Full Face Fogging Issues

[tetra316 0]

Okay I've had my Bonehead Mamba for a couple hundred jumps in all temps and conditions. It fogs up/ices over continually in colder conditions. I've cut a large hold in the foam and plastic over the mouth piece. It did help a little but not much. I always keep the face shield open until the last possible second before exit. The shield is coated with anti fog stuff.

But it seems no matter what I do it fogs up in freefall to the point where I cannot see. I make a consious effort to breathe through my mouth and it has no effect. I've resorted to removing the face plate before jumping in cold conditions.

Since this is the only full face I've ever had I have no point of reference. Is this common? I seem to be having more of an issue than most people. Are there other helmets that are less prone to fogging that I should try? Cut a small hole in the face shield to allow more air circulation in free fall?

Now that I've switched to a full face I find I really like it but am tired of dealing with the fogging issues. Or maybe I'm just a heavy breather

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

I jump a Bonehead Havok. I too, have had trouble with fogging. I get fog in the plane and while floating but none in FF.... I bet due to increased airflow through the helmet. The steps below help, but I still find that I often have a sudden burst of fog right at canopy deployment time (I presume due to a big, post-track exhalation).

1. I get less fog if I keep the lens REALLY clean.
2. I complained to Bonehead and they sent me anti-fog slime that improved but did not solve problem.
3. I keep the lens up until "Door!".

Good Luck!

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[BIGUN 1,042]

Take a regular potato or apple and cut a wedge of the potato/apple and rub the white part on the lens. Let the solution air dry, then buff it clean.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[TheCaptain 2]

I have only jumped my Z1 in cold weather, and may fog up just a little in free fall once in 10 jumps. Under canopy it will completely fog up but I always open it. I have never used any anitfogging stuff on it, I would think that it may just be an issue with the specific helmet you have. Next time your at the DZ your are more than welcome to try mine if it fits.

Kirk
He's dead Jim

[DBCOOPER 1]

I find that if I take my Z1 off at the same time as the seat belt and wait till right before the door is opened to put it back on I get much less fogging/icing. Your milage may vary.....

Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon

If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea.

[kawisixer01 0]

I have the same stuff going on with my mamba, but i'm just used to it. I saw a product called "cat crap" in the case at the dz last time i was there but haven't tried it.

[chutingstar 1]

This is probably not the issue...but just in case...

We have had a couple of jumpers complain of fogging and/or not getting a clear view out of their Mambas or Havoks and later found that they had not removed the clear protective cover from the inside and outside of their lens. Some of the Mamba lenses come with a protective "cling" covering on the outside and inside on the new helmets and/or lenses that you may not even notice is on there unless you kind of pick at the edge of the lens. Worth checking...

Mike

ChutingStar.com

[poser 0]

I used the fog city inserts for motorcycle visors to prevent fogging, but they probably won't fit a skydiving helmet.
Basically it's another thin sheet of plastic that you attach to the inside of the visor with a gasket that creates an air space between your visor and you.
I think I remember having to trim mine, and cut the gasket and such so you might get it to work.
I'm surprised skydiving helmets don't have this already, or as an option..

[phoenixlpr 0]

Here is my story.

I used to have a Z1. I had some fog issues, but it was not really critical after using some antifog liquid. I lost that helmet mid-air than bought a Factory Diver.

I got my first jump in freezing conditions with wing suit. I took the helmet on in the very last moment. I still got it 100% fogged up.
I got bad visibility for ~20 seconds because of the fog, than it has started to freeze up. I was flying blindly for 70-90 seconds, trying to peek in that 6mm hole next to my nose. I got a blind opening, it felt like a half line twist than I zipped up my arm wings and ripped the visor off.

I removed the visor and jumpped without it.

I have ordered some CatCrap(tm). I works quite nice. I used visor when the temperature was about 15-20C on the ground.

I have ordered and tried some motocycle stuff from neoprene, that direct my breath out downward, but with that helmet its a dead trap. I can not breath at all. I'm going to install a pipe to that mask.

[liftedtitan 0]

I am suprised they dont make lenses double lenses like in snowbarding goggles. What causes fogging is differnce in tempature outside and inside the lense. IE cold air outside, warm breath/body heat inside. a simple double lense would fix it easily, and shouldnt increase productin costs by too much really.

Moriuntur omnes, sed non omnes vixerunt.

