Sunglasses

[Alan Resinger]

I'm finding that as I age, my eyes are getting more and more sensitive to glare and overall problems with doing manouvers in the sun.  All SSF (serious stunt flyers) know that there is an unwritten rule that the wind always blows directly into the sun during contests.  I wear prescription glasses and use a magnetic clip on sunglass attachment but even though the clip on is as dark a tint as possible, I find myself being blinded during some of the tricks we do.  I try flying around the sun as much as possible but sometimes intersections just end up being right into the sun. 
What are you guys using and remember that I need something that will go over my existing glasses?
Alan Resinger

[bob whitney]

they make prescription sun glasse's that work great

[Crist Rigotti]

Alan,

I too use "clip-on" sunglasses but when I fly I use "Cocoons" over my glasses with the clip-ons.  Yeah, they do look dorky, but they are effective.

http://www.cocoonseyewear.com/

[Alan Resinger]

Crist,
What lenses do you use? 
Alan

[Larry Wong]

Alan I to have to ware glasses and I found that Zurich are great over your own glasses

zurichsunglass@comcast.net

www.extreameglaresglasses.com     1-800-533-5665       .     916-691-6467

Hope to see you next month.

[Randy Powell]

I use Oakley wraparounds. They are prescription glasses and I was told that my prescription (fairly steep) was right on the edge of what they could do with curved lenses. They work pretty well but I still have some issues. Awhile back I was wearing those and used some of those dorky grandpa sunglasses that fit over your existing glasses in addition to the Oakleys. That worked pretty well. Guess I'll have to get some dorky grandpa sunglasses.

[Crist Rigotti]

Crist,
What lenses do you use? 
Alan

Gray.

[Brett Buck]

I'm finding that as I age, my eyes are getting more and more sensitive to glare and overall problems with doing manouvers in the sun.  All SSF (serious stunt flyers) know that there is an unwritten rule that the wind always blows directly into the sun during contests.  I wear prescription glasses and use a magnetic clip on sunglass attachment but even though the clip on is as dark a tint as possible, I find myself being blinded during some of the tricks we do.  I try flying around the sun as much as possible but sometimes intersections just end up being right into the sun. 
What are you guys using and remember that I need something that will go over my existing glasses?
Alan Resinger

   In almost all conditions, I wear ancient Ray-Ban Ambermatics. They are amber-colored when it is light and turn brown in the bright and hot. They will knock off the edge just enough to be able to not get zapped, but don't make the background invisible black. If it is dead smack at the sun, I switch to Serengeti "Drivers", which are medium brown to begin with and get dark brown with light, and have a gradient. Again, the idea is to not turn the background to dead black.

     I usually wear the Serengeti on the drive home because the are generally darker. The Ray-Bans actually seem to lighten up the ground, and they work remarkably well at night, too, turning a bright yellow. I hear tell that in the bright/cold, like snow, they shift to gray, but I avoid ever being in cold weather. Where to get the real McCoy Ambermatic lens is a good guess, and prepare to pay a lot of money. I went to get a replacement pair and all I found was used glasses for $250 a pop. It's unclear if they make them any more, or if they make something called Ambermatic, whether it really works the same.

    The "welding goggle" types, very dark neutral gray, are great if you are looking right at the sun but you can't see the ground.

     Brett

[Peter Grabenstein]

Alan I to have to ware glasses and I found that Zurich are great over your own glasses

zurichsunglass@comcast.net

www.extreameglaresglasses.com     1-800-533-5665       .     916-691-6467

Hope to see you next month.

Yep.....,
my favourite Zurich Sunglasses is model "BG1" (blue-chrome).
It fits perfect over my glasses.
With Zurich BG1, I never got blinded by the sunlight.
Works perfect for me and many other CL Pilots I know.
TryŽem, loveŽem, ....or leaveŽem.

[Tim Wescott]

I use the cheap wrap-arounds from Fred Meyers (these are probably the ones Randy is referring to).

Wear them, and you may fly as well as me!

[Dan Bregar]

Maui Jim HCL Bronze for me.  Gives great contrast and great optics. 

[Randy Cuberly]

I use prescription Ray-Ban glasses with clip on side shields that are very dark.  The glasses are dark green and change to a brownish green when exposed to direct sunlight.  They work...They cost about $200.00 but I suspect most of that is in the frames.  Very good and sturdy metal frames with adjustable nose pieces!

