Is it possible to keep goggles from fogging?

I've been using goggles to keep the areas around my eyes from freezing
while riding in near zero (F) weather. I've tried Rain-X anti-fog, but
this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there anything else that works,
or do I have to be resigned to stopping and taking my goggles off after a
while?

--
Bob in CT

Bob Mviggen said:

I've been using goggles to keep the areas around my eyes from
freezing while riding in near zero (F) weather. I've tried Rain-X
anti-fog, but this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there
anything else that works, or do I have to be resigned to stopping
and taking my goggles off after a while?

Bob, you're a bit late with the "I'm so tough I ride even when its 60
below" stories. These are supposed to be aired before the new year,
not after. I know, it's so cold my CamelBak freezes solid etc.

What do the goggles do???

Jobst Brandt
[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Bob Mviggen said:

I've been using goggles to keep the areas around my eyes from
freezing while riding in near zero (F) weather. I've tried Rain-X
anti-fog, but this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there
anything else that works, or do I have to be resigned to stopping
and taking my goggles off after a while?

Bob, you're a bit late with the "I'm so tough I ride even when its 60
below" stories. These are supposed to be aired before the new year,
not after. I know, it's so cold my CamelBak freezes solid etc.

What do the goggles do???

Jobst Brandt
[email hidden]

They prevent the area around my eyes from freezing and also prevent ice
buildup on my eye lids/eye lashes. Two weeks ago, for instance, before I
purchased my googles, I could barely see after riding because of all the
ice on my eyes. With the goggles (even using them half the ride), I have
experienced a marked decrease in this. Also, on one particular ride
route, I have a short uphill, then a long, long downhill. The short
uphill isn't enough to get me hot, so I freeze during the downhill. The
goggles really, really help during that part of the ride. After the
downhill, the route goes uphill, so the goggles are less necessary (other
then the "ice on the eyes" debacle).

Luckily, I hope to only have a few more weeks of riding in subzero temps
-- it's been getting warm here in CT. But, it's either ride outside or
ride inside, and I find riding outside much harder than riding inside.

Hey, I used to live in Alameda. I loved the Bay Area.

By the way, the Rain-X anti-fog stuff really works well for bathroom
mirrors.

--
Bob in CT

Bob
I'm in Ct. as well.

I wear goggles when the temp drops below zero ... but I'm riding on
trails with my icebike.. not on the roads where the speeds ( and
impact of the cold air) are greater.

Mine don't steam up until I get hot enough that the moisture from the
sweat fogs the goggles or heavy breathing causing moist air to slip
out the top of the balaclava (I cut out the mouth opening so that
won't happen) ... but I these same problems with my regular glasses.

I've seen goggles with a little fan/battey in them and I've been told
that they work just fine... if you are a dedicated winter road bike
rider, you might want to look into those.

And yes.. a frozen camelback is typical... we use hot water when
filling... and blow back after each drink and tuck the tubing inside
our jackets next to the skin. If your using water bottles, use hot
water and put the bottle in the holder "upside-down" .. Ice forms at
the top so you will be able to drink longer before it freezes solid.

charlieb in ct.

On Thu, 03 Feb 2005 12:08:50 -0500, "Bob M" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Bob Mviggen said:

I've been using goggles to keep the areas around my eyes from
freezing while riding in near zero (F) weather. I've tried Rain-X
anti-fog, but this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there
anything else that works, or do I have to be resigned to stopping
and taking my goggles off after a while?

Bob, you're a bit late with the "I'm so tough I ride even when its 60
below" stories. These are supposed to be aired before the new year,
not after. I know, it's so cold my CamelBak freezes solid etc.

What do the goggles do???

Jobst Brandt
[email hidden]

They prevent the area around my eyes from freezing and also prevent ice
buildup on my eye lids/eye lashes. Two weeks ago, for instance, before I
purchased my googles, I could barely see after riding because of all the
ice on my eyes. With the goggles (even using them half the ride), I have
experienced a marked decrease in this. Also, on one particular ride
route, I have a short uphill, then a long, long downhill. The short
uphill isn't enough to get me hot, so I freeze during the downhill. The
goggles really, really help during that part of the ride. After the
downhill, the route goes uphill, so the goggles are less necessary (other
then the "ice on the eyes" debacle).

Luckily, I hope to only have a few more weeks of riding in subzero temps
-- it's been getting warm here in CT. But, it's either ride outside or
ride inside, and I find riding outside much harder than riding inside.

Hey, I used to live in Alameda. I loved the Bay Area.

By the way, the Rain-X anti-fog stuff really works well for bathroom
mirrors.

Bob M said:

I've tried Rain-X anti-fog, but
this only works about 1/2 of my ride.

Have you tried the cheap eyeglass cleaner/antifog sold at most opticians?

I'd also look into finding a way to ventilate the googles a bit more, that
should mitigate the problem. Dremel, drill, or utility knife, your choice.
:P

Bob M said:

I've tried Rain-X anti-fog, but this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there anything else that works, or do I have to be resigned to stopping and taking my goggles off after a while?

