Helmet visor fogging

AirbusFlieger

Well-Known Member
#1
Riding in the cold and rain on my two Ride Around WV attempts, fogging on my visor proved to be a big issue.

On my second attempt, I used anti-fog treatment and Rain X for plastic.

The Rain X worked "ok", not great. Not as good as the product for glass. The anti-fog worked not at all. I ended up with bad fogging and riding with my visor cracked open which was cold AF! Temps in the mid-30's.

Any tips on how to fight the fog would be most appreciated!
 

yon

Premier Member
#4
I've been using Clarity's Defog It in the bottle since I first discovered the review on webbikeworld many years ago. Just a few drops spread around with a microfiber cloth does the trick. I'm having a real hard time finding the bottle for sale though. This site says it has more on the way. They also make wipes, but I've never used those.

I recently bought a Schuberth C3 Pro helmet, which includes a preinstalled pinlock anti-fog insert. Definitely a recommended upgrade and I haven't had any need to use the Defog It treatment on the visor on cold/rainy mornings.
 

Russ Black

Premier Member
#6
You said Cat Crap and I though I hit the jackpot with as many cats as I have and then I clicked the link.

On the serious side I use a similar product call Blaze Anti-Fog. You can get it online or you can find someone selling it at most motorcycle rally's. I usually ride with my visor open even in very cold temperatures and I don't own a helmet with Pin-Lock so I can't compare it to anything but it does seem to work better than not applying anything at all.
 

Stephen!

Flivver Flyer
Premier Member
IBA Member
IBR Finisher
#8
WRT Pinlock. Yes, they work great but you must keep the cams properly adjusted. Otherwise you will get condensation between the visor and the Pinlock, even when condensation would not normally be forming. I carry a 4mm deep-well socket in my fairing pocket for on-the-road adjustments. I use the deep-well because I can make the adjustment without any other tools and while wearing gloves, if necessary.
 

Sportsterpaul

Well-Known Member
#9
After many decades of riding and trying any and everything available I’ve settled on the following. Pinlocks have proven to be very good but not the end all. Under certain conditions they can reach saturation and start to fog, this is usually around 32-34F temps with high humidity levels. Cracking the bottom of the visor will help to moderate it but you are then dealing with the cold. The last few years I’ve added the “ Respro Foggy Breathguardl”. item#1558 in the Aerostich catalog at $28.00. For a full face helmet it Velcro’s to the cheek pieces and seals across the nose directing your breath down and out and off of the rear of the shield. This alone may be enough for most but with the addition of Pinlock becomes near perfect. There will be some trial and error on the install but when you find that sweet spot it’s all worth it. I’ve done many hours and hundreds of miles at 0F, and used to run as cold as -20F but arthritis now limits my sub zero running. And the bike is very difficult to get started at those temperatures. I now think I will dedicate a helmet with this installed as my cold weather helmet with another plain full face for warmer temps. I hope this helps someone, so keep it safe!
 

SteveAikens

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#10
I've been running Schuberth's with pinlocks for longer than I can recall, best guess is when they first came to market. I've very rarely had any fogging problems.

I recently bought a Sena Impulse helmet. It comes with pinlock as well but it also comes with a a plastic breath guard that's easy to remove and reinstall if you want. I haven't had a chance to ride more than a few miles since receiving the helmet so no reviews yet but once I can get some miles, I'll post a review.
 

MidTNJasonF

Premier Member
#11
Pin lock in my old IS-Max II and Pin lock in my newer Schuberth C4 always worked pretty well. I wear glasses and actually find my glasses fog more than my face shield. In the decades past I would just take my glasses off and throw them in the tank bag until the weather warmed or the ride was done. Now my eye sight is bad enough I can't afford to ditch the glasses and have to crack the shield open which is not ideal at the colder temps.
 

MidTNJasonF

Premier Member
#13
When it my glasses start fogging, I use Cat Crap and it works reasonably well (see link in my post above).
I am sure I could go look but to your knowledge is the Cat Crap safe for coatings on polycarbonate lenses? Mine have an anti glare and anti scratch coating and I have a back up pair with a blue light (screen/computer monitor) coating.
 

Jim Craig

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#14
I am sure I could go look but to your knowledge is the Cat Crap safe for coatings on polycarbonate lenses? Mine have an anti glare and anti scratch coating and I have a back up pair with a blue light (screen/computer monitor) coating.
I use it on my lenses and they have an anti-glare coating, although they are glass lenses. The manufacturer says it's safe for all lenses.
 

ibafran

Well-Known Member
#15
I thought that the Pin-lock was damn good BUT it is very soft and easily scratched if great care is not taken when cleaning it.

The cheapskate fix is ordinary soft bar soap or dishwashing liquid. Rub the bar soap inside the visor and on both sides of one's glasses. Polish the soap with a dry soft cloth until the lens is clear. If using liquid soap, apply a small amount of liquid dish soap smearing it around with fingertips and let it dry then polish with a dry cloth. The soap works well if you don't touch it after polishing. When the lenses get dirty and have to be cleaned, the soap will wash off with the cleaning and have to be reapplied to regain the anti-fogging property. As per usual, one should test for effect before riding the first time using soap.

I have found no specialized product like Blaze, Cat-Crap, et al to perform any better than ordinary soap.

Skin/Scuba divers wet their lenses and then spit saliva on them. Using fingertips, the saliva is smeared over the lenses and rinsed away. No drying towel is used as the water tends to sheet off well enough. While I have done this with my glasses to great effect, I have not tried it with a helmet visor yet.

your mileage may vary,
fran
 

Stephen!

Flivver Flyer
Premier Member
IBA Member
IBR Finisher
#16
Skin/Scuba divers wet their lenses and then spit saliva on them.
Started SCUBA diving in the 80s. Tried a few commercial elixirs over the years but was never able to find anything better than cheap white toothpaste. Rub it in, rinse it out. Simple, fast, cheap. Works well on the tempered glass in a SCUBA mask.

Do not suggest trying it on faceshields or eyeglasses. It is quite abrasive.