevent eye contact and blackened to eliminate glare. Earlier (dating back centuries) goggles were made of bone in the wood scarce Arctic, but later, when wood became more plentiful, such as the time these were made in the early twentieth century, wooden goggles began to appear. The width of the slits governs the width of lateral vision, and the narrower the slit, the more the acuity of vision. This simple but ingenous invention is superior to modern high-tech sunglasses."
Machka
I think Machka claims to wear eyeglasses no matter what the weather but I suspect she has developed some sort of bat-like sonar with all that night-riding she does.
Yes, I wear my little eyeglasses day and night in all weather ... I have to ... I can't see without them. I WISH I had bat-like sonar!! :D
As for fogging, just make sure your balaclava is not up over your nose especially, and also your mouth if you're doing some heavy breathing, like while climbing a hill. If you keep your balaclava off your face, your glasses won't fog.
Roody
Bright sunshine on the snow makes me sneeze uncontrollably.
Just wanted to share that. :)
hairytoes
I use a Buff over my mouth - it's kinda loose below my chin so I can direct the breath downwards. OK until it's getting well below 0C, then the condensation freezes on the buff . . .
When I rode in snowy and icy bits of the UK, I wore one of these http://www.joe-brown.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/efce9e038c720c060005f768a11feeca.jpg
They are thick enough that the frozen condensation builds up on the outside, and doesn't work it's way in. Breath in through mouth and out through nose and you are sorted.
I try to keep one of the wipe areas on one hand clean for swiping across my glasses, to clear fogging.
As a very short-sighted rider, I find heavy rain at night more of a problem. The droplets on my glasses refract car headlights and streetlights, making it impossible to see.
Cosmoline
I just move the glasses down a bit on my nose so when they fog up at stops I can simply look over the top of them. They clear up again when the wind flow starts. I've learned never to touch them or try to clean them in transit as it just smears water on them and then you have to take them off and clean them. If you just leave them alone the frost will vanish on its own.
thumpic@yahoo.c
I don't know how long/well it would last/work; but shaving cream applied to both sides of the lenses and then removed after a minute might work. Next time you shave, try it on a foggy bathroom mirror...............
justmoe
there is a solution to all of your problems tested in the coldest weather -30c in alberta. clic goggles. these are of the highest quality glass with unbeatable clarity. and there are 3 lenses. the sides have vents and they are secured at the front with a powerful self adjusting magnet. the inner lens is also treated for anti-fog. I wear these over my toque and when biking i wear them over my balaclava. I have no issues with the balaclava covering my nose with these either.
they do not fog...at all. better yet when entering a building/house without removing them there is no instant fogging that other glasses get.
divingbiker
This morning I dug my scuba de-fog out of storage and used it on my glasses (Rudy Project Ekynox SX with clear lenses, so they fit fairly close to my face). No fogging at all, even when wearing a balaclava over my mouth! Temp was around freezing.
The brand I used was Sea Vision (http://www.crazyscuba.com/pd_seavision.cfm) but they all work about the same.
dekindy
This morning I dug my scuba de-fog out of storage and used it on my glasses (Rudy Project Ekynox SX with clear lenses, so they fit fairly close to my face). No fogging at all, even when wearing a balaclava over my mouth! Temp was around freezing.
The brand I used was Sea Vision (http://www.crazyscuba.com/pd_seavision.cfm) but they all work about the same.
I just called a local dive shop and they cautioned that if you have plastic lenses you need to purchase defog that will not harm them. Not all defoggers qualify. They carried Aqua Sphere that works with plastic. $4.95 per bottle retail.
RacerJRP
I didnt feel like reading all of this, but here is a solution. This is what I did to my karting visor when it would fog up in the colder months.
Put a small dab of dish soap onto you finger. Rub it into the backside of the lens until it gets a nice haze on it, and then buff with a soft towl or something. Easy anti-fogger.
fmattheus
I just serached for prices for the Smith Turbo goggles.
Here is a pair for $80.
http://www.mountainsports.com/msmain.asp?Option=Detail&Detail=143905
And here is a pair of OTG (over the glasses) for $110
http://www.sidebysidesports.com/smithturbootg.html
Joe1946
I rub shaving creme on the inside lenses on my Uvex goggles then wipe off and it keeps them from fogging .