Look for something like Oakleys vented dual lenses, like these http://oakley.com/catalog/colors/accessories/replacement_lenses/snow/o_frame/dual_vented/clear
They are the best goggles I've tried so far, they very rarely fog up on me. And when they do it's so far never been completely, only smudges around the edges.

Probably there are other manufacturers who have something similar as well, but since I haven't tried theirs I can't really say anything about them.

Bob M said:

I've been using goggles to keep the areas around my eyes from freezing
while riding in near zero (F) weather. I've tried Rain-X anti-fog,
but this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there anything else
that works, or do I have to be resigned to stopping and taking my
goggles off after a while?

I've found the biggest problem is breath being redirected into your goggles by
whatever face covering you're using. Neoprene face masks make a pretty good
seal, which is why they're so popular for skiing. So if you're not using one
already, give them a try. There are several brands, and they all fit different
face shapes best. Find the one that works for you.

If it's not cold enough to require a face mask, then you don't need goggles
either. Go to the Wal-Mart optical dept. and get some Uvex safety eyeshields
for $7. I use these for most of my riding. They give better coverage than
almost all of today's tiny sunglasses and bike-specific eyewear, and generally
do a better job. They never fog, even on rainy or really cold days.

I've never needed ski goggles for cycling, but I've done plenty of skiing and
mountaineering, so I'm familiar with the problem.

I love New England but the winter is the dealbreaker for me!

Matt O.

Try using some Johnson's Baby Shampoo on you r goggles. Let it dry,
then buff it off.

On Thu, 03 Feb 2005 18:08:12 GMT, Charles Beristain <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Bob
I'm in Ct. as well.

I wear goggles when the temp drops below zero ... but I'm riding on
trails with my icebike.. not on the roads where the speeds ( and
impact of the cold air) are greater.

I'm riding on the roads with my mountain bike with studded tires. I also
ride before work, so I'll leave at 5:30 am and get back around 6:30am.
It's dark the entire time.

Quoted message said:

Mine don't steam up until I get hot enough that the moisture from the
sweat fogs the goggles or heavy breathing causing moist air to slip
out the top of the balaclava (I cut out the mouth opening so that
won't happen) ... but I these same problems with my regular glasses.

I wear a balaclava that has a fine mesh screen over the mouth. I wonder
if that's what's causing my problem? (Perhaps the air goes into the
glasses instead of out farther into space?)

Quoted message said:

I've seen goggles with a little fan/battey in them and I've been told
that they work just fine... if you are a dedicated winter road bike
rider, you might want to look into those.

Interesting. When I bought my goggles at the local ski shop, they said I
didn't need anti-fog stuff. I went out the next morning and had to take
the googles off within 10 minutes. Maybe I'll search for these goggles
with fans.

Quoted message said:

And yes.. a frozen camelback is typical... we use hot water when
filling... and blow back after each drink and tuck the tubing inside
our jackets next to the skin. If your using water bottles, use hot
water and put the bottle in the holder "upside-down" .. Ice forms at
the top so you will be able to drink longer before it freezes solid.

charlieb in ct.

Oh, that's a good idea. Last weekend, I took hot coffee with me. The
coffee didn't freeze, but the nipple on the bottle did! I had to work
hard to get the nipple to break free.

--
Bob in CT

Matt O'Toole said:

Bob M said:

I've been using goggles to keep the areas around my eyes from freezing
while riding in near zero (F) weather. I've tried Rain-X anti-fog,
but this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there anything else
that works, or do I have to be resigned to stopping and taking my
goggles off after a while?

I've found the biggest problem is breath being redirected into your
goggles by
whatever face covering you're using. Neoprene face masks make a pretty
good
seal, which is why they're so popular for skiing. So if you're not
using one
already, give them a try. There are several brands, and they all fit
different
face shapes best. Find the one that works for you.

If it's not cold enough to require a face mask, then you don't need
goggles
either. Go to the Wal-Mart optical dept. and get some Uvex safety
eyeshields
for $7. I use these for most of my riding. They give better coverage
than
almost all of today's tiny sunglasses and bike-specific eyewear, and
generally
do a better job. They never fog, even on rainy or really cold days.

I've never needed ski goggles for cycling, but I've done plenty of
skiing and
mountaineering, so I'm familiar with the problem.

I love New England but the winter is the dealbreaker for me!

Matt O.

I originally bought safety glasses, but I haven't tried them (other than
for drilling stuff). Perhaps I'll try them.

--
Bob in CT

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In article <[email hidden]>,

Bob M said:

I've been using goggles to keep the areas around my eyes from freezing
while riding in near zero (F) weather. I've tried Rain-X anti-fog, but
this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there anything else that works,
or do I have to be resigned to stopping and taking my goggles off after a
while?

