sweat gets in my eyes

[arghman]

argh! This humid weather makes me sweat a lot, which I don't mind too much EXCEPT it gets into my eyes and irritates it and stings. I really can't figure out what I am supposed to do to alleviate the problem (carry a wet soft cloth all the time?!?!?).... any suggestions?

 

[dr_wu002]

argh! This humid weather makes me sweat a lot, which I don't mind too much EXCEPT it gets into my eyes and irritates it and stings. I really can't figure out what I am supposed to do to alleviate the problem (carry a wet soft cloth all the time?!?!?).... any suggestions?

You can try wearing a hat. Or perhaps cutting off your head.

-Dr. Wu

 

[DrewKnight]

Yep... try a "SweatVac" skull-cap. I wear one under my mountain biking helmet all summer, and when I hike on warm days. It does a great job of managing moisture on your bean, though you do have to stop and ring it out on humid days (much to the enduring disgust of Mrs. DrewKnight). Here's an example: Do-Wrap Skull Cap on PricePoint.com.

I forgot mine today and had to stop three or four times to dry my eyes and rinse them out with a little water from my hydration pack. It was a bit muggy out there and man, does that sweat sting.

 

[HockeyPuck]

you could always slow down .

Many people have recommended those "Sham-wow" absorbant towels. Haven't tried them but have heard rave reviews.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

We could start a support group.

But seriously, the only that I find consistently works is some sort of head band / bandanna which you stop and wring out as needed. On really humid days though your hands don't dry out very quickly after the ring-out.

I tend to dip the bandanna in any brooks, rinse it out, and wipe my face clean while it is still cool, which feels nice for a minute or two anyway.

You did read the "Hiking in long pants" thread, didn't you?

Tim

 

[1ADAM12]

Take it from an expert here I am bald and have absolutely NO HAIR!

I usually will wear a skull cap mentioned which is like a bandana on my head and it wicks the perspiration away from my eyes. Also, I have a boonie hat that wicks the moisture away too

I am the bald guy on the right




My boonie hat

 

[NewHampshire]

But seriously, the only that I find consistently works is some sort of head band / bandanna which you stop and wring out as needed. On really humid days though your hands don't dry out very quickly after the ring-out.

Tim

Agreed. I somtimes wear a hat, sometimes the bandana. The problem with the hat is, as it covers your head, it keeps in my body heat and only adds to the problem (I tend to be pretty heat sensitive and get heat exhaustion fairly easily). The bandana is the best "between" option. It soaks up sweat while allowing the top of my head freedom to dump excess heat.

Brian

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Agreed. I somtimes wear a hat, sometimes the bandana. The problem with the hat is, as it covers your head, it keeps in my body heat and only adds to the problem (I tend to be pretty heat sensitive and get heat exhaustion fairly easily). The bandana is the best "between" option. It soaks up sweat while allowing the top of my head freedom to dump excess heat.

Brian

If I wear the bandanna, I can convert it to cover my thinning head to prevent scalp burn. It can be vented towards the rear to allow some heat out.

Let me also add that slowing down is a good technique in winter but the only real "solution" is to bring 1 or 2 changes of clothes - shirts at least - and put the dry one on for the traverse or descent part. Hang the wet one on the back of your pack to dry as best it can. In high humidity though nothing dries.

Tim

 

[WinterWarlock]

Get a Buff! (or hike buff, but that's a different thread).

Like a bandana, but doesn't get soaked because it wicks away the sweat.

 

[carole]

I have found that a good wicking hat works best for me (I use a ball cap style). Unlike a sweatband or bandana which absorbs only so much before it drips like a sponge the hat has an absorbent band but then transfers the wet to the cap which then evaporates. The light weight material along with good venting doesn’t make for a hotter head (even with a head full of hair) but rather is cooler for me. I have experimented many times in the same conditions with and am cooler and drier with the hat. I also like the added benefit of not burning my head where my hair parts and the bill shields a lot of the face, especially the forehead from burning.

