Sunglasses

[Bubblehead]

Are sunglasses a necessity when hiking the AT? I'll be hiking Springer to HF come April. I'd rather not take them unless they're really needed.

[Uncle Joe]

FWIW, not in the GA section. And I'd venture for the vast majority of the AT you'll be in the trees.

[TNhiker]

obviously its a personal preference-----so, i like to take mine along.....

especially for crossing the balds, roads, or places like newfound gap.....

just depending upon how thick sunlight is coming through the trees determines if i keep them on.................

[Hangfire]

Get a good hat, you'll get used to life without shades real quick.

[MuddyWaters]

Are sunglasses a necessity when hiking the AT? I'll be hiking Springer to HF come April. I'd rather not take them unless they're really needed.

Not needed.

[Slo-go'en]

Not much shade in April, that doesn't start until about Mid May in Virginia. You might find them useful during that time. After that, not so much. If you do use sunglasses, get cheap ones as your likely to break or loose them sooner or later.

I wear glasses and discovered prescription sunglasses distort my depth perception for some reason and I end up tripping a lot on uneven ground, so I can't hike in them. Instead I have uV block coating on my clear lens.

[Traveler]

Not much is necessary, sunglasses included. It depends what level of exposure to direct sunlight you find comfortable without them, your concern for direct and indirect UV light in your eyes, and the level of glare you can tolerate before vision deteriorates. If you have little concern for the above, then sunglasses may not be needed. But, even filtered light has a UV component and damage is cumulative over one's life so on sunny days I typically wear sunglasses.

[colorado_rob]

Just another opinion, somewhat repeating what has been said, UV eye damage is indeed cumulative, so I did try to wear some light-amber shades most of the time on my AT hike. They are light enough amber color (and rated 100% UV) that even on cloudy days I wore them. In fact, their color kinda brightens up an otherwise gloomy day. I did wear a hat with a eye-shade brim most of the time, but on the hotter days, I sure didn't want that hat on, and sunglasses are more important on those days.

They are of course particularly important early on (before the Green Tunnel sets up....), on balds and of course up in NH and ME where you're above treeline for significant lengths of time. My mom went blind way too early in her life (her 70's), probably somewhat from UV damage. Why on earth would you NOT wear some ultralight, light-colored shades for your hike? As has been said, you can get really cheap ones all over the place, even the UV blocking ones. Just make sure they have very light-anber/yellow/rose colored lenses.

Out west, of course, wearing sunglasses is pretty mandatory, for hopefully obvious reasons.

[bigcranky]

I wear sunglasses all the time off the trail, but on the trail I find a decent ball cap or Tilley hat is plenty. On the trail the sun doesn't reflect up from the ground like it does off of the road when driving.

Sunglasses are otherwise a PITA on the trail -- delicate and expensive.

[Wet Foot]

I'm near-sighted. I bring both glasses and prescription sunglasses, but rarely wear either. 95% of the time you're in the woods.

[Venchka]

As a multi-occurrence skin cancer survivor, including the dreaded "M M" words, I am reminded of something that someone on WhiteBlaze said recently,




You're an idiot...



Cheers!

Wayne

ps: "M M" = Malignant Melanoma. Two words you never want to hear.

[pjsong]

Green tunnel, I found a cap provided more than enough shade.

[Slo-go'en]

Green tunnel, I found a cap provided more than enough shade.

But as noted, the green tunnel doesn't start until sometime in May along the ridges. Depending on exactly when you start, one can be exposed to the sun for a couple of months before the trees leaf out at elevation. Lots of people don't realize this and get a wicked sun burn because they didn't bring sun block. It's also important to protect ones eyes. One good thing about going NOBO is the sun is generally to your back. Going SOBO, the sun is often in your eyes.

[BobTheBuilder]

I section hike in April most years, and the trees usually don't have leaves yet. By the time you get to HF, the foliage will be full, but I don't see any reason not to have a $10 pair of plastic sunglasses to start. Don't cost nothin', don't weigh nothin'.

[Feral Bill]

I plan on bringing prescription sunglasses as my spares, if for nothing else.

[nsherry61]

Two thoughts:
1) Most all modern prescription eyewear has glass (or plastic) that is designed to block UV. You should be able to verify that with your gasses makers. So, sunglasses are probably not needed to block UV if you are already wearing prescriptions. And, many inexpensive sunglasses are not designed UV blocking, so don't assume that just because they are dark, they help in this regard.
2) In all my years backpacking and climbing, I've almost never used dark glasses except on snow and ice. I find a good hat with a brim knocks down enough brightness that my eyes are fine without glasses. And, I can see better when I don't have glasses on blocking some of the light AND it is much cooler in warm weather when I do not have glasses on my face.
3) In the last few years, as the age of my eyes has passed half a century old, I have found that when used in addition to a good hat, dark glasses can significantly reduce my eye strain in bright desert conditions. I would not personally find them useful on the balds of the AT especially hiking north.

[garlic08]

Worst case scenario for me on the AT was an April snowstorm in the Smokies then bright sun the next day. I didn't pack sunglasses I was worried about it for a few minutes in the morning, but it was not an issue at all. I remember some white rock formation (furnace rocks or something like that?) that were pretty glary one day, but that was only a few minutes. Nope, you don't need sunglasses.

[Connie]

My corrective eyeglasses have UV-A and UV-B protection.

This "works for me" especially because I do not like looking at the world thru tinted glasses.

I wear specialized glacier glasses for prolonged travel on a snowfield. That's it.

[Cotton Terry]

My blue eyes are very sensitive to sunlight. I'm taking mine if for nothing else but UV protection.

[Beltainelady]

I was just thinking about similar possibilities. Do I wear my corrective lenses (progressive bifocals) and bring sunglasses for my sensitive eyes, or do I wear contacts and chance having to change them without less-than-pristine-clean hands? Or do I get a pair of cheap lined bifocals with the not-cheap transitions lenses...

...ugh. I can't hike blind so I gotta do something.

[George]

one of the few items - when I choose to not bring them, I wish I had

[Mountain Bluebird]

another vote for a hat! I like seeing things in their true colors, being an ecologist-type, so for me it's no sunglasses and a Tilley nylon not cotton hat!

[Maui Rhino]

Can't speak to the AT, since I'm in the tropics where sunglasses are required outdoors. I found sunglasses with interchangeable lenses incredibly useful. On bright days I can use the dark grey lens, clear at night, and yellow on rainy, foggy days. Some also have an RX insert, so that you can also use your bifocals, and still adapt to any light conditions.