_ I've tried lot's of anti-fog goop to solve this problem for
skiing and none of them worked any better than a little bit of
soap or spit. The design of the goggle matters quite a bit, often more
expensive is not better. Dual pane lens help a lot and googles
with thin open slits ventilate much better than goggles with
thin foam over larger slots.

_ The goggles with built in fans get a lot of good reviews,
but they are pretty pricey.

_ The one thing that finally stopping the fogging problem
for me one and all was wearing a Leedom Ski Helmet. I'm not
quite sure why, but ever since I started wearing one, I don't
have any more fogging problems...

_ Booker C. Bense

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Bob Mviggen said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I've been using goggles to keep the areas around my eyes from
freezing while riding in near zero (F) weather. I've tried Rain-X
anti-fog, but this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there
anything else that works, or do I have to be resigned to stopping
and taking my goggles off after a while?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Bob, you're a bit late with the "I'm so tough I ride even when its 60
below" stories. These are supposed to be aired before the new year,
not after. I know, it's so cold my CamelBak freezes solid etc.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What do the goggles do???

Quoted message said:

They prevent the area around my eyes from freezing and also prevent ice
buildup on my eye lids/eye lashes. Two weeks ago, for instance, before I
purchased my googles, I could barely see after riding because of all the
ice on my eyes.

I've ridden in some cold weather and not had ice buildup, especially
on my skin. That would be known as frostbite, a permanent injury.
Where is the ice coming from? I don't know of sub zero degree
Fahrenheit fog, fog being the most common source of rime on things
that are not warm.

Quoted message said:

With the goggles (even using them half the ride), I have experienced
a marked decrease in this. Also, on one particular ride route, I
have a short uphill, then a long, long downhill. The short uphill
isn't enough to get me hot, so I freeze during the downhill. The
goggles really, really help during that part of the ride. After the
downhill, the route goes uphill, so the goggles are less necessary
(other then the "ice on the eyes" debacle).

This tale is getting taller as we speak. It ain't April yet but it
sounds that way.

Quoted message said:

Luckily, I hope to only have a few more weeks of riding in subzero
temps -- it's been getting warm here in CT. But, it's either ride
outside or ride inside, and I find riding outside much harder than
riding inside.

I hadn't heard of a longer spell of -20 degrees Celsius in
Connecticut, but I guess it would make news if there was such an
event.

Quoted message said:

Hey, I used to live in Alameda. I loved the Bay Area.

Sounds military to me.

Quoted message said:

By the way, the Rain-X anti-fog stuff really works well for bathroom
mirrors.

So does a heated mirror that warms up when bathroom lights are on.

Jobst Brandt
[email hidden]

If your Google keeps fogging and freezing, get a Mac.

Uhhh.... sorry... I guess you wrote "goggles". Never mind.

"Bob M" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've been using goggles to keep the areas around my eyes from freezing
while riding in near zero (F) weather. I've tried Rain-X anti-fog, but
this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there anything else that works,
or do I have to be resigned to stopping and taking my goggles off after a
while?

--
Bob in CT

On Thu, 03 Feb 2005 16:38:44 -0500, "Bob M" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I wear a balaclava that has a fine mesh screen over the mouth. I wonder
if that's what's causing my problem? (Perhaps the air goes into the
glasses instead of out farther into space?)

I suspect that is the problem.... I had to cut out the mesh so the
exhale would not deflect up to the goggles.. I have to wear trifocals
under the goggles just to see so that compounds the problem.

During the blizzard last week .. with 50mph winds, we snowshoed across
the golf course.. had the wind at out backs for the first third...but
had whistling head winds the rest of the way.... for well over an
hour.. we came close to frostbite... goggles, balaclava and facemask.
At times we were knee deep in the powder. two pair of gloves and our
hands were still freezing. We still managed to laugh and play around
like little kids.

charlieb in ct.

Bob M said:

I've been using goggles to keep the areas around my eyes from freezing
while riding in near zero (F) weather. I've tried Rain-X anti-fog, but
this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there anything else that works,
or do I have to be resigned to stopping and taking my goggles off after a
while?

I use the stuff meant for swimming goggles (and usually sold at the
sports stores that sell the goggles) and it works fine on my glasses.
It lasts for days.

On the other hand, if it is below about 50F in the morning I wait for
the afternoon to go for a ride, so I'm not a good one to ask how it
works in your situation.

Dennis Ferguson

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
says...

Quoted message said:

I've been using goggles to keep the areas around my eyes from freezing
while riding in near zero (F) weather. I've tried Rain-X anti-fog, but
this only works about 1/2 of my ride. Is there anything else that works,
or do I have to be resigned to stopping and taking my goggles off after a
while?

Get good cross-country skiiing goggles, they're designed for better
ventilation and less fogging. When I was a bicycle commuter, I used
clear XC-ski goggles in the winter and found them much more comfortable
than my regular Bolle Edge glasses.

--
[email hidden] is Joshua Putnam
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
Books for Bicycle Mechanics and Tinkerers:
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/bikebooks.html>