Learn to ride with Visordown: Misting visors
Can't see the road for the fog? Here's how to stop it
Posted: 14 October 2008
by Tim Skilton
 Foggy visors are bloody dangerousFOGGED UP visors are dangerous. Now the weather's turning chilly there's greater chance your visor will mist up when you're out and about. When the outside temperature drops, moisture from your breath condenses on the inside of you visor and creates a foggy film that obscures your vision, just like in your car. Lifting the visor can alleviate the problem, but if it's raining, it can often make the situation much worse. And anything that obscures your vision can be potentially dangerous - so what can you do about it? Over the years there have been many traditional remedies for stopping the problem, ranging from rubbing a slice of potato or fairy liquid on the inside of your visor. Some riders swear by breath guards which prevent moisture from your mouth coming into contact with the cold visor. Sadly, they don't always work. The best option is to fit an anti-fog insert. The inserts are basically strips of clear film, which adhere to the inside of your visor and help dissipate any moisture lurking close to your visor and help keep you vision clear. I've used them since they were introduced a few years ago and they've never let me down. Rated by many as one of the best bits of kit they've bought. Recommended. Useful contactsFog City (for any helmet) Phoenix Distribution 01782 569800Pinlock (Shoei helmets only) Feridax 01384 413841
Discuss this story
Tiny amount of fairy liquid rubbed into your glasses will work wonders. And I mean tiny! Or just get them lasered x
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 13:31
lucy: you have a problem with insertions? errrrrrrrr
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 13:36
I was expecting that... you must be bored at work too!
extremely!!! sigh, least ive got Friday off i suppose
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 13:43
theres a report in RIDE this month on visor inserts, face masks etc..... I swapped to contacts - much easier.....
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 15:26
Inserts do work. However, I find my biggest problem is my glasses misting up. The Shoei breath guard doesn't work as it does not come into contact with my face thus allowing moist breath to rise up to my glasses. It is actually worse with the breath guard in place! I am now awaiting delivery of a Foggy Mask which does come into contact with the face. So hopefully that may sort the problem. I wear an Arai Signet & had to take out the breath guard too, found the foggy mask useless as if theres the tiniest gap between the mask and your skin your breath leaks out and onto them specs (maybe i've just got a funny shaped head though). Careful with the washing up liquid as the salt in it may scratch your glasses (if you go down this route someone once told me that baby shampoo is far kinder and salt free - could be bollocks). How do I cope: very very clean glasses, and when i slow or stop i often pop the visor open a little to get some air circulation
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 15:38
Only lunchtime today! But I got wednesday off for my extreme hard work (accepting one phone call) on sunday. uh, are you asking me out?!?!
Nope... What are these alternative contacts that you speak of?
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 15:49
Only lunchtime today! But I got wednesday off for my extreme hard work (accepting one phone call) on sunday. uh, are you asking me out?!?!
Nope... What are these alternative contacts that you speak of?
ah g'wan... you know you want to... you'd hardly feel a thing, itd be aaaaal over in a few seconds etc etc et
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 15:52
you'd hardly feel a thing, itd be aaaaal over in a few seconds etc etc et
you know, I don't think you should go about telling people about that...
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 15:55
you'd hardly feel a thing, itd be aaaaal over in a few seconds etc etc et
you know, I don't think you should go about telling people about that...
seriously, you'd just feel a little prick...
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 15:56
Pinlocks are great. I reccomend them. I don't know if pulling a scarf or buff over your nose would help stop glasses misting. But you could try something like that.
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 17:05
Pinlocks came out pretty much as the bets in the RIDE survey....  Cracking the visor open just a touch usually works if all else fails....some helmets are much better than other at maintaining this opening.... SHOEI XR1000 has a specific setting to do this and doesnt just rely on the ratchet mechanism which can self close at speed on many helmets.....
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 17:08
Laser vision. Best money you'll ever spend
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 17:11
Inserts do work. However, I find my biggest problem is my glasses misting up. The Shoei breath guard doesn't work as it does not come into contact with my face thus allowing moist breath to rise up to my glasses. It is actually worse with the breath guard in place! I am now awaiting delivery of a Foggy Mask which does come into contact with the face. So hopefully that may sort the problem. I bought a Foggy mask just before Chrsitmas. It helps reduce misting on glasses, but needs to be fitted perfectly to work. It's also good at keeping your chin warm in the colder weather. It's also good at saturating your mouth/jaw/buff with your breath. I removed mine 'cos quite simply it was a PITA. 
Posted: 21/01/2008 at 17:54
Canuaba Wax Polish works wonders both inside and out. Makes it easy to get the fly crud off, rain just streams off  and stops misting inside too. I tried inserts but they didn't last long enough for the price
Posted: 09/07/2008 at 12:16
Inserts last a year for £14 Hmmm not that bad
Posted: 09/07/2008 at 12:21
I have a pinlock on my Shoei, and the Shoei breath guard. Riding every day, all year in all weathers, and have not had a misting problem at all. And I keep the visor down all the time including in town. I also clean the visor inside and out daily with Bob Heath, or some other anti-mist solution that I can't remember the name of. The pinlocks do scratch and they do affect night vision slightly IMHO. Plus they are repeatedly removable, which you generally can't do withfog city inserts and the like. I tried the Foggy respros in the past and just hate them.
Posted: 09/07/2008 at 15:30
I find having the Arai vent open on my Edwards Corsair keeps the airflow good for low misting, even with a fog city, but still have to pop the visor open for half an inch if I'm stopped at lights. No glasses is really the answer, or laser vision, but not all people have the choice of glasses or not. After years of wearing contact lenses when riding I now cannot wear them due to a progressive eye condition in one eye. Glasses now seem like a real inconvenience. But hey ho at least I can still see to drive, even if it's with glasses.
Posted: 19/10/2008 at 20:32
ive used the fogtech wipes on airsoft goggles and my specs, there great but got ole washing up liqid is almost as good and a DAMN sight cheaper. Wore my own open face on my CBT this week and it was so humid i was foggin a little all day, when it started pissing down i had a choice of being BLIND or getting a rather sore face from the rain last time i forget to anti fog 
Posted: 20/10/2008 at 02:15
try a diving rebreather..?
...better still, theres a thing ski-ers use in avalanches that vents your breath next to your arse.. ? stops the snow icing up round your head i hear  ...seriously..? a GTMoto balaclava and vents open, works perfectly fine for me...?
...you want to keep your visor from steaming up..? use your spit, we diver's often say "the greener the cleaner"
Posted: 22/10/2008 at 00:50
Not to be too technical but to stop masks fogging up when you dive you spit in them and rinse them out, something in the saliva, you can also get specialist products if you are too posh to spit. I imagine this would work with glasses, as they are glass (which masks are)... Don't know for sure as only wear sunglasses Hmm I wonder if it would work on plastic, all the bike products and inserts I have tried are useless on the visor. Will try that later
Posted: 22/10/2008 at 04:56
BMW System V helmet has a dual visor that you can fit - bit like double glazing. There's a special gel between the layers. Never mists up if the vents are open or closed. I imagine pinlock works in the same. I've tried sprays, cat shit and other helmets with anti-fog visors but it wears off too quick. PITA when you're riding in fog if you can't get it right.
Posted: 22/10/2008 at 12:37
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