Sweat in the eyes...
#1
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Sweat in the eyes...
How do you deal with sweat rolling in your eyes? I shave my head and it's starting to get moist here in east Tennessee. I started wearing a bandana, with my helmet over that. Works ok for awhile but after about 45 minutes, its soaked and sweat rolls into my eyes making eyes burn. Is there anything I am missing, other than hair? Am I a wuss and need to suck it up?
#2
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I use a Halo headband, but here in Spain I still get sweat pouring down my face and into my eyes. I carry a handkerchief in my pocket and wipe the sweat out of my eyes before it starts to sting and stops me being able to actually open my eyes!
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Some sunglasses have a piece of foam at the top that sits flush with your forehead that is suppose to help.
as long as i’m moving i don’t have this problem. It’s when I come to a stop it starts pouring down the front of my face.
as long as i’m moving i don’t have this problem. It’s when I come to a stop it starts pouring down the front of my face.
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You need something better than a bandanna - those absorb pretty well, but they don't dry/wick very well. I've been using Giro Peloton caps - they generally get rid of sweat as fast as my head can produce it.
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#7
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As another bald guy who lives in a pretty humid area (I assume E TN is also humid) and who is an above average sweater I know this is a big issue. People who still have hair don't realize how much the hair does to keep sweat at bay. If you sit upright something like a sweat gutr works pretty good (https://www.sweatgutr.com/sweatbands). They don't work very well if you don't sit upright though. Veo strips (https://www.veostrip.com/) work similar to the gutr but they use adhesive so you can put them on in an upside down U shape to divert the sweat around you eyes when leaning over. I hate that they're disposable/single use.
I haven't found the fancy headbands (e.g., sweathawg) to work any better than cheapo headbands as the wicking thing doesn't really work in humid conditions (I've got a double thickness sweathawg that will start running into my eyes about the same time as a cotton headband). You can use pretty much any headband, including the cheap cotton ones, and just squeeze them out as necessary (every 30-60 minutes for me).
I removed the front cushion piece from my helmet as that would absorb sweat until it was saturated and then would just start running into my eyes like a faucet. I still need to cover the velcro bits but having the little hooks stabbing into my forehead is a lot more comfortable than having the thing spilling sweat into my eyes.
On the bright side all of this is easier for cycling where you've got airflow, even if you're a slow rider like me, than it is for running. Once the temps are over 60dF I run in just shorts, shoes, and a sweat gutr plus I carry some microfiber cloths to wipe the sweat off my head. In a 2 hour run everything is completely soaked.
I haven't found the fancy headbands (e.g., sweathawg) to work any better than cheapo headbands as the wicking thing doesn't really work in humid conditions (I've got a double thickness sweathawg that will start running into my eyes about the same time as a cotton headband). You can use pretty much any headband, including the cheap cotton ones, and just squeeze them out as necessary (every 30-60 minutes for me).
I removed the front cushion piece from my helmet as that would absorb sweat until it was saturated and then would just start running into my eyes like a faucet. I still need to cover the velcro bits but having the little hooks stabbing into my forehead is a lot more comfortable than having the thing spilling sweat into my eyes.
On the bright side all of this is easier for cycling where you've got airflow, even if you're a slow rider like me, than it is for running. Once the temps are over 60dF I run in just shorts, shoes, and a sweat gutr plus I carry some microfiber cloths to wipe the sweat off my head. In a 2 hour run everything is completely soaked.

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I wear a SweatVac under my helmet. But no matter what you choose whether similar to a SweatVac or just a sweat band, it probably needs to be pulled right down to your eyebrows when you ride for long sweat drenching periods of time.
Several years ago I was having sweat get into my eyes even while wearing my SweatVac of many years. I realised that after seeing myself in the mirror and how dorky my bright yellow SweatVac looked showing from under the helmet, I'd been wearing it higher. After I gave up on the need to not look more stupid than I already do, pulling the SweatVac down to my eyebrows again eliminated the sweat dripping into them even on long rides.
I don't attribute it all to SweatVac. Probably any brand of similar, or dew rag or sweat band will work as long as you can get over the appearance thing and pull what ever you use lower on your brow.
