freezing goggles

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oldbaldy325

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Jan 9, 2004
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I was out on 1/08 on Mt. Monodnock temps below 10F and had a hard time keeping my brand new Bolle goggles from freezing over. They are double lense and coated but when I put them on about an hour into the hike the immediately frosted over. It was a bummer on the summit with the winds! Now, is is possible that my body temp was too high (I had already soaked a nylon toque) I wasn't wearing a balacava and my shell collar was up. Any suggestions? I've had this trouble before.
Thanks
 
If the frost was from condensation, I would try using an anti-fog product such as Cat Crap. Apply it inside and out and it's pretty effedtive at keeping your goggles clear. If you also wear glasses, which I do, don't forget to apply it to both sides of your lenses as well.
ecc
 
If you're out hiking w/o access to Cat Crap (not brand, not real cat crap ), you can always try a little spit. Cat Crap also seems to have to be reapplied often too.

Jay
 
Did you wear your goggles over your forehead for a while before lowering them over your eyes? If you did, then it's the warm moisture from your perspiration that's condensing inside the lenses. When you're not wearing the goggles over your eyes, you need to keep them either inside the storage bag or hanging loosely around your neck to keep both sides of the lenses dry. If it's snowing out and you leave them hanging around your neck, they might collect snow inside, which is not good. If you lift them up on your forehead, over a hat, they'll fog every time when you lower them back down. I never use any anti-fog materials and my goggles never fog.
 
As noted, on the forehead is a no-no.

Trickier though is managing the goggles while wearing a face mask (or similar). I find that my breath gets trapped, goes straight up and into my goggles.

For above treeline, I try to keep my goggles in a pocket if the wind is to my back.

If somebody has a recommendation for a windproof facemask that allows your breath to escape without fogging goggles, I would love to hear about it. Have even considered making one with a breathing tube to be run into the jacket, to breat warmer air and divert breath.
 
goggles and facemask

I have found that wearing goggles and facemask together can be done without getting breath into the goggles is you butt together the facemask and goggles ... meaning, do not put the goggle overlapping the facemask at all.

Maintain a very small (1mm) space between the goggles and facemask. To do this, the facemask may need to be cut to have a contour that matches the goggles. Not a problem for the neopreme masks. This ensures that there is no exposed skin. Vital at sub zero temps with wind. I had a problem with a little opening by my side burns untill I got a new mask. Also, I cut slightly larger breathing holes in the mouth area and I'm usually gasping for air.

good luck.
 
I've had very good luck with what John just mentioned. On a recent insanely cold ski trip, I had to wear my neoprene face mask all the time, along with my goggles and helmet. I had no problem with fogging up, although many of the other folks I was with did. I was one of the few with a neoprene mask which had an articulated nose, and little holes in front of my mouth.

Despite butting everything together closely, my left ear lobe, and underneath of my nose suffered frostbite....along with two toes.

But my goggles never fogged :D
 
I use a wool balaclava instead of a facemask and tuck just the section over my nose under the goggle seal, butting the rest of the edge of the opening to the goggle seal. A windproof hood over the balaclava keeps the heat in. I've used this downhill skiing in -20 F weather with no problems.
 
Cat crap

...can be found in most ski shops, usually by the register with the chapstick. It's a small container, about half the length of a 35mm film can.

I've also had great luck with putting Rain-X on the outside of the goggles. When ice forms, I can wipe it off much easier than untreated lenses.
 
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