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Glasses are a pain in the ass to cave with. At least mine haven't been scratched beyond use yet. I thought about contacts, but with all the digging I always wind up with dirt inside my eyelids... Would be worse behind a contact lens. Besides, I hear they even fog up like glasses...

I've been caving, especially digging now without any glasses for a while. But this makes me feel like I am missing out on fine details of the cave, which I am.

I am just curious as to any ways some other cavers have adapted to this. For now I carry them in a hard case and throw them on when I need to look at something detailed, but I am looking for a better solution.

Anyone ever tried the durable sports glasses?

I cave in contacts. I carry a spare pair and spare glasses. I've never had to use either (knock on wood). I dig, crawl, swim, ascend in waterfalls, etc with my contacts and never had a real issue. However, my buddy, he is always having trouble with his. Last trip, he lost one before we were even 50' in the cave. I think his lenses do not fit properly. Anyway, you should try the contacts. They work well for me.

I carry a small cloth in my dry pack to clean off my glasses. I've tried contacts too and didn't really like them.

I too have had contacts and didn't like them for the dry caves we dig in around here. I always buy safety glasses and highly recommend them to cave in. I got the last couple pairs from Sam's and payed like 420something for two pairs plus some delux perscription sun glasses. Wallyworld....all the optical stores carry them. I have a dedicated pair I use just for caving. You could pack the good pair in a hard case and use them for the big rooms!!! Keep your oldest pair in your cave pack in that good hard case so you can switch um out and not scratch up the good ones. I've got some old side shields if you want to try um on your frames.

I've found in my old age.....if my glasses are fogg'in.....I'm working at something too hard. If I had in contacts.....I'd never know.

I caved in glasses for years until one day in Wind Cave the humidity and temp was just right such that my glasses kept fogging up no matter what I did. I basically had to be led out of the cave, which was totally embarrassing. I switched to contacts, and while they suck to put in (I only wear them when caving), the experience while caving is far superior. They definitely don't fog up, that's not true. I also have not had any dirt fall into my eyes since I started using them (10 years or so now), but probably because I am much more careful to avoid that than I used to be.

SuckinOnSodaStraws wrote:Glasses are a pain in the ass to cave with. At least mine haven't been scratched beyond use yet. I thought about contacts, but with all the digging I always wind up with dirt inside my eyelids... Would be worse behind a contact lens. Besides, I hear they even fog up like glasses...

I've been caving, especially digging now without any glasses for a while. But this makes me feel like I am missing out on fine details of the cave, which I am.

I am just curious as to any ways some other cavers have adapted to this. For now I carry them in a hard case and throw them on when I need to look at something detailed, but I am looking for a better solution.

Anyone ever tried the durable sports glasses?

Yes I tried them once. I bought a pair that was treated with anti fogging stuff. They fogged faster than my regular glasses.

I've found that you can "clean" your glasses with the foamy type of shaving cream (Barbasol type) and it greatly reduces fogging issues. Rub it in, let it dry, and buff it off. Works great! However, this may have a detrimental effect on anti-reflective or scratch resistant coatings, I don't know. I've also heard that glycerine works well when applied similarly.

I haven't used it, but I've heard good things about this anti-fog treatment. Yes, it's called Cat Crap-

http://www.amazon.com/Ek-123625-Cat-Cra ... roduct_top

The only time I have issues with my glasses fogging is when I first enter the cave. This is especially true in the wintertime, when the air in the cave is relatively warm and my glasses are cold; as soon as they warm up the fog is gone.
The really big issues for me are water(spray, waterfalls, etc), and dirt/mud. Super-wet multi-drop caves are not fun for me. I always carry some eyeglass wipes to deal with the mud and dirt. My eyesight condition doesn't respond well to contacts, otherwise I would gladly go that route.
As far as the "sport glasses," I had a friend who tried them and was totally dissatisfied with the performance.

Trogman

Scott McCrea wrote:I cave in contacts. I carry a spare pair and spare glasses. I've never had to use either (knock on wood). I dig, crawl, swim, ascend in waterfalls, etc with my contacts and never had a real issue. However, my buddy, he is always having trouble with his. Last trip, he lost one before we were even 50' in the cave. I think his lenses do not fit properly. Anyway, you should try the contacts. They work well for me.

Scott, what kind of contacts do you have? Doctors orders, I have to wear hard lenses and they can be really painful if dust gets in my eyes.

My wife had Lazix and while it restored her vision and relieved her of contact lenses, she is still suffering from painful side effects.

Thanks for the referral Jasen. Just placed an order for some Cat Crap. I'll try it out during convention and let folks know how it works. I've also suffered the fogged glasses situation for years and had just resigned myself to dealing with it. Hope this stuff works!

For what it's worth, Exxene make an anti-fog liquid called I-99 "Klean n Klear." Available through industrial and safety supply companies. Small bottle, not cheap, but apparently the best you can get. A drop on each side of my ski goggles works fine even at 30 below. They guys working on the North Slope use it.

I wear contacts and although I occasionally have issues I'd never go back to glasses. However, I do have Wiley X SG1 goggles with interchangeable prescription lenses that would work well in cave. Of coarse they should ways be treated with anti fog.

I tried Contact Lenses a couple of times in mid 1980's to early 1990's. About the time I was ready to try them out underground , it seems I had the dumb luck to give myself a corneal abrasion , by the time I healed i'd gotten out of practice with my contacts and just stayed with the glasses. I have had a couple of Kentucky & TAG trips where I was the only one wearing glasses , ( 2 party members wearing contacts ) , with some VERY tense moves by me trying to keep up with the rest of the team with Semi to Totally fogged glasses while stepping across potentially lethal canyon crossings and freeclimbing. All the while watching lights disappear down a passage in a Cave I had never been in before. I kind of got tired of yelling " Hey wait come back "
I have had the pleasure in a dig situation of hearing a Contacts wearer complain of dirt in their eye. I guess the ultimate answer for me would be Contacts with a really good Anti Fog Treated Bulbous Wrap around Sport Goggle Safety Glasses.
Have any Cavers out there had Lasik Surgery? And , did it enhance your caving/climbing experiences once you ruled out dirt in the eyes somehow?

I just dig without them. Dirt in the eyes is inevitable. Especially when your dig style is going ape. Never thought to put catcrap on my glasses, sounds like a good fix. Eyesight is a must, as KENTO mentioned about hairy climbs and manuevs. I'll pass on Lasik, too many horror stories, too much $$. You know, maybe some awkward bulbous safety sport goggles would set us apart from the rest like some BADASSES!