Helmet Visor for Ice Climbing?

[wfinley]

My wife took an ice chunk to the face today and now sports a nice shiner and swollen cheek. As a result she now wants a visor. Personally I cringe at the notion of my wife modeling a geeky visor but she is keen to protect her delicate skin from cuts and bruises.

 

Anyone climb with one of these? Are they worth it? Do they fog up?

[catbirdseat]

That's what Weekend_Climberz needs. He got a shot of ice right between the eyes today.

[Chad_A]

I did climb with one for a day on the Eliot this year, but that's the only time. It didn't fog up at all. Seems to me that they're a great idea. I've heard you can mount the Petzl Vizion to any helmet, but I'm not sure if that's true or not.

[Gidget]

Grivel used to make one, I think.

[BenW]

You might want to know that pretty much all the visors on the market are flexible. They work fine if you want to protect your face from wind, snow or small chunks of ice. But I think it is not the best protection for big pieces of ice. The best protection is still to look up, be aware of who does what and where, and keep your face away from your axe when you hit the ice...

 

The Petzl Vizion can be mounted on any helmet, but of course, will work better on a Petzl one (because there are ways of retracting the visor). I also broke a few visors when I retracted them over my helmet or when I had my helmet in my backpack, squeezed in with other stuff. So you want to be carefull when carrying it.

 

The fog factor depends on how far the visor is from your nose. That means if you're putting the visor too close and breathe like a horse, it's most likely that you'll end up being in the clouds. On the other hand, if you keep your visor at about 45 degrees, you probably won't have that problem.

 

I guess your choice will depend on the kind of helmet you have.

 

Here are a few links:

Grivel: http://www.grivel.com/Products/img_caschi/img_accessori/pdf/1.pdf

Simond: http://www.simond.com/fiche-A|SIMOND|14100VISBU-01020704.html

Petzl: http://en.petzl.com/ProduitsServices/A441%20VIZION%20A44500-F.pdf

[Weekend_Climberz]

The best protection is still to look up..

 

NOOOOO....Look down, that's what your helmet's for

[ivan]

reaaaal nice to have for dry-tool'n too - though i'm kinda attached to the neat adze scar in me forehead these days

[ClimbingPanther]

I've just been using my ski goggles, but if your wife wants full-face protection, I wouldn't look down on her. Can't imagine life without at least something to protect my eyes, at least not until they can be replaced.

[jaee]

There are some velcro on visors for boating that I've seen. Those wouldn't deflect anything significant, though.

[jmace]

he fog factor depends on how far the visor is from your nose. That means if you're putting the visor too close and breathe like a horse, it's most likely that you'll end up being in the clouds

 

Motorcylcists have this down pat..talk to any full time rider or go to a MC store and pick up the antifog sticker for inside your visor

[bigwallpete]

i went and checked out the petzl vision today, seems really flexible, does it provide enough protection to satisfy what the purpose is?

 

Anyone have the experience to comment.

 

The petzl one seems like it was well thought out with regards to its 4 positions, where as the grivel doesnt look like it would do much then block the sun out of your eyes. Anyone have any comments on the use of any of these visors.

[genepires]

grivel made a helmet with a full on face grill. no fog issues. full face protection from ice and tools. and as an added plus, you look like you belong on an "american gladiator". looks geeky but it will work.

[G-spotter]

...visors are aid.

[wfinley]

FWIW my wife opted to go with some big sunglasses (the kind with multiple lens). She figured if they're good enough for the guys in Iraq the they're probably good enough for ice. Besides - her black eye keeps her office mates on their toes.

 

Ps - here's the "Gladiator"

 

 

[Jens]

Personally I cringe at the notion of my wife modeling a geeky visor up?

 

Dude- ice visors are far from geeky. I want one.

----

After I bailed off an ice climb once, a Frenchman strolled up flipped down his visor and proceeded to dance with elegance up the one inch thick vertical flow.

[John Frieh]

Visors may be geeky but considering a glass eye or broken teeth is the alternative I'll take geeky.

 

- Petzl Vision: mounts on any helmet you can drill a hole in... fits best on an elios or meteor III. Generally will protect forehead/eye ball/nose area but teeth and chin are exposed. Folds up and stows nicely but makes wearing a headlamp a bitch. Best compromise is to get a headlamp with just a circular strap and not one that has an additional strap that goes over the top of your helmet. Still a pain. Only visor that is light enough for use in the alpine IMO.

 

Vision fogging up concern: inside of vision is treated/coated with antifog stuff that works very very well... keep the vision clean and recoat with google antifog wipe from time to time and you are set.

 

For my usage level I trashed one roughly every 3 months... generally the shield would rip off at one of the two attachment points. This wasn't a problem as REI was carrying them but REI has since stopped so I no longer crag in mine.

 

- Grivel Gladiator: bombproof. IMO it stick out to far and tends to get caught on the rock when you are in close like pulling lips etc etc. Basically a girl's field hockey mask. Doesn't fog up obviously.

 

My recommendation:

 

- If your portfolio is doing great this year and/or you have a trusting boyfriend/partner you can sponge off of get the gladiator for drytooling (assuming you do that during the week to stay strong) and the vision for just alpine/ice/anytime weight is a concern action.

 

- If you are poor for whatever reason (student, online gambling habit, child support payment, etc etc ) go to your local used gear store and get a girl's field hockey mask.

 

Finally when the vision does wear out don't come here and start a cry-baby-Petzl-sucks-this-crap-breaks-the guy-at-REI-wouldn't-return-it-thread. Even if you broke it the first time using it I can promise you 50 bucks is cheaper than stitches, etc etc.

[wfinley]

Thanks for all the comments!

[ivan]

I can promise you 50 bucks is cheaper than stitches

hey! thanks to the good folk at kaiser permanente i got mine for a mere 5$ co-pay

[carolyn]

You can get cheap glasses at menards, home depot, or other hardware stores. The one's they use in shops and such. Most of them are clear and I have never had a HUGE issue with them fogging up. Cant you get a defogger spray for glasses? I think Ive heard it helps a little. They cover the eyes and a good portion around. They look like big glasses.

 

Just a thought, in case she doesnt want to deal with possibly breaking her glasses. That would hurt!