Swim Goggles

[Hooknswoop 19]

Don't use swim goggles for skydiving. When you put them on ion the plane at altitude, the air pressure inside the googles is less than that of ground level, almost 1/2. (I think 18,000 ft is 1/2 an atmosphere.) The goggles seal around your eyes and when you land the pressure inside the goggles is less than surrounding air pressure and the googles will be sucked onto your face. As you pull to get them off, you decrease the pressure in the goggles and pops the blood vessels in your eyes (turning the whites of your eyes red) and around your eyes (giving you black eyes). In SCUBA diving this is called mask squeeze and I saw a case of mask squeeze recently and it was hilarious. The poor guy looked like Marlyn Manson. I haven't actually seen someone jump with swim goggles, but I did stop someone from trying it when they couldn't find their skydiving googles. If anyone has more information or can explain it better, it would be appreciated.

(mental note google: 1x10 exp 100, goggle:the eye covering glasses thingys
Hook

[Jimbo 0]

More on the goggles thread, although not related to swim goggles.

I see a lot of people jumping with the 'cool' goggles, ones like these:

Blaze
http://www.sunshine-factory.com/cgi-bin/data/db.cgi?db=sf&uid=default&view_records=1&ID=1136

Peerser "Extreme" Goggles
http://www.sunshine-factory.com/cgi-bin/data/db.cgi?db=sf&uid=default&view_records=1&ID=2673

Torsan
http://www.sunshine-factory.com/cgi-bin/data/db.cgi?db=sf&uid=default&view_records=1&ID=1139

While these goggles certainly look cooler than the simple Flex Z goggles
http://www.sunshine-factory.com/cgi-bin/data/db.cgi?db=sf&uid=default&view_records=1&ID=1130

they limit your periphial vision significantly. If you currently wear the 'cool' goggles I challenge you to try one of the simpler, yet less stylish designes like the Flex Zs. You'll see your skydive in a whole new way, you'll see more of your skydive and I think that's especially important as skydives get more complex and speeds increase. The more complete field of vision provided by goggles such as the Flex Zs is also important as we share the skies with more and more canopies, especially given the speed and manuverability of the modern wing.

Stay safe.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[rgoper 0]

Hook:

i wonder if fins could help you track better? maybe steer better?

--Richard--
"We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

[Scoby 0]

What about those Sorz ones on that same site? They look as if they wouldn't affect peripheral vision the way those other ones do. I'm going to purchase a helmet and goggles in the near future. I was just going to get some of the cool ones, because the students ones look pretty gimpy, especially in combination with the Pro-Tec. I hadn't even pondered the visibility issue. Also, what is your feeling on dark or black goggles?

[Jimbo 0]

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Also, what is your feeling on dark or black goggles?

I think they're fine, just be sure you have another pair, clear or yellow, for sunset and other conditions when dark or tinted are less than ideal.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[AggieDave 6]

I've jumped Sorz before, they are great for periphial vision.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[quade 4]

Sorz are great except the foam-seal-stuff would wear out on mine after about 100 jumps.

Clear Torsans are my current favorite, but contrary to the above posts they don't make me look "cool". They make me look like a total geek.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[drenaline 0]

>I haven't actually seen someone jump with swim goggles,

I think that in the movie Point Break one of them was jumping with a SCUBA mask and fins.

You are correct on everything you said about the swim goggles, thats why in scuba diving we use mask that has the nose part, that way you can put pressure (air) inside the mask preventing that.

>when you land the pressure inside the goggles is less than surrounding air pressure

As you fall the outside air pressure increases releasing the air inside the goggles making it a better seal (like the bags that are sealed with suction), at this time cause of the fast fall rate and pressure increase you can pop the blood vessels, but most prolly he/she will never feel it but will have a nasty marilyn manson look.

Like its air tight sealed the best way to take them off (if you are crazy enough to use them) is to let air inside the goggles before trying to take them out, or else you might get injured very badly if you pull them off with all your might (try to imagine it).

and you might get a good 12K freefall fog, no air in means no way to defog.

