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Need winter commuting eye protection...

I stopped by REI on my ride home yesterday and proceeded to ride off with my nice Tifosi glasses in my pocket. I lost them somewhere of course. So now I need to replace them. My only complaint about them is they would fog up in the winter, so I'm hoping whatever I replace them with does not fog up when I stop at traffic lights etc. I have ski goggles but they fog up on me constantly too. I'm looking for input from experienced winter commuters on what you folks wear to keep your eyes from freezing up. Thanks!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirtirithon (Post 17114050)

Ski goggles need higher speed wind passing across it to keep them from fogging so I just pedal faster!!! :lol:

Actually, what I did with a cheap pair of goggles was to cut into the foam a bit to allow more air flow at the lower bike speeds (that I travel at during the winter) and that seemed to do the trick.

OR

I've seen references to Kroops goggles for winter use too.

I've had good luck with flea market goggles that i got from rice's market, and one pair that i got from a gas station that sadly broke.

Just found these: Robot Check

Probably gonna grab 2-3 pair next time i have some $ in the extras budget. :)

- Andy

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirtirithon (Post 17114050)

...I have ski goggles but they fog up on me constantly too. I'm looking for input from experienced winter commuters on what you folks wear to keep your eyes from freezing up. Thanks!!

I wear prescription eyeglasses, and fogging is probably the worst hazard I face. I perennially post about it:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 16323439)

Quote:

Originally Posted by vja4Him (Post 16320552)

I am having a terrible time riding in the cold and wind, which cause my eyes to water constantly. Can anyone recommend a pair of Goggles that would fit over my glasses, and help to keep the cold wind off my eyes?

Quote:

Originally Posted by e0richt (Post 16320711)

I use safety glasses that I got from home depot... something like $3.00...

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsdavis (Post 16322587)

You wear those over prescription glasses?

I perennially post about my winter eyewear for my 14 mile year-round commute, from about 35° down to as low as 0°. I must wear my prescription eyeglasses, and fogging is one of the worst dangers of winter riding. I am entirely satisfied with my system:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 16278268)

…for eye protection is a pair of simple, wide, plastic industrial goggles that I suspend from my cycling cap using Velcro around the nosepiece. The goggles sit very comfortably on my face securely in place even though my ears are covered. The earpieces then provide a secure mount for my eyeglass-mounted Take-a-Look mirror. The goggles allow sufficient room for my prescription eyeglasses, and are widely ventilated to carry away the exhaled moisture preventing fogging.

[Some manipulation of the face covering is necessary. For example I lower the mask when at rest or riding uphill. After a few minutes cycling, usually I don't need a full face cover.] These goggles have made winter cycling entirely possible because all other attempts to avoid dangerous fogging have been nowhere as successful…

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=404975 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=404976

I have also often suggested that any recommendations for winter riding include description of the conditions in which they are employed, i.e. lowest temperature and distance.

Addendum:
This morning (12/14/13) I did my 14 mile commute at 11° F with no fogging problems. After about one mile I was comfortable with lowering my face mask below my lower lip. When going fast on windswept downhill runs of about a few hundred yards, I raised my face mask to below my nose. The warm, moist exhaled air kept my exposed nose and cheeks warm, and the onrushing air dissipated the moisture before it could fog up the goggles. With a slightly forced exhalation, I could even warm my eyebrows, with no fogging.

I realize now that my goggles and face mask are actually an integrated system of heating and ventilation that keeps my face warm and my vision unencumbered by fogging. The windscreen of the goggles is so effective in keeping my eyes warm that my eyelids actually perspired because my central core body was so warm, and my eyes never got cold, even on those fast windswept downhill runs.

Sometimes brief fogging does occur, literally with each breath but is then immediately swept away. One has to be careful though, that condensation does not linger at particularly cold temperatures less than about 15°, or it can quickly turn to frost and will not go away unless scraped off. This happened on a ride at about 0° at about mile 11 as shown below. Nonetheless it only occurred on the lateral half of the right-hand lens, and I still had enough forward vision, and left-hand peripheral vision so I could use my rearview mirror, and I felt comfortable riding the last 3 miles.

