# Sweat in eyes



## Rodekill (Jun 30, 2004)

Any suggestions for keeping sweat out of eyes? If you use a bandanna/headband, would the sweat just not flow down after it becomes soaked? I have to remove my shades in order to wipe the sweat from my eyes.


----------



## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

Rodekill said:


> Any suggestions for keeping sweat out of eyes? If you use a bandanna/headband, would the sweat just not flow down after it becomes soaked? I have to remove my shades in order to wipe the sweat from my eyes.


Anything that just absorbs sweat, like a standard sweatband, is eventfully going to get saturated and flow into your eyes. Two options that I have used with some success, are the Halo headband and Seat Gutr. The Halo is a standard-looking headband but it has a silicone band near the bottom that is supposed to direct sweat away from your eyes. It mostly works , but if you are sweating lot it is not 100% The Sweat Gutr is a silicone thing with a channel it in that moves the seat to the back of your face. It works pretty well and long as you are moving at a good pace (the wind pushes the sweat back). On slow climbs it does not work as well. It also has the disadvantage that it looks pretty goofy


----------



## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Headsweat beenie under the helmet. Never have a problem with sweat running down into the eyes.


----------



## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

Living in FL and extreme heat this can be an issue with me. Profuse sweat getting into the eyes which at times can almost blind me because what seems like almost an allergic reaction. I am fine if I stop and clean out my eyes with water but this can be a problem if riding with others. Depends on wind as well. Maybe also an interaction with my sunscreen.

But I don't wear anything other than my helmet and good Rudy cycling sunglasses.

So...will be interesting if there is a consensus on what works best.


----------



## Rodekill (Jun 30, 2004)

Will try the "Headsweat" per "Marc". Thanks Marc.


----------



## Kuma601 (Jan 22, 2004)

I also wear a Headsweat and find it useful. With enough airflow it does wick-evaporate quite well. Also prevents sunburn on the top of your head and the little tail does provide some additional coverage from sun on the back of your neck. This won't stop all the sweat because what is below the liner is going to run if the air flow doesn't push it away from your eyes. 

If I get a good run into my eyes it has translated into a trip to the eye doc for some antibiotic eye drops. The road grit, sunscreen sweat doesn't do well for me. Tear duct gets inflamed, etc. The first drill after the ride is to thoroughly wash my face of the road accumulation. 

The slight ventilation on some glasses does help from some accumulation on the eyelids but YMMV. Nothing really drastic between the glasses to make a definitive conclusion though.


----------



## jetdog9 (Jul 12, 2007)

You'll be surprised how much difference a beanie/cap makes. The thin summer ones don't really overheat you so give one a shot.


----------



## vic bastige (Jan 22, 2004)

11spd said:


> Living in FL and extreme heat this can be an issue with me. Profuse sweat getting into the eyes which at times can almost blind me because what seems like almost an allergic reaction. I am fine if I stop and clean out my eyes with water but this can be a problem if riding with others. Depends on wind as well. Maybe also an interaction with my sunscreen.
> 
> But I don't wear anything other than my helmet and good Rudy cycling sunglasses.
> 
> So...will be interesting if there is a consensus on what works best.


I'm in South Florida too and I have tried everything. Hats. bands, beanies of all sorts and if you sweat enough, they all soak completely and begin to run. I have actually gone back to nothing and when the sweat starts to run in my eyes, I wait until I'm at the end of the pace line and then push on my helmet from several angles as to wring out the over-soaked pads. The helps *a little* and usually is enough for me to make it up through the pace line and then back again where I repeat the process.

I'll be interested if others that sweat a bunch in other ultra-humid climates have anything better, but the simple reality is if you are pouring sweat most things you use to soak them will be overcome and never able to dry as fast as the sweat is produced.


----------



## JerryLook (Dec 3, 2017)

Another Floridian here. I also have some sweat in the eyes issues. 

Wearing a bandana works for shorter rides (less than 15 miles). Any more than that and it gets saturated and let’s sweat run down my face. 