Several years ago I was having sweat get into my eyes even while wearing my SweatVac of many years. I realised that after seeing myself in the mirror and how dorky my bright yellow SweatVac looked showing from under the helmet, I'd been wearing it higher. After I gave up on the need to not look more stupid than I already do, pulling the SweatVac down to my eyebrows again eliminated the sweat dripping into them even on long rides.
I don't attribute it all to SweatVac. Probably any brand of similar, or dew rag or sweat band will work as long as you can get over the appearance thing and pull what ever you use lower on your brow.
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I cut the top off a cycling cap and wear it backwards. The brim seems to pull most of the sweat to the back.
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#11
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I use the Halo band.
https://store.haloheadband.com/Halo-...dband-p/hp.htm
Works well for me and I sweat heavily from my scalp. Gets wet by the end of the ride, but keeps almost all the sweat from my eyes.
https://store.haloheadband.com/Halo-...dband-p/hp.htm
Works well for me and I sweat heavily from my scalp. Gets wet by the end of the ride, but keeps almost all the sweat from my eyes.
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I've been struggling with a sweat problem like the OP, only I have hair and a really big melon (apparently). As such, the "one size fits all" headbands like the Halo's fit way too tight on my head, so be warned if you have an extra large brain. I also find that even a thin sweat band that ties in the back is enough to make my helmet fit uncomfortably weird, so I'm subscribing to this post to see what everyone else is doing.

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Halo headband works for me as well. I haven't tried any of the others because the Halo worked so well.
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#16
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For me the halo headbands work just a few minutes longer than a cheap cotton headband. I've got to stop and wring it out just like any other headband. It's worth trying to see if they work for you specifically. I've got wide, narrow, and skull cap Halos.
#17
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Another Halo user here. When it's really hot, I'll carry a spare and swap out halfway thru a ride, or if I don't have a spare, I'll stop and wring out the one I'm wearing. The rubber strip really does divert away from your eyes, but it will fail once the headband is FULLY saturated.
#18
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I don't sweat enough to need more than a bandanna. But not sweating enough has other problems, so I wouldn't recommend it.
Two of my helmets have sweat channels, troughs molded into the brows (Bell Formula MIPS, POC Omne Air Spin). The helmet pads wick sweat toward the sweat channels and it drips in front of my face rather than running down my face. But the wind blows the sweat drops back into my face -- feels like those fat, warm summer raindrops. It's not bad and I can wear those helmets without a bandanna, although I usually wear the banadanna since I have dozens of them.
I have one aero helmet with no sweat channel and cannot wear it without a bandanna or something to handle the sweat. Not only does sweat pour down my face, it also hits the visor and before long it's like a fogged up windshield.
Two of my helmets have sweat channels, troughs molded into the brows (Bell Formula MIPS, POC Omne Air Spin). The helmet pads wick sweat toward the sweat channels and it drips in front of my face rather than running down my face. But the wind blows the sweat drops back into my face -- feels like those fat, warm summer raindrops. It's not bad and I can wear those helmets without a bandanna, although I usually wear the banadanna since I have dozens of them.
I have one aero helmet with no sweat channel and cannot wear it without a bandanna or something to handle the sweat. Not only does sweat pour down my face, it also hits the visor and before long it's like a fogged up windshield.
#19
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Thanks for all the comments/suggestions. I think I will give the Halo a try and see how it goes.
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Headsweats
I use a Headsweats beanie year round. Winter to keep my head warm and during summer to keep sweat out of my eyes.
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I don't really seat all that much. But...I've tried all kinds of headbands and bandanas and nothing works particularly well.
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I have one of these, and it works great. https://www.all4cycling.com/en/sidi-...uo-203268.html
I also have a few Under Armour/Nike/Castelli headbands that work well at keeping the sweat out of my eyes.
I also have a few Under Armour/Nike/Castelli headbands that work well at keeping the sweat out of my eyes.
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Wear a headband(I like Halo and Oakley) and take an extra for halfway through the ride.
Use your gloves to soak some of the sweat out of the band too.
Use your gloves to soak some of the sweat out of the band too.