Glacier glasses for people with prescription glasses

I am planning to attempt a Mount Rainier ascent in the near future. I know that rainier is a pretty bright place where eye protection, such as glacier glasses, are mandatory.

Unfortunately I wear prescription glasses and don’t really want to deal with contacts on the mountains. What type of eye protection would you recommend if you were in my position?

I use a pair of "glacier goggles" that fit over my regular glasses, and were pretty inexpensive at REI.

-- Dave

Black Diamond makes prescription glacier goggles: http://www.blackdiamondequipment.co...ries/bucci-frame-prescription-mountain-specs/

Can't attest to how good they are, but I've been considering investing in a pair for a while now...

make sure you have a combination of choices, especially if you get prescription glacier glasses. we had guy on Katahdin who only brought prescription glacier glasses and it wasn't bright enough,
so he couldn't see with them or without them.

Go to the Opticus website. Thats where I bought mine.

For me, the added expense of prescription glacier glasses wasn't worth it so I've looked at different options. I recently purchased a pair of goggles that are made especially to fit over glasses and what a difference a little size change makes. Another suggestion might be to get a new pair of glasses that are smaller in size and would fit underneath more standard glacier glasses. They could be your back-up pair for years. (Twice now when I've travelled I've broken glasses. While they were able to repair them at a local box store, it was inconvenient and frustrating.) My current glasses almost fit the pair of glacier glasses I've had for several years. Have fun on Rainier.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/bolle-actionsport-vigilante.html?gclid=CKz56t6Z2q4CFYGo4Aod2TTdzw

I use these. They allow me to change the lens depending on how much light there is.

I have two solutions which I use. 1) Look into Cocoon overglasses. They come in variety of sizes, and run about $45, and are durable. I use them all the time in the West where the sun is so bright even off the glaciers. 2) In cold weather, I wear a pair of regular ski goggles, with clear rather than tinted lenses, and use regular sunglasses underneath. That way I can use them in low light by switching to my regular glasses. If you have trouble finding clear lenses, check with places like Cabela's or where they cater to snowmobilers who often are out after dark. Get a hard case for the ski goggles, if you can manage to find one. That will protect the lenses from getting scratched in your pack. The cloth sacks just don't prevent scratches over time.

Yes, glacier glasses make you look hardcore and knarly, but they're specialized and spendy. If you wear them on the street you look like a total dork.

You could try these...


http://www.conniekinley.com/photo8161086.html

The've been working for thousands of years.

Kevin Rooney said:

I have two solutions which I use. 1) Look into Cocoon overglasses. They come in variety of sizes, and run about $45, and are durable. I use them all the time in the West where the sun is so bright even off the glaciers.

Click to expand...

I've got something like these. They are new, so I don't always remember I have them . When I first thought of getting them I thought I would be using them just for using when riding my bike. They're good for many more of my outdoor activities than that, though were not enough protection in the cold and wind when I was skiing at Saddleback in Maine recently. (I actually have a second pair from the Lost and Found at work when they were giving away their latest stash of unclaimed goods.) Truthfully, they remind me somewhat of what "old" people wear which are advertised on TV, but actually they are more trendy than that.

Julbo

I use the non prescription Julbo Explorers. here's a link: http://www.opticsplanet.net/julbo-explorer-prescription-sunglasses.html
and here is another link to a product I have no personal experience with: http://www.opticsplanet.net/julbo-around-excel-prescription-insert-goggles.html

Julbo has a variety of products with RX lenses. Opticsplanet has best prices and will beat anyone's internet price.
I have used the Julbo Explorers around NYS snow and on higher peaks (15,000ft+) in Chile. I like them.
I also carry full lense safety glasses with "reading glasses" lenses. I tried the bifocal type and didn't like that I couldn't look up at small stuff! They are very strudy and help with small detail stuff my 55 year old eyes can't see!

How is your vision with the over glasses? I've tried overglasses for shooting and my visual acuity and depth perception was off.

I'm very happy with mine, and I'm fussy.

erugs said:

... Truthfully, they remind me somewhat of what "old" people wear which are advertised on TV, but actually they are more trendy than that.

Click to expand...