I've had a dozen or more prescription sun glasses over the years and these are the best by far for general flying conditions!

I also have a pair of Ray-Ban safety glasses that are made for working with UV Lazers.  I was involved for a while in designing a lazer writing machine using a 10 watt UV lazer and these things can take a direct hit in the eye without damage (this is a lazer beam that will scorch your skin in less than 10 Mili Seconds).  They are too dark for most things but do work for flying here in AZ when the wind is blowing directly into the sun.  You have to squint to see the airplane if a cloud comes out while flying however.   

Randy Cuberly

[Crist Rigotti]

I find that when I fly, that using the Dorky grandpa glasses that fit over my prescription glasses, they block out the light from the side and I'm able to "concentrate" more on the airplane.  Sotra like having tunnel vision.

[Balsa Butcher]

Hi Alan, the distributor for Zurich lives near Sacramento. I will bring some to the Golden State Contest for you to try. In fact, I'll invite him there-he often sets up a booth at R/C events and is very knowledgeable regarding the glasses fitting over presciption glass as well as benefits of the different color lenses. I believe he is a retired Optometrist. If you give him a call I'm sure you will find many of your questions answered. I alternate between Zurichs and Ray Bans depending on conditions.

You know what they say: You know you are getting old when your sunglasses are wider than your face...

[Randy Powell]

Tim,

Mine are Oakleys. About $600 a pop with prescription lenses that use Oakley optics. I'm told by glasses manufacturers that they are the best optics in the business. So no, not cheap ones from Fred Meyers. As glasses, they are awesome. As sunglasses they are quite good. I can look up at the sun pretty easily, it's just flying right through the sun that tough. Even then, not real bad.

You should know that there are only 3 actual frame manufacturers in the world and all companies including Ray-Ban and Zurich order from them (Oakley is one of the frame makers). Lenses are another story and there are several including local, national and international makers from cheap to very expensive depending on their optics technologies.

[rich gorrill]

I make sure all my sunglasses have polarized lenses. Cuts down on almost all glare when driving and are pretty good for flying. Walmart used to sell a Jimmy Huston model sunglass for fishing, they were polarized wrap around and worked great.

Rich      P.S. for those of us who wear glasses get the polarized clip-ons at Walgreen,s, about $12.00

[Steve Helmick]

While I still wore prescription glasses (I no longer do, but can wear the old 'script), I got a 2 fer 1 deal at Fred Meyer (but others sometimes do), and got one pair without bifocals and as dark as I could get in Polarized. And the frames I got came with clip-ons. Between the Polarized dark lenses and the dark clip-ons, I can deal with bright sun pretty well. I have had a couple times where I started a flight with the clip-ons and had to take them off, due broken clouds covering the sun. Not impossible with modern magnetic clip-ons.

It was bright enough yesterday afternoon that I opted to use the prescription glasses with clip-ons. If it wasn't so bright, I would have flown with my Bill Dance fishing glasses from Sportsman's Warehouse, non-prescription. My near-sightedness has improved over the last 15 years to where I've got  20/30 vision and my eye guy won't give me a new 'script. I'd worn glasses since HS Freshman. I bought 1.25+ readers at the drugstore, but don't use them much. I usually wear Carhartt or other safety glasses, because they have a very slight correction that improves my vision just enough to get closer to 20/20. Plus, I'm so used to wearing glasses, it feels weird to not wear any.  Steve   

[Ted Fancher]

I'm a big fan of the Zurich glasses.  I'm embarrassed to say that PTG was kind enough to give me a pair a number of years ago (the kind that, apparently, are intended to fit over your prescription glasses) but they looked so dorky I said thanks and promptly let them work their way to the bottom of the flight box.  Well, a couple of years later I was at a contest where the sun was a real b!tch and thought, what the heck, I can't see without 'em let's see what happens with them.

Bottom line you can look at the sun directly for pretty much as long as you don't get bored and when you move away from it there is no residual blindness at all.  I know like it when the sun is downwind because I can use it for intersections and not give it a second thought.  The one place the sun will still bug me is when I do the wingover into it.  I still find myself flinching when the sun suddenly appears just before I need to get ready for an inverted pullout.

I watched the video and saw that they have the 'more elegant" versions that don't look so dorky.  I'll probably go on line and see what I can find out about them.

In the meantime, thanks again to PTG.

Ted

[John Stiles]

Guess I'll have to get some dorky grandpa sunglasses.