 

[smitty77]

To put a brand name with Carole's hat, try Headsweats hats and headbands. I got one from Max (he got it in a bag of swag from a marathon), and it works great. I think it's the "race hat" model shown on their website. It really wicks the sweat away, and the mesh top doesn't make me overheat like a regular ball cap does. Before I used to just go with the bandanna, but found it's moisture holding ability was somewhat limited on those really humid days.

And going slower sometimes is not on option. On those muggy, 85%+ humidity days I'll sweat just standing still! I can't go any slower or I'll never get home.

Good luck!

 

[Barkingcat]

You can try wearing a hat. Or perhaps cutting off your head.

-Dr. Wu

Excellent!

 

[bikehikeskifish]

You are all minor-league sweaters. Come play in the majors

I'm tempted to try the Buff, but I haven't really found anything that works unless it is

Cool
Dry
Air-flow (breezey)

Taking away any one and the moisture-transfer-and-evaporate cycle has a hard, or impossible time keeping up.

I do like Coolmax headbands for cycling, but there is always airflow - between 10 and 25 miles an hour (minimum.) They have not proven as useful hiking in hot or humid weather.

$23 for the angler buff plus shipping is awfully steep, IMO.

Tim

 

[JohnL]

I wear a baseball cap summer and winter, mainly to protect the dome from the sunlight. In the summer it also acts as a sweat absorber. I also carry a bandanna. On warm and humid days I sweat like Patrick Ewing. I wipe the sweat from my brow constantly. When I start to feel my head getting hot, I'll dip the hat in a cold stream, whip out the excess water to keep it from dripping down in front of my eyes and plop the cool hat on my head. Temporary relief. Repeat at the next stream. Rinsing the bandanna in the water and wiping my face also brings temporary relief. Sometimes I'll wrap the wet bandanna across the back of my neck. When you come upon a cool breeze, take the hat off and revel in the breeze evaporating your sweat and feel the cool. Whatever it takes. However I know that whatever I do, I have to keep doing it. Nothing ever works the first time to alleviate the problem all day long. Unless I'm done for the day. Good luck.

JohnL

 

[carole]

To put a brand name with Carole's hat,

I didn't have time to add any links when I posted but I currently have a hat by Columbia that works great. It is similar to this style. Many other companies make wicking hats as seen here on Backcountry.com

 

[Neil]

You can try wearing a hat. Or perhaps cutting off your head.

-Dr. Wu

You can't be serious. Talk about an energy inefficient solution.

Being plagued with this exact same pesky problem I have developed a low-tech technique.

I wipe my brow with the posterior aspect of my distal forearm, wrist and hand.

Then I give my upper limb a quick flick starting at the mid-spine and extending down the kinematic chain through the scapula, into the gleno-humeral joint, elbo and down the line. I watch the beads of sweat fly off into the underbrush and realize that I leave a trace.

 

[dr_wu002]

You can't be serious. Talk about an energy inefficient solution.

...

Then I give my upper limb a quick flick starting at the mid-spine and extending down the kinematic chain through the scapula, into the gleno-humeral joint, elbo and down the line. I watch the beads of sweat fly off into the underbrush and realize that I leave a trace.

I didn't want to say this because I was embarrassed. I'm not anymore: I wear a diaper on my head.

-Dr. Wu

 

[AndyF]

I use one of these caps from Columbia. It has a built in sweatband, mesh vents to let out the heat, and made from cool quick drying polyester. It helps with sweat, keeps the bugs off my head, and shades my face from the sun. Because of the shading I can keep sunblock off my forehead which always ran into my eyes and blinded me. Sweatproof sunblock is like breathable and waterproof clothing. Much advertised, but never true.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

If there really was a panacea, wouldn't we all know about it?

Tim

 

[forestgnome]

Bring two cotton dish towels. Never hike without them. I tuck a corner of the towel into my shoulder strap and it hangs there out of the way. When I get to a point (summit, etc.) where I won't be sweating as much, I change my socks, skivies, shirt and toss them into a plastic bag with the towel. Then I use the other towel for the rest of the hike.

Sham-wow towels work great but I once dropped one and needles and leaves stuck to it like superglue, rendering it unuseable for the rest of the hike.

Cotton saves!

happy trails