[ufk22 32]

Homemade anti-fog
Mix dishwashing soap and water, 1-4. Put a few drops on the inside of the lens at the biginning of the day, rub over the entire inside, then wipe off with a soft paper towel or a kleenex that doesn't have the lotion in it. Just wipe off the excess, don't try to buff it out.
Problem solved.

This is the paradox of skydiving. We do something very dangerous, expose ourselves to a totally unnecesary risk, and then spend our time trying to make it safer.

[fendor1369 0]

I use http://www.kleervu.com/code.html on my bonehead mamba and it works like a charm.

John - D.S 1313

"I'll jump it, Np. It's all good"

[ridestrong 1]

I have a Z1 and have not had any fogging issues with it when jumping in cold weather here in CO.

I keep the shield open until the door opens. I open the shield as soon as I'm under canopy. Haven't put any anti-fogging or other solutions on the face shield. No special breathing through nose or mouth, but I would say I breath solely through my nose in free fall.

If you are considering buying a new helmet I highly recommend the Z1. Its very comfortable and I love the two finger opening of the face shield.

*I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.*
----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.----

[wildfan75 1]

Tara,

Here's "Lynn's Guide To Not Fogging During Winter Jumping". I'm from Wisconsin, remember?

First, don't keep your face shield up. Fogging occurs when you mix warm with cold. While you're sitting there on jump run with your face shield up, you're essentially breathing all your hot air onto your face shield and when you get out, you're mixing that hot/warm air with cold air...FOG!

Don't ride to altitude with your helmet on your head. Same reason as above...you're waming up your the inside of your helmet.

Breath in through your nose and out through your mouth (out the mouth hole). By doing this, you're taking the warm air in your helmet out, and pulling in cooler air to help "equalize" the temp.

I've never fogged up in freefall, and now that I have a few more jumps, I'm pretty good about immediately controling my breathing as soon as I'm under canopy (in through the nose, out through the mouth).

Also, most face shields come with anti-fogging stuff on them. When you go to clean them, only run water on them, and never wipe them dry (you'll only be wiping off the anti-fog stuff).

But the biggest issue that I see you're making is putting the face shield up. Keep it down! And put your helmet on at the last possible, comfortable moment.

[kallend 1,619]

Quote

Tara,

Here's "Lynn's Guide To Not Fogging During Winter Jumping". I'm from Wisconsin, remember?

First, don't keep your face shield up. Fogging occurs when you mix warm with cold. While you're sitting there on jump run with your face shield up, you're essentially breathing all your hot air onto your face shield and when you get out, you're mixing that hot/warm air with cold air...FOG!

Don't ride to altitude with your helmet on your head. Same reason as above...you're waming up your the inside of your helmet.

Breath in through your nose and out through your mouth (out the mouth hole). By doing this, you're taking the warm air in your helmet out, and pulling in cooler air to help "equalize" the temp.

I've never fogged up in freefall, and now that I have a few more jumps, I'm pretty good about immediately controling my breathing as soon as I'm under canopy (in through the nose, out through the mouth).

Also, most face shields come with anti-fogging stuff on them. When you go to clean them, only run water on them, and never wipe them dry (you'll only be wiping off the anti-fog stuff).

But the biggest issue that I see you're making is putting the face shield up. Keep it down! And put your helmet on at the last possible, comfortable moment.

Well, I do the breath in through the nose and out the mouth-hole bit, and only rinse my lens and let it air dry, but I put my lens up in the plane and never had any issues with fogging; I jump in IL in winter. Oxygn helmet.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[wildfan75 1]

Quote

I jump in IL in winter.

Yes, and you realize that when we Wissota-ites talk about going "going south to some place warm with an Otter for a winter skydiving trip" we're talking about Skydive Chicago, right?

[tetra316 0]

Lynn!
Well that's one thing mentioned that I have not tried. I'll see if it makes a difference the next time I jump. But who knows when that will be with the wet weather.

[horny955 0]

Quote

I used the fog city inserts for motorcycle visors to prevent fogging, but they probably won't fit a skydiving helmet.


Similar idea but cheaper, use a drop of washing up liquid that the wife uses to do the dishes and wipe on the inside of the visor and then buff off with a soft dry cloth.

[kallend 1,619]

Quote

Quote

I jump in IL in winter.

Yes, and you realize that when we Wissota-ites talk about going "going south to some place warm with an Otter for a winter skydiving trip" we're talking about Skydive Chicago, right?

You'll have a wasted journey, then. Closed until mid March.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.