Eye Protection

[Marco]

I'm having an eye procedure in a week that will keep me off the water for 3 weeks, but after that I need to wear eye protection when skiing, at least for awhile. In an old 2012 thread, @wish and @skijay were saying the floating Bombers were the best. 5 years later, are Bombers still the way to go or are there new, better glasses out there? I will need them to be wrap arounds to protect my eyes from all directions. If anyone has any opinions on eye protection, I'd love to hear. Thanks in advance!

[rodb]

I wear Bombers

[dvskier]

I use a pair of swim googles (tinted) from Academy Sports, put some Rain X on them to eliminate water spots. Work great.

[SkiJay]

Hi @Marco. I'm still wearing the same two pair of floating Bombers I was in 2012, a dark pair and a yellow pair.

[riplash]

If you use swim goggles, you can smear just a tiny bit of Johnsons Baby Shampoo in the inside of the goggles and it will keep your goggles from fogging up. I buy a travel size for a dollar or two and keep some with my swimming stuff and another bottle with my snorkeling stuff and it lasts me a while.

 

I imagine it would work on other eye protection or glasses too, just as long as it doesn't interact with other fancy glass treatments that may be on the glasses.

 

[Horton]

Bombers are cheap & easy. I have used them for 10+ years. I lose a pair or step on a pair about once a year but at 10 or $15 a pair who cares.

[Gar]

Spit works in the swim goggles too!

[BRY]

What style bombers you guys think work best?

[Horton]

I use clear H-Bombs

[oldjeep]

Seems like for eye protection you would need something like a swim goggle. Sunglasses no matter how expensive (or cheap) are not going to protect anything in a water crash.

[BRY]

@oldjeep is correct about standard glasses, not going to protect anything in a water crash. In fact standard glasses are a hazard, the lens can get popped out and driven into the eye socket. Why goggles are recommended for snow skiing.

Std swim goggles are not designed for impact either (humans swim really slow) and can also be driven back into the eye socket.

Saftey glasses however, are designed to absorb point and blunt impact and retain the lenses. Ones with the + are designed for high speed impact. ANSI Z87.1 Defined After checking out the Bomber site they have quite a range of inexpensive safety glasses that float, Z87.1+.

I had a clear pair of safety glasses that were great in the rain. Seems every year in FL there's a tourny or two you gotta take a ride with some sprinkles. It's an outdoor sport. But I lost them, on a start no less, and haven't found any that work well for me since. Most fit too close to the face (good for safety glasses) to clear the water spots. Some of these Bomber safety's look promising. Want a clear pair for rain and a darker (possibly mirrored) pair for late afternoon sunny days. FL sun brutal late in the day on a N/S lake.

 

 

[oldjeep]

I guess it depends on what you are protecting against. Safety glasses wont break, but also will not keep water from pounding into your eye even if they stay on.

[John Brooks]

Do you put RainEx on the Bombers? Some sort of strap on them?

[Horton]

@John Brooks they are cheap and they float so I don't worry about losing them. Fact is I very very rarely lose them. For some reason the only time they ever seem to come off and I can't find them is in tournaments.

 

I don't use any water drop repellent. If you keep them semi clean it's just not a big deal. The first time you ever ski with them the water spots might seem distracting but after a couple passes you don't even notice.

[Craig]

Bought a pair of polarized SeaSpecs JetSpecs recently; been pretty pleased so far. I only wear them when glare is an issue (E-W lake). Strap is very secure, vision is good, haven't had an issue with fogging yet.

 

https://www.seaspecs.com/

 

I wear floating bombers as my regular glasses but these are much more secure, by comparison.

[Marco]

Thanks for all the input. While Bombers may be a long term solution, I think I am going to go the spex route that @Mark_Matis suggested for the first few months after surgery. As @oldjeep points out, goggles would provide more protection than glasses.

[kc]

What @Craig said. I also wear Seaspecs. I treat the lenses every couple of sets with an anti-fog solution made by Oakley.

[sixball]

My question, is it for bugs and water drops, spray? Or do you need to protect for a face plant?

[kc]

I wear soft contacts and wear the goggles to prevent the wind and spray from displacing my contacts.

[Marco]

@sixball ball For me it is to protect from water and impact to the eye following minor surgery. Apparently eyes heal quickly, so I think it will only be an issue for a short time. I have to stay off the water for 3 weeks post op, then can start skiing with eye protection.

[dvskier]

Hey @Marco I had minor surgery 5 years ago to insert ReStor lenses in my eyes. Well worth the surgery, I have 20/20 now distance and reading. Best decision I ever made. The swim goggles from Academy kept me skiing.

[Marco]

@dvskier Good to hear. My vision will be much improved as well. I'm looking forward to being able to see the 55's clearly again!

