Preventing glasses from fogging over
12-03-08, 06:04 PM
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Barbasol? Who'd a thunk it? lol I'm filing that in the good tip drawer if ever needed.
12-08-08, 08:10 AM
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I will have to admit that I am truly amazed. It only got down to 32 degrees Fahrenheit with no wind chill this evening. That is still a good test. I had zero fogging!
I simply added a pair of safety glasses as suggested by Jim from Boston. He wears a lot more on his head than I do so he has a much more elaborate setup. I was going to use string to keep the safety glasses up off my Adidas glasses and nose (Jim uses velcro to attach his safety glasses to his wool cap which I do not wear)... I wear a Foxwear balaclava (positioned so that it does not cover my nose or mouth) and my Adidas Gazelle glasses with optical inserts. Normally they fog so much when I stop that I cannot see anything. I had zero fogging tonight! I would have to add that I also wiped my lenses with Clarity Fog Eliminator wipes. This only helped marginally in the past but I wanted to mention it. Apparently keeping the cold wind deflected lets the lenses stay warm enough to prevent fog from forming. I will test this in colder temperatures.
I simply added a pair of safety glasses as suggested by Jim from Boston. He wears a lot more on his head than I do so he has a much more elaborate setup. I was going to use string to keep the safety glasses up off my Adidas glasses and nose (Jim uses velcro to attach his safety glasses to his wool cap which I do not wear)... I wear a Foxwear balaclava (positioned so that it does not cover my nose or mouth) and my Adidas Gazelle glasses with optical inserts. Normally they fog so much when I stop that I cannot see anything. I had zero fogging tonight! I would have to add that I also wiped my lenses with Clarity Fog Eliminator wipes. This only helped marginally in the past but I wanted to mention it. Apparently keeping the cold wind deflected lets the lenses stay warm enough to prevent fog from forming. I will test this in colder temperatures.
It took a little manipulation while riding but I did not fog. I have a slightly rolling terrain, so when going slower uphill and breathing more heavily, I lowered the face mask below my nose to cut down the upward flow of moist air, and when riding level or going downhill, I would raise it up. After a few miles, I was warm enough that keeping it below my nose was fine. At a complete stop, I lowered it to my chin.
Also I could manipulate my breathing to deflect the exhaled air downward by protruding my upper jaw over my lower lip and exhaling through my mouth (I call it “bucktooth breathing” ;-). Between easily manipulating the face mask and directing my breathing upward or down, my cheeks and eyes were warm, and my visibility was excellent. I had little fogging, mostly at the beginning as I learned to do the above maneuvers. My route is pretty well lit and I still could see the road since I did not let the fogging get too much. Of note, at really cold temperatures fog can frost so I try to remove it ASAP.
Then there’s a solution by Dobber:
I will report further when we get into single digits.
12-08-08, 08:39 PM
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If you can afford them, you just can't beat Smith Turbo goggles. They have a 2-speed microfan that keeps the air flowing and fog at a minimum. They list for like $179 or so, but I found mine (clear lenses) at an online motorcycle store for less than $90. I don't wear them when the temps are above 25F or so, but under that, especially when it's below 10F, they are well worth the cost to me.
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
Last edited by chipcom; 12-08-08 at 08:43 PM.
12-09-08, 09:33 AM
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If you can afford them, you just can't beat Smith Turbo goggles. They have a 2-speed microfan that keeps the air flowing and fog at a minimum. They list for like $179 or so, but I found mine (clear lenses) at an online motorcycle store for less than $90. I don't wear them when the temps are above 25F or so, but under that, especially when it's below 10F, they are well worth the cost to me.
Unfortunately these did not work out for me. However, in the final analysis I believe the main issue was that I was overdressed and producing too much heat/perspiration. I have since bought a good pair of double lens Smith goggles at TJ Maxx for $20 - these have worked great. I have found a way to ride with goggles without fogging and did not have to buy the more expensive Turbofan. However, I am now working on a way to eliminate the exposed skin I have below the goggles....
· I began riding my bicycle to work. I had put the goggles on inside my house over my glasses.
· I turned the fan on low power. Within 5 minutes the inside of the goggles became fogged over.
· All during this time I was pedaling, but not very hard, making about 12 – 14 mph.
· I then turned the fan to turbo – I could hear the change in frequency. There was no change in the fogging inside the goggles. After about 15 more minutes I had to stop and take off the goggles and put them away because the fogging was so bad it was very poor visibility and was getting potentially dangerous.
