Forums > Wing Foiling General

Any advice please on preventing my sunglasses from fogging up while riding?:-)

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Created by Johndesu > 9 months ago, 19 Sep 2023
Johndesu
NSW, 561 posts
20 Sep 2023 12:02AM
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Please I need some tips / advice regarding my sunglasses fogging up in the surf, I have to stop and sit down and rinse my glasses after every ride / wave etc., and I have tried anti-fog cleaning wipes & spray but they all just don't really work & spitting on the lens does not work also. I know now is the worst time for fog & condensation because of the cold water and early morning sessions but there must be something I can do, please help with any experiences & suggestions etc:-)

Goofcat
270 posts
20 Sep 2023 6:16AM
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try applying some Johnson's baby shampoo on the lenses.

Hover62
56 posts
20 Sep 2023 8:03AM
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I had the same problem until bought a pair that look like mini googles that were a bit to wide and did not conform to my face. By having them further away from my face it let's the wind circulate around the lens and they rarely fog up. Of course they do not look great but it works for me.

Wingthing
SA, 20 posts
20 Sep 2023 11:39AM
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Similar experience for me. The wraparound close fitting ones fog up. Normal "flat" sunnies don't fog up nearly as much.

Gorgo
VIC, 5098 posts
20 Sep 2023 12:57PM
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Are they fogging because you're riding hard? Or fogging up because you've fallen in?

I have never had glasses fog up while riding, always from falling in.

If they've fogged after a fall I take a short breather sitting on the board, angle the edge of the glasses so they funnel the wind, and maybe lift the edge up a little. They usually clear within 30 seconds or so.

If I'm working super hard and falling a bit and the glasses have become a nuisance I push them down around my neck and keep riding without them.

If you're frequently falling after a wave ride, try getting the wing powered a bit earlier so you've got an easy carve to pull out and ride away.

If the waves are a bit crap consider riding with one or both hands on the strut handles and holding the wing so it doesn't have much power. That makes it easy to transition between wave and wing power when you need to and reduces the chances of falling.

colas
5364 posts
20 Sep 2023 1:48PM
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Select to expand quote
Johndesu said..
Please I need some tips / advice regarding my sunglasses fogging up in the surf, I have to stop and sit down and rinse my glasses after every ride / wave etc., and I have tried anti-fog cleaning wipes & spray


In my experience, RainX works for somewhat closed glasses, but you need to apply it properly: multiple layers, let it dry properly so it hardens... www.rainx.com/product/rain-x-original-glass-water-repellent/

But I must say I had no problem wearing glasses while windsurfing years ago with flat prescription glasses very open at the sides, without any products.

Seajuice
NSW, 919 posts
20 Sep 2023 9:35PM
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I have been wearing surf glasses for around 20 years now. Oakley water jackets, Sea specs & RAVs were good. Some other brands the lenses popped out after getting dumped by waves. I just won't pay heaps for a pair if the chances are high at losing them. I recently lost a pair of RAVs because one of the arms popped out of its fitting. My next pair they were glued in place. All good.
In the last year I decided to ditch all of the anti fog solutions. They do not last. Even toothpaste & Baby shampoo. I also think that some lenses do not fog up as bad as others.
Surprisingly I have gone back to. Yes my saliva. No different to the solutions. And I have it while surfing.
What I have noticed is that within an hour of surfing my glasses seem to fog up less. Why? Maybe because a film dries on the lenses. I noticed this film on my lenses before I surf again. So before a surf I rinse them in fresh water, spit on the inside lenses, rub around with finger & quick rinse & shake off water droplets for better vision. My lenses are nearly dry by the time I hit the water. But the lenses will fog again after being submerged. When it gets annoying I will spit & rub again. After a while I don't seem to do it as often.
I really think to this date there is no fool proof way of having antifog lenses.
Obviously on windier days, warmer days & when moving at speed there is much less fogging. For me. Wing foiling, the problem is rare. Sitting on a board waiting for a wave after a hard paddle will fog up my lenses easier.
Yes. Cold, body heat & more enclosed lenses can be a problem.

beefarmer
WA, 328 posts
20 Sep 2023 7:46PM
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dont use sunscreen on your forehead. Even a few hours before your session, itll make them fog up.

And wipe you face around the eyes/eyebrows with a dry cloth. T shirt works for me. Before you put your sunnies on. That should do it

Finally, if you're getting hot and sweaty they will still fog up. Eg light wind session stuggling to get up on foil for a while. But if your cruising around on foil with wind/air flowing over the lenses they should be ok.

It shouldnt matter if you get them wet or not.

Took me like 10years of kiting to work all that out lol


boardsurfr
WA, 2454 posts
20 Sep 2023 9:14PM
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I have had some success with Smitty's Glass Wax. Ordering sunglasses with hydrophobic coating (I use Zenni) also seems to make a difference. But details are foggy because it's been a while since I've gone out in really cold weather.
I still sometimes have visibility issues when sailing in extremely dry conditions, where drops on sunglasses dry out very quickly, leaving salt crystals on the glasses. The hydrophobic coating helps with that, since drops tend to fall off. Wax should be similar. But dunking the glasses is still sometimes required.

Gybstah
TAS, 2 posts
21 Sep 2023 9:53AM
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In the old daze when I used to scuba dive we always spat into the mask to prevent fogging and it worked! But if you fall the water might wash it off, and you'd have to do it again.

Johndesu
NSW, 561 posts
27 Sep 2023 11:26PM
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Great thanks for all the advice guys, I will be trying some of them out in the near future:-)

Zasby
WA, 69 posts
22 Oct 2023 2:59PM
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I am the national distributor for LiP Watersports sunglasses. I needed some good sunglasses for surfing and wing foiling - you get much more UV exposure on the water due to reflection and the glare can be very uncomfortable on long sessions. I bought a pair of LiP sunnies and loved them so much I started distributing them here in Australia.

They are made specifically for watersports with venting for air and water flow and a double retention system so you don't need to sit them tight on your face. All of this reduces any risk of fogging. They also have a hydrophobic coating on the inside and outside of the lenses so the water slides off.

For those that go out in humid conditions there are a few models with anti-fog coatings. You should only need this if the conditions are humid. Message me for more info.

General tips for sunglasses out on the water:

- put sunburn cream on at least 10mins before you go out on the water (many give off gases that acts like fog on the lenses, you can feel the difference between this and fog when you touch it, greasy)
- don't put sunburn cream around your eyes, you don't need it with a quality pair of sunnies on
- rinse your sunglasses with fresh water and soft soap after use to remove salt and any oils from your hands or sunburn cream.

Lip Sunglasses mantra - spend more time out there doing what you love while also protecting your eyes.



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"Any advice please on preventing my sunglasses from fogging up while riding?:-)" started by Johndesu