Yes, they can tend to look like that. I wear small-size eyeglasses, so that allows me to get a smaller frame. Cocoon has a sizing chart you can print out and lay your glasses on them to get the smallest fit. I also have a pair with the tortoise shell frames. My opthamologist advised me to wear glasses with side-shields, so ... if it's a choice between being a fashion plate and trying to avoid macular degeneration/vision loss - you do what is necessary.

I do wear them in cold weather, so long as it isn't too windy, and the temps are in the 20's or better. Don't think I'd wear them skiing, though.

daxs said:

How is your vision with the over glasses? I've tried overglasses for shooting and my visual acuity and depth perception was off.

Click to expand...

I've not noticed any issues with mine either, but then - I've trusted them for crevasse crossings, but haven't tried them for shooting. The Cocoons are polarized.

Also, don't discount the $20 flavor at Wal-Mart. They've expanded their selection, and while they don't last as long as the Cocoons, I've wore out a few pairs of them also.

Kevin Rooney said:

Also, don't discount the $20 flavor at Wal-Mart. They've expanded their selection, and while they don't last as long as the Cocoons, I've wore out a few pairs of them also.

Click to expand...

Don't forget that you need UV blocking (and blocking of light from any direction)* if you will be using them at altitude. The discount glasses/shields may not be very good for this--make sure they are labeled for UV blocking.

* The glasses should block 95-100% of the UV and ~90% of the visible light for high-altitude use. (FoTH)

Too much UV gives you snow blindness (sunburn of the cornea), a very painful temporary blindness.

Doug

Chip said:

make sure you have a combination of choices, especially if you get prescription glacier glasses. we had guy on Katahdin who only brought prescription glacier glasses and it wasn't bright enough,
so he couldn't see with them or without them.

Click to expand...

great advice....that must have been a rough trip for that guy, not being able to see can be dangerous.

erugs said:

For me, the added expense of prescription glacier glasses wasn't worth it so I've looked at different options. I recently purchased a pair of goggles that are made especially to fit over glasses and what a difference a little size change makes. Another suggestion might be to get a new pair of glasses that are smaller in size and would fit underneath more standard glacier glasses. They could be your back-up pair for years. (Twice now when I've travelled I've broken glasses. While they were able to repair them at a local box store, it was inconvenient and frustrating.) My current glasses almost fit the pair of glacier glasses I've had for several years. Have fun on Rainier.

Click to expand...

That is interesting. Do you hike with the goggles for sun protection instead of glacier glasses and you are overall satisfied with that? I have definitely thought about just using over the glasses goggles.

Kevin Rooney said:

I have two solutions which I use. 1) Look into Cocoon overglasses. They come in variety of sizes, and run about $45, and are durable. I use them all the time in the West where the sun is so bright even off the glaciers. 2) In cold weather, I wear a pair of regular ski goggles, with clear rather than tinted lenses, and use regular sunglasses underneath. That way I can use them in low light by switching to my regular glasses. If you have trouble finding clear lenses, check with places like Cabela's or where they cater to snowmobilers who often are out after dark. Get a hard case for the ski goggles, if you can manage to find one. That will protect the lenses from getting scratched in your pack. The cloth sacks just don't prevent scratches over time.

Yes, glacier glasses make you look hardcore and knarly, but they're specialized and spendy. If you wear them on the street you look like a total dork.

Click to expand...

Kevin, thanks for the advice The Cocoon's look like they might be the way to go. If I did buy glacier glasses I might only use then once or twice..but overglasses would get a lot more use!

Little Rickie said:

You could try these...


http://www.conniekinley.com/photo8161086.html

The've been working for thousands of years.

Click to expand...

Haha....I don't see where the prescription lenses goes in those

DougPaul said:

Don't forget that you need UV blocking (and blocking of light from any direction)* if you will be using them at altitude. The discount glasses/shields may not be very good for this--make sure they are labeled for UV blocking.

* The glasses should block 95-100% of the UV and ~90% of the visible light for high-altitude use. (FoTH)

Too much UV gives you snow blindness (sunburn of the cornea), a very painful temporary blindness.

Doug

Click to expand...

Doug - UV blocking seems to be a standard feature of all sunglasses now sold, even the cheap ones, according to consumer organizations.