Belay Glasses for Rock Climbing

Product Information

Tembo utilized the same size optics as all the other glasses, with the exception of the Belaggles, so of course they offer the same field of view. The prisms are high quality though they don’t seem to be quite as good as some of the more expensive glasses. Unless you’re comparing them side-by-side you’ll never be able to tell the difference though. Because all products performed fairly well, comfort became a very important category. Like most questions of fit, comfort is subjective and may depend on head size and shape. The Belay Specs look futuristic, but they were hit-or-miss for comfort. Portability & Features

Our experience is that the price of belay glasses seems to match their feature set. If your climber often climbs overhangs and/or if intentional design high on your priority list, the PitchSix glasses seem worth the cost. Their prism size is either bigger than or the same as all the other competitors we looked at giving a great view. If you wear prescription glasses for your vision – or often wear sunglasses at the crag – it’s important that your belay glasses work with your other glasses. Some belay glasses are designed to be compatible to wear over other glasses, which works, although it can feel a little clunky. The Y&Y Clip Up can only be worn by being clipped to another pair of glasses, so they are a great choice for those who wear glasses all the time. Larger prisms give you a bigger field of view. Smaller prisms are lighter. We measure the prism size for each pair. Larger prisms are easier to see more terrain, but limit peripheral vision and can become heavy. 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. The thin metal means that switching fields of vision is very easy. This is a plus, but it felt like the field of vision through the prisms was narrower than other glasses.My beef is that the case has a zipper AND velcro closure. If I can figure out a clean way to do it, I hope to cut off the velcro closure so I don’t have to deal with two openings. It’s also unlikely I will keep the accessory carabiner & D-ring on the case long term as I’ve yet to find anywhere I’ve wanted to clip this to. The main objective of belay glasses is to look through the prisms to watch your climber. However, it’s important to be able to see around the glasses sometimes as well. We looked at how well you can see over, under and to the side of the prisms. Finally, a good belayer does not rely on visual cues alone, and every experienced belayer knows that rope feel and constant communication with the climber are as important as what they observe. Indeed, in some cases, the climber can move out of visual range into chimney or overhang. Summary of the Best Belay Glasses for Climbing

However, having to wear heavy glasses for a long time could be uncomfortable, particularly if you’re going for the glasses clip on option. Usage Pattern Metal – flexible, adjustable, more durable with frames less likely to break. More expensive, and tends to deform with use, although correctable. The fit of the glasses was the number one attribute dictating how much our testers liked them at the end of the test. If a pair fits well, they become a seamless part of the belay system. Those with smaller heads should consider avoiding the Plasfun Evos, but otherwise we found that all the Y&Y offerings were very comfortable. The Y&Y Classic’s plastic nosepiece meant it satisfied the widest range of fits.

Prismatic belay glasses for added safety when climbing

When looking for belay glasses a few years ago, the market was limited to a few options, most notably CU belay glasses, the original belay glasses, and a few competitors such as Belay Specs and Y&Y Belay Glasses. These days, however, there are many more options to choose from that range from basic models that are relatively cheap, to more engineered models that come with all sorts of accessories and a corresponding price. With the wide selection available, we have to ask ourselves if it’s worth buying a pair of belay glasses that cost as much as a new cam or whether a DIY pair will serve the purpose. As with most gear, you get what you pay for. Y&Y Classic Belay Glasses The most striking aspect of the Classic glasses is their minimalist design. They’re the least bulky of all the glasses we tested. However, if you’re likely to be using them a lot, across a range of climbing scenarios, particularly in mountain crag settings, with longer approaches, I’d suggest pushing for some of the more durable and better performing glasses, like the Y&Y Belay Glasses Classics. For anyone wearing belay glasses for any extended amount of time such as long pitches or when belaying novices, a comfortable pair of glasses will prevent the aches that develop. Having lighter frames that fit comfortably can be the difference between a good day and an irritating clamp on your face.