landonl

Just wanted to see if anyone has any tips on this issue I have never seemed to figure it out. In the bitter cold, around 20-35 degrees, I usually put on a ski mask to keep my face from getting numb. An ongoing issue I’ve had is how to keep my glasses from fogging. Last winter, I just went without the glasses, but my eyes suffered.

I got a new aero helmet with the glasses built in and I thought that would help, with them being a little farther from my face, but again, didn’t work. I got a new, tighter ski mask, but my breath is still escaping up through the mask.

most people suggest forcing the exhale downward, but that’s a pain in the butt. Too many hills where I’m at for that to be a reliable course of action.

anyways, just looking for suggestions. I can’t ride without the mask in the winter, and would really like to keep the glasses on. Thanks!

bampilot06

I use a face mask I bought at dick’s. It wraps around my head, and I pull it as tight as possible. I suggest buying a size smaller that you think you need.

chaadster

Anti-fog spray coatings work decently, you just need to apply before every ride. Also, take care not to buff the stuff off— as when removing streaks— because the coating will come right off. Just buff lightly; that was my big learning.

I’ve used Optix55 and some other I can’t recall, but will try Gamer this season. Oh, and look for AR compatibility if your glasses are coated.

It’s not going to stop fogging altogether, but it helps.

phrantic09

What’s the name of it? I have something similar but it kind of sucks

waters60

In a related vein, the Wiley glasses I bought from Sport RX have removable foam inserts which effectively seal out rushing air. One of the most painful aspects of riding in the cold was my eyes from the cold rushing air. The Wiley glasses have eliminated this problem. Fogging is more of a problem now but preferable!

bampilot06

Ill let you know if I ever make it home.

mcours2006

I chuckled at reading that sentence.

A pair of large ski goggles will work for you, if you don't mind the dorky appearance. Though I don't wear corrective glasses, I find that when I wear regular riding glasses in the temperature range you do they lenses do fog up, and the colder it gets the more fogged up it gets. The goggles I wear work great.

rumrunn6

what product are you talking about?

RGMN

As strange as it sounds if your glasses are fogging when it is mildly- to moderately-cold you may be overdressed. It's not your breath, your face behind the goggles is sweating enough for it to condense on your glasses. When I ride (or ski) in those temperatures I usually have a thin neck gaiter on. If my glasses start fogging when I'm riding (not just when stopped) pulling off the neck gaiter stops it with no loss of comfort. It cools down my head enough that I stop sweating on the face and the glasses no longer fog up.

If it's really cold like -0°F/-18°C nothing short of goggles with a fan will keep glasses fog free. They are virtually impossible to find now as goggle technology has improved immensely but I haven't found anything that works better in high intensity activities. They make some XC skiing OTG shields that might work (I know the standard XC shields work very well and do not fog up when skiing) but I have no experience with them.

RGMN

I had the same reaction. I had just come in from clearing the snow on the driveway thinking it's nice right now I should go skiing before the wind kicks in. It's -11°F/-23°C right now.

bampilot06

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p...cmfrtsrsmsqaoa

Iride01 

It's your heated breath being partially redirected by the mask and going up into your glasses. So figure out how to make your breath go somewhere else. Perhaps glasses with smaller lenses will help.

Perhaps a balaclava for cycling instead of a ski mask will do you better. I've got one that I use rarely since we don't have many really cold days here that I'm out cycling. Don't recall if I had any issues with my glasses fogging up. But since I don't remember, I'm thinking it wasn't an issue.

79pmooney

I used to wear N95 masks (long before the term "N95" existed but the masks were for asbestos; same particle size) while doing hard physical labor where vision was critical. (Building boats and fairing racing sailboat hulls.) Prescription glasses. My solution was to tape over the nose area to the top of the mask with masking tape. That and a good fit around the nose ans under my eyes. Worked so well that the taping of new masks was just part of my job routine. (The 3M cloth masks with the two yellow straps are high quality and last until the straps stretch, break and have been re-tied twice. Go through the wash with+ no issues except the straps get older.)