· Within 30 seconds my glasses cleared up and I could see. There was very slight fogging on my glasses when I stopped, but this cleared immediately once I began moving again. My glasses are treated with Cat Crap.
This is not the performance I was expecting. I paid a lot for these goggles and was hoping they would protect my eyes from the cold and allow me to see...
.
· I began riding my bicycle to work. I had put the goggles on inside my house over my glasses.
· I turned the fan on low power. Within 5 minutes the inside of the goggles became fogged over.
· All during this time I was pedaling, but not very hard, making about 12 – 14 mph.
· I then turned the fan to turbo – I could hear the change in frequency. There was no change in the fogging inside the goggles. After about 15 more minutes I had to stop and take off the goggles and put them away because the fogging was so bad it was very poor visibility and was getting potentially dangerous.
· Within 30 seconds my glasses cleared up and I could see. There was very slight fogging on my glasses when I stopped, but this cleared immediately once I began moving again. My glasses are treated with Cat Crap.
This is not the performance I was expecting. I paid a lot for these goggles and was hoping they would protect my eyes from the cold and allow me to see...
.
12-09-08, 10:12 AM
#31
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Like a lot of people here, I'm afraid I can't justify the Smiths when what I already have has me covered for 46 weeks and all but 8-10 commutes every year. $170 / 10 rides = triple what it costs me to drive.
I've been fighting cold feet but the extra heavy cushion Hunting/Mountaineering (same sock different packaging) Smartwools I found at a small ski shop last night should get me another 5-10ºF. Light hikers or snowboard socks under Sealskinz will be the next step and should be a hair warmer still.
I'll be going for a personal best come Thursday at about 19ºF/-7ºC. I'll let y'all know how the Barbasol and safety glasses work at 5ºF colder than I've ridden to date. BTW, the particular pair of safety glasses I'm using fit me very close to the cheeks but leave a much larger gap at the brow. When stopped, I believe this is allowing heat to rise while drawing air in from the sides yet keeping vapor from my breath from getting behind the lenses. When moving, the air flows in the opposite direction. I rarely get more than a very small amount of fogging along the very bottom of the lens.
Maybe I'll snap a pic if I'm not running late.
I've been fighting cold feet but the extra heavy cushion Hunting/Mountaineering (same sock different packaging) Smartwools I found at a small ski shop last night should get me another 5-10ºF. Light hikers or snowboard socks under Sealskinz will be the next step and should be a hair warmer still.
I'll be going for a personal best come Thursday at about 19ºF/-7ºC. I'll let y'all know how the Barbasol and safety glasses work at 5ºF colder than I've ridden to date. BTW, the particular pair of safety glasses I'm using fit me very close to the cheeks but leave a much larger gap at the brow. When stopped, I believe this is allowing heat to rise while drawing air in from the sides yet keeping vapor from my breath from getting behind the lenses. When moving, the air flows in the opposite direction. I rarely get more than a very small amount of fogging along the very bottom of the lens.
Maybe I'll snap a pic if I'm not running late.
01-16-09, 01:53 PM
#32
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...Today [12-18-08] was 16* to 14* from start to finish on my 14 mile commute with a WNW wind at 9 mph; I travel SW. I wore a woolen skull cap, my thin balaclava, which covers to my upper lip, and a wrap-around face mask, under the balaclava, with a nose hood and small perforations at the mouth, that covers over my nose completely, and up most of my cheeks to within a few millimeters of the lower edge of the safety goggles (see photos). The face mask is a direct shute for warm moist air on to my upper cheeks and eyes, a good thing to keep them warm, but a heavy source of moisture to fog the eyeglasses and goggles.
It took a little manipulation while riding but I did not fog. I have a slightly rolling terrain, so when going slower uphill and breathing more heavily, I lowered the face mask below my nose to cut down the upward flow of moist air, and when riding level or going downhill, I would raise it up. After a few miles, I was warm enough that keeping it below my nose was fine. At a complete stop, I lowered it to my chin.
Also I could manipulate my breathing to deflect the exhaled air downward by protruding my upper jaw over my lower lip and exhaling through my mouth. Between easily manipulating the face mask and directing my breathing upward or down, my cheeks and eyes were warm, and my visibility was excellent. I had little fogging, mostly at the beginning as I learned to do the above maneuvers. My route is pretty well lit and I still could see the road since I did not let the fogging get too much. Of note, at really cold temperatures fog can frost so I try to remove it ASAP.
