Commuting - Sweat in the Eyes...Product Advice

It's obviously hot out...in all parts of the country. I have been getting waterfalls of sweat going into my eyes. My LBS didn't have sweat bands so I just hung in there. A friend says I need to be careful because some are really thick and don't fit under helmets very well. So I was at another bike shop one day and the kid there sold me on this device that I like to call the "sweat gutter." It's a rubber headband with a channel up front that is supposed to direct the sweat away from your eyes. I thought it was an interesting concept so I bought one especially when the kid said, "what do you think happens when the sweat bands get saturated?" So I head to work the next day with this rubber band contraption on my head and it was very uncomfortable at first. It didn't easily fit under the helmet either. It was irritating but I thought that I probably just need to break it in. Then on the way home it's hot and I have the thing on. I can feel the sweat run down my forehead but it doesn't go straight into my eyes. Although it was still a bit uncomfortable I appreciated the fact that the waterfall was absent. Then...it happened....the sweat started to fill up the channel and drop out the ends....unfortunately this is a one size fits all thing and apparently I have a wide head so the sweat was collecting up and dumping into the corners of my eyes....UGH! I tried to re-arrange the thing but to no avail. Later I just stopped and yanked the thing off and threw it in my bag.

I used it again today because I was desperate in the 100+ heat. Somehow it worked better this time. I think maybe it stretched out a little (should have thought of that before) and the sweat wasn't running into my eyes really. I'm not totally sold on this though....so what are your opinions on sweat bands and other similar equipment? Sweat in the eyes sucks.

no advice. i would like to know too. i don't know what it is that i'm ingesting, but it comes out in my sweat in the form of hot poison, and when it gets in my eyes, i pity the rider that tries to pass me because i become a swerving fool.

It's the ealy in your sweat that burns your eyes. I found that if you get a fitting sunglasses that it helps.

I use a "Halo" brand sweat band is has a so called sweat gutter in it. Here is a link with some info on it. http://www.webmountainbike.com/haloheadband.html

I bought 2 of these when I was in Plano Texas last year at a bike shop.

A wicking do-rag has worked wonders for me. The extra materials flapping around at the back gives more surface area for sweat evaporation.

you can try using a little petroleum jelly to make extend the barrier around your eyes. just be sure not to wipe it away accidentally.

Headsweats are your friend. Most bike shops have them and they're available all over the place on line. (Nasbar, Performance, Jenson...)

http://www.headsweats.com/

I've used both the Sweat Gutr and the Halo. The Halo is more comfortable and works very well. With the Sweat Gutr I find that I have to wear it just barely above my eyebrows. I do wish the gutter section were a little longer, but overall it works for me.

I do well with some cheap bandanas. I'll swap out the sweaty one after a few miles. They dry fast.

Nashbar SweatVac Headband (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=17162&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=)

Do Wrap SweatVac has bandana, skullcap and headband styles all in one place. http://dowrap.com/

I've got a coomax skullcap (no tails flapping about) and it works pretty good for this. Just gotta make sure the headband is pulled down to the eyebrows.

I have a coolmax cycling cap. The coolmax wicks the sweat up onto my head where it cools and keeps it out of my eyes and the bill keeps the sun and car headlights out of my eyes. I am lost without it.

I wore a $2 bandana.

Make sure you wash them first, because the color runs like a mother....

I didn't wash them before I wore them, after the ride I notice people staring at me. Because my forehead was solid green.

Just grow some massive eyebrows (or should I say eyebrow). They work wonders.

I have the same problem, and I've had a lot of success with the Buff. http://www.buff.es/

Another vote here for the petroleum jelly - just a smear around the eyes and bridge of the nose works wonders…

- Wil

I just bring a face cloth and wipe as needed. Simple, effective, and cheap. :)

I use a cycling cap or a head sweat/bandana worn under the helmet. The cycling cap keeps the sun out of my eyes as well as wicking sweat away from my eyes while the head sweat is better at sweat management. It's a tradeoff. I think you can get something which combines the concepts though.

I had a sweat gutter band for years and finally wore it out. I couldn't find another at the time, so I decided to make my own. I bought a roll of flexible icemaker feed line at Home Depot, cut off a section to fit from ear to ear and hooked it together with elastic. It's round - doesn't have the gutter part, but the sweat rolls down behind my ear and drops off. I figure I can make 25-30 from a roll for $3 - where one Sweat GUTR costs $15.

As weird as this might sound, I used to get this all the time until it was helmet replacement time. my new helmet, a bell x-ray mtn bike helmet, has helmet pads and vents that seem to work in tandem to keep sweat out of the eyes. I dont think i have gotten a dumping of sweat in the eyes since I switched to it over a year ago. I have seen huge drops tossed to the side from the wind, but no run off into the eyes.

http://www.haloheadband.com/sitemap.html

Just grow some massive eyebrows (or should I say eyebrow). They work wonders.

Let us know what they work wonders for. I have an eyebrow and sweat runs right through it. When forced to ride in high heat I use several of those braided sweat bands used for aerobics in the old Richard Simmons days. Loosen helmet and change band when full.

I have a coolmax cycling cap. The coolmax wicks the sweat up onto my head where it cools and keeps it out of my eyes and the bill keeps the sun and car headlights out of my eyes. I am lost without it.


do you wear a helmet? sometimes I don't want to. I feel so liberated...

I wore a $2 bandana.

Make sure you wash them first, because the color runs like a mother....

I didn't wash them before I wore them, after the ride I notice people staring at me. Because my forehead was solid green.

+1 for the bandana.

Maybe I don't sweat much (which I doubt is the case as I break a sweat just thinking about moving around outdoors most days, but there's a forehead pad in my helmet that seems to do a good enough job 90% of the time.

Regarding the stinging, rinse your hair really well when washing and don't put product in your hair before cycling. I've noticed that my sweat stings my eyes most when I've got gunk in my hair or when I take quick showers the morning before I ride.

Ok...don't ever tell my wife but I was actually wrong on something. This sweat Gutr thing actually works pretty well. I pulled on the thing until it stretched out a bit now it's long enough to dump the sweat down the outside of my cheeks not into the corner of my eyes. No more stinging eyes from sweat rivers. I'm a believer!

If you are wearing the Sweat GUTR (plastic sweatband with channel - no cloth) and it is uncomfortable you may be wearing it too tight. I have found that it only needs to be snug to work. It it leaves a mark on your head or gives you a headache then your prpabably wearing it way too tight. It is a very unconventional sweatband but the concept makes sense and really works. The desmoines register newspaper and main sponsor for Ragbrai - ride across Iowa- made a video on the product. Go to desmoinesregister.com and look up Ragbrai.

My GUTR came with three differnt size elastic rings - small, medium and large. Have you tried using the large elastic ring and adjusting/loosening the velcro straps on the back on the band to make it larger? I have a 7 1/4 head and wear the medium band with mine.

I have used Halos, Sweat Gutrs, terry sweatbands and do rags made out of a wicking material.

Terry sweatband--OK for arrid climate but in hot and humid weather, the thing gets saturated and sweat resumes dripping into eyes.

Do Rag--again, once it is saturated sweat starts to drip into eyes and the full head coverage inhibits cooling.

Halo-works really well in moving sweat away from the eyes. But will drip a little bit of sweat into the eyes on really hot humid days (95 degrees, 60%+ humidity). It is very thin and goes under a helmet easily

Sweat Gutr-my first choice. It does the best job in moving sweat away from the eyes. Never gets saturated and is very adjustable and easy to clean

I kept bugging my local shop to get me one but they never did so I got it from www.love2pedal.com
The shipping was fast and the shipping cost was really reasonable

Neil

It's the ealy in your sweat that burns your eyes. I found that if you get a fitting sunglasses that it helps.

OK, I give up. What's "ealy"?

Eric

This works for me:

http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/product-detail-BAN-ACC.htm

http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/graphics/products/front/BAN-JE-FR.jpg

they export all over and are cheap.

It's obviously hot out...in all parts of the country. I have been getting waterfalls of sweat going into my eyes. My LBS didn't have sweat bands so I just hung in there. A friend says I need to be careful because some are really thick and don't fit under helmets very well. So I was at another bike shop one day and the kid there sold me on this device that I like to call the "sweat gutter." It's a rubber headband with a channel up front that is supposed to direct the sweat away from your eyes. I thought it was an interesting concept so I bought one especially when the kid said, "what do you think happens when the sweat bands get saturated?" So I head to work the next day with this rubber band contraption on my head and it was very uncomfortable at first. It didn't easily fit under the helmet either. It was irritating but I thought that I probably just need to break it in. Then on the way home it's hot and I have the thing on. I can feel the sweat run down my forehead but it doesn't go straight into my eyes. Although it was still a bit uncomfortable I appreciated the fact that the waterfall was absent. Then...it happened....the sweat started to fill up the channel and drop out the ends....unfortunately this is a one size fits all thing and apparently I have a wide head so the sweat was collecting up and dumping into the corners of my eyes....UGH! I tried to re-arrange the thing but to no avail. Later I just stopped and yanked the thing off and threw it in my bag.

I used it again today because I was desperate in the 100+ heat. Somehow it worked better this time. I think maybe it stretched out a little (should have thought of that before) and the sweat wasn't running into my eyes really. I'm not totally sold on this though....so what are your opinions on sweat bands and other similar equipment? Sweat in the eyes sucks.
I'm surprised no one ever suggested the simplest of solutions: A T shirt sleeve. I find this works the best and it costs nothing but cutting a sleeve off that old T you never wear. I have about 6 different ones from different size shirts, so I have different densities and lengths and for different weather. I shave my head, so this may not be the best option for others as far as ventilation is concerned, but it has always worked for me, even on those long rides in 100* plus weather.