Jumping in sunglasses

[Jkralovec 0]

I've seen many fellow jumpers jumping in sunglasses, rather than goggles.

I think the most popular glasses are gators. How much wind gets you your eyes and is it at all uncomfortable.

What are the benefits, or is it just "the look"?

Would I be ok with Oakley square wires?

Jeff

[PhreeZone 15]

Square wires would be a poor choice. They would let more air and wind in then would be comfortable.

I wear Gators only since they fit my face best. WileyX's are nice since they actually seal around the eyes with some foam and you don't have any issues with wind getting in.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Jkralovec 0]

ok then. thanks !

[amstalder 0]

Quote

WileyX's are nice since they actually seal around the eyes with some foam and you don't have any issues with wind getting in.

I use WileyXs but Ive lost contacts on more than one occasion. Still love them tho

[tigra 0]

I used to jump in sunglasses all the time. I stopped when someone I have a lot of respect for told me he preferred to see a person's eyes in freefall when he was jumping with them, which made sense to me.

Fit is important- they don't have to be expensive, but they need to fit snugly. (You might be better off with cheap ones at first until you get the fit down anyway......)

Also, make sure you still have a pair of clear goggles for those late sunset loads that turn into night jumps. And if you wear contacts, be prepared to lose them- have glasses or a spare pair handy just in case.

[VideoFly 0]

I much prefer to jump with others who wear clear lenses. In addition to having better communication in freefall, I also have an easier time communicating on the plane. I’ve had people wearing dark or mirrored glasses call back to someone on the plane and I didn’t have a clue which person they were talking to. I feel that anything that detracts from good clear communication may compromise safety. However, to each his own.

On the other hand, I do look cool in my subject’s mirrored glasses when I’m filming them.

[airtwardo 6]

I wear dark sunglasses in the interest of safety...when the people I jump with see the fear in my eyes it tends to distract THEM!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[VideoFly 0]

That's funny!

[spindlee 0]

Just out of interest, why do you want to jump in sunglasses? Do you find goggles uncomfortable?

These are a good alternative: http://www.chutingstargear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=50_51&products_id=385

If in doubt, whip it out...

[AggieDave 6]

Goggles fog up on my very very quickly. It feels like my eyes are sweating under canopy and as the goggles fog, I can't see as well. I've tried all the more popular types of goggles and even goggle-ish sunglasses. I've never had a pair of goggles work for me well at all.

I've used sunglasses for the past seven years and it has worked out best for me.

Its really a personal preference. Some argue about needing to see someone's eyes to do hard-core RW. I don't do that, I toss drogues, swoop and teach canopy control, so honestly, it has no bearing on me in that regard.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[normiss 622]

Fully agreed!

[spindlee 0]

Quote

Its really a personal preference.

Fair enough,
I know what you mean with the 'fogging up'. I normally put my goggles on right before exit and have no problem at all. I've never really had any problem under canopy with them either, sometimes I'll just pull them down onto my chin if it's a nice day

Simon

If in doubt, whip it out...

[Chubba 0]

Quote

I used to jump in sunglasses all the time. I stopped when someone I have a lot of respect for told me he preferred to see a person's eyes in freefall when he was jumping with them, which made sense to me.

+1

I hate looking into tinted or reflective glasses/goggles at anytime... skydiving or regular life.

Docking someone with an open face + clear googles >>> random falling body.

[VideoFly 0]

My standard procedures after putting my goggles and helmet on include popping a thumb up under each lower corner of my goggles until ready to move to the door. This keeps my goggles from fogging up. As for under canopy, if they tend to fog, I just lower and fly without them.

[ltdiver 3]

Here's an alternative view.

Your eyes are a precious asset and putting them in harms way can lead to losing something very valuable. Having lost an eye (non-skydiving related) I choose to protect my remaining eye with PolyCarbonate lenses. If you choose to skydive in sunglasses, without goggle protection, I highly recommend only these lenses. DO NOT get cheap ones.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[airtwardo 6]

Quote

Here's an alternative view.

