How to wear sunglasses properly when Skydiving..?

[partyboy 0]

I am planning on buying a pair of Gatorz and I was wondering if they are ready to wear for jumping or do you need to modify them so you keep as much wind out of your eyes as possible? Also, do Gatorz normally keep the wind out of your eyes, or is it something to get used to. Any help is greatly welcomed..

Up High!!

[Tonto 1]

What's the shape of your face?

Everyone has a different face, so some sunglasses work for some but not for others.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[hookncrater 0]

You'll have to bend the frames to make them fit the contour of your face. You can then use a good elastic type band to keep them tight to your face and secure to your head. I also wear a helmet that further helps keep them in place. I mostly wear mine for H&Ps and haven't had any trouble with wind blowing up them, even at terminal. YMMV.

I use Gatorz Batrays.

________________________________________________________________________________
when in doubt... hook it!

[flyangel2 2]

Oh no! Here now comes my soap box rant.

Don't wear sunglasses when skydiving. Good eye contact is needed when jumping with other people. Can the person you are jumping with really see if you have eye contact with them if you have sunglasses on? Can you see the eyes of the other person you are jumping with if they have sunglasses on? It's kind of like those damn tinted car windows. You can't see into the car to see if the driver is looking in your direction.

Go ahead and wear your sunglasses in the plane, but put them in a good case and then into your jumpsuit before you leave the aircraft. Once you land you can put your sunglasses back on.

I was once hit by another jumper in freefall because I couldn't tell if he was looking in my direction because he had sunglasses on Besides, when is the last time you saw any of the hot skydiving teams wear sunglasses while in freefall?

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

[SkydiveNFlorida 0]

Quote

I was once hit by another jumper in freefall because I couldn't tell if he was looking in my direction because he had sunglasses on Besides, when is the last time you saw any of the hot skydiving teams wear sunglasses while in freefall?

How did that happen, Mar? You thought he was looking at you, his head was turned your way and he wasn't and he was coming forward but you thought he'd stop, or what?

--

I wear sunglasses in freefall, under canopy, outside, in my car, etc. It is important to protect yourself from UV rays whether that be with sunglasses or UV tinted goggles. Plus, because I wear sunglasses so often, my eyes are not accustomed to such bright light and I tend to tear in freefall if I have to look in the direction of the sun w/o sunglasses. But, I have no problems when i'm wearing them. I'd prefer not to have my eyes tearing or to be squinting, one less thing to worry about.

--

To the question, how do you wear them in freefall. Buy a pair that fits your face well and seals from (most of) the wind. I actually found a pair of knock offs at the mall that fit my face pretty well. I have the rubber sealed safety necklace that holds them on (don't know the technical term for it.) I rarely have any problems, but if I don't tighten them enough i've had problems with too much wind. I refuse to spend 100+$ on a pair of sunglasses that I will abuse at the dropzone.

-A

[feuergnom 22]

wearing gatorz (or any other sunglasses) while jumping is reserved for posers & wannabees

jump-goggles - while not sexy or stylish at all - won't injure you if they break, they will stay in place and they are cheap to replace if you loose them. guess why pro's don't wear sunglasses....

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[larsrulz 0]

Quote

wearing gatorz (or any other sunglasses) while jumping is reserved for posers & wannabees

jump-goggles - while not sexy or stylish at all - won't injure you if they break, they will stay in place and they are cheap to replace if you loose them. guess why pro's don't wear sunglasses....

That's funny, I've seen a number of pictures of one of the golden knights demo teams wearing gatorz in freefall....guess they're a bunch of posers, but I'll let you tell them that.

I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

[feuergnom 22]

jeeeeeezuz cool down - you missed the

wanna share a with me?

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[larsrulz 0]

Looks like I forgot a , oh well.

I personally agree with Mar about not jumping with sunglasses when jumping with other people, but am getting a pair of gatorz for under canopy and hop'n'pops.

I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

[Squeak 17]

I'm photophobic in times of high glarew, Like Sun on clouds and Bright sunny but white cloud days.
NOT wearing sunnies would actuially make it harder for me to judge my landings, and I'd have to squint a gbreat deal in freefall.

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?

[kallend 1,623]

Quote

Quote

wearing gatorz (or any other sunglasses) while jumping is reserved for posers & wannabees

jump-goggles - while not sexy or stylish at all - won't injure you if they break, they will stay in place and they are cheap to replace if you loose them. guess why pro's don't wear sunglasses....

That's funny, I've seen a number of pictures of one of the golden knights demo teams wearing gatorz in freefall....guess they're a bunch of posers, but I'll let you tell them that.

By definition, doing a demo IS posing.

...

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

[feuergnom 22]

whoa professor - tired of s.c.?

guess i like your kind of humour

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[Kris 0]

Quote

I'm photophobic in times of high glarew, Like Sun on clouds and Bright sunny but white cloud days.
NOT wearing sunnies would actuially make it harder for me to judge my landings, and I'd have to squint a gbreat deal in freefall.