You might be able to tape those stretchy cloth masks with a good fabric tape if you applied the tape while wearing the mask, forcing the tape into the low beside your nose and not trying to get the wrinkles to stretch out. Instead, press the wrinkles out still wearing the mask after you have the tape following your face contour with no stretch. Won't look as nice (my masking tape jobs wouldn't earn me style points) but if you can retain the fit to your face, I believe you will see a radical improvement with glasses fog.

Another related trick - extend that tape up an 1/8" of an inch or so and tape it to your face. Now you have a total air seal. Not always feasible but wow! it works. (I did this a few times with ill fitting masks early on in the COVID panic.)

Edit: And yes, I too had a chuckle about those bitter cold temps. Live in Portland, OR now where others feel as you do but grew up outside Boston and schooled in the Midwest. Spent a week commuting to work leaving in -5F, no mask.

rumrunn6

jut came across these items

Salice Nordic Shields: An excellent alternative to Casco Nordic Shields

Bliz Optics Snow Visor

Oakley Men's Sutro Lite Sweep Sunglasses

phrantic09

For asbestos you’re supposed to wear a full blown respirator with a filter canister, at least now you are.

scottfsmith

Thats what I use. I also use it skiing well below zero F, it is one of those thick fuzzy ones at the neck area. As several people have pointed out being overdressed is one big reason for fogging up. If my balaclava ever causes me to steam up my glasses I am also too hot, and I just slide it down to solve two problems at once.

79pmooney

Forty years ago and I was grinding, cutting and handling fiberglass, not asbestos. (For wet work with the resins I wore that respirator, And funny, on California bad air days I was breathing better air working in a mold that the rest of the population. Got reminded every time I stepped outside for a break and took that respirator off.)

Trakhak

The combination of neck gaiter, headband, and KN95 mask with the bottom half tucked up under the top half works pretty well.

rumrunn6

+1 for balaclavas


got a nice thin one a cpl years ago. the bottom can be pulled up to cover my mouth if necessary. the helmet w/ visor is great so long as I'm moving.but if my face is wet & I stop, it can get foggy. fortunately it can flip/swing up out of the way when I stop

freeranger

Try breathing through your mouth and not your nose. If it works, get some nose clips like swimmers use, which would force you breathe through your mouth. Haven't tried it on a bike yet but breathing through my mouth if wearing a mask while in a store has worked for me.

rumrunn6

used my ski goggles today. no fogging issues. removing the foam inserts in the goggles, was the best decision. they fit well w/ the balaclava. it would be nice if they were a little thinner top-to-bottom cuz it makes contact with the helmet, then presses down on my nose a little

Seattle Forrest

I almost got frostbite on my junk last week skiing at -15F. Really upset Cassal wasn't groomed. 🤬

On the bright side, my car started, so I was indoors when it hit -30F, and am still able to post.

But yeah. +35F.

terrymorse 

I just realized the question is for using goggles over prescription glasses. That's a tougher problem than just keeping the goggles clear of fog.

The skiers who wore glasses had goggles with a built-in fan, essential if you are doing lots of starting and stopping. A quick Google search brought up a few existing products:

Amazon - H World Shopping Fan Version Cooler Airsoft Glass Regulator Goggles Ski Snowboard Bike Sports

ESS Profile TurboFan Goggles

Anti-Fog Fan Attachment for 509 Goggles

509 Snow Goggles

chaadster

I don’t think so; the OP reads pretty clearly like they’re wearing a headcovering— a ski mask or balaclava— and their eyeglasses were fogging when they exhaled. They went without eyeglasses as a result, eyes suffered, but then got a helmet with integrated visor and so tried the eyeglasses again, but still fogged.

DangerousDanR

I have 509 heated goggles. They do not fog up even in sub-zero weather. I am very near sighted, but I can ride without my glasses.