Mountain Project Logo

Belay glasses for cheap.

Original Post
TeeJay Heaslip · · Atlanta, Georgia · Joined May 2014 · Points: 0

I just did a quick search looking to buy a pair of belay glasses and noticed that they all seem to come to around $80-100. However, a bunch of reading glasses with the prisms facing downward (whereas belay glasses face upward) came up as well for about $7. Has anyone tried flipping the prisms in cheap downward-facing reading glasses?
Or, do you feel self-conscious looking like the dude from Star Trek and want to send me your old pair of now-unused belay glasses?

Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974
TeeJay Heaslip wrote:I just did a quick search looking to buy a pair of belay glasses and noticed that they all seem to come to around $80-100. However, a bunch of reading glasses with the prisms facing downward (whereas belay glasses face upward) came up as well for about $7. Has anyone tried flipping the prisms in cheap downward-facing reading glasses? Or, do you feel self-conscious looking like the dude from Star Trek and want to send me your old pair of now-unused belay glasses?
http://belayglass.blogspot.com

$39.95
Linnaeus · · ID · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 0

Y&Y belay glasses are good and fit over normal vision correcting or sun glasses. About $60.

Oliver McMahon · · Nashua, NH · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 285

I second Mark's recommendation of Mike's Belay Glasses. They are well made and work great.

Kai Larson · · Sandy, UT · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 436

Ebay has lots of them for under $40

Bliss · · Vancouver, British Columbia · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 15

We have Belay Shades Belay Glasses now at blicard.com/products/belay-….

They have a matte black finish with a more grippy rubber texture. They are only $44.98 but go ahead and use coupon code "awesome" for 10% off.

We stand %100 behind our products and have a no questions asked return policy. I'm the owner of the company and happy to talk anytime you if you have any questions. I'm sure you'll love them + the money you save :)

Thanks for checking us out MP friends.

Belay Shades - Blicard.com

Edward Medina · · Ridgway, CO · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 1,061

The prisms are fixed in the reading glass, but you can take the legs off and swap them to get the glasses to fit upside down. Then file the bridge down to comfortize it where it fits on your nose.

andyedwards · · OR · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 205
TeeJay Heaslip wrote:Has anyone tried flipping the prisms in cheap downward-facing reading glasses?
Yep. I used a dremel to cut them out flip and glued in with modeling glue. ~$8 and about 20 minutes. They look kinda ghetto, but are functional and cheap.
Zac St Jules · · New Hampshire · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 1,188

Genius

Klimbingeek · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 15
mountainhick · · Black Hawk, CO · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 120

Leave it to the Chinese! They'll produce anything for any market nook or cranny.

Ti ck · · souf yeast · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 1,760

amazing how expensive those belay glasses are! I will eventually get around to making some out of the cheap reading glasses.
this thread should help you out:
mountainproject.com/v/diy-b…

M Clark · · San Antonio, TX · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 45

Anyone tried the ones that are ~$6 on eBay?

Tom Nyce · · Flagstaff, AZ · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 45

I bought the "bed specs" from amazon ($18). Then I unscrewed the arms and switched right for left (which turns them upside down). I filed the (wide) arms down a bit so that Chums (or other retainers) could slip over them, so that you can have them around your neck when not in use. They ride high, due to the shape of the upside down nose piece, but I find this to be an asset rather than a disadvantage (easier to see what is in front of you).
They work fine. The large frame blocks your peripheral vision a bit more than the wire frames on the super-expensive, belay specs do. On the other hand, they seem less fragile.

djh860 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 110

I converted the $7 glasses. I cut off the prism with a steak knife and glued them into the new angle. They worked great

Capt. Impatient · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 0

Just look up!!! You don't need glasses.

Klimbingeek · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 15

I've tried the DIY ones, they just make the job and you don't see the rope and the floor.

For cheap solutions, better try the ones from aliexpress.

Ti ck · · souf yeast · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 1,760

interesting that all DIY belay glasses are the same... and therefore whatever you are trying to sell us is better.

Chris Rhys · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2016 · Points: 0

IMHO, converting cheap reading glasses into a pair suitable for belaying is a great idea for giving them a try. Theres no point paying £50+ for gear that you're unsure about. They save a lot of people from belayers neck pain but I've heard others complain of dizziness and are reluctant to use.

Having said that, they're probably not the best pair long term. Specifically designed belay glasses are much better.

Marc Syrene · · Del Norte, Colorado · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 0

I bought the le piret glasses and the angle is good only if you are standing back quite a ways from the base or you still have to look up a bit which still engages the muscles that get tired in your neck.  I'm not sure if the more expensive ones have a better angle.  I would rather be looking down just a bit then if you are lead belaying on overhanging climbs you are looking straight ahead.  

Nick Drake · · Kent, WA · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 651
Marc Syrene wrote:

 I'm not sure if the more expensive ones have a better angle.  I would rather be looking down just a bit then if you are lead belaying on overhanging climbs you are looking straight ahead.  

Y&Y do, I can stand right against the wall and barely tilt my head at all. 5 feet away from the wall I look straight ahead.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Climbing Gear Discussion
Post a Reply to "Belay glasses for cheap. "

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.