Finally, last Monday I rode in a sleety, wintry mix, and wore a billed baseball cap under my helmet. My prescription eyeglasses stayed dry and clear, and my vision was good with occasional swipes of the goggles with a gloved finger.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=404958

Kroops goggles, despite them being advertised as bicycling goggles, will interfere with the bill or the top part of your helmet. Causing your helmet to not seat right. Who wants that. Others have said the same thing. I ordered a pair and returned them right away. So don't waste your time on those.
I use Visorgogs, which are good down to about 5f to 10f before they start fogging. Lower than that I use a double-lens ski goggle. I can cover my nose and mouth with those and they don't fog up on me. My lowest temperature is -14.

Picking out goggles is tricky from person to person. My thought was to start out cheap and then move up from there. That was when I came across the visorgogs here on BF. But you can spend however much you want on them.

I used to commute in these:
ICE Series - ESS Products - ESS Eye Pro - Ballistic Goggles - Ballistic Sunglasses - Military Eyewear - Eye Protection – Shooting Glasses

Comfortable,wrap around protection,easy to swap lenses. Fogging wasn't too bad,if I pulled them down my nose a touch at stops,and waited until I was moving to put them back,they did ok. I can vouch for their protection;I once had something from a passing salt truck ricochet off that felt substantial but only left a scratch.

Profile TurboFan in Ballistic Goggles - ESS Eye Pro - Ballistic Goggles - Ballistic Sunglasses - Military Eyewear - Eye Protection – Shooting Glasses

I have an older version of these nothing I have tried comes close to working as well.
I had surgery on my right eye my tear duct was replaced with a glass tube. So with evry breath I take I part of it goes through this tube producing a cloud of fog on eye wear.
Dont know how serious you are these do cost a bit & colder air will be drawn in but Ive not found it to be that big an issue

I use motocross goggles. they have better airflow and haven't fogged up on me yet. They are designed to fit under a helmet, too.

There is lots of good winter info on the Winter Cycling subforum too.

In the past I have just worn regular glasses down to probably 0*F, then some over-the-glasses goggles when it's colder than that. Cheap ski goggles.

I had LASIK done this year, so now I'm wearing wrap around safety glasses, I suspect I'll continue to wear them down to 0 or so again. I may investigate other stuff for colder temps. When it gets well below zero I have to be careful to not leave any exposed skin, I have gotten frost nip on the cheeks before, at about -25*F.

I get my prescription glasses in a large frame so it cuts the wind.

I once saw a hockey helmet with a shield that I thought might work well for winter riding. I have since gone back looking for it without luck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by noglider (Post 17119942)

I get my prescription glasses in a large frame so it cuts the wind.

+1 Mine are not a particularly large frame but larger than average. I get some eye watering, but not enough to cause visibility/control issues. I also get some fogging, only at stops, but IME the fogging dissipates after a few seconds of riding and does not interfere with riding safely.

I avoid riding in the coldest of days so I can only claim my technique works down to about 0 to -5 degrees F. Addendum: I'm riding 5mi or less at these temperatures. More only in the 10F+ range.

I use Tifosi clear in winter. At stop lights (I have many unfortunately) I slide them forward on my nose. I push them back into place about the time I clear the intersection. It's a hassle and probably looks funny but it really helps with fogging issue. Good luck and let us know if you find something that works better for you.

Thanks for the great suggestions so far! This gives me some options to look into. I think the reason I have issues with fogging is because my face mask forces my breathing up into the eyewear.

Forget about the Kroops if you wear a facemask. They fog up immediately and don't clear until you're going 10+mph.

I haven't tried ski goggles, but the ones I have never fog up on me while skiing, even when waiting in the lift line. I'll have to try them out this year.

