Seeing through specs in the rain

[MrsB]

Can anyone help as I’m having increasing trouble reading the map when it’s raining. I use Muc off anti fog treatment on my specs and this works well for the first 20 minutes or so. Then as I get hot the visibility starts to deteriorate and I can’t see the map clearly any longer. Things got so bad at the third day of SINS in the rain that I tried taking off my glasses but that was no good as that’s why I wear the glasses in the first place. Tried wiping them with a dry cloth but it seems as if once the antifog treatment has got wet it is no longer effective.

I’ve thought of a few solutions such as running faster to get round the course in less than 20 mins (a vain hope at my age); doing a shorter course but with the price of petrol as it is I want to get my money’s worth. I know some people wear one contact lens but as I only wear glasses for reading and orienteering it seems extravagant to buy lenses just for this.

Does anyone else have a solution for keeping the specs lenses clear whilst running? Is there a waterproof antifog treatment out there?

[EddieH]

Contact lenses are not expensive for orienteering. I went to the optician with a Culbin map and explained why I wanted them. We selected the best magnification (at the time) and I bought a pack of disposable lenses - 50p per race.

[MrsB]

Thats a lot cheaper than I expected. Did it take long to get used to them?

[mappingmum]

Ditto what Eddie said. Although I'm sure mine are just over £1 a race. I have the added advantage that I can now see in the swimming pool.

Doesn't take long to get used to lenses. About a week when I first started wearing them 20+ years ago but that was the old gas permeable lenses. Suspect the disposable soft lenses of today wouldn't take long at all.

Some people use rain visors.

[andypat]

I have also tried disposable contact lenses which were fine - theres a company near East kilbride that does a really cheap web deal - the lenses are not so fine as the expensive ones but OK for a couple of hours. My problem was becoming reading the map as my eyes developed (is it presbyopia?) in my early 40s. If I read a map now I have to look without my specs otherwise I have to hold it too far away to see - fine with specs but not so fine with contacts.

I attempted one go at one in and one out, but my eyesight is so poor without i had trouble finding my way around!

[EddieH]

I tried them for one training run. Put them in at home, and as I set off in the car I saw a rabbit in the road that took off flying . Training run was fine.

Next run was the Scottish Champs where I had a blinder, and felt I could really see the map for the first time in tears.

Sadly now my eyes have deteriorated somewhat more and much bigger magnification still leaves me struggling at times such as Sunday.

[IanD]

Perhaps I should try contact lenses again ...

However, to answer the question asked, I find a visor a great help. The visor gets wet, but usually my glasses stay dry and I can see the map.

The biggest problem is the glasses - and the compass magnifier - misting up. A fresh application of the demister spray that Ultrasport sell usually lasts for a whole course. (Although it didn't on SINS 3, much to my frustration).

[Gnitworp]

I use a product call Seadrops designed primarily for diving masks. I can't remember the last time I misted up. The important thing is to never wipe lenses; wear a visor to keep raindrops off. In really extreme conditions I even resort to carrying a second 'treated' pair of spectacles kept waterproof in an O top pocket!

[Scott]

I use a product call Seadrops designed primarily for diving masks.

Ah, thank you! I knew I remembered hearing somebody recommending something like this but couldn't remember who or where. I'm going to get a bottle and try them out at the Saunders.

[NFKleanne]

I just wear a baseball bat - and hope for the best!

[smf]

I just wear a baseball bat - and hope for the best!

Don't know how that would help Would look strange too.

[AndyC]

I and Mrs AndyC have been known to run in baseball CAPS (for the avoidance of doubt. that is one each as this thread is getting pedantic about spelling mistakes ).
However I wore a visor at Bringewood and my vision was fine.....

[frog]

I used to wear lenses most of the time, but find now I'm developing some long sight as well as my short sightedness it means my contact lenses make map reading worse. Think I'll have to try some bifocal lenses when I run out of my current pack of 28 days of disposable. They're great for swimming and walking, just rubbish for reading maps so I stick with my glasses and have bought one of those plastic visor things that I'm yet to experiment with.
Don't like getting old.

[MrsB]

Thanks for the useful replies. I did have a visor on at Bringewood but wonder if it's trapping all the hot air and making things worse!

[AndyO]

No, MrsB, You'll find that this forum traps most of the hot air

On topic, I use varifocal contact lenses which work well, but I still need magnifying O glasses for maps with lots of close detail, and find that in the rain these and the compass magnifier are useless, so I'll have to try some of these tips. Thanks everyone.