When you can’t even spot your co-skiers on the piste sans specs, it’s time to solve the ‘skiing when you wear glasses’ problem.
WhoSki.com co-founder Sally has been wearing glasses for years. She used to ski without her ‘long distance’ specs (and just carry a pair for piste map reading). That is, until the trip when she found it so hard to identify her group on the slopes that she kept skiing up to the wrong families. Which is when wearing glasses on the piste became her norm.
Sally’s two top tips to solve the ‘skiing when you wear glasses’ problem:
TOP TIP 1
When buying ski goggles, good brands will let you know if they are ‘glasses friendly’. The goggles are larger but it’s a more affordable option than buying prescription ski goggles.
“This has been really effective. I have problems with both long and short distances and this means as my prescription changes, I don’t need to change my ski goggles,” says Sally.
TOP TIP 2
Carry varifocal prescription sunglasses while skiing, for reading the menu and enjoying your surroundings when you take a break from the piste. Sally says: “This is my go-to look when it’s sunny, and means I can enjoy ‘slope watching’ at the same time as eating my lunch.”
more solutions for specs-wearing skiers
Glasses don’t fit under goggles but you don’t want to wear contact lenses:
Choose a helmet with integral visor: glasses fit underneath. Good ventilation means they are less likely to steam up.
Specs don’t fit in pocket and I’m scared of breaking them:
Buy a couple of cheap pairs of low-profile glasses. Or foldable ones that come in a hard case. Tiny, but useful when you sit down for lunch and need to read the menu / check the bill.
Can’t read the piste map without glasses on:
Take a picture on your phone, then zoom in when you need it. Saves getting your reading glasses out. Or use the resort piste map app. Beware of phone dying in the cold – keep it tucked away in an inside pocket to maximise battery life.
Bi-focal prescription goggles:
Pricey option, but effective.
Magnifying glass in your pocket:
Low-tech option that will have the younger members of your party dying of shame when you whip it out on the chair lift.
Join a guided ski tour group:
Never worry about directions again. Many chalet hotels, like Club Med, offer a group ski itinerary – or try SkiClub of GB, who have skiing volunteers based in a number of resorts. It’s a great way to make friends, too
Get a credit card sized magnifying lens:
Hang it on a cord round your neck or clip into a pocket – quick to access, problem solved!
Follow someone who knows where they are going:
Provided you trust them not to lead you down a gnarly black…
Finally, you could always take the familiarity option: ski in the same resort every year (but beware year on year changes to your favourite pistes…).
Lead image by Freepik
