UKC

Surely I can't be the only person having this dilemma. I've recently started wearing glasses for driving etc. and find they make a big difference in the mountains for judging distances, picking out features from a distance etc. I'm going to the alps this summer and need a new pair of glacier-type cat 4 sunglasses and it would be perfect to get a pair with prescription lenses. Any ideas where to start looking? I don't fancy contacts and the selection of sunglasses in high-street opticians is pretty poor, to say the least.

Any advice from other short-sighted mountaineers would be welcomed!

Ben

In reply to d80f0u: get prescription glacier glasses, a search will find several threads on this, the latest only a couple of days ago !

In reply to d80f0u:

After investigating a range of options and making various experiments last year and over the winter, I have pretty much decided on going with the Adidas system. Not cheap for the initial outlay but more reasonable in the longer term - £65 for new prescription lenses as opposed to ca. £100 for replacements for my Julbo lenses (and that was a low quote!). Also, the nice man in Boots recommended them (and said he wish they stocked them) and a friend who's used them regularly rates them highly.

In reply to d80f0u: I get a big tough pair of reaction sunglasses with maximum UV absorption whenever I get a new prescription. With them I wear slide-on "sides", I have had several pairs of these over the years, bought in St Moritz, Chamonix. I also wear them for skiing.They seem to me to be very effective.The advantage is you don't need special glasses for mountain use.

In reply to d80f0u: I have the Adidas Evil Eye Exploreres. The prescription lense clips inside the frame and do not add to the bulk of the glasses. You only need to change the clip-ins if your prescription changes. They are very expensive in the first instance but look good i.e the same as normal sun glasses.

http://www.gosportsspex.co.uk/AdidasSunglasses.asp

Al

In reply to d80f0u:

I've gone down the Julbo route and have (moderate/strong) shortsighted prescription. Optician created right fuss when i said i had my own frames and that none of hers were good enough... Then i showed them and they had to agree.

However, a word of caution for anyone getting the original lenses replaced - the leather covers won't fit without modifying the fixings, as the edge thickness of the glass has increased.

This shouldn't be a problem if you're long sighted.

I just ordered a pair of Dixon sunglasses from http://www.uksportseyewear.co.uk/. I went for a model with in-frame glazing, a removable goggle-like seal and an optional head strap, and it is just under £100 - a real alternative to the overpriced Adidas models. An additional pair of lenses sets you back £60.

In reply to d80f0u:

Find a local, independent optician. Many of them will offer quite a range of sports eyewear, including glacier glasses, mountain goggles etc.

We use the Norville range in our practice, and have always found them to be pretty good.

In reply to Gaston Rubberpants:

Wow. The Adidas ones are very expensive indeed. Does anyone know of a similar system for less money? I wear glasses (about 3.50 short sighted) and I'm heading to Cham this summer, not wearing my glasses isn't a great option but neither is not having any retinas after an hour or two on a glacier. At the same time cash is short so a set of prescription Cat 4s would be quite a spend :/

In reply to d80f0u:
Google rockspex and give the guy a call. He is an optician and specialising, I believe, in this kind of thing.

In reply to stewieatb: Yes mine cost me about £160. If I had known about the Dixon ones I would have gone for them they look really good. Having said that the Adidias ones look a little more suitable for mountain biking and come with alternative changeable lenses that are suitable for less bright conditions.
Al