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 No aches and pains mean no reason to look down or be distracted from your job of keeping the climber safe. Your full attention to belaying also helps improve the climber’s odds of sending the route, as they do not have to face an additional crux of being short-roped or feel nervous about their safety if they fall while making a committing move. The most striking aspect of the Classic glasses is their minimalist design. They’re the least bulky of all the glasses we tested. If you want to buy the best belay glasses on the market right now, Y&Y Classics are the way to go to give you the best in terms of design and functionality. For those who want similar quality but at a lower price, the Y&Y Vertical Plasfun are an excellent choice giving a comparable experience at a lower price.

Although the majority of the view when wearing belay glasses is taken up by the image presented by the prisms, the outer edge surrounding the glasses is still the peripheral image of one’s surroundings. The contrast in movement and imagery can lead to dizziness and vertigo in some people, although the time needed for this effect to take place varies from person to person. While this is by no means applicable to all climbers, having a moment of vertigo while belaying could be disastrous at worst and uncomfortable at best.

Reviews of the 3 Other Belay Glasses We Tested

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 It’s okay to be either way. But knowing which category you fall into can help your wallet and reduce stress.

Another upside of the metal frames is adjustability. The stainless steel isn’t hard to bend, so the Classics can be customized to fit those of us with crooked heads. The belay glasses clip on to the bridge of your regular glasses and can easily be flipped up and down depending on where your climber is. Y&Y made it on our list twice, and for good reason. The company makes very high-quality products that are thoughtfully designed and in my opinion are worth the high price point. Note: We haven’t had enough testing time (thanks COVID) to say whether this is a super win or not. We never used the included lanyard on our other belay glasses. It’ll be interesting to see if this makes us want a lanyard on the other pairs, or if we’ll end up disliking the bulkier lanyard on the other pairs.So how do they perform? The prisms are roughly the same size as those used on the CU glasses (and all the glasses in the review except the Belaggles) and are crisp and clear. They’re also lightweight, comfortable to wear and portable enough to take up a multi-pitch. A bit pricey though. Metal – flexible, adjustable, more durable with frames less likely to break. More expensive, and tends to deform with use, although correctable. When you are unaware that your climber is about to fall, you also may not prepare your body position. How pleasant are the glasses to wear? How much do I notice them on my face? How comfortable am I during long belays? Wearing two pairs of glasses is a pain, but sunglasses or prescription glasses are sometimes necessary. We look at how well the belay glasses work over the top of another pair of glasses.

Much like regular glasses, the quality of the lenses can have a huge impact on their utility. Poor lenses will wear badly and are likely to distort the image you see. 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! Numerous brands offer belay glasses of all varieties — in various designs, colors, and features. When we asked a handful of climbers their opinions, four distinct categories of climbers emerged that all recommend wearing the glasses. Unless you need the adjustability of the metal frames, these will function just as well as the Classics for less money. They feel and look a little less premium, but they do their job well. Belay Specs If cost is an option or if you want to test a pair of belay glasses before springing for a premium brand, these are a safe bet.While these are by no means the cheapest models on the market, their minimalist design and premium metal construction are worth the cost for those who don’t mind spending money on quality. Although they are more expensive than Belay Specs, they are cheaper than Belaggles or the original CU Belay Glasses. Furthermore, their higher than average weight is due to the larger curved prisms that give a greater than average field of view of the climber while obscuring visuals at eye level. While they are nonadjustable, their rigidity makes them relatively easy to put on and remove with one hand, which is vital given their larger prisms. While some find the stiffness and weight to be uncomfortable, sufficient people find them to be comfortable enough to merit a following. While their use on a mountain crag or multi-pitch is debatable, they are a viable option for use in the gym or sport climbing. What one piece of gear has everyone from free-climbers in Yosemite to competitive gym climbers talking? A pair of funky-looking spectacles.

Although simple in design and low in cost, they provide useful accessories without skimping on their quality. The case is substantial and comes with a metal carabiner that is more resistant to wear and tear compared to similar brands.The adjustment lever itself was very nice to use. The lever movement was incredibly smooth and it doesn’t slip when you stop moving the lever.