GLASSES vs. CONTACTS?

[Ptenwal]

I always wear my contacts on backpacking trips and have never had issues. I need to carry my glasses regardless, do I just leave the contact lenses at home? Obviously this is more of a personal experiences / opinions topic.

Suggestions?

[MJW155]

Bring both. I wear contacts and keep a spare pair of glasses incase I need them. I hate wearing glasses when hiking b/c sweat makes the lenses fog up. Also, they get wet if it's raining or foggy. But I still bring my glasses incase a contact falls out and my hands are too dirty to put a new one in.

[Astro]

Based upon no mirror, sink, and the extra weight, I always leave my contacts at home and just go with my glasses.

[Sierra Echo]

Get Lasiks! You will be glad you did!

[MJW155]

Based upon no mirror, sink, and the extra weight, I always leave my contacts at home and just go with my glasses.

I get the mirror and sink part but extra weight? LOL.

I have contacts that you can keep in your eyes for 2 weeks. I'll just change a pair when in town or whatever.

[Rayo]

I wear contacts every day, but I plan on leaving them at home for my thru-hike. I am taking glasses, and I don't even plan on wearing them at all times.

My eyes aren't too bad (-2.0 L / -2.5 R), so there's no safety issue, more of a difficulty in recognizing people from a distance. However, as others have pointed out, having not-very-clean finger tips, and very little eagerness to carry a bottle of solution, a case, and extra contacts; I am comfortable with my decision.

[double d]

I bring both, usually not a problem, just bring a good-hard case for your glasses and you should be fine. Also, I use the mirror from my compass when I put in my contacts in the morning.

[Blissful]

Whatever you choose to bring, do not forget a copy of your prescription in case something happens.

[Juice]

I get the mirror and sink part but extra weight? LOL.

I have contacts that you can keep in your eyes for 2 weeks. I'll just change a pair when in town or whatever.

Usually the extra weight is the contact solution. I've never had luck with long term lenses.

[Rayo]

Also, I use the mirror from my compass when I put in my contacts in the morning.

Nice trick. However, I taught myself to put my contacts in and take them out, without using a mirror. Trick is to stare at something in front of you (a tree, for instance) and put it in your eye. Before long, it'll be a cinch: no mirror or reflection required.

[Hikes in Rain]

If you wear them all the time, anyway, why not in the woods? All you need to do is wash your hands! (I cut the bottom out of a gallon milk jug for a basin. Weightless, multi-use, and since you can put stuff in it (my cook kit fits nicely), doesn't take up any space. Small good mirror is lightweight. I, too, can put mine in or take them out without it (40 years of practice will do that for you!), but is one gets dislodged somehow, a mirror is really useful for finding it when it's on the top of your eyeball, or down in the corner. Small bottles of saline are pretty readily found in groceries or pharmacies. Back up pair, plus the glasses in a weightless plastic case found in the dollar store. So, no reason to go "substandard".

[malowitz]

Ptenwal - I suggest you speak with your optometrist about long-term contacts. In prep for my hike in 2010, I switched to Night and Day contacts. I sleep with them in and change them out once/month. I did bring glasses as a back-up and carried one extra set of contacts much of the time. If you can wear the long term ones (some people can't handle the dryness and some people's script just can't work), you can ditch the solution. In the event of a problem, you just throw them out and switch the glasses. I loved the contacts and just renewed my script for them again.

Good luck.

[handlebar]

+1 the Night and Day contacts----and they are available in bifocal versions for us advanced middle-aged hikers. I use rewetting drops before going to sleep and upon arising, but leave them in for a month at a time. Hardly even notice they are there. I do carry a lens case with solution in it in case I need to take them out, but haven't needed to. I carry my backup glasses. They don't weigh much.