Your eyes are a precious asset and putting them in harms way can lead to losing something very valuable. Having lost an eye (non-skydiving related) I choose to protect my remaining eye with PolyCarbonate lenses. If you choose to skydive in sunglasses, without goggle protection, I highly recommend only these lenses. DO NOT get cheap ones.

ltdiver

And just to add...

Wear some eye protection when loading a hot turn, the noisy spinning things throw littly fast moving stuff sometimes.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[pchapman 262]

Re: sunglasses

Quote

How much wind gets you your eyes and is it at all uncomfortable.

Try it and see.

For some it is OK, for some it isn't.

Plenty of people jump in sunglasses, whether expensive Gators or cheap sunglasses that just happen to fit snug on their particular face. Convenient to keep the same eyewear on all day and have more sun protection all the time.

For others, the amount of air that blasts in around even snug glasses is uncomfortable. I for example only wear sunglasses for hop and pops and use skydiving goggles for longer delays.

[lost_n_confuzd 0]

I have both tented goggles and sunglasses. Some folks like myself have VERY sensitive eyes. I have to wear shades unless it's an overcast. Friends and coworkers started calling me Blade awhile back cause I wore sunglasses until it was competely dark outside.
Edit: Check out my profile pic, I always have sunglasses on hand. Even at a pub at midnight

[amstalder 0]

Quote

I have both tinted goggles and sunglasses. Some folks like myself have VERY sensitive eyes. I have to wear shades unless it's an overcast. Friends and coworkers started calling me Blade awhile back cause I wore sunglasses until it was competely dark outside

I was waiting for this response. I am the same way. I cant go outside without sunglasses period.. even when its raining, I have to wear sunglasses

[lost_n_confuzd 0]

Quote

I cant go outside without sunglasses period..

I feel your pain. It's common for me to buy 7/11 cheapos just for the day when I leave my sunglasses at home and don't have a pair in the truck.

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

I have both tented goggles and sunglasses. Some folks like myself have VERY sensitive eyes. I have to wear shades unless it's an overcast. Friends and coworkers started calling me Blade awhile back cause I wore sunglasses until it was competely dark outside.
Edit: Check out my profile pic, I always have sunglasses on hand. Even at a pub at midnight

That's me, as well - I *HAVE* to have some tint.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[Andy9o8 0]

Quote

Quote

I have both tented goggles and sunglasses. Some folks like myself have VERY sensitive eyes. I have to wear shades unless it's an overcast. Friends and coworkers started calling me Blade awhile back cause I wore sunglasses until it was competely dark outside.
Edit: Check out my profile pic, I always have sunglasses on hand. Even at a pub at midnight

That's me, as well - I *HAVE* to have some tint.

Count me in with this group, too - I never drive or skydive in daytime w/o a tint, preferably dark. I do have a set of light-amber tinted goggles (through which my eyes are visible) for RW, jumping with newbies or overcast days.

[skydived19006 4]

I'll walk around looking like Clint Eastwood squinting if I'm not wearing tint.

I jumped wearing Oakleys back in the 90s, until I had a pair get knocked off on opening. These days, I wear a pair of $5 tinted safety glasses with colored surgical tube holding them on.

Martin

Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else.

AC DZ

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

I've never really had any problem under canopy with them either, sometimes I'll just pull them down onto my chin if it's a nice day

Well, if you're rocking out of your turn towards the ground at 90-ish mph and your plane out across the ground for your swoop is in the 70+ mph range then having your goggle fog and then pulling them to your chin becomes more than just annoying.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[normiss 622]

I prefer Gatorz or any similar aluminum framed sunglasses as I can't stand the head straps.
I can bend the aluminum frames to fit my head and face, no air gets in, no strap, no loss. I even wear them doing head down free fly without a helmet.