UKC

Does anybody wear these?

http://www.yy-belayglasses.co.uk/

Seems like something that would get laughed off Dragons Den (not suggesting that is the epitome of good ideas) but cannot see much of a market for them accept for a few people with bad necks. Maybe there are a lot of people with bad necks?

Heath Robinson springs to mind

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Thousands of people use these type of glasses. They are really good.

In reply to 3 Names:

Well I never. Fair enough

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

I think they are great. For a sports climbing trip, to belay well I might be looking up for 4hrs a day, a very unnatural position leading to neck tension and soreness, completely avoided by belay glassses.

I know 7/8 people with them, who all see the value. There are some disadvantages - some people feel motion sickness, and it can be harder to doddge dropped items.

The y&y ones only cost the same as one physiotherapy session!

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

I've got them, I wear them when sport climbing, like all new ideas, they're a bit weird at first, but soon improves. You end up more focused but less tired in the neck whilst belaying. Very useful on an extended trip where neck ache can really make itself known after a few days.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=562572

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

I bought a pair of these but returned them. They're definitely not as good as the CU Belay Glasses on which the YY ones are based and I believe are the 'original' of this type of product.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

I have a pair of the CU Belay glasses and find them pretty good. Indoors at EICA on the overhangs they stop you straining your neck. For shorter routes outside I usually don't use them but for longer stuff or if it's very sunny (they still work over your sunglasses) I find them really useful.

One thing I have noticed is that the climber sometimes gets a bit worried re. whether you're actually watching them or not as they don't see you looking up at the them. However, it's nothing that a bit of communication can't solve.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Go to Malham or Kilnsey where belay sessions of over an hour are common whilst a route is worked (I guess other crags beloved of red-pointers are similar) - I'd say most of the regulars at those use belay specs.

In reply to Fiona Reid:

I think they make the belayer focus even more on the climber. I have the CU ones and think they are brilliant. They are not just for people with bad backs and necks as they can prevent such injuries.

In reply to Fiona Reid:


Or match them with a pair of these:

http://boingboing.net/2009/04/17/gorilla-viewing-glas.html

(nicked from the Supertopo thread)

In reply to GridNorth:
I agree, I find a focus a lot more on the climber as I'm always watching them with the glasses versus having to look down occasionally without them when my neck needs a break.

I guess it just takes a bit of time for the climber to believe you are actually watching them as they can't see you looking up at them.

Also, just wearing glasses automatically makes you look cleverer/more distinguished - inversely proportionate to their size

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

I used to think they were totally ridiculous but since I started sport climbing seriously (redpointing instead of onsighting on bolts) I wouldn't be without them. They save some serious neck ache!

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

They also make you adopt slab techniques on overhanging ground.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

I get a bad neck from belaying I would love a pair of these

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Guy I met at an indoor wall bought hospital bed glasses, unscrewed the arms and put them on the other way up and carved the nose piece a bit - £9.50!! If they get broken in a rucksac, not a great loss. Ingenious ehh (or just tight?).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Andux-Periscope-Glasses-reading-bookstand/dp/B00A8W...

Chris

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Yes, people do wear them, and yes, they would get laughed off Dragon's Den for the reasons you state. Too niche. Nice hobby business but not going to make you rich.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

If you want a pair of belay glasses, these are the ones you want:

http://cubelayglasses.co.uk/products.html

I've tried most of the other variants but out of the whole bunch, the CUs are the best.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:
Very good. See Karin's review

http://www.climbonline.co.uk/reviews.htm


Cheaper and better that some other similar products.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Totally brilliant, I paid about £100 for the CU version a couple of years ago, well worth every penny. I've saved more than that in not having to pay for an oesteopath, quite apart from the comfort .

In reply to Mark Kemball:

Cheaper and healthier just not to look at your leader..the attention-seeking popinjays that they are.

In reply to cwarby:

I've met somebody who'd done exactly the same thing. Would do that myself if I was going on a sport climbing trip somewhere.

In reply to Guy Atkinson:

I have CU belay glasses, they are brill.

i also did this trick with a pair of cheapo ebay bed glasses and used em at the wall. Basically they work but are just ok,
Heavy, not comfy, not optically very good, really not that great but cheap as chips (in an expensive restaurant).

My view is i would stop using them after a while.

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Might get a pair.Deffo get back ache at steep crags looking up at the leader.

Maybe some could be designed for spotting new lines better...

In reply to paul mitchell:

You don't need help with that. (Maybe that's Garry's secret!)

In reply to Mark Kemball:

I remember a reasonably prolific new router in the Peak once saying 'if you can't find any holds, look harder'. Can't remember who it was, obviously...

In reply to Mark Kemball:


Think that's beer goggles!

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:

Belay glasses - love em. End of the perpetual sore neck from redpoint belaying. Had the CU ones. Great but flimsy (and expensive). Now have the YY ones: great, more robust and a lot less expensive.