Belay Glasses for Rock Climbing

Product Information

Unlike the First, the Plasfun Evo comes in a few different colors, and we enjoyed our snazzy light-blue version. Fit and comfort are extremely important factors in buying belay glasses, especially if you belay frequently or for long periods of time. It doesn’t impede belaying, but we felt others did a slightly better job balancing size with visibility. One tester also complained of more reflections through the prisms in the Belay Specs. Some, like avid alpinist and AID climber Mark Thomas, bemoan the use entirely. “They mess with your peripheral vision, give you a ‘telescope’ vision problem, and are problematic if you are wearing sunglasses or prescription glasses,” he said.

The PitchSix belay glasses strikes a nice balance between having a large field of view and also allowing you to be able to look over or under the prisms (depending where you have them on your nose). The PitchSix prisms themselves are a very similar size to the Metolius Upshot prisms. PitchSix left (bigger prisms), Cypher right (smaller prisms) Fit with other GlassesOverall: An inexpensive flexible frame option with decent optics that offers the best value of any of the reviewed belay glasses. Like all the flexible frame models they work great over a pair of sunnies. If that doesn’t appeal to you, Y&Y also sells Clip Up Belay Glasses which are designed to clip onto most eyeglasses and sunglasses. Price First, consider the environment. If you are climbing in the gym or on a crag with a straightforward approach, although you don’t have to worry about tripping over objects by your feet, one still has to be aware of other climbers and have spatial awareness of the wall. This is an appropriate time to use belay glasses which give increased importance to the view through the prism over peripheral vision. If climbing in an area with less secure footing or more hazardous environment, one should employ the use of belay glasses that give equal importance to peripheral vision as well as the view through the prisms. They help me stay attentive to my climber, both because it doesn’t hurt to look at them and because I can’t see much else while using belay glasses,” Fleming told us. The Economic Climber The PitchSix belay glasses fit over sunglasses and prescription glasses. They fit especially well if you are open to wearing them lower on your nose. I like the straight glasses arms much more than the arms that bend around the ear – it seems to give more adjustability to where they fit on your head/over your ear.

The sizes of the prisms vary between belay glasses. A larger prism will give you a greater field of vision, which is ideal for watching your climber. However, a smaller prism will allow you to see around the lens, which is useful for keeping an eye on what is in your peripheral vision, especially when you need to move around to belay. Most of the glasses on the market are light enough to not make weight a decision maker, but some are just too heavy. We list the weight for each.What one piece of gear has everyone from free-climbers in Yosemite to competitive gym climbers talking? A pair of funky-looking spectacles.

The simple yet modern design of the metal frame can be adjusted like conventional glasses to fit most faces. Their wide design allows them to be worn with most prescription glasses and sunglasses. On the other hand, some testers found these glasses even more comfortable than the Y&Y Classics. Your results may vary — these glasses seemed to work well for most, but they are less customizable. Stylish stainless steel frames with articulating hinged arms that look modern and sci-fi instead of goofy. The silicone nose pad and memory alloy allow the belay glasses to be adjusted to most heads, ensuring comfort. If you’re planning on spending any amount of money, whether, for a cheap pair or a premium pair of belay glasses, there are a few things to take into consideration to find the ones that best fit your style of climbing.No aches and pains mean no reason to look down or be distracted from your job of keeping the climber safe. Your full attention to belaying also helps improve the climber’s odds of sending the route, as they do not have to face an additional crux of being short-roped or feel nervous about their safety if they fall while making a committing move.