[david_ski]

@Horton What model of H-bombs are you currently using? I have been looking through the Bomber site at the H-bomb models and do not find one is labeled as floating.

 

I just had a retinal repair, and I will need to ski with eye protection.

[BlueSki]

Bombers had safety rated options as well the last time I bought from them.

[Vernon Reeve]

I use "Spex Amphibian Eyewear" and they work great. You can find them on https://www.overtons.com/spex-amphibian-polarized-goggles-300578.html

[ESPNSkier]

@Marco thanks for bringing up this topic! I had eye surgery 10 days ago and am itching to get back in the water ASAP. Will order goggles this week. I had surgery to correct my peripheral vision and hope to pick up a ball or two!

[RichardDoane]

 

I love my rain glasses because they make everything so much brighter when it’s grey and raining

 

[TEL]

Has anyone found glasses that work for skiing and driving into the sun?

[sodbuster88]

@david_ski looks like the A-bombs have the foam (buoyant).

[Calisdad57]

Check out SilverFish.com?

[david_ski]

@sodbuster88. I ordered a pair of the H-bombs with the foam around the lens. I will see how they work once lake opens, and I get the clearance to ski.

[ESPNSkier]

So, my experiment did not go so well and I'm hoping other folks are having better luck. I skied today 2.5 weeks post-surgery with a pair of Bomber H-Bomb Safety glasses. I attached a cord and cinched them up tight thinking that would help, however, I did not use any anti-fog. They started to fog up as I approached the course and between the fog, the water spots and the glare I couldn't see much of anything. I rode through the course and took them off at the far end where I went to toss them in the boat. Of course, I missed the boat and they sank out of sight....must have been the cord?. I ran a couple of easy passes without the glasses but my eyes started to water pretty severely so I think I'll wait another week and try again.

[Horton]

@ESPNSkier That is an unfortunate experience for sure. Having used floating Bombers for at least 10 years my experience is as follows.

 

They are going to fog a little and water spot but not extremely so. The fog issue is only on cold days. If you can use them for a few sets you will get used to them. The water spots will stop being noticeable. Also if you wear them just a tiny bit down your nose - not 100% as close to your face as possible much of the fog issue will go away.

 

There is no need for the cord.

[ESPNSkier]

Thanks @Horton, I’ll order another pair and try again.

[Sivota]

It you can get these in the States they work well. They let water flush across the inside, through the holes, on a deep water start. That means they lenses are clear and pretty much stay that way.

[ESPNSkier]

Thanks @Sivota! These look intriguing but there doesn't seem to be any way to open an account and/or place an order. Maybe they don't sell in the US?

[Sivota]

Try RoHo I have ordered quite a bit of kit from them over the years. I think they ship pretty much anywhere. In the alternative, I am happy to get some and post them to you. Failing that I'm in the States 30 March, if that is not too late?

[david_ski]

I received a set of the H-bombs with the foam on the edges of the lenses and they DO float. With the rubberized ear pieces they seem to stay on my head better without any strap. I am still a couple of weeks away before the lake opens (3/1), and I still need to get medical clearance to ski.

[ESPNSkier]

Thanks @Sivota, I should be able to get a pair soon.

[Horton]

you guys have to realize that with any water goggle solution there is going to be water spotting and when it's cold there is going to be fogging. one of the reasons why I am such a strong advocate of the bomber product is that they're cheap so if you lose them or break them who cares just get another pair. every couple of years I buy five or six pairs.

[Horton]

additionally bombers meet whatever the US federal government standard is for safety glasses

[BraceMaker]

Try a product called cat crap out.

 

Maybe even rain x

[Vernon Reeve]

The Spex goggles I mentioned earlier have foam, and lots of air flow. Maybe not the most attractive, but they work well. https://spexusa.com/ I think the lenses are interchangeable also, so you can use the clear for low light and the dark for bright days.

[BlueSki]

@ESPNSkier, I find that I can get rid of the fog if I dip my face in the water before the line tightens and I get out of the water. The air flow while skiing keeps the fog down until I drop at the other end. Yes, the fog does get annoying but it can be overcome.

[chrislandy]

I just received some H-Bombs sent to the UK, should be able to try them out in a month or two. They do look like they will be spot on for the job and look to be fully bonded into the frame so no worries about separation in a fall

[ESPNSkier]

Got a new pair of Bombers and had to wait until 4 weeks post-surgery due to travel and weather. I still could not get comfortable with the glasses and took them off. Ran a few ugly passes without and the eyes seemed ok. I even got a fall out of the way with no issues so now that is out of my head. Now I just need the wind to quit so I can out there again!

 

@Horton thanks for the Bomber reference, they make a really good product. I'm a Safety professional but I was not aware of the Bomber line of Safety glasses until you mentioned them.