UKC

I need a pair of prescription sunglasses for climbing in Ladakh. Choices seem to be either 1) a mountaineering frame eg North Face, Cebe, Julbo etc with a fitted Cat 3 or 4 lens or 2) frame with interchangable lenses (cat 3, 4, polarised, coloured, etc ) plus a clip in polycarbonate lens such as with the Adidas Climacool, or Cebe Athlon. I'm worried how robust these are compared to option 1.

Anyone used a pair of Climacools - how robust are the clip in lenses, noseclip etc - would you recommend them?

Any other ideas - no lasers!

In reply to Mick Borroff: Mick have you tried a firm called Norville? They do frames and goggles for all outdoor and extreme sports type stuff. They are a specialist manufacturer and can mount just about any type of lens in a frame or set you up with a frame you can clip different lenses into. I lost the sight in one eye and now use their stuff to protect and assist the other.
Try the link, there are three pages, if the link doesn't work then make sure you go through the consumer pages on their site and look for Sports Rx.

http://www.norville.co.uk/framecoll_brands.asp?CatID=123&pgOn=1&ID=...

Hope that helps,

Chris

In reply to CyclopsChris: Cheers Chris, I'll check it out.
I have found a lot of information from another on-line vendor who supplies both prescription lenses and the adapter system sunglasses http://www.vision3k.com/default.asp?mscssid=KU6T6RMVHQE68M0LA28WV6Q10VRE8SB...
Regards, Mick

Have a look at www.gosportsspex.co.uk
I have used their Addidas Evil Eyes which worked well.

But have now used Day & Night contacts, you wear them for a month without taking out, sleep in them etc. In fact I keep forgetting and the present pair I have had in for two months now. From Specsavers they are £16 a month I think. They were magic on a trip to Mera Peak, I put them in in UK and then changed them 5 weeks later when I got back. No problems with cold, dust or anything. The difference is that they are made with a material which lets through 6 times the amount of oxygen so your eyes dont go dry or red.

In reply to ian2u: Thanks Ian I will have a look. I used to wear contacts but now suffer from dry eyes even with the more permeable materials. How long have you used the Evil Eyes as these seem to use most of thesame technology for the frames etc as the Climacools. Cheers Mick

Hi Mick
I got the Evil Eyes for Mera but then tried the contacts a month before going and found them so good stayed with them. I used the Evil Eyes without the prescription clip on lens. They are very rugged, possibly too much so. I am looking for something a bit lighter for Muztag Ata. No problem with the lenses, they stayed in place without a hitch but were easy to change.
Ian

In reply to Mick Borroff:

I've bought some Julbo glacier glasses (with side leather bits) and had tinted prescription lenses fitted. I've had these for years and they work well.

I've recently got some prescription oakleys (not tinted) for mountain biking / running / climbing and these are brill but expensive at around £150.

In reply to Mick Borroff:

Hi Mick,

I have a pair of the Adidas Elevation Climacools. I find they stand up to abuse pretty well. They come with a spare noseclip, but I haven't broken the first one yet. The prescription insert is also pretty rugged.

My only whinge is that, when used as goggles for skiing(with the foam surround rather than the nose piece), they have a tendency to mist up if you aren't going too fast. They clear quickly again though.

Steve

In reply to Steve Gardiner: Hi Steve,
Thanks for the feedback. Did you look at any other (non-Adidas) brands that use an insert?

In reply to Mick Borroff: I have prescription Oakleys they are superb. far better

Sadly not. I left it to the last minute as usual and they had the climacools in my optician, so I played around with them a bit in the shop and then just went for them. I'm still very happy with their performance though.

In reply to Mick Borroff:

While climibing Mera about two years back I just took along some oversized ski goggles that fitted right over my prescription frames. Seemed to work pretty well and I wore them all the time I was above the snowline.
They didn't seem to fog more than than normal glacier glasses (which I sometimes wear with contact lenses) - but are a bit hot to wear all day if the sun is belting down.
I can't remember the make I used (one of the big names) and it set me back about 30 or so quid - a lot less than the quotes I got to grind custom lenses to fit goggles or glacier specs

chrs