Best night commute glasses?
#1
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Best night commute glasses?
I have a cheap pair of Tifosi and the clear lenses gets all kinds of glare/light streaks when getting hit with oncoming headlights.
In short...they suck. What's the best clear lens, nighttime glasses for suburban commuting? i.e. lots of street lights and car headlights.
In short...they suck. What's the best clear lens, nighttime glasses for suburban commuting? i.e. lots of street lights and car headlights.
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I like pale yellow lenses for night. They cut the glare of headlights without drastically reducing the amount of light coming into my eyes.
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Best i've found are actually a $20 pair of Remington shooting glasses that I found at Wal-Mart. That's from someone that wears Oakleys and was prepared to spring for clears for them. The Remington's work great. Shooting glasses are generally very optically correct.
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You might find that the best glasses for such conditions are none at all.
Glasses are nice for high speed descents, cold or when there are lots of bugs out, but, if it's clear, not too cold and most of your riding will be under 25 mph, you'll be fine without them. this goes double if it's raining. a ball cap under your helmet, visor facing forward will stop most of the raindrops and you'll still be able to see.
Glasses are nice for high speed descents, cold or when there are lots of bugs out, but, if it's clear, not too cold and most of your riding will be under 25 mph, you'll be fine without them. this goes double if it's raining. a ball cap under your helmet, visor facing forward will stop most of the raindrops and you'll still be able to see.
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You might find that the best glasses for such conditions are none at all.
Glasses are nice for high speed descents, cold or when there are lots of bugs out, but, if it's clear, not too cold and most of your riding will be under 25 mph, you'll be fine without them. this goes double if it's raining. a ball cap under your helmet, visor facing forward will stop most of the raindrops and you'll still be able to see.
Glasses are nice for high speed descents, cold or when there are lots of bugs out, but, if it's clear, not too cold and most of your riding will be under 25 mph, you'll be fine without them. this goes double if it's raining. a ball cap under your helmet, visor facing forward will stop most of the raindrops and you'll still be able to see.
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is it a dryness issue, or just can't take the chance of getting hit by something? i've been blessed with pretty good vision and was glasses free up to a few years ago. even now i rarely wear them, but, increasingly find myself wishing they were around.
what a drag it is getting old, indeed!
what a drag it is getting old, indeed!
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I wear these for my morning commute in the dark, my afternoon ride in the sun and when mountain biking.
https://www.safetyglassesusa.com/sg-14io.html
The mirrored coating reduces glare, they are clear enough to ride before the sun comes up, and they take the harshness out of the afternoon sun without changing the color of objects.
I used to sell a lot of z87 glasses and these were my number one seller. They don't look the coolest, but they work the best.
Also check out the Smith&Wesson line.
https://www.safetyglassesusa.com/smithwesson2.html
https://www.safetyglassesusa.com/sg-14io.html
The mirrored coating reduces glare, they are clear enough to ride before the sun comes up, and they take the harshness out of the afternoon sun without changing the color of objects.
I used to sell a lot of z87 glasses and these were my number one seller. They don't look the coolest, but they work the best.
Also check out the Smith&Wesson line.
https://www.safetyglassesusa.com/smithwesson2.html
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Not to mention that a piece of grit in your eye is sheer agony. And yeah, I'm with ya on the old part!
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I just buy a pair of good quality safety glasses from Loews or Home Depot, don't get the cheapest because they have distortion.
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Glasses with yellow lenses work great in dim light and darkness. They actually make it seem brighter outside. You should be able to buy some relatively inexpensive glasses with interchangeable lenses at places like Performance or Sierra Trading post, particularly if you don't need prescription lenses. I need corrective lenses and don't wear contacts, so I use glasses with Transition lenses, which turn dark in sunlight and clear in the dark. They are perfect for my purposes but weren't cheap.
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Great pragmatic advice here! I'm a big fan of yellow for pale light and the shooting / safety lines are all function, little marketing etc. leading to some great deals.
The only time I go without glasses is those very very rare rain / humid / fog situations where I can't see a darn thing with them on. Bugs, branches, etc. can do a number on your eyes, day or night, and I've only got two.
The only time I go without glasses is those very very rare rain / humid / fog situations where I can't see a darn thing with them on. Bugs, branches, etc. can do a number on your eyes, day or night, and I've only got two.
