Who ride with sunglasses, and where?

[MaximumAC]

Optometrist here.

If you happen to like wind, we are recruiting in Corpus Christi.

OP: pterygium is more common in equatorial latitudes. Spheroidal degeneration is more common above 45 degrees north or south. Sunglasses are a good idea for all.

Quiver of kites as signing bonus?

[Peter_Frank]

This is quite interesting now...

You all say without doubt, that one should wear sunglasses because of the degradation and risks, at all lattitudes in fact.

Yet, I still have to see even ONE doing this, in my 40 years of surfing???

Kind of a paradox, right?

And the very reason I posted this thread and asked, as "what we should do" and "what we do" got nothing in common

Is it another version of knowing it would be safer to wear a helmet when surfing or foiling or riding a bike, yet we dont because of the obvious advantages and freedom "not to"?

I think so

PF

[jakemoore]

Quiver of kites as signing bonus?

That’s an option. This weekend it’s going to get down to 54. Brrrrrr.
I will wear my sunglasses.

[MaximumAC]

This is quite interesting now...

You all say without doubt, that one should wear sunglasses because of the degradation and risks, at all lattitudes in fact.

Yet, I still have to see even ONE doing this, in my 40 years of surfing???

Kind of a paradox, right?

And the very reason I posted this thread and asked, as "what we should do" and "what we do" got nothing in common

Is it another version of knowing it would be safer to wear a helmet when surfing or foiling or riding a bike, yet we dont because of the obvious advantages and freedom "not to"?

I think so

PF

Fair point I suppose. I wear sunglasses 90% of the time when kiting and 0% of the time when surfing (although I'd love to) purely due to the impracticalities of constantly duck diving and getting slammed with something tentatively attached to my face.

[PullStrings]

Hey Peter.... your Kiteforum dancing avatar wears sunglasses

[Peter_Frank]

Hey Peter.... your Kiteforum dancing avatar wears sunglasses

Indeed Calvin wears sunglasses yes

But not when surfing, neither do I...

Years ago I wore glasses for a while, kitesurfing, it was a nightmare on waveboards when getting washed in a wave, and even worse, the impact when you crash at high speed up from a hydrofoil maybe jumping or down the face of a steep wave on a foil
So amazed how some of you can get it to work?

It seems that almost noone rides with sunglasses (except for most answering in this thread, which is somewhat a paradox as said), but wear them when off the water when possible - so do I and even more consciously when at lower lattitudes where you otherwise might experience "welders eyes" after a few days only, so here you can get punished really fast if not using them on land, and not only in the long run

Peter

[Matteo V]

....It seems that almost noone rides with sunglasses....

I think your sample size may be a bit low. I'll give it a go at doing a tally next year for some verification from Midwest to the Northwest US coast next year. Being honest, I would say that about 30% always wear sunglasses on the coast (cold water), and about 50% do so inland (Midwest - warm water). That is just a guess though. But I will try to get some numbers next year.

....It seems that almost noone rides with sunglasses (except for most answering in this thread, which is somewhat a paradox as said),.....

Pretty hardcore riders here on this forum. Most are bold enough to put in their 2cents, even when it makes them appear to be going against the trend (or sometimes, sound advice). And that statement has to be qualified by my own admission of a lack of data. Just guessing here too, but it seems to me that there are lots of hardcore riders out there that do not post (not just due to brand affiliations, or other preferences for social media) on kiteforum. I kite with lots of dedicated "everyday it blows" kiters and most have no clue/interest in this forum. So my take on it is that you have some very conscientious kiters here that get into the details (OCD) far beyond what you average kiter does. For me, that kind of blows your "paradox" theory out of the water. Lets see next year what some counts actually are. Hope I remember this thread.

[knotwindy]

For what little it’s worth here’s another small sample group. In the 2 places I ride the most, the Gorge & Mexico I see about 2% wearing sunglasses on the water. And one of those also wears a full face mask from a cancer scare so is probably more concerned/conscious about the sun. So basically, no one wears them on the water but almost all wear them off the water. People are very confused & confusing. Not surprising, though.

Edited to add sunglasses

The choice is up to you, they come in two classes
Rhinestone shades and cheap sunglasses

[Peter_Frank]

For what little it’s worth here’s another small sample group. In the 2 places I ride the most, the Gorge & Mexico I see about 2% wearing sunglasses on the water. And one of those also wears a full face mask from a cancer scare so is probably more concerned/conscious about the sun. So basically, no one wears them on the water but almost all wear them off the water. People are very confused & confusing. Not surprising, though.

Precisely my point knotwindy

Peter

[Johhnn]

Up here in New England in the US, I wear them all the time. I have very little trouble with fogging. I ride about 120 days a year, all hydrofoil. It's flat water conditions with some wind waves at times. I use Seaspecs. On one pair a lens popped out once in a hydrofoil crash. And once, a long time ago riding twin tip I took a wipeout, no helmet, and they were washed off my head, gone. Helmet, glasses. Wear them. You don't notice them once they're on. For those who don't, maybe you'll be lucky and not end up with cataracts. For me, I'd rather not take the chance. Who wants someone cutting into your eyeball to replace your natural lens with a piece of plastic?