How to Stop Sunglasses Fogging and Slipping

Sunglasses fog when warm moist air from your face hits a cooler lens, and they slip when sweat breaks the friction between frame and skin. Both peak at exactly the same moment: working hard uphill in cool air. The fixes are mostly about airflow and materials rather than products.

1. 1

   Get air moving behind the lens

   Fogging is a stagnant air problem. Frames with brow vents and a slight gap at the top of the lens clear far better than sealed wrap designs. If yours fog on climbs, slide them down your nose an inch — the resulting gap usually clears them within seconds without taking them off.

2. 2

   Choose hydrophilic nose pads and temple grips

   This is the single most effective anti-slip feature and it is easy to check before buying. Certain rubber compounds become grippier as they get wet rather than more slippery, which is why some sunglasses stay put through a sweaty climb and others slide continuously.

   Fit and face shapeGetting the frame geometry right first

   Read Guide →
3. 3

   Use a retainer, and use the right kind

   A floating foam retainer suits water; a thin adjustable cord suits hiking because it can be cinched to hold the frame against your head rather than just catching it when it falls. Ombraz takes this further and replaces arms with a cord entirely, which eliminates temple slip as a category.

4. 4

   Apply anti-fog properly, or not at all

   Anti-fog sprays and pastes work by spreading condensation into a thin even film instead of droplets. They need a clean lens, a thin application, and buffing until clear. Applied to a dirty lens or left thick, they smear and make visibility worse than the fog did.

5. 5

   Never wipe a lens with your shirt

   Trail dust on a lens is abrasive, and a shirt grinds it across the coating. Rinse with water first if you can, then use a microfibre cloth. Most scratched lenses were scratched during cleaning rather than during use.

   Cleaning and careKeeping coatings intact for years

   Read Guide →
6. 6

   Manage it on the climb rather than fighting it

   If a climb is steep and cool, many hikers simply push the glasses onto their hat or hang them on a collar until the top. Sunglasses that are fogged are not protecting your eyes anyway, and putting them back on at the exposed summit is when they matter most.

Fixes Ranked by Effectiveness