Fifty Plus (50+) - Sweat Control

I'm still looking for the best sweat in my eyes solution. I live in NW Florida but I guess that pretty much everyone has the heat now, we just have it longer.

My current solution (sweat band under the helmet) works but has some drawbacks: I don't like the feel of about 4 ounces of saturated terrycloth, it feels hot, and it saturates these days every 20 minutes so I have to stop, take the helmet off and wring it out. Blows the ride pace.

I tried a sweat gutter but it was worse for me. The felt band around the inside of the helmet became supersaturated and dumped it's load all at once, which somehow ended up in my eyes, blinding me.

I bought a Halo skullcap over the net but don't have it yet. Hopefully that will be a help.

Any other solutions?

It isn't a problem to me until the temps and humidity get way up there but that's what Florida will be like until October.

I am using the GUTR band for the first time this spring/summer. It's been really hot down here in the South, and it has kept the sweat out of my eyes. I've always generated a lot of sweat on my head, and it would get into my eyes when climbing hills. Nothing worse than struggling up a tough hill with both hands on the hoods, and your eyes burning and not being able to see where you are going (very dangerous). So far, I haven't had that problem this year. There is nothing to absorb sweat on this band. It just diverts it to the sides.

http://www.worldcycling.com/SWEAT-GUTR-SWEAT-BAND/productinfo/SWEATGUTR/

Went to a car parts shop and found/bought the softest chamois cloth I could. Went home, cut it down and sewed it to a piece of 1inch wide elastic. Best headband ever for soaking up sweat - probably will not be carried by "Michael Kohrs" or any other fashion industry line --- but the damn thing works.

Terrycloth just doesn't wick and hold sweat like the chamois does.

couple of things I have tried- a Bandana and a cycling cap. Both keep the sweat from running down the face but I find the cap more convenient.

Both are Cotton material which is not the best for wicking but with the flow of air through the helmet- it does evaporate quickly.

I thought a cap would work better than it did. I need to find it again though, I took it out of the helmet when it got cold last year, and set it aside somewhere

A cap works well if you have no hair or very short hair - otherwise a sweat band is all I've found that works. drmweaver's chamois idea is interesting and might be worth a shot - my wife sews a bit, and I'll bet she could whip one up without much trouble. Do you use actual chamois (real leather), or the fake chamois cloth?

A cap works for me

Move to upstate NY.

I wear a Headsweats skullcap (coolmax) most of the time.

Do you use actual chamois (real leather), or the fake chamois cloth?UM, my priority was "soft"... but come to think of it, I believe it's real do to its cost.

Cycling cap works most of the time for me. For really hot/sweaty conditions (like you've got), just a Coolmax headband that you tie to fit your head. Performance used to sell 3-packs of them, but I don't see them now. The trailing tail of the headband seems to direct the sweat down the back of your neck. Some people just sweat profusely, and not much works. I've not had any luck with SweatGutr type sweatbands and Headsweat skull caps are too small for my head.

I tried a sweat gutter but it was worse for me. The felt band around the inside of the helmet became supersaturated and dumped it's load all at once, which somehow ended up in my eyes, blinding me.

The front of the gutr should not be inside the helmet. Works well for me.

I've been using a bandana for several years. I double over the lower part. Works ok for me.

This (http://www.amazon.com/Halo-Headbands-HSWHITE-Solar-Headwear/dp/B002IY8DBE/ref=sr_1_12?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1307232914&sr=1-12) keeps the sweat out of my eyes and the sun off the back of my neck...but I do look like I've joined the French Foreign Legion.

BTW - Any skull cap with a tail is designed to wick moisture into the tail where it evaporates more quickly...whether the design works in practice is another matter.

This (http://www.amazon.com/Halo-Headbands-HSWHITE-Solar-Headwear/dp/B002IY8DBE/ref=sr_1_12?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1307232914&sr=1-12) keeps the sweat out of my eyes and the sun off the back of my neck...but I do look like I've joined the French Foreign Legion.

BTW - Any skull cap with a tail is designed to wick moisture into the tail where it evaporates more quickly...whether the design works in practice is another matter.

+1 the little tail makes a HUGE difference. ALso, if you ride really fast, the sweat goes around your eyes :)

being almost hairless on top, I use headsweats whenever I get on the bike... sweat control, sun burn control...

train safe-

+1 the little tail makes a HUGE difference. ALso, if you ride really fast, the sweat goes around your eyes :)

being almost hairless on top, I use headsweats whenever I get on the bike... sweat control, sun burn control...

train safe-

yep! It's bad enough to have the tan lines from the chin straps...don't need to have helmet stripes on my bald spot, too:)

[QUOTE=zoste;12740311
BTW - Any skull cap with a tail is designed to wick moisture into the tail where it evaporates more quickly...whether the design works in practice is another matter.[/QUOTE]

Probably work a lot better in Arizona than Florida. If the tail was big enough to evaporate the sweat from a 106 degree day and 75% humidity like we had today, it would be the size of a main sail on a British frigate circa 1820.

I use an ear band from my collection of ski gear...works well....
Bud

Probably work a lot better in Arizona than Florida. If the tail was big enough to evaporate the sweat from a 106 degree day and 75% humidity like we had today, it would be the size of a main sail on a British frigate circa 1820.

Undoubtedly :)

Couple of things-Vaseline above the eyes will help to keep sweat out of the eyes. This is apparantly what Sean Kelly does.

And the Foreign Legion cap with the tail down the back. Really usefull for those long rides where you have the sun at the back of the neck for extended periods. I use the bandana as a Scarf for that tender spot that normally would never see much sun until you hunch down over the bars for extended periods

204808

I've used various things over the years but my current solution is just to regularly press the helmet against my forehead to squeeze the sweat out of the pad while leaning my head slightly forward and to the side to keep the sweat out of my eyes and off my glasses glasses while it squeezes out. Does the trick for me as long as I do it before it starts dripping out of the pad on its own.