Then there’s a solution by Dobber:
I noted that my eyelids did perspire a little probably because I was warmly dressed, but they were not chilled at all because of the excellent wind screen, even on downhill runs of near 20 mph.
I will report further when we get into single digits.
It took a little manipulation while riding but I did not fog. I have a slightly rolling terrain, so when going slower uphill and breathing more heavily, I lowered the face mask below my nose to cut down the upward flow of moist air, and when riding level or going downhill, I would raise it up. After a few miles, I was warm enough that keeping it below my nose was fine. At a complete stop, I lowered it to my chin.
Also I could manipulate my breathing to deflect the exhaled air downward by protruding my upper jaw over my lower lip and exhaling through my mouth. Between easily manipulating the face mask and directing my breathing upward or down, my cheeks and eyes were warm, and my visibility was excellent. I had little fogging, mostly at the beginning as I learned to do the above maneuvers. My route is pretty well lit and I still could see the road since I did not let the fogging get too much. Of note, at really cold temperatures fog can frost so I try to remove it ASAP.
Then there’s a solution by Dobber:
I will report further when we get into single digits.
At ten miles I started to keep my face mask up more to protect my cheeks. At about 12 miles I started to get some intractable fogging on my right side that eventually frosted, limiting my peripheral vision by an arc of about 60 degrees. I still could see straight ahead just fine, but I did have to turn my head to check intersections on my right, My left side was clear and I could use my mirror. At a stoplight at about mile 12 my safety glasses started to slightly fog even with my face mask fully down below my mouth. This cleared up within about 50 to 100 feet after I started to ride.
At mile 13 the left safety glass side panel started to fog, cutting off about 30 degrees of peripheral vision on my right, but it cleared by lowering my face mask; I was almost to my destination. I still could see straight ahead and could use my mirror. See photographs below of my headgear and the safety glasses at the end of the trip. Despite the partial peripheral frosting of the safety glasses near the end of my 14 mile ride under these pretty extreme conditions, I felt fine and safe, my eyes were well-shielded, and my eyeglasses did not fog. At these temps, I doubt many people would continue to ride further without a break to warm up and clear things up.
01-16-09, 02:13 PM
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I've now had the Barbasol treated safety glasses down to 12ºF thanks to the Sealskinz socks I ordered around New Years. They've done OK until I hit a little fog which is a regular occurrence around here at those temperatures. The moisture in the fog hits the front of the glasses and almost immediately ices over. I don't generally ride in the fog and have been fortunate that it's just been for a mile or so here and there.
01-16-09, 05:18 PM
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What about Laser eye surgery? Do your eyes qualify for that? Then you would not need any glasses.
Or get prescription dual-pane goggles.
Or get prescription dual-pane goggles.
01-16-09, 05:31 PM
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Thanks for the advice; not interested in Laser eye surgery; I make a living directly by my vision, though I have decided against it anyways. I didn't know they make prescription goggles. I have used double pane goggles over my eyeglasses, but I seemed to recall that they fogged up too. I think bicycling demands more exertion than downhill skiing and one exhales moist air more forcefully than a skier, and that overwhelms the goggles--just my opinion.
01-17-09, 08:58 AM
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Thanks for the advice; not interested in Laser eye surgery; I make a living directly by my vision, though I have decided against it anyways. I didn't know they make prescription goggles. I have used double pane goggles over my eyeglasses, but I seemed to recall that they fogged up too. I think bicycling demands more exertion than downhill skiing and one exhales moist air more forcefully than a skier, and that overwhelms the goggles--just my opinion.
It was pretty cool to get back and look in the mirror to see all the frost around the edges of the balaclava where the exhaled air was moist and froze.
01-17-09, 09:27 AM
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Without any glasses, double-pane goggles work great if you have good ones. I have some simple Scott goggles that I wear with a balaclava and have no fogging issues whatsoever, but I don't have glasses. Today's ride was my coldest so far this winter at 3 F and we did just fine. The foam "surround" on the goggles keeps the exhaled air from getting into the goggle area.
It was pretty cool to get back and look in the mirror to see all the frost around the edges of the balaclava where the exhaled air was moist and froze.
It was pretty cool to get back and look in the mirror to see all the frost around the edges of the balaclava where the exhaled air was moist and froze.
