Harhir

Summer has now finally started here. For the next weeks my evening commutes will be hot with temperatures around 100 plus high humidity. Meaning I will be sweating like crazy. I am using one of these halo sweat bands but even that gets drenched within minutes and I have salty sweat pouring down my face and into my eyes which burns.
What are the best ways to keep the sweat out of the eyes? Thx.

joelcool

I use Headsweats.

caloso

Old school roadie trick: cycling cap with the top cut off so it's like a visor. I wear it backwards under the helmet. The sweat wicks backwards towards the brim.

RonE

I use a cheap cotton headband that I wear just above the brows. I ring it out about every hour or so. It works well, but I do carry a second headband in case it is needed. I was surprised at the amount of water that it captures.

johnny99

Skull caps work better than headbands. Many brands make skull caps the fit easily under bicycle helmets. If you have a bigger head, make sure the skull cap is big enough to fit comfortably.

pdlamb

Ride in the winter.

OK, if you must ride when there's sunlight in the summer, a couple of things. First, roll up a couple of bandanas to make headbands. When one is ready to start dripping (worst case for me is about 20 minutes), wring it out, hang it on your rack, and put on the other one. Repeat as needed.

Second choice, Sweat Gut'r. It's finicky to get it on just right, especially with a helmet. But since it redirects sweat rather than absorbing it, it'll keep working for a long time. (Until you bump it and all the sweat backed up comes pouring down.)

Halo headbands are OK for moderate heat and humidity, IME, but when it's pushing 90-90 weather, they're easily overwhelmed.

chas58

I use these and they are amazing. Also they help make up for worn padding in my helmet too. Get the thin 1" version.
https://www.amazon.com/Halo-Headband...qid=1565198803

I got two, because I can't cycle without it in the summer. I'll soak the pads in my helmet, but these drain the sweat to the back of my head.

Tried the cycling caps but they are too hot and they don't fit my head well. I need the ventilation.

groovestew

And wash whatever you use regularly, as well as your helmet pads (if applicable). It's not that hot where I live, but I still sweat and the salt accumulates in the pads, then when it rains, all that accumulated salt washes out into my eyes. Ouch.

Daniel4

What if you soaked the headband in cold water first so it'll keep your head cool. And also try wearing a damp handtowel around your neck.

2manybikes

Some of the pros use Vaseline and make a dam by putting it in their eyebrows an in the middle between the eyebrows. It's made so the sweat goes to the out side of the eyes on the side. I have not done it. I use a very thin skull cap style hat it seems to work better than a band.

mynewnchome

I bought one of these after my thread about head sunburn...works perfect, my glasses no longer get sweat drenched when riding, about 95 here most days.

Mission Enduracool Cooling Helmet Liner

jadocs

Cycling cap here as well.

chas58

seems to me that any caps defeat the purpose of getting a helmet with good ventilation.

I like caps in the cooler months, but not in the summer...

Harhir

These are are the ones I have. They work for a few minutes until they are soaked. lol

Harhir

I will give them a try. This is our local forecast for the next 14 days. Hot and humid....

jadocs

Just so you know, cycling caps come in different material configurations. For hot weather, I use one from Hincappe Sports made from same perforated material as a lightweight jersey. In colder climate there are ones made of heavier material.

SylvainG

That's what I use. The 'sweatseal' redirects the sweat away from my eyes. The only time I get sweat in my eyes with this is when it's pouring and rains overcomes that band.

https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/gp/produc...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Archwhorides 

Halo works for me. On really humid days I have a cotton bandanna handy to wipe off the he excess at stop lights

Ken2

This is a different approach that I prefer:
www.traxfactory.com/shop
​​​​​​Also available on Amazon. This replaces whatever front 'band' is in your helmet. Just peel it out and (assuming it attaches via velcro as most do) stick this in. Works better and longer for me even in 100deg+ than Halo & others mentioned.

mynewnchome

But...with a bald head....I don't look good in stripes (sunburn stripes)....lol

ThermionicScott 

On some really hot days when I'm riding hard, the sweat pours into my eyes even though I consider my helmet to be pretty well ventilated. In theory, a cycling cap can work as an evaporative heat sink.

I mean, when it comes down to it, my head would be coolest with no helmet at all, but that's a different thread.

pdlamb

In hot weather, and I think my climate is similar to Plano, a cycling cap adds 5-10 degrees to the apparent temperature. Since I can out-sweat evaporation from the cap, I end up with sweat dripping off the bill of the cap onto my glasses. So a cap doesn't work for long sweaty rides, IME.

noglider 

Interesting topic! I don't normally have this problem, but you made me realize what happened to me last night. I was riding, and we got a sudden and very intense thunderstorm. I'm in New York City, so I don't think it's necessary to take shelter during these. I kept riding, and one of my eyes started stinging badly. I thought it was a particle. I couldn't get it out with blinking and tearing, so I reluctantly wiped my eye, and that relieved me of the pain. Now I know it was sweat.

I generally wear a cycling cap under my helmet. @chas58, yes it can make me hotter, but my sweat makes my helmet disgusting, so it's like underwear.

I agree that synthetic is best for summer. The new material which I've heard called "jersey material" is a kind of polyester that feels like nylon. I might try that liner that @mynewnchrome cited. My synthetic summer hat is OK, but maybe I could do better. I have some t-shirts made of polyester, and I swear, wearing them makes me cooler than wearing nothing. It's as if they're made of an air conditioner.

The other ideas offered here are very interesting, too.

chas58

Thanks for the theory and ideas.



The cap thing doesn’t work for me. I have one, but can’t use it this time of year. Halo is the only solution that works for me.

In my case, I have good ventilation and my sweat effectively evaporates, keeping me cool. I ride fast, so I have a lot of sweat and at speed it evaporates effectively. But when I stop at a stop light, its like being in a rain shower. Sweat just pores into my eyes. Its worse when my helmet pads get saturated. And, its salty!

A cap does not give me good ventilation, and does not effectively catch the sweat from my forehead. I do like the option of a brim/sun-visor. This sweat band, with its yellow sweat rain gutter looked pretty goofy to me. I picked it up on a whim. But nothing is as unobtrusive or as effective as this. I’ve tried. Maybe I would have a different answer if I was bald, lol. (my bald friends love caps under their helmet).

chas58

OT but I'm a fan of $5 merino wool or cashmere from Salvation Army. My problem with a synthetic jersey is that it stinks - especially if I'm commuting in it every day. Pretty much need to wash it in vinegar every day.

A light weight cashmere sweater (I cut the sleeve to make short sleeves or have a tailor do it if I want to be neat) wicks sweat well, dries quick and breathes well. Its like synth, but without the stink. And, if I'm lazy I can go a lot longer without washing it.

Its good wicking and drying that can help you feel cool. Evaporation is your friend in the summer.