Winter Cycling - Foggy Glasses

I find that if I wear my balaclava over both my mouth and nose, my glasses fog up. This doesn't happen if I only cover my mouth, but on a really cold day, it's a lot more comfortable to cover both.
Any suggestions?

Mindi Rosenthal

I find that if I wear my balaclava over both my mouth and nose, my glasses fog up. This doesn't happen if I only cover my mouth, but on a really cold day, it's a lot more comfortable to cover both.
Any suggestions?

Mindi Rosenthal

Rainex makes an anti fog product, and it does work very well.

Rainex makes an anti fog product, and it does work very well.

I think I read somewhere else in the forums that rainex won't adhere well to plastic. I'm too lazy to search for the post. Have you heard anything to that effect? Because I've thought about giving it a try but backed off after I read that.

If you are doing stop and go riding it happens. Before you stop pull your glasses away from your face a little so the air can get under them. When you get going and it starts to get cold just push them back. If they fog up at a stop or if one side does. pull them away from your face and get moving if you can, tip your head to get a lot of air under the lenses.Or right before you stop pull the cover off your nose.
Also if you have the balaclava up over your nose,try breathing through your mouth and direct the breath out and down away from your face.

I think I read somewhere else in the forums that rainex won't adhere well to plastic. I'm too lazy to search for the post. Have you heard anything to that effect? Because I've thought about giving it a try but backed off after I read that.

Rainex anti fog works great for me when I go snowmobiling.
I've used regular rainex on some precription sunglasses (plastic lenses) and it also worked.

In addition to ones mentioned here, do a search on fogging and you will find several products other members have tried, too.

--J

Don't cover both your nose and your mouth. Breath in through your mouth (covered) and out through your nose (not covered).

I find that if I wear my balaclava over both my mouth and nose, my glasses fog up. This doesn't happen if I only cover my mouth, but on a really cold day, it's a lot more comfortable to cover both.
Any suggestions?

Mindi Rosenthal

You have uncovered the one piece of the puzzle that in my opinion can't be solved completely. Unless you get lasik surgery or no longer require RX eyewear. I tried a product called Fog Tech. A gentleman on here sent me some samples as he is apparently the owner of the company. I wish i could tell you that it worked. I can't.

I only had a few samples but found that it didn't solve the problem. My glasses still fogged. I get by fine until the temps and windchills drop below 0 F. Then, having any flesh exposed, including the nose and cheeks becomes often painful. It is almost imperative that the balaclava go up over the nose. You can cheat a little.

I pull the balaclava up over my bottom lip this directs the warm exhaled air up into the face and provides a bit of relief. It also doesn't fog up as bad. I wear my glasses with a pair of visor gogs over the top when it is below 20 F. I have found nothing that keeps them from fogging with the balaclava over the nose and mouth.

Yesterday, i went to the eye doc and got fitted for contact lenses. It's been 20 years since i tried so i figured, what the heck? Oddly enough, it was freezing rain/sleet that made me do it. I rode the other day (i guess every day this week) in sleet. I was 10 miles from home and i got fed up with having to stop and wipe my glasses every 5 minutes. I took them off and put them in the trunk bag. I then had to turn around into the cold north wind.

A light bulb went on. "Hey i ought to pull this balaclava up over my nose and mouth since i don't have the glasses on." THe next 10 miles (1 hr) was bliss. Man was i warm. Couldn't see crap but man i was warm. I kept thinking, wow you guys without glasses have it made. That was so awesome. It is really important to cover all skin if you want to be perfectly comfortable on a bike in cold windchills. I survive leaving my cheeks and nose out in the cold but now i know it can be better.

Though I haven't tried it on my cycling specs, I know SCUBA divers spit on their facemasks to keep them from fogging. I agree with 2manybikes. I just air out my specs when doing a stop.

Though I haven't tried it on my cycling specs, I know SCUBA divers spit on their facemasks to keep them from fogging. I agree with 2manybikes. I just air out my specs when doing a stop.

If you do it for a long time you begin to accept it as something you just do, then it does not seem to be a big problem. Even if there is a little icing you can deal with that too.

spit happens

Rainex anti fog works great for me when I go snowmobiling.
I've used regular rainex on some precription sunglasses (plastic lenses) and it also worked.
Try using a balaclava with a nose opening and has small holes over mouth, all you have to do at a stop if fogging occurs just lower the nose part.I found one at Canadian tire amongst the snowmobiling section. You get them in various thicknesses.I have athin one and add earband,hat and neck gaiter if neccesary.Haven't used rainx but have success withvisor guard(hockey product).

Try using a balaclava with a nose opening and has small holes over mouth, all you have to do at a stop if fogging occurs just lower the nose part.I found one at Canadian tire amongst the snowmobiling section. You get them in various thicknesses.I have athin one and add earband,hat and neck gaiter if neccesary.Haven't used rainx but have success withvisor guard(hockey product).

Yes, this is what I use as well and I'm able to keep my glasses from fogging, where balaclavas have always been a problem. I got my Serius mask at a ski shop for about C$20. Another thing I like about it over balaclavas is that it's separate from the hat, so I can just take it off in the middle of a ride and stuff it in my pocket, without having to fiddle with my helmet...

i wear glasses to keep debris out of my eyes, and in my opinion it's warmer too. anyway rain-x works for plastic glasses... it's not perfect, but it is a huge improvement over no rain-x.. i recommend it. also get some sport eyeglass straps, so you can just take ur glasses off at a red light, let'm hang off ur neck, and then put it right back on..

sd

I've already posted this in another thread, but here goes. Fogtech (http://www.motosolutions.com/) works really well for me, but its a bit on the costly side. I also have a friend who swears by Cat Crap (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=608&memberId=12500226), though he isn't a cyclist. (note: I am in no way affiliated with either of these companies).

Howdy,
I have read in a couple of places that tooth paste will stop your glasses from fogging, make sure to use a non abrasive kind, rub it on and rinse it off. I've never tryed it myself.

M.R.

Toothpaste (non-abrasive) definitely works on a SCUBA mask. Used it hundreds of times.

I've tried using toothpaste on a set of cheapo MEC glasses. It worked ok, but the effects quickly wore off. Once you work up a sweat, they still fogged up when stopped for any period of time. I now use Rudy Project Equinox Glasses/Goggles. This was a big improvement... combination of great visibility and peripheral vision from glasses with the double lense and insulation of goggles. So far, I haven't had problems with fogging (with the exception of balaclava-blast)... -30 - +30 deg C.

My profession requires me to wear rather expensive tri-focals with sophisticated coatings, and I had some misgivings about commercial anti-fog liquids ruining the coatings.

I went to the folks who sold me my glasses and they gave a little bottle of stuff called "Clarity" and guaranteed it would work without damaging my glasses.

I wear vented goggles over my glasses, and they fogged up, also.

Using this Clarity stuff about every two days keeps my glasses and goggles fairly clear.

So, check with the place that sold you your glasses.

-----

Speaking of balaclavas and other types of face masks (Gator), they don't seem to work for me.
Since I have a beard, it protects my face fairly well.
Still, I would like to find a product that would give me another light layer between me and the wind.
I'd like to find something with one big cutout for both the mouth and the nose, but which still went over the bridge of the nose and had eye holes.
Has anyone seen anything like that?

I haven't tried this yet, but I have some anti fog spray for paintball masks that I am going to try. Fogged glasses suck when tractor trailers are passing and you are facing the sun.