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/jogiba/Album%20number%202/IMGP1168.jpg
scoatw
Here's a tip for fogged-up goggles/glasses. Instead of purchasing that stuff they advertise for clearing fogged-up glasses. Here's an old Housewife solution: Rub a thin coat of Shampoo on the lens and buff it with a cloth in a circular motion. It's good for about 10 days (so I read). Hey it's worked so far! Shaving cream does the job also (so I've heard).
vrkelley
It seems that goggles are the only thing that works. I don 't wear glasses but the cold bothers my eyes esp. on the fast decents. These are pretty geekie. Looks like something Dexter would wear. Wonder if they have lighter colored narrow rim ???
well I have solved that problem with Smith turbo CAM goggles.. the cam stands for constant air movement.. has a little micro electric fan that runs on 2 AAA batteries in a box on the headband.. I can get off the bike steaming like a New York City manhole cover in January(well most January's anyway, maybe not this year) and not have my glasses fog at all!
Smallwheels
When I rode motorcycles I once tried putting bar soap on the back side of the plastic face shield. It was buffed until clear. It did not work very well but it did work better than nothing at all.
For anyone thinking of using Rain X on glasses or shields don't do it. On another forum there were people who used it and their eyes got so irritated that their eye lids got swolen. If you want to use it be sure to let it completely dry before putting it near your eyes. Even then it might be a problem if the chemical gets near your eye while it is evaporating the fog on the lense.
cyclezealot
How about that antifog that is used for snorkel mask.
works for me.
KLW2
Funny when I wear my (Scott) Clear Ski Goggles, they NEVER fog.
.
I have the same experience with my Scott goggles. They have top and bottom vents with a mesh material ,,,so far down to 0 deg F is no problem.
I also agree with 2manybikes about how to wear wraparounds..works very well.
HighRollaMerola
I find that Pledge, rubbed on the lenses, does good job of eliminating fog. Plus it smells lemon fresh!
DogBoy
I fixed the problem with Lasik. I find that many of the sporting sunglasses (I'm using Tifosi Forza FC) anti-fog lenses work very well. I haven't had any really cold commutes yet, but down to mid teens F they have worked wonders. When I wore glasses, I found they would fog easily, so I used goggles, then, until the environment equalized between inside and outside, my glasses would fog, but once they equalized, all was well. I finally got to the point of keeping both my glasses and goggles in cold temps and only put them on right before leaving. This seemed to work pretty well, with only occasional fogging.
rama_five
This subject has came up before on this forum and such places as Icebike and one of the better suggestions has been to purchase and use a set of VISORGOGS (only about 8 bucks a pair).
I've used a pair for the last couple of years (they haven't worn out yet) and my eyeglass fogging, cold face/eye problems are cleared up.
Best $8 dollars I've ever spent!
meb
This morning I dug my scuba de-fog out of storage and used it on my glasses (Rudy Project Ekynox SX with clear lenses, so they fit fairly close to my face). No fogging at all, even when wearing a balaclava over my mouth! Temp was around freezing.
The brand I used was Sea Vision (http://www.crazyscuba.com/pd_seavision.cfm) but they all work about the same.
I had a lot of success with scuba antifogging solutions in the past on goggles and visors. The caution is that the coating is hard (but not impossible) to clean off, and will retain oil and dirt with the oil and dirt mixed in blurring vision with the film they leave. It is easier to clean off glass than plastic. Too liberal a coating also creates some blurs.
MudSplattered
Responding to the posts about contact lenses: Only good if you are in "warmer" temps. I have had my contacts FREEZE TO MY EYES twice when I took my glasses off due to fog. It's pretty painful and sort of freeze-dries the contacts. Read about it in my 12/02/07 post in my blog, link below. I use ski goggles with no problems - when I haven't misplaced them!
recursive
I tried several coatings and different approaches. Nothing could keep the fog away.
Then I just ripped all the foam covering the vents on my goggles off. Problem solved.
thebulls
there is a solution to all of your problems tested in the coldest weather -30c in alberta. clic goggles. ...
How is the side-visibility with those clic goggles?
Ken Wind
I actually don't wear glasses or contacts, and my vision is better than average. I do wear eye protection in the winter though, so I feel I can contribute something to this discussion. My solution to fogging sunglasses was to get a pair of Rudy Project Ekynox SGV (Sunglass Goggle Version?), pictured below. The combination of foam, headband, and double layer lenses helped to prevent fog most of the time. I would still be using these, except I lost the the sunglasses last summer.
Right now I'm looking for a good winter eyewear solution. I still have the lenses, foam insert, and headband, so I could just buy another Ekynox frame, but the cheapest I can find them is $80. Now I'm considering getting goggles (Rudy Project Klonyx) for that price instead. Any suggestions? Does anybody have a spare Ekynox frame they don't want?