Yeah them things are dorky alright,   They almost look like pilots goggles. I used to have a pair of the goggles when I was riding M/C a lot, but a certain little blonde girl borrowed them from me. So now I either use my perscription sunglasses with a dark "rollup" under them or the dorkies. It's got to be really bright sunny to use the rollups, otherwise I'll be basically blind. Cataract in my left eye, and over 60 avastin shots in my right[for MD]!

[Alan Resinger]

Well according to Ted, I'm just going to have to look dorky or in my case dorkier.  I've seen PTG many time with dorky Zurich's and after reading replies I decided to order some.  I'll use my normal tinted clip ons most of the time, but when the wind is blowing into the sun the Zurich glasses will come out.  Thanks for all the advice from everyone.
Alan

[Larry Wong]

Alan you made a great choice old eyes need all the help we can get.

[Mike Keville]

I have prescription sunglasses (darkest available) from Lenscrafters, with bifocal lenses no less.  They're several years old, and were somewhat costly, but well worth it.

[Guy B Jr]

I wear RX trifocal glasses w/UV coat. For sunglasses I use a pair of the Polaroid dark glasses with the wide side panels that they give you after a cataract operation. I got them from a family member. Works great for me. I also have an old pair of RayBan Aviator style w/spring earpieces in dark gray and it works pretty good also; but doesn't fit over the RX glasses.

[John Craig]

I have seen fliers do the double sunglasses when flying into the sun.  Clip on or sunglasses + the cataract glasses.
 I want to give that system a try.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-Will-Fit-Over-Most-Rx-Glasses-Sunglasses-Silver-Mirror-Lens-101-M-/331318069384?pt=US_Sunglasses&hash=item4d24188888

[Duke.Johnson]

Alan
I wouldn't worry about looking like a dork in the center circle, you can take the glasses off and look pretty cool in the winners circle!

[Alan Resinger]

Well the new Zurich BG1 glasses arrived yesterday, so this morning being it was bright and sunny, I charged up 6 batteries and headed off to the field.  I can honestly say that what Ted, Larry and Pete said is true.  The Zurich glasses are listed as Extreme Glare and they really work.  I can look directly at the sun and not be affected.  If you have problems with the sun get a pair.  I ordered them direct from Zurich in CA for $65 plus shipping.  A real bargain as far as I'm concerned.  Oh yea, I look like a dork in them.  But a smiling dork.
Alan

[Crist Rigotti]

Alan,
Which ones did you get?  I had a pair till I lost them.  Then got the Cocoons.  Might go back and get a pair of Zurich.

[Joe Yau]

Well the new Zurich BG1 glasses arrived yesterday, so this morning being it was bright and sunny, I charged up 6 batteries and headed off to the field.  I can honestly say that what Ted, Larry and Pete said is true.  The Zurich glasses are listed as Extreme Glare and they really work.  I can look directly at the sun and not be affected.  If you have problems with the sun get a pair.  I ordered them direct from Zurich in CA for $65 plus shipping.  A real bargain as far as I'm concerned.  Oh yea, I look like a dork in them.  But a smiling dork.
Alan

Alan,

Are these Zurich the same ones Keith's been using?  or it's a different series.  I need a pair as well.

[keith varley]

Keith here :
I have Zurich in the darkest shade but they are really too dark for many conditions. The over glasses that I wear the most often are from Lee Valley and they are safety glasses , tinted, and shatterproof. Cost less than $20.00.They are not as dark as my darkest shade Zurich and are perfect for many conditions. They cover the open sides really well to block out any light from getting in around the  edges, and are very adjustable. Ill bring them to the luncheon on Sat. Or maybe you'll be away down south on Saturday. Keith

[John Leidle]

  Alan ,
  Some guys use welding glasses with a  red filter , but it makes things dark so you need to put them on a while before the first flight.
  John
  PS  Don't try driving while wearing them .

[Brett Buck]

  Alan ,
  Some guys use welding glasses with a  red filter , but it makes things dark so you need to put them on a while before the first flight.

   
    I don't think you ever want red. It's red because it blocks blue and green light. The background is usually green, illuminated by blue sky, so it turns black, too.

    Brett

[John Leidle]

 Might  be the green filter  anyway which ever one blocks red is what we use ,the salesman at the welding shop knows what to get.

