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. Belay specs, belay glasses, belay goggles, these funky looking spectacles have a lot of different names but what exactly are belay glasses? The Fantasias are extremely lightweight because of their flexible titanium frame. They greatly resemble Belay Specs, except for their hinges and more comfortable-looking silicon nose bed.

Bigger nose pads also bring more stability when worn, while adjustable nose pads will conform to your nose and are great for a large variety of belayers. How to Use Belay Glasses…Correctly!Y and Y (or Y&Y) belay glasses are high-quality glasses by Y&Y, which are known for their great performance and quality design.

Belay glasses frames come in two types: plastic and metal. Metal is far more durable than plastic and generally weighs less. However, metal frames can feel less securely fitting and uncomfortable to some. Field of View: Belaggles are a fixed-prism glasses therefore have a standard 60° field of view. Peripheral vision is poor because the frames are so beefy, though it is in profile to your line of sight. PitchSix has created the worlds first adjustable angle belay glasses. With a small easy-to-use lever, you can adjust the angle of the prism to follow your climber up the wall. These glasses while made of plastic weigh the same as the classics and fit most head sizes and shapes. They are sized to accommodate glasses and sunglasses. The PitchSix belay glasses fit over sunglasses and prescription glasses. They fit especially well if you are open to wearing them lower on your nose. I like the straight glasses arms much more than the arms that bend around the ear – it seems to give more adjustability to where they fit on your head/over your ear.If you can take good care of these and are only looking to give an occasional gym belay, they might last long enough to be worth the low cost. Now, the quality of the prism can have a huge impact on its utility. One with bad quality wears badly and even distorts the image, which may result in headaches. My negatives with the case are a bit of a reach. Sure, I’m not a huge fan of the case, but it doesn’t have anything to do with the glasses, and the glasses are the thing that matters. This is the official PitchSix case photo – we felt they hit all the angles perfectly so we didn’t need to create our own. Price Y&Y’s third offering is just as solid as their first two; it just didn’t separate itself enough to take home a superlative. the peripheral field around the sides of the lenses, allowing the belayer to remain aware of their surroundings.

First, we took these glasses out to the Gunks and used them for the most torturous of belays: aid climbing. We used these glasses on nearly every climb we did over a three-day trip and compared everything from viewing angle to prism clarity. 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 Overall: Editor’s Choice! These inexpensive belay glasses have a sturdy frame, decent optics and are easy to put on with one hand.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. Metal – flexible, adjustable, more durable with frames less likely to break. More expensive, and tends to deform with use, although correctable. At the end of all our testing, we scored the glasses on three categories: functionality, comfort, and features/portability. Functionality While wearing belay glasses ones visual and spatial awareness of the immediate surroundings is severely diminished. Although it is possible to somewhat see around the edges of the specs, it can be hazardous in certain positions and terrain. This is significant when belaying as body position is of paramount importance to both the climber and the belay partner. One must be able to move around freely to first keep the climber in view but also to avoid falling debris (and climbers) as well as maintaining solid footing to catch the climber effectively in case of a fall. If that doesn’t appeal to you, Y&Y also sells Clip Up Belay Glasses which are designed to clip onto most eyeglasses and sunglasses. Price

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. We multiplied the feature score against the feature weight to come up with an overall winner. Your personal weighting may be different, so we’re presenting this information with as much transparency as possible so you can so you can make your own decision about which pair is right for you. Feature Overview The adjustment makes a particular difference if your climber is on vertical to steep overhang. Even while using traditional belay glasses, the belayer would need to tilt their head to follow a climber who is on a steep overhang.

We call these belay glasses faithful “sendy,”“practical,”“economic,” and “fashionable” climbers. Read on to learn which climber you are and what types of glasses will work best. Who would want cheap-o belay glasses? Why, pro skier Ryan Faye, of course! Faye falls into the category of economic climber — one who doesn’t necessarily have the budget to splurge on a pair of high-quality belay glasses. Choosing belay glasses comes down to a few key preferences, but given the narrow range of options, it shouldn’t be too hard. Fit