Last edited by slcbob; 10-07-10 at 07:19 AM.
#15
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You might find that the best glasses for such conditions are none at all.
Glasses are nice for high speed descents, cold or when there are lots of bugs out, but, if it's clear, not too cold and most of your riding will be under 25 mph, you'll be fine without them. this goes double if it's raining. a ball cap under your helmet, visor facing forward will stop most of the raindrops and you'll still be able to see.
Glasses are nice for high speed descents, cold or when there are lots of bugs out, but, if it's clear, not too cold and most of your riding will be under 25 mph, you'll be fine without them. this goes double if it's raining. a ball cap under your helmet, visor facing forward will stop most of the raindrops and you'll still be able to see.
I wear glasses at any speed above walking speed. Actually, I wear glasses anyway, but even when I didn't, I still wore safety or sun glasses, especially on a bike.
The glasses you're looking for come in a couple different flavors. There's contrast enhancing glasses good for low-light conditions like the yellow or amber lenses; there's also polarized lenses which will cut glare at night.
#16
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Here is another vote for shooter yellow lenses. The first pair I ever had were sold/marketed as "night driving glasses". I liked how well they worked, to the point that when I had to get prescription glasses, I ordered shooter yellow lenses. That was almost 20 years ago.
In bright sunlight I use a pair of clip-on polarized sunglasses, over my yellow glasses, it works for me.YMMV.
In bright sunlight I use a pair of clip-on polarized sunglasses, over my yellow glasses, it works for me.YMMV.
#17
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I use something simliar. $4 yellow safety glasses from Harbor Freight.
They are good at night and they are incredible during low light and overcast days. They are also great when I am riding along the river and go through a couple cloads of bugs.
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+ 2 or 3 for the Dewalt's, that's what I use, the cheap harbor freight and Walmart type have lens distortion that the Dewalt doesn't have.
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I have $50 Tifosi MTB transition glasses and they work OK at night except in a pouring rain. They cut the lights glare just fine.
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I will be the opposing view here. I do not like yellow tinted glasses for riding at night. I find them fine for low-light situations, but when it is really dark and you are just relying on your bike lights to light your way, the yellow tint plays with my depth perception. I much prefer clear lenses when it is really dark out.
Most safety glasses I have used are fine. Lately I have been using the Performance brand glasses with 4 different colored lenses ($20 on sale). I have used the tinted lenses when touring, but have otherwise always just used the clear lens that came with it. I did try the yellow, but found that I disliked them in the dark just like I did with other yellow lenses.
I ride at night in everything from dazzling streetlights and heavy traffic to pitch black forest preserve roads. Being able to see well is important to me.
Most safety glasses I have used are fine. Lately I have been using the Performance brand glasses with 4 different colored lenses ($20 on sale). I have used the tinted lenses when touring, but have otherwise always just used the clear lens that came with it. I did try the yellow, but found that I disliked them in the dark just like I did with other yellow lenses.
I ride at night in everything from dazzling streetlights and heavy traffic to pitch black forest preserve roads. Being able to see well is important to me.
#22
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I wear nike siege glasses with an orange lens to keep wind out of my eyes, day and night I have no complaints. Like those with the yellow lenses it enhances the light that I see and doesn't make the dark any darker. I can wear my glasses, a wooly hat, and a helmet at the same time with no intrusion.
#23
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The op asked about commuting and mentioned the problems with glare from oncoming headlights. I also struggle with this and have yet to find a pair of glasses that deal effectively with it. I usually do wear glasses during my commute, particularly in the morning when I have a few high speed descents and there is virtually no traffic. In the evening, there is a fair bit and I find that being blinded by oncoming headlight glare is more hazardous than the chance of catching a faceful of branch or a bug. I have good lighting so I should see the branch ahead of time if one happens to grow along my route over night.
I do have a pair of the yellow tinted glasses and like them for overcast days. I prefer clear ones for riding in the dark though for the reason mentioned above. They inhibit depth perception. You can't have too much depth perception when you are bombing down a hill at 40 mph.
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Add me to the Dewalt/home depote/Lowes safety glasses club. They cost next to nothing and work great.
I almost always wear glasses because with my hard contact lens, my eyes are very sensitive to debris.
I almost always wear glasses because with my hard contact lens, my eyes are very sensitive to debris.