I too checked myself in the mirror after a coworker commented on my appearance after yesterday's commute. In another winter thread I wrote:
I carry a bottle of Poland Springs carbonated water and it froze solid on a 14 mile commute, about one hour and fifteen minutes, between my start at 8 degrees and my finish at -9. My exhaled breath frosted over on my balaclava and headphones; (emphasis added) but I always defer to you riders in Minnesota (and upper New England, upstate New York, upper Midwest, Canada, Alaska...).
01-17-09, 11:57 AM
#38
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This:
Seirus Neofleece Combo Scarf
This:
Outdoor Research Sonic beanie
and these:
Smith Moab HP
with the prescription insert work for me.
The neoprene gives enough stiffness so that, with the nose cover bit up under the eyeglass pads, there is a good enough seal to prevent fogging, no glass prep needed.
When it's cold enough to warrent it, a Craft Gore WS Face Protector goes on underneath the Seirus and Sonic:
Seirus Neofleece Combo Scarf
This:
Outdoor Research Sonic beanie
and these:
Smith Moab HP
with the prescription insert work for me.
The neoprene gives enough stiffness so that, with the nose cover bit up under the eyeglass pads, there is a good enough seal to prevent fogging, no glass prep needed.
When it's cold enough to warrent it, a Craft Gore WS Face Protector goes on underneath the Seirus and Sonic:
Last edited by jwbnyc; 01-17-09 at 12:16 PM.
01-17-09, 03:03 PM
#39
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This:
Seirus Neofleece Combo Scarf
This:
Outdoor Research Sonic beanie
and these:
Smith Moab HP
with the prescription insert work for me.
The neoprene gives enough stiffness so that, with the nose cover bit up under the eyeglass pads, there is a good enough seal to prevent fogging, no glass prep needed.
When it's cold enough to warrent it, a Craft Gore WS Face Protector goes on underneath the Seirus and Sonic:
Seirus Neofleece Combo Scarf
This:
Outdoor Research Sonic beanie
and these:
Smith Moab HP
with the prescription insert work for me.
The neoprene gives enough stiffness so that, with the nose cover bit up under the eyeglass pads, there is a good enough seal to prevent fogging, no glass prep needed.
When it's cold enough to warrent it, a Craft Gore WS Face Protector goes on underneath the Seirus and Sonic:
01-18-09, 02:26 AM
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I'm using a 1.5inch 12Volt computer fan, a rechargeable 9Volt battery, and a 22 dollar pair of sunglasses.
My challenge is building a cowling for the top of my goggles so that the fan suck the air out of my goggles.
My first attempt might look pretty bad, because I'm already using duct tape.
I estimate that I'll get about 1.5 to 2.5 hours of continous running time per charge. I also want to install a switch that can be turned off or on without removing my gloves.
I'll post pictures and feedback as soon as possible.
01-21-09, 06:16 AM
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01-22-09, 12:43 PM
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I'll post more in about a week, but I am making my own Smiths.
I'm using a 1.5inch 12Volt computer fan, a rechargeable 9Volt battery, and a 22 dollar pair of sunglasses.
My challenge is building a cowling for the top of my goggles so that the fan suck the air out of my goggles.
My first attempt might look pretty bad, because I'm already using duct tape.
I estimate that I'll get about 1.5 to 2.5 hours of continous running time per charge. I also want to install a switch that can be turned off or on without removing my gloves.
I'll post pictures and feedback as soon as possible.
I'm using a 1.5inch 12Volt computer fan, a rechargeable 9Volt battery, and a 22 dollar pair of sunglasses.
My challenge is building a cowling for the top of my goggles so that the fan suck the air out of my goggles.
My first attempt might look pretty bad, because I'm already using duct tape.
I estimate that I'll get about 1.5 to 2.5 hours of continous running time per charge. I also want to install a switch that can be turned off or on without removing my gloves.
I'll post pictures and feedback as soon as possible.
www.habervision.com
seen them advertised on RSN.........
01-23-09, 03:13 PM
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After riding last week in -14f temps. The goggles were fogging up as usual, to the point where I just pulled them down and did without them. Well I didn't suffer any frostbite. my nose and cheeks did'nt turn black and fall off. So since then. I've learned to just ride with the balaclava covering only my mouth and not the nose. If the goggles or my eyeglasses start to fog I just pull the balaclava down until they clear up. Then cover up my face to get warm.
