I need to get a hemet but I also always wear my polaroids while sailing. Those of you with Gath hemets, can you fit your sunglasses around your head at the same time as wearing your helmet?
I'n concerned the arms being pressed into the side my head would be distracting/uncomfortable.
I always wear sunnies when windsurfing and sometimes wear a gath helmet, especially when its cold. Never had an issue with it becoming too uncomfortable.
I tie my sunnies on with a thin piece of cord. The knot can be uncomfortable on my temple inside the helmet - otherwise no problems
No problem for me either - Gath Gedi with some "safety" sunnies tied on with nylon.
I use Polarizing and Yellow (for dim light) Safety glasses with a gath every session, no problems.
Went to safety glasses after a lense from my sunnies popped out in a crash and didn't want some piece of plastic attacking my eyes
Same basic principle, there are a lot of different designs to what generally available in a hardware shop.
I use the same glasses all day as I'm on and of industrial sites all the time
www.safetyoptics.com.au/index.php?page=showProduct&id=412-M1-PG
Hmm, those look good. I never thought of sunnies breaking in your face before...
IKW777 I have to wear prescription sunglasses, and wear a Gath helmet. The need for a cord from the arms is the best way to go, as usually the force of water hitting at the right angle will pull these from your face.
One other issue is any sunny's with straight arms (the trendy ones
) the helmet band behind lug holes (ears)will sometimes push down on the arms and lift the bridge up on nose. For none prescription, no problem, but if prescription multi lenses its a tad awkward 
Next item is use RainX on the lenses, stops them streaking and hard to see through
) as unlike everyone else I can't wear sunnies under my Gath - the arms do press into my temples. I've tried some sunnies that just have straps, no arms, but they tend to rise up when I look down and obscure my vision.
Select to expand quoteeasty said...
I must have a weird shaped head (cue Tassie jokes) as unlike everyone else I can't wear sunnies under my Gath - the arms do press into my temples. I've tried some sunnies that just have straps, no arms, but they tend to rise up when I look down and obscure my vision.
I only tend to use my Gath when it's really windy, and just squint a lot.
And what Elmo said re safety specs - cheap and good.
Maybe I need a bigger Gath - I just checked and it's a M.
And re safety specs - get decent ones from any hardware or industrial safety shop for under $20. I find the more I spend on sunnies is directly proportional to how fast I lose / scratch them.
I wonder about that. At 57 cm the selection chart says I'm at the top of the M range (just short of a bighead!) Wonder if there might not be enough room for me and sunnies in an M.
Hi Folks,
Out here in WA it gets pretty glarey in the summer seabreeze, especially in some of the more onshore spots. I've played around with sunglasses and own a Gath helmet, but have ended up not using them because it really removes me from the sailing experience. I feel like I'm in a car-not really out there. Also I find peripheral vision reducued with the Gath helmet, which can put you into danger when gybing. I've compromised by wearing a strap on hat now. By tilting the brim I cut out the painful glare and get sun protection to boot. It works for me.
Cheers, jens
I dont have any probs with sunnies and gaths, I use the bolle safety's that most mining and construction companies give their employees for free
There is one easy way to find out if they will fit and/or annoy or not
Go into the shop with the sunnies and try the helmet on ...............makes sense doesn't it!
www.seaspecs.com/
They have a 3 for 2 deal so you get 3 pairs for $100
You can get basically the same glasses from yachting shops for $40.
Don't buy expensive ones. They scratch just as easily as the cheap ones.
RainX helps repel water a little. You're rarely sailing fast enough for wind to blow the water drops off. The best thing is to clean the lenses well as possible. That stops water sticking and reduces fogging. Washing the glasses in warm water with dish washing detergent works quite well to de-grease the lenses.
The most important thing is to put your sunscreen on early so it dries properly and clear your eyebrows of excess. The excess suncreen runs into your eyes and onto your lenses so you can't see, you have sore eyes, and you can't rub them.
Gath helmets are ok but the ear covers make the wind noise really loud.
I use the Seabreeze Sunnies with a Gath fixed visor helmet, its is little uncomfortable when 1st put it on, but generally OK.
Easty, I was going to get a pair of sunnies with just a the strap next time, what brand was yours, do you think that they all ride up ?
I pretty much always wear a helmet now when sailing in short board conditions, I think everyone should consider this ........
Haggar the ones I tried were called "Ignition", and I think I got them from that on-line auction site. I'm pretty sure they only ride up because my helmet is such a "snug" fit - I agree with your sentiment about helmet usage, and will probably get a larger and more comfortable one that I'll be more inclined to use.