Bingo. This is me, too. If I can't wear my sunglasses or tinted goggle, I won't be jumping. The glare and brightness are just too much for my eyes as they're extremely light sensitive.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[partyboy 0]

Thanks for your help everyone. I hope I can wear some Gatorz on my face. They look too nice!

Up High!!

[Dougiefresh 0]

Why buy gatorz when a $15 pair from the drugstore work just as well? And if they fall off, no big loss.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams

[Ncrowe 0]

Just got a pair of radiators and I love them....didn't have to bend them or anything ...so far not a bit of wind in my eyes....they really worked out better than I thought they would which always makes you feel good about a purchase

"Don't Mess Around With the Guy in Shades- Oh No!!! "

[droquette 0]

I had a nice pair of glasses go flying off my face when we were on the step and i looked down for some reason.. we got it on video and its pretty funny... So, after that i stopped wearing shades during the jump and would only wear them on the way up to altitude.
I had this really phat pair of shades my SF gave me, i knew they were expensive and i really loved them... So i would wear them up to altitude and change to goggles prior to jump run. I would put the shades in a pocket on my jumpsuit.. so one day i land and took a tiny tumble (due to uneven surface) And the frikin shades broke in two...
so i will keep doing it but only with $5-15 shades only.....
I agree with the rest of the people on this thread that shades are not for jumping.. unless its a hopnpop or something... Although I know people who still do it and it works great for them...

blue skies,
dan

HISPA 72 ----- "Muff Brother" 3733

[bob.dino 0]

Get a Z1 with the gold competition visor. It massively reduces glare, while still being transparent enough to make eye-contact for 4-way.

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

Besides, when is the last time you saw any of the hot skydiving teams wear sunglasses while in freefall?

yeah, I know, I know....I'm just the camera-team-member.... Nobody looks at us anyway....

ltdiver

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

[flyangel2 2]

Quote

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I was once hit by another jumper in freefall because I couldn't tell if he was looking in my direction because he had sunglasses on Besides, when is the last time you saw any of the hot skydiving teams wear sunglasses while in freefall?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


How did that happen, Mar? You thought he was looking at you, his head was turned your way and he wasn't and he was coming forward but you thought he'd stop, or what?

In a nut shell, yes.

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

[firstime 0]

I have to agree (personal opinion) with flyangel.
100% visibility is esstential therefore I opt for clear
glasses or goggles. Thumbs up sister

[eeneR 1]

Quote

I have to agree (personal opinion) with flyangel.
100% visibility is esstential therefore I opt for clear
glasses or goggles. Thumbs up sister

Yup I also agree...and know that some largerway organizers do not like you wearing sunglasses or goggles where you cannot see where you are looking...

I will only wear sunglasses if I am having problems iwth my contacts...as I have prescription sunglasses that fit under my helmet, but will not do that on formations where I MUST have eyecontact with others...

She is not a "Dumb Blonde" - She is a "Light-Haired Detour Off The Information Superhighway."
eeneR
TF#72, FB#4130, Incauto

[Frenchy68 0]

Quote

I am planning on buying a pair of Gatorz and I was wondering if they are ready to wear for jumping or do you need to modify them so you keep as much wind out of your eyes as possible? Also, do Gatorz normally keep the wind out of your eyes, or is it something to get used to. Any help is greatly welcomed..

Be aware that what may be suitable for a type of jump may not be quite so accomodating for another kind. I can sitfly with Gatorz on, but do wear goggles (no, not THE goggles!) on tracking dives or belly down (should I do any...). That's just me though.

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[jakee 1,254]

Quote

Why buy gatorz when a $15 pair from the drugstore work just as well? And if they fall off, no big loss.

I don't think they do. I'm not big on sunglasses but I just bought a pair of oakleys (mostly for cycling but for hop'n'pops as well) and they work so much better than cheap shades. Cheap ones just make everything darker while still letting all the glare through, better lenses keep everything looking light but take the strain off the eyes completely and don't let any glare through.

For me wearing $15 sunglasses is worse than pointless. JMO.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[BGill 0]

Quote

For me wearing $15 sunglasses is worse than pointless. JMO.

I completely agree. The $15 knockoffs that may look like Oakleys or Gatorz or whatever are just doing you more harm than good. They trick your pupils into dilating because it appears that everything is darker. Unfortunately, the cheap sunglasses fail to block adequate amounts of UV light like the real things do. So then you have wide open pupils with the same amount of harmful UV rays penetrating through your glasses. Not a good time. Stick with the real sunglasses (at least for the sake of your eyes, eye contact in freefall is something completely different.)

BTW, I jump with Oakley Minutes. They fit my face perfectly. I wear them with attachments around the back of my head. I just recently ordered these from Oakley because my old strap broke when I was messing around with them on the ground. Hopefully they'll work out well.