The idea of pushing the helmet from side to side to wring the pads out is a good one. I’m going to try that. 

When I get back from a ride I’ve been rinsing my helmet out when I wash my bibshorts and jersey. The little pads in the helmet gets pretty wet. 

Good ideas so far. Keep em coming


----------



## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

DaveG said:


> It also has the disadvantage that it looks pretty goofy


uh, pretty goofy...?

understatement noted.


----------



## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

vic bastige said:


> I'm in South Florida too and I have tried everything. Hats. bands, beanies of all sorts and if you sweat enough, they all soak completely and begin to run. I have actually gone back to nothing and when the sweat starts to run in my eyes, I wait until I'm at the end of the pace line and then push on my helmet from several angles as to wring out the over-soaked pads. The helps *a little* and usually is enough for me to make it up through the pace line and then back again where I repeat the process.
> 
> I'll be interested if others that sweat a bunch in other ultra-humid climates have anything better, but the simple reality is if you are pouring sweat most things you use to soak them will be overcome and never able to dry as fast as the sweat is produced.


I think those people that use things like the Headsweat and it works from them, are from places that don't have high humidity. I have a few Headsweats and I find them worthless when its hot and humid. When you have dewpoints that are 70+ you just can't evaporate sweat fast enough to keep up.


----------



## DaveG (Feb 4, 2004)

Oxtox said:


> uh, pretty goofy...?
> 
> understatement noted.


If I am wearing a Sweat Gutr I usually remove it before going in to a store for water/food. I can only bear so much ridicule


----------



## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

Marc said:


> Headsweat beenie under the helmet. Never have a problem with sweat running down into the eyes.


This works for me and believe me, I sweat a lot. Without it, the sweat comes down my face like a fountain.


----------



## PsyDoc (Feb 3, 2004)

I live in South Georgia and we get hit with high heat and humidity in the summer. I have used a Headsweat Skullcap for years and I find it is effective most of the time. Though sometimes, the heat and humidity are so high that nothing really works well.


----------



## azpeterb (Jun 1, 2006)

I sweat like a pig but luckily here in Tucson it’s usually so dry that the sweat evaporates quickly so it’s not a problem....except in July and August when it gets humid. Those months I use the Sweat Gutr and it works great at channeling the sweat behind me. I ride alone so that’s fine but a group ride would be awkward unless the others enjoy being sprayed by your sweat. Oh and I use a Headsweat all the time because I am bald and have no hair to soak up the sweat.


----------



## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

DaveG said:


> I think those people that use things like the Headsweat and it works from them, are from places that don't have high humidity. I have a few Headsweats and I find them worthless when its hot and humid. When you have dewpoints that are 70+ you just can't evaporate sweat fast enough to keep up.


In the summer, I wear one and put one or two more in a jersey pocket. I gauge how hot and humid the ride was by how many I go through. It's sort of a summertime version of the "three dog night".


----------



## hfc (Jan 24, 2003)

I wear a regular ol’ cycling cap and that’s works fine 90+% of the time. I read one of these threads a few years back and a guy said he would put a *ahem* feminine hygiene pad under his helmet.


----------



## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

hfc said:


> I wear a regular ol’ cycling cap and that’s works fine 90+% of the time. I read one of these threads a few years back and a guy said he would put a *ahem* feminine hygiene pad under his helmet.


Please tell me there's a photo of this somewhere...


----------



## xxl (Mar 19, 2002)

Opus51569 said:


> Please tell me there's a photo of this somewhere...


I wonder if he changed types of pads used for "light" vs. "heavy" training days.


----------



## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

xxl said:


> I wonder if he changed types of pads used for "light" vs. "heavy" training days.


HA! Now that's comedy! :thumbsup:


----------



## Doug B (Sep 11, 2009)

Rodekill said:


> Any suggestions for keeping sweat out of eyes? If you use a bandanna/headband, would the sweat just not flow down after it becomes soaked? I have to remove my shades in order to wipe the sweat from my eyes.