As far as I know, there is no simple cure to prevent eye wear from fogging in cold weather. You can buy various products that you can apply to the lenses and supposedly reduce or eliminate fogging, but they are not foolproof and have to be reapplied. What works for me -- to a degree -- is to simply move my eye glasses further away from my eyes onto the bridge of my nose when I have to stop at red lights or other reasons.

I've done best using cheapo 3m safety glasses with some fog spray.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirtirithon (Post 17120633)

Thanks for the great suggestions so far! This gives me some options to look into. I think the reason I have issues with fogging is because my face mask forces my breathing up into the eyewear.

If you get a face mask with fabric over the top of your nose, it should help direct your moist breath down instead of up. I wear ski goggles when the temperature gets low enough to freeze icicles on my eye lashes or when it is snowing hard such that it would hurt the eyes. And those are times that I'll have the face mask on so I don't know about fog on the goggles without it.

And since it is dark so much of the winter commuting, the lenses on my goggles are tinted so that vision is very good in the dark. They were a little pricey, but well worth the alternatives, IMO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirtirithon (Post 17120633)

Thanks for the great suggestions so far! This gives me some options to look into. I think the reason I have issues with fogging is because my face mask forces my breathing up into the eyewear.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KonAaron Snake (Post 17121148)

I've done best using cheapo 3m safety glasses with some fog spray.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 16323439)

…I have also often suggested that any recommendations for winter riding include description of the conditions in which they are employed, i.e. lowest temperature and distance.

From my experience, I have found that fog sprays can be overcome by exhaled vapor particularly at low temps, less than about 20 degrees, and when breathing hard with little oncoming wind, as when riding uphill.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tarwheel (Post 17121080)

…You can buy various products that you can apply to the lenses and supposedly reduce or eliminate fogging, but they are not foolproof and have to be reapplied. What works for me -- to a degree -- is to simply move my eye glasses further away from my eyes onto the bridge of my nose when I have to stop at red lights or other reasons.

As above, all my adjustments are made with the face mask only. Finally,

Quote:

Originally Posted by scroca (Post 17121262)

I think one problem with trying to seal off the goggles is that it doesn’t take much mosture to fog, so my preference is to ventilate the googles well, as safety glasses with a wide frontal wind screen and widely opened at the sides.

Uvex Genesis | Eye and Face Protection | Honeywell Safety

I typically use clear lenses. They are durable and provide great coverage and only occasionally get fogged at lights on high humidity days.

You can get amber lenses great for low light conditions and lenses for the sun also.

I find them comfortable also. Plus it ups your Fred status by six points.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 17121908)

Well, yeah. FWIW see my post #4 above, to consider well-ventilated safety goggles and the face mask as a system to keep your upper face and eyeballs warm. That moist warm exhaled air can be your friend.

From my experience, I have found that fog sprays can be overcome by exhaled vapor particularly at low temps, less than about 20 degrees, and when breathing hard with little oncoming wind, as when riding uphill.

As above, all my adjustments are made with the face mask only. Finally,

I think one problem with trying to seal off the goggles is that it doesn’t take much mosture to fog, so my preference is to ventilate the googles well, as safety glasses with a wide frontal wind screen and widely opened at the sides.

I don't disagree, but I haven't found a better system yet. Goggles outright don't work for me for comfort and I've found the safety glasses seem to work better with anti-fog than the clear lenses for my natives and oakleys. Fortunately Philly doesn't go below 20 too often and I'm slow up hills ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynaryder (Post 17115852)

These look awesome, I may have get a kit for myself. They are nearly identical to the lab glasses I currently use, but more expensive and look much more comfortable. But the cost of replacing an eye is prohibitive, so these are a bargain.

I've had all types of glasses (for cycling), over the years. The only ones I found that can handle the cold was forest fire worker glasses. They have vent holes that blow the others out of the water and they can be modified for more if you need more. They are sold on the net through many safety or fire fighting equipment places.