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windcatcher

Jumping with contacts and sunglasses?

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Landing with no depth perception after losing a contact would be not good!


I've done it a dozen times, including once at night. It's really not that tough. Losing contacts, even disposables, is expensive and annoying, though.

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I have met a lot of Contact wearers who use sunglasses wit h out issue.

But as an instructor I would prefer you to have clear goggles so I can see your eyes when we jump. Once your off student status all the choices are your's.

Many compititors and instructors prefer clear lens' for the same eye contact reasons.

But sunglasses do come in handy at the begining or end of the jump day due to the attitude of the sun.

Talk to the folks you jump with and in the end due what makes you feel comfortable and safe.
Matt
An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

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I've done it a dozen times, including once at night. It's really not that tough. Losing contacts, even disposables, is expensive and annoying, though.



That depends on the prescription. When i lose a contact, i'm pretty much blind. Both times i landed and pounded in due to not being able to see anything other than large blurry shapes.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

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A fellow student 2 months back lost a contact in freefall. With her vision affected, she landed way off and into a ditch, breaking or badly bruising the heel.

Prescription sunglasses seems like a much better idea, or carrying a spare set of glasses on your flight suit. How well or poorly you see with one or no contacts is the key.

And of course, always have backup eyewear in the car to drive home!

Are certain sunglasses very bad or good for jumping? My clear goggles are ok, but I'm not thrilled with em.

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Are certain sunglasses very bad or good for jumping? My clear goggles are ok, but I'm not thrilled with em.



I have a pair of wrap sunnies that are CRAP for skydiving. They work teriffic on my motor bike but your head is in a different orientation in freefall, so the relative wind will come from below your chin.
I've found that if I don't have a good seal on the bottom of my specs, my eyes water up before I hit terminal, and I'm basically fucked until under canopy.
I cant see shit.
The only time i did it, i ended up dumping high, like 8000 (last load out and I signaled the others with me)
I won't be trying that again with those spec, that's for cetain.B|:ph34r::ph34r:
You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

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Another vote for prescription sunglasses here.

However for regular sunglasses, Oakley makes some of the best, especially in terms of optical clarity, which explains their pricetag.

Personally, I jump with a pair of Oakley Minutes made out of O-matter (high-strength ABS) with polycarbonate lenses. Whether I am doing RW, freefly, or birdman they just don't let air in enough to bother me. I rarely wear contacts, but when I have jumped in them, I've never had a problem. I'm on my 2nd pair in almost 4 years, they're damn tough glasses, and even though I abuse them they have just a couple of small scratches on the lenses.

Lots of people have good luck with Gatorz.

Whatever you choose, stay away from glass lenses and get shatter-proof.
Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

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Check out Wiley-X eyeware (www.wileyx.com) while you are surfing, I bought a pair of Wiley-X SG-1s and have used them for the last 10 jumps. Rock solid and I have contacts. They do offer prescription lens options, I believe. Just another good option to consider.

I should note that my instructors asked me not to use them until I was doing my AFF clear and pull. :)

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What ever you decide on, please consult with your instructor.



D'oh!:$ Good catch, Shark. I missed that part.

Until my students get their A-license it's clear goggles only for them.
Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

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Another vote for prescription sunglasses here.

However for regular sunglasses, Oakley makes some of the best, especially in terms of optical clarity, which explains their pricetag.



You can get Oakley as prescription as well! - I jump a pair of "Minute" prescription. They have a really nice field of view.
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david.olrik.dk

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I'm a vote for prescription goggles, I was too worried about loosing a contact so I went with the goggles from sportrx.com I made around 100 jumps with mine (and even used my benefits from work to pay for them!) and they worked great every time. I kept them until I started corneal refractive therapy and I now use a regular pair of $10 goggles.

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Many compititors and instructors prefer clear lens' for the same eye contact reasons.



I'm with you on that. I hate jumping with some one that has sunglasses on. I can't tell where they are looking.

A perfect example of that is when I was on a big way. I exited my AC and was approaching the formation. I looked to the side, as I needed to wait for a few jumpers from another AC to get in front of me and get to their slots. I could see one jumper approaching the formation, and he had on sunglasses. Did he see me? Where was he looking? I had no idea. I found out fast that he wasn't looking in my direction, as he "bumped" me on the way by.

I suggest not getting into the habit of wearing sunglasses. I'll wear mine when I walk out to the plane, and even wear them on the ride up to altitude. But then I take them off and slip them in my jumpsuit. When I land, they are right were I left them, and I put them back on for the walk in.
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

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But sunglasses do come in handy at the begining or end of the jump day due to the attitude of the sun.
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HEED THIS WARNING

I made a sunset jump w/ tinted goggles on one time....the light was fine when we left the ground, but after our 20 minute climb (in a c-182) it was way too dark to be wearing anything tinted.

couldn't pull the goggles off because I was afraid to take the helmet off at the time (13 jumps) and the goggles were way too tight
came in to a downwind landing, luckily the wind wasn't blowing too hard

moral of the story, be careful when you choose to wear tinted, and if it's even hinting towards sunset, bring clears/sunglasses



BE THE BUDDHA!

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I suggest not getting into the habit of wearing sunglasses. I'll wear mine when I walk out to the plane, and even wear them on the ride up to altitude. But then I take them off and slip them in my jumpsuit. When I land, they are right were I left them, and I put them back on for the walk in.



I wish I could do that Mar, but my eyes are incredibly light sensitive. Tinted goggles and sunglasses aren't an option for me, they're a requirement, even on a lot of cloudy days. [:/]

I'm just a squinty, watery-eyed messican without them.
Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

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Hey guys, I was just wondering if instead of goggles, I could just jump with sunglasses and a retaining strap. Since I have contacts, should I just be wearing only goggles, or can I still wear sunglasses?

Sarah



I was wearing contacts for a while (gave it up;)). Anyhow, after 8 months of jumping, I finally lost one. It made landing a bit of a project because I had one eye with corrective lens, and one w/o. It really screws up depth perception. I wear sunglasses, so your choice. I didn't hesitate to continue wearing them after that... now I just gave up contacts and use my super-focusing ability:)

Angela.



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So very true. But on the up side of that... if you take the tinted glasses off under canopy, when you're worried about it being too dark for you to land comfortably, suddenly there's all kinds of light! :P

I've had good luck with these (https://www.square1.com/Manufacturers/Square1/cat210.html#TorsanG103) with my contacts. I don't use them often; usually I stick to my Oxygn for contact reasons (both those in my eyes and that you get from knees during fast 4-way).

Blue Skies!
-=Christy=-
D-21464

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I'm with you Kris. I had someone talk me into wearing sunglasses many years ago (not skydiving) because of 'harmful UV's', blah, blah, blah.... Now my eyes are so sensitive, I have to have sunglasses. I don't wear contacts, so my sunglasses/goggles are Gatorz. If it is sunset load, I just take them off under canopy if I think it will be a dusk landing.

Some people with contacts jump Gatorz (I seel them to a couple) but there is a chance of some airflow there.


I am not totally useless, I can be used as a bad example.

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