[Alan Resinger]

The Zurich glasses I got are the medium tint with grey lenses and blue mirrored polarized lens.  They are model BG1.  I was warned by someone not to get the dark tint.  Believe me, the medium tint is sufficient.
Alan

[GGeezer]

Guys, please forgive me... I can't resist!

I can't get my head around all the angst about how the sunglasses look... we old guys look dorky enough with our chicken legs sticking out of baggy shorts hitched up over our pots and playing with toy airplanes for anyone to even notice our glasses.

Orv.

[Hoss Cain]

I'm finding that as I age, my eyes are getting more and more sensitive to glare and overall problems with doing manouvers in the sun.  All SSF (serious stunt flyers) know that there is an unwritten rule that the wind always blows directly into the sun during contests.  I wear prescription glasses and use a magnetic clip on sunglass attachment but even though the clip on is as dark a tint as possible, I find myself being blinded during some of the tricks we do.  I try flying around the sun as much as possible but sometimes intersections just end up being right into the sun. 
What are you guys using and remember that I need something that will go over my existing glasses?
Alan Resinger

Mr. Resinger, thank you for this post. I have a story that I really like to tell, Here goes!  When I was getting in my mid '50s I had to get glasses. At the time I was flying Captain on a UAL 727.  I went to the standard optometrist and started from there. Each year I had to redo the prescriptions. When I retired well things were different as I no longer had to squeak rubber on concrete.  After a few years I went back for a redo and of course thicker lenses.  Then I was having some pain in the temple areas. Then the glasses were getting thicker and thicker.
The pain was getting very bad. My physical Doctor sent me to a different doctor with some other specialty. I crashed a few RC models as my sight got worse along with the pains in my head. Then I thought maybe a change in doctors would help. Now I believe I had some help, as the first Dr. was in the yellow pages, an ophthalmologist. He said that I had some bad cataracts. He said that my left eye was still that excellent sight of 20-10. My right eye was 20-30.  The pain was because the nerves just behind an a tad lower try to correct eye differences and other items. They were trying to make the eye differences  work better. Well the first cataract removal created fantastic changes. In one week all pain was gone. After touching up the left eye
and removing that bit of cataract, with glasses that correct the right eye to the left eye, no pains anymore unless I go a couple days without wearing my glasses and I get a fuzzy hurt. Put the glasses on and in 30 minutes all is fine. I go back each year for a check-up. NO Problems yet.
I have sent  probably some 20 fellows to this Dr. All have found him to really change their lives over what the optometrists do. There must be many like him but I need no more search.
Best of luck to any and all that go with the ophthalmologists. As for the sun, I use regular snap-on darks and they work find. To each his own there.

[NED-088]

Alan,
Which ones did you get?  I had a pair till I lost them.  Then got the Cocoons.  Might go back and get a pair of Zurich.

Well the new Zurich BG1 glasses arrived yesterday, so this morning being it was bright and sunny, I charged up 6 batteries and headed off to the field.  I can honestly say that what Ted, Larry and Pete said is true.  The Zurich glasses are listed as Extreme Glare and they really work.  I can look directly at the sun and not be affected.  If you have problems with the sun get a pair.  I ordered them direct from Zurich in CA for $65 plus shipping.  A real bargain as far as I'm concerned.  Oh yea, I look like a dork in them.  But a smiling dork.
Alan

I had mine for about 10 years when lately they simply vanished, at least I can't remember I lost them....
Got them at the WCh 2004 in Muncie at a converted price of ~ 35 Euros. Exclusively flew with them until the start of my sabbatical in 2008.
Couldn't remember what specs they were, but now that I read yours, it looks like mine having been the same.
I need new ones, because next year.....

Dutch Dork - Front:                                                                                            

Back :

[Alan Resinger]

Hi Bruno,
Long time eh?  I have to say that you look far less dorky.  Must be the great moustache.  Know where I can buy one? 
Make sure and tell Henk I said hello.
Alan

[NED-088]

Hi Bruno,
Long time eh?  I have to say that you look far less dorky.  Must be the great moustache.  Know where I can buy one? 
Make sure and tell Henk I said hello.
Alan

I will....

Time flies when you're having fun.
Apart from judging F2B and playing Bluegrass, I also spent these years finding out how I wanted to continue.
I made the decision this summer, the result so far (Henk tolerated me in his workshop, he has most of the moulds and the better building surface):


Wing (silk on the open structure, light tissue over all)

Nose in the rough (what you see there is a Torcman NT-350):


Henk posing with the fuse: