I love Winter. I enjoy camping, snowshoeing, hiking and all that it offers, but there is one major problem that seems to rear its ugly head every year; fogged eyeglasses. Whether I go hat-less, or try to stay almost uncomfortably cold, my eye-wear persists in fogging. I've been out in -20 F weather and just walking without major exertion and it happens. I've tried anti-fogging agents for gas masks and made sure that their was no dirt or oil at all on the lenses, still the fogging. I know that I'm not the only one deprived of scenery or the safety of good vision on cold days. I know that somewhere, out there, is the answer. I eagerly await your wisdom and the benefit of your practical experience.
New solutions or old for a common problem....help!
- Thread starter ExHelot
- Start date
.........a tiny, tiny, smear of fairy liquid 
or how about Rain-ex that's used on car windscreens ? Haven't tried that one.
The fairy works in a steamed up kitchen though
cheers,
Toddy
or how about Rain-ex that's used on car windscreens ? Haven't tried that one.
The fairy works in a steamed up kitchen though
cheers,
Toddy
2 pairs of glasses or goggles worn in rotation and stuffed somewhere warm is the easiest way. I always try and breath through my nose too, helps to direct humid air down and away from the glasses.
FWIW, I find my heat exchanger face mask that I started using this year helps stop a lot too. It does make you look like Zed off pulp fiction though.
Some swear by washing up liquid smeared on the inside, same with clear shampoo. I don't like it though, distorts my vision a little. For more ideas, check out some Motorsport forums-there will be allsorts of tricks on there-it's quite important to see where your going.
Edit;too slow
FWIW, I find my heat exchanger face mask that I started using this year helps stop a lot too. It does make you look like Zed off pulp fiction though.
Some swear by washing up liquid smeared on the inside, same with clear shampoo. I don't like it though, distorts my vision a little. For more ideas, check out some Motorsport forums-there will be allsorts of tricks on there-it's quite important to see where your going.
Edit;too slow
I find that washing up liquid or soap washes off in minutes when it rains.
There is a product called 'cat crap', invented for use on motorcycle visors. It works pretty well.
There is a product called 'cat crap', invented for use on motorcycle visors. It works pretty well.
The most important thing is not to have glass lenses - one of the synthetics is far less efficient at conducting heat and hence changes temperature more slowly and is less likely to fog - not impossible but far less prone than glass
Can you still get glass lenses?
I'd look at the design of your frames to be honest or maybe small frames/contact lenses under snow goggles?
I'd look at the design of your frames to be honest or maybe small frames/contact lenses under snow goggles?
Contact lenses. For almost ALL situations and as a FIRST resort. Or corrective surgery unless contraindicated. Eyeglasses are a last rersort if the other two aren't practical.
I suspected as much. Thanks for the tip about the Fairy dish soap. Sorry for my skepticism about a possible trap. When I was in the service back in the 70's i spent a bit of time with some Royal Marines and they enjoyed taking (good natured) advantage of my cultural naivete as a "Yank".
I wear riding glasses on the bike as i don't like a visor. Finding decent ones which don't steam up at low temps or in the rain can be difficult. The old traditional style goggles steam up or any pair I've tried over the years do.
What I've found is it's about air flow. The problem is if air can't flow across the inside of the lens they'll steam up as you have heat from the body meeting a cold lens, the same as with a car windscreen, so airflow is necessary. Of course I want the glasses to protect my eyes from wind and rain so there's a problem right there.
The solution is to try various types over the years until ya get the right pair then run out and buy some more of the same as spares, before they're discontinued. The ones I have now work quite well and I have two pairs. I had to mod them by cutting out some rubber linings which kept them wind and waterproof but also prevented the necessary airflow inside, which doesn't hurt my eyes but does prevent fogging even though rain will come in. They work. They will fog when I stop the bike so I have to pull out to the tip of me nose away from my eyes until I move off again, then I can readjust them.
I tried all sorts of tricks over the years like Fairy liquid etc non of which worked. I did try one thing, exactly what it was I don't remember now, which worked but it distorted my vision which is no good when riding a bike.
So it's about fit and ergonomics which dictate air flow around the inside of the lens. How any of that helps you as a walker I know not but maybe it's given ya something to go on.
Mountaineers in sub zero conditions wear goggles though. Obviously not the Biggles style goggles folks of old wore on bikes though. They are pretty big and are designed to allow air in around the top while protecting the eyes. Obviously there's no rain at sub zero temps.
For anyone who watches ''Worlds greatest motorcycle rides'' on The Travel Channel on Freeview... The presenter Henry Cole wears a brand of modern goggles I haven't seen before. He takes those same goggles all around the world with him on his travels so I'm assuming they work well. He is an experienced biker so it's hard to believe he would value them as he does if they were prone to steaming up...
http://www.travelchannel.co.uk/series-info.asp?series=World%27s%20Greatest%20Motorcycle%20Rides&ID=1544#.UpgVu4YmySo
Hope some of that helps, sorry if it doesn't.
What I've found is it's about air flow. The problem is if air can't flow across the inside of the lens they'll steam up as you have heat from the body meeting a cold lens, the same as with a car windscreen, so airflow is necessary. Of course I want the glasses to protect my eyes from wind and rain so there's a problem right there.
The solution is to try various types over the years until ya get the right pair then run out and buy some more of the same as spares, before they're discontinued. The ones I have now work quite well and I have two pairs. I had to mod them by cutting out some rubber linings which kept them wind and waterproof but also prevented the necessary airflow inside, which doesn't hurt my eyes but does prevent fogging even though rain will come in. They work. They will fog when I stop the bike so I have to pull out to the tip of me nose away from my eyes until I move off again, then I can readjust them.
I tried all sorts of tricks over the years like Fairy liquid etc non of which worked. I did try one thing, exactly what it was I don't remember now, which worked but it distorted my vision which is no good when riding a bike.
So it's about fit and ergonomics which dictate air flow around the inside of the lens. How any of that helps you as a walker I know not but maybe it's given ya something to go on.
Mountaineers in sub zero conditions wear goggles though. Obviously not the Biggles style goggles folks of old wore on bikes though. They are pretty big and are designed to allow air in around the top while protecting the eyes. Obviously there's no rain at sub zero temps.
For anyone who watches ''Worlds greatest motorcycle rides'' on The Travel Channel on Freeview... The presenter Henry Cole wears a brand of modern goggles I haven't seen before. He takes those same goggles all around the world with him on his travels so I'm assuming they work well. He is an experienced biker so it's hard to believe he would value them as he does if they were prone to steaming up...
http://www.travelchannel.co.uk/series-info.asp?series=World%27s%20Greatest%20Motorcycle%20Rides&ID=1544#.UpgVu4YmySo
Hope some of that helps, sorry if it doesn't.
Mine are worse than -600 in the worse eye and close to that in the better one. I was able to get contacts even at that power for years until I got cataracts. Ad that was with astigmatism. If you have cataracts though, there's not much you can do until they're "ripe" enough to be removed. I'm hoping when that happens, it will be "medically neccessary" to replace the lenses and therefore it'll be covered by insurance.
Similar threads