But thats only words and theory, we need a test subject to see how close to the truth me and the books are.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

Sorz are great except the foam-seal-stuff would wear out on mine after about 100 jumps.

Clear Torsans are my current favorite, but contrary to the above posts they don't make me look "cool". They make me look like a total geek.

Thanks for the info. Can the Torsans be made with prescription lenses as well?

ltdiver
Oh..btw, you'd look 'cool' in -anything- you wear.

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[ernokaikkonen 0]

>Don't use swim goggles for skydiving.

Actually. I do. I was trying to find a reasonably priced pair of goggles with prescription lenses, and the swimming ones were the only ones that fit snugly enough(Not letting any air in from the sides). I anticipated the pressure problem, and simply drilled small holes on the sides of the lenses before the first jump.

I was afraid that the goggles might limit my peripheral vision, but that has not been a problem on my approx 100 jumps with these goggles. They also have a great anti-fogging coating. The cost was about 50€.

Erno

[AndyMan 7]

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They make me look like a total geek.

I didn't think that was possible, Paul!

Sorry. Now back to our regularly scheduled flame-fest.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[rgoper 0]

for prescription goggles, that look just as kewel as anything else on the market go to sportrx.com they'll fix you up.

--Richard--
"We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

[tomleone 0]

Jimbo, Thanks for the insight. Your suggestion makes a lot of sense. I was about to by the Torsan ones, but I am going to go with sorz or flex z now.

Take risks not to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping ~ Author Unknown (but I wish I knew)

YouveGottaTryThis.com

[chuteless 1]

I have used swimming goggles, but I take a small "ticket" punch, and put a hole at several places around the edge of the rubber/plastic seal. This lets the air in and they dont get stuck to your face as described. They also dont fog up

[Hooknswoop 19]

I think someone mentioned it, but you are right, drilling or punching holes in them will alllow the pressure to equalize and avoid and problems. Then they should work very well.

Hook

[councilman24 37]

Quote

Also, what is your feeling on dark or black goggles?

Besides low light the other time they're not good is when someone needs to see your eyes. I don't like doing RW or any training with someone wearing dark goggles. I wear sunglasses most of the time outside, but skydiving is the one place I don't.

Terry

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

I haven't actually seen someone jump with swim goggles, but I did stop someone from trying it when they couldn't find their skydiving googles.

I have, but he was doing it for a very specific purpose...he wanted a certain look/pic for the cover pic of the CD he released. it looked pretty cool, actually, but that's the only time he's done that.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Zenister 0]

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I think someone mentioned it, but you are right, drilling or punching holes in them will alllow the pressure to equalize and avoid and problems. Then they should work very well.

unless you want to swim in them again

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[Tonto 1]

Yeah. But if you are using them for skydiving, a slit in the foam solves that.

Major hazard is lack of peripheral vision. I used swim goggles for skydiving in 1986. They were WAY cooler than brown Kroops...

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[SkydiverRick 0]

Quote

Yeah. But if you are using them for skydiving, a slit in the foam solves that.

Major hazard is lack of peripheral vision. I used swim goggles for skydiving in 1986. They were WAY cooler than brown Kroops...

t

Always go for the "cool points" instead of function.

never pull low......unless you are

[mazevedo 0]

I DID IT! I tried a swim goggle once. I didn´t realize that I could have mask squeeze (and look guys, I am a scuba diver, too). Well I don´t know why, but someone in the plane advised me, and I really lost one jump trying to put air inside the goggle. I took off the airplane, did a front looping and sit. I remmember to compensate and went in a dorso flying, went back to the sit position and then give up (the pressure was incresing) got on the box position and waited for the time to pull. The next day, I bought a new skydive goggle. Well, I own you few bucks. I thought I lost this jump until now that I am sharing it with you.
Blue skies...

[Tonto 1]

"Always go for the "cool points" instead of function. "

In 1986 - In Africa - There were 2 choices. Kroops discarded by a skygod - or make a plan. I did. Peripheral vision is not high on the list of priorities when doing solo's from a cessna from 4000 with round Mil Surp gear. There was no function. Cool was all we had.

t

It's the year of the Pig.