# Glasses And Rain



## mgarl10024 (9 Aug 2010)

Hi,

I unfortunately got caught in quite a heavy rain shower over Bristol this evening on my commute home.

I don't mind getting wet, but the worst part for me is that my glasses soon get covered in rain and I can't see where I'm going (bit of a safety issue!).

What do other people do? 

I've contemplated a few ideas...
- I've got a helmet with a visor to keep some of the water off. 
- I don't like the idea of contacts. 
- I've considered some sort of 'goggles' that I could wear over the glasses, but they would need to be lightish as I'd have to take them everywhere to ensure that I had them when needed, and as my gf pointed out "wouldn't they just get coated with water like the glasses do". hm.
- This post
- Some sort of comical wiper assembly.

Must be a common complaint.

Thanks,

MG


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## psmiffy (9 Aug 2010)

I find a quick wipe with a finger works on the outside - visor prevents most getting to the inside 

Its cycling in fog I find worst where they mist on both sides


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## Fab Foodie (9 Aug 2010)

I find an 'old-fashioned' cycle-cap worn under my helmet works much better than the helmet visor at keeping rain off my glasses. Prendas sell a wide range.


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## Matthames (9 Aug 2010)

Depends on how bad your eyesight is. Usually I look over my glasses in the rain as I am able to see well enough to negotiate traffic, but for some people this may not be an option. Another option is to get water repellent to spray on your glasses, something like Salclear which is used on motorcycle visors where rain droplets are an even bigger problem.


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## Brandane (9 Aug 2010)

Matthames said:


> Depends on how bad your eyesight is. Usually I look over my glasses in the rain as I am able to see well enough to negotiate traffic, but for some people this may not be an option. Another option is to get water repellent to spray on your glasses, something like Salclear which is used on motorcycle visors where rain droplets are an even bigger problem.




+1.... Although I haven't used Salclear, I have used a Nikwax product on my motorcycle visor which does the same job. It is designed for plastic though, as an alternative to Rain-X (for car windscreens) which people were using on their plastic visors but it makes them brittle, allegedly! Come to think of it, you could try treating your glasses with Rain-X. Makes the rain form into droplets that run straight off the glass.


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## 661-Pete (9 Aug 2010)

Helmet with visor is probably the best. For those who don't wear a helmet, forget the stigma, wear a baseball or similar peaked cap. What I (helmetless) do, is wear a brimmed hat, which works well, but looks quirky (as if it mattered to me!) and sometimes blows off in the wind.


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## HLaB (9 Aug 2010)

The helmet peak works best for me on the hybrid, I find it less of a problem on the road bike; even though I'm a victim of fashion  and tend not to wear a peak on a road bike. I've just got a Rapha cycling cap (free  ) its too hot just now but I'll probably wear that when I'm on the road bike.


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## jay clock (9 Aug 2010)

firstly give lenses a try. Daily disposables are pain free. Second (pricier) option which I went for is laser surgery. Has transformed my life. Honest.


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## palinurus (10 Aug 2010)

Another vote for the cycling cap solution. Cheap, effective and versatile.


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## chillyuk (10 Aug 2010)

I take mine off.

I can see well enough to see traffic, pot holes or street ironwork even though I probably struggle to read numberplates from more than about 10 metres.

Funny enough as I get used to not wearing my glasses my eyesight seems to improve as the ride progresses.


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## Cush (10 Aug 2010)

I take mine off in very bad weather and when useing the computer or reading in bed


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## ianrauk (10 Aug 2010)

And another vote from me.



palinurus said:


> Another vote for the cycling cap solution. Cheap, effective and versatile.


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## wafflycat (10 Aug 2010)

As a speccy-type I learnt the hard way about specs/rain/cycling. The bottom line is that in heavy rain, the best solution to the problem is contacts. I've tried all sorts of ways of trying to keep the specs free of water, all sorts of peaked cap/lid combinations, but contacts have been the best solution when the rain is heavy.

Being short-sighted, I need to wear specs for distance vision, but not for close work or reading. 

Think about giving contacts a go. I got some 'soft' lenses many years ago. I too *loathe* anything being put in my eyes, but found that by the time a month had elapsed, putting in and taking out lenses became second nature and no hassle at all. I now use daily disposables when I'm using contacts. Saying that, I still wear my specs most of the time, keeping the lens wearing for 'special occasions' mostly and for cycling when the rain is *bad*.


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## John the Monkey (10 Aug 2010)

contacts aren't as bad as you think they will be (soft dailies aren't, at least).

I wear glasses in the rain - having a good wipe on your mitts helps (spesh's Microsuede stuff is very good, ime), as does a cycling cap (the peak is better than a helmet visor). If it's really heavy, I stop & wait for it to ease up.


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## Banjo (10 Aug 2010)

I use the soft cloth back of my cycling gloves to wipe off the worst. 

Has anyone actually tried rain X or similar on cycling glasses? I wouldnt have thought cycling would be fast enough for the wind to blow the droplets away.


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## Moodyman (10 Aug 2010)

*Just wipe the glasses with your fingers.
*
Sometimes the best solutions sound to easy to be true.


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## Globalti (10 Aug 2010)

I rode motorcycles for 12 years and it was never really a problem; if the visor got really bad I had a rubber blade that I wore on my left hand first finger for wiping the rain off. 

A good car polish will leave wax on the lenses, which will help water to run off.


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## potsy (10 Aug 2010)

Banjo said:


> *I use the soft cloth back of my cycling gloves to wipe off the worst. *
> 
> Has anyone actually tried rain X or similar on cycling glasses? I wouldnt have thought cycling would be fast enough for the wind to blow the droplets away.



This is what I do too,means they smear/smudge a bit but is better than nowt.
Cycling cap under the helmet does keep a fair bit of it off as well.


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## mgarl10024 (10 Aug 2010)

Hi,

Thanks for all the great replies.
Re: the comments about using fingers or a cloth - looks like I might get to try them out tonight, although the forecast for later is looking better. *sigh*

Thanks,

MG


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## mgarl10024 (17 Aug 2010)

Hi all,

Thanks for all the replies.

I initially avoided wiping my glasses with fingers etc. when wet as I imagined that they would smear badly. Coming into work this morning, it was raining, so when my glasses got so bad that I couldn't see through them I thought "might as well try wiping them - they can't get much worse" and it seemed to work quite well. 

I'll have to seek out a cap for those heavier downpours. Sounds a great idea - cheap, light, and you're not concerned about it getting wet. 

If the above two don't seem to be working for me, I'll try finding things that I can apply to the glass. However I'm hesitant to apply too many things to either the glass or near my eyes.

Finally, I am tempted with the contacts, but for the time being I'll stay like this:  as they still creep me out. 

Thanks once again,

MG


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