I've got three Halo headbands. They work pretty well. Change them out about 45 minutes when it's humid. Put the soaked one on the handlebars.


----------



## Lombard (May 8, 2014)

hfc said:


> I read one of these threads a few years back and a guy said he would put a *ahem* feminine hygiene pad under his helmet.


Hey, whatever works! :thumbsup:


----------



## bilbo (Aug 2, 2017)

I sweat a lot and have been trying different things to deal with this issue. 

I have used the Halo, and it works until the fabric part becomes saturated. Then the sweat flows through the fabric over the silicone part and the system no longer works. I sometimes bring an extra along in a plastic bag to swap into when the first becomes really soaked. This seems to work longer than just wringing the soaked one out. 

I also have the sweat gutr one and it works, but only in certain positions. If I can stay mostly upright it works as designed, but if I'm in the drops and bent over too far it just pours out and into my glasses. It works great for running, though.

Lately I have just been using cycling caps under my helmet. With the bill thing flipped up it seems to hold back/divert sweat fairly well. I grab them when I find them on closeout for cheap.


----------



## tlg (May 11, 2011)

I shave my head so managing sweat when it's hazy, hot, and humid is always an issue. For years I used a headsweat Skullcap, would also carry a spare and change it on the ride. But still, once it became saturated, all it would do is act like a reservoir and just pour down my face and all over my glasses. 
I always refused to wear the headsweat with tails because they look so dumb. Then I finally broke down and tried the shorty. Wow, the difference is like night and day. The tail wicks the sweat away from the cap and keeps it from getting saturated. Only on the most humid days when going uphill with no air movement do I drip sweat.

https://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/server...03_Shorty_Red__10831.1501876869.1280.1280.jpg


----------



## seppo17 (Dec 7, 2008)

giro peloton cycling cap backwards, is what works for me.

I tried head bands, the halo band and stuff. They all eventually soaked through.


----------



## PJay (May 28, 2004)

*cheap polyester head band*

I am Texas gulf coast. We didn't invent humidity, but have tried to steal the claim from New Orleans.

A simple sweat band works for me. There must be something I am doing to where it does not get saturated and drip into my eyes. Yes it gets saturated.

Maybe shorter hair cut?

I buy the very cheap hair bandana 3-packs in the women's beauty products section of the grocery store. I believe they are polyester. I go for the solid colors and not so much the flowery ones. I used to use a Pearl Izumu head band, but these work just fine.


----------



## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

Just use a $.75 bandana. I've used bandanas for years. Not folded over and over Karate Kid, but folded once into a triangle with the ends tied in a knot - biker/pirate style. GA's heat/humidity is a bad as anywhere and I have no issue with sweat in the eyes.


----------



## Methodical (Jul 21, 2012)

I use a bandana which holds back the sweet pretty good.


----------



## 9W9W (Apr 5, 2012)

Sweat in eyes is the elixir that fuels my rage on the bike. Sweat in eyes causes me to chuckle manically, put my head down and pedal harder.


----------



## upstateSC-rider (Aug 21, 2004)

Really dread getting sweat in my eyes, on a hard ride it's not bad if you keep moving but when you come to a stop for an intersection or a mechanical is when it's worst for me. On a known ride I'll drift to the back and take off my glasses before we approach a stop hoping my sweat will evaporate before we stop, and if my eyes are burning at least I'm at the back already until I can see again.
Always wondered about those sweat gutter thingies but apparently they can only divert so much.


----------



## 11spd (Sep 3, 2015)

PJay said:


> I am Texas gulf coast. We didn't invent humidity, but have tried to steal the claim from New Orleans.
> 
> A simple sweat band works for me. There must be something I am doing to where it does not get saturated and drip into my eyes. Yes it gets saturated.
> 
> ...


Have to admit...one of the wackiest tattoos I have seen.


----------