I prefer doo-rag type bandana's, for both the sweat band and extra sun protection. Head sweats is one brand, but I have found that the cheaper shop branded ones from performance work just as well. I even put one on if i'm just working outside in the sun.

yep! It's bad enough to have the tan lines from the chin straps...don't need to have helmet stripes on my bald spot, too:)

And to have your wife tell you to take it off before you sit at the table. :lol:

Headsweats skull caps for me year round. It also keep the bees and other flying bugs/insects that sometimes get into my helmet from getting all tangled up in my hair.

Halo head band works well for me. I still sweat plenty, but not in my eyes.

It's called the waffle. The material has channels that absorbs the sweat and directs it to a duct system away from the eyes and onto the back of the helmet. The thin part of the waffle allows fresh air to help the material dry up while the thicker portion does the channeling.

But get a short haircut.

Move to upstate NY.

Great idea in the summer time. We spent a summer there two years ago and 2100 miles latter came home to the Arizona desert. I wish I could spend every summer there but we have grandchildren in other states from cost to cost so...

Anybody try Mitchum?

I've found a solution for sweat in the eyes but you might not like it.

It's the R word, recumbent. Leaning back keeps the sweat from dripping into my eyes.

I too live/Ride in NW Florida; the Panama City area. Now-a-days I share my time with N Georgia where I prefer to spend the hot months. I'm in PC now and our trails out in Pine Log state forest were predicted to hit 97 yesterday. I didn't go and did an early morning road ride instead.

I solved the sweat in the glasses thing even for July/August here with a Pearl Izumi head band. They are made with the same ultra thin moisture removing material of their better bike ware stuff I'm guessing.

I can be pushing 90% max HR and stop for a snack and still don't get dripping on the glasses in our typical summer heat/humidity.

I've had three for nearly a decade. Checked on-line and they seem to have been discontinued. Then I got a catalog from Colorado Cyclist and they seem to have them under the name Pearl Izumi Transfer Lite Head band @$11.99.

Pulled down to just above the eye brows seems to work best. You don't really feel it up there even if it's soaked.

Al

I stopped using an underarm antiperspirant when cycling. The result is much less sweat on my brow. Body has to cool some how. Let your pits flow.
But, I also ride the Panama City area and 30A. Last week got out by 6 AM to be done before 10 AM. I was still dripping wet. Love jumping in the Gulf after a hot ride.

COOLMAX Bandanna. As a do rag, no bees, no funny tan spots on my baldness, no sweat in the eyes.

Anybody try Mitchum?

On your forehead? :eek:

Vaseline above the eyes will help to keep sweat out of the eyes. 204808

Stap got there first. That's what everyone here does before running or cycling - a good smear right across the unibrow! Was also just a normal thing, regular as tieing your laces, when I was a runner in Jakarta and Singapore

Halo headband works until humidity + temperature gets over 150, and then nothing works for more than 20 minutes. With two bandanas, it's possible to wring out, unroll and hang one on the back rack while the other gets saturated.

6:00 am starts do pretty well!

UV Buff from Cabela's

This works just fine for me. No bulk under the helmet and no sweat on glasses or in eyes. Have been using for 2 yrs.

http://www.pearlizumi.com/publish/content/pi_2010/us/en/index/products/men/tri/accessories/0.-productCode-9320.html

I've been using Headsweats sweatband, white, http://www.headsweats.com/products/Topless.html , and it does a good job, for me at least, keeping the sweat out of my eyes.
http://www.headsweats.com/product_images/r/601/8801_201__37757_zoom.jpg

@ jjrahm,

link?

The Halo skullcap with the tie (not elastic) works for me in central Texas. The yellow silicon strip stops the sweat and then skullcap wicks the moisture up where the air coming through the helmet evaporates it and keeps me cool. :thumb:

-Spoke
Ride On!

Because of this thread I looked at, and then ordered, the GUTR sweatband, it's just too easy to order on Amazon, next maybe the skullcap??

This time of year, even in upstate NY, sweat control is a real issue. I've taken to carrying 2-3 halo headbands and every 15-20 miles will stop and change them. Wring out the used one as best you can and hang it from the handlebars or elsewhere to dry, just in case you need it again. Its best if you can do this at a real road stop and run it through some fresh water, but no matter. Also, I travel with a terry washcloth tucked into the rear of my bike shorts. I'll pull that out while riding for a quick wipe off and while stopped for a major cleaning while changing headbands and wiping off glasses.

I probably need to test it more, but since this thread started I got a halo scull cap which seems to do the trick.

At the first SAG on a hot, humid ride yesterday morning, I took off my helmet to find that my Headsweats skullcap was saturated. As expected - doing its job. Seldom experience sweat dripping into my eyes.

Forehead antiperspirant? IDK, this is what I put on my hands...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41WTwQ0BlRL._SL500_SS100_.jpg
Dry Grip No Sweat 6 oz Bottle Antiperspirant Lotion For Hands, Feet & Forehead Stop Sweat … (http://www.amazon.com/Dry-Grip-Antiperspirant-Forehead-Anywhere/dp/B005NF3JLY/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_13)

I just got both a Halo sweatband and a Sweat Gutr to try out. Before ordering, I was skeptical about the headband, but that was because no one told me it had a poly strip in it that acts as a block, redirecting the sweat to the sides. I had thought it was just a regular headband kind of thing. I've used it on 3 or 4 100-degree rides now without any issues. I haven't needed to even try the Gutr yet.