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A brief comparison between Belay Specs and CU Belay Glasses

Glenn Schuler · · Monument, Co. · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,330

sweage dude, once you're a bit older and your neck hurts like f#*king hell every time you're out there climbing/belaying.... $130 is chump change really when you think about it. I got the CU glasses and they work well - I recommend them to anyone considering the "dork" glasses..

Belay Specs · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 0
sweagan wrote:I'll buy them when they are in the $30 range, otherwise I can't figure how two pieces of glass stuck to a chunk of metal could be so expensive. Are they at least made in a first world country? I hate letting third world countries have jobs.
I can't speak for other companies but Belay Specs are priced based on our costs and standard industry mark ups.

As to your second question, Belay Specs are made in Salt Lake City, Utah by me. While we source our prisms from China, everything else is domestic as far as I know. Our cases come from a company on the east coast and we use Sterling cord. We source stickers and advertisement cards from American printers. We have our frames cut locally out of American stainless steel. I bend the frames with hand-powered sheet brakes and custom bending fixtures. After prepping the frame and prisms, the prisms are bonded to the frames by hand using fixtures to align everything.

It's difficult to make inexpensive, high quality products in America and still pay the workers a living wage, especially when the products aren't mass produced by large corporations.
Mark E Dixon · · Possunt, nec posse videntur · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 974

It's embarrassingly decadent, but I just bought a second pair of belay specs to use in the gym. My neck is fine, but once you get used to using these glasses, you miss them when you don't have them.

Andy Laakmann · · Bend, OR · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,990

My wife and I love our belay glasses. I wish they existed 20 years ago.

And I bet in 15 years, when 90% of climbers are wearing them, we'll all look back and laugh at the "dark ages" before belay glasses ;)

George Bracksieck · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 3,393

Phill T wrote: "Been using a pair of the CU glasses, they are awesome. The only issue that I've recently found is rockfall. If your climber rips something off the wall or drops something on you, its really hard to dodge it. you see it coming through the glasses fine, but no one has practiced dodging shit through a prism. the time it takes to actually look up and reacquire the rock...yeah its awkward. wear your helmet! Not a deal breaker for me, but just be aware."

While I agree that it may be harder to dodge falling objects, I was taught to duck under cover, or step up next to the rock and maintain a narrow profile. If you look up, you may get smashed in the face, instead on top of your helmet. BTW, my wife and I love our belay glasses.

John Aalam · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 0
Andy Laakmann wrote:My wife and I love our belay glasses. I wish they existed 20 years ago. And I bet in 15 years, when 90% of climbers are wearing them, we'll all look back and laugh at the "dark ages" before belay glasses ;)
What's interesting is that these types of glasses have been around for decades and only until recently have we thought to use them for belaying.

Check out this Popular Mechanics article from 1960 where this guy had made "belay glasses" for reading his newspaper in crowded public transport.

www.belaggles.com
Sean H · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Dec 2008 · Points: 120
Belay Specs wrote: I can't speak for other companies but Belay Specs are priced based on our costs and standard industry mark ups. As to your second question, Belay Specs are made in Salt Lake City, Utah by me. While we source our prisms from China, everything else is domestic as far as I know. Our cases come from a company on the east coast and we use Sterling cord. We source stickers and advertisement cards from American printers. We have our frames cut locally out of American stainless steel. I bend the frames with hand-powered sheet brakes and custom bending fixtures. After prepping the frame and prisms, the prisms are bonded to the frames by hand using fixtures to align everything. It's difficult to make inexpensive, high quality products in America and still pay the workers a living wage, especially when the products aren't mass produced by large corporations.
Don't dignify cheapskates with such a response. I highly doubt you're going to become rich off those things.

Anyone complaining they want a pair of specialty glasses made for rock climbing belaying purposes only, at the cost of a shitty pair of knock off sunglasses at Walmart, is not worth your time.
CritConrad · · Bend, OR · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 646

I used these today while belaying my friend on his project. He got basically one move away from the anchor and came off, going for the subsequent 25 footer. I noticed that with the belay glasses (probably only my second time using them) I kinda lost track of him falling while i was trying to make sure and give him a soft catch. Needless to say it was too much to pay attention to and a soft catch was not had :(

I would recommend using these things on easier routes with a fairly secure leader while getting used to them. Cause they def. take some getting used to, but I will buy some for sure!

John Aalam · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 0
CritConrad wrote:I used these today while belaying my friend on his project. He got basically one move away from the anchor and came off, going for the subsequent 25 footer. I noticed that with the belay glasses (probably only my second time using them) I kinda lost track of him falling while i was trying to make sure and give him a soft catch. Needless to say it was too much to pay attention to and a soft catch was not had :( I would recommend using these things on easier routes with a fairly secure leader while getting used to them. Cause they def. take some getting used to, but I will buy some for sure!
I'd have to agree. Belaggles and other belay glasses change visual perspective so its best to take time getting used to using them. I've seen some people pick it up right away and develop their own technique and others can't get their bearings straight until they use them a few times.

I think its the same case with autolock belay devices. Some people get the hang of them right away but others can't stop short-roping their climbers until they actually go through the motions and stop spazzing!

In the end its a question of "does the added benefit justify the learning curve?" :-)
Michael Maraiah · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 10

All this talk about the justification of the costing of belay glasses.

Mike's Belay Glasses- $39.95 can be had now at: BelayGlass.com

Your choice...

George Bracksieck · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 3,393

Got Belay Specs recently. The nose piece makes them very comfortable to wear, even with prescription glasses, and help to keep them in position. The temples ("arms") make them easy to put on with one hand. The larger prisms provide a wider field of view. I prefer these to the CUs had previously been using.

Marc Squiddo · · Mountain View, CA · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 15

Might need to check a pair of these out. Cool indeed

Paul P · · RSA · Joined May 2012 · Points: 5

How long did Belay Specs take to ship? I ordered two weeks ago and haven't received anything. I've tried emailing on the two email addresses available and don't get a reply...

beccs · · Ontario Canada · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 200

I ordered a pair of belay specs for the hubby recently. A couple days after I ordered I got an email from them that told me they had shipped. About a week after that they showed up at my door.

In total I probably got my spec about 2 weeks after ordering. Keep in mind that this was also shipping to Canada, I would suspect it would take a lot less time to have them shipped in the USA.

And on that note, if someone was looking for belay glasses in Canada - Belay Specs ships via USPS which doesn't charge the brokerage fees that someone like UPS charges. I also didn't get chaged with duties or anything of that sort either, just straight shipping.

Belay Specs · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 0

Typically we ship out by next day. In the US we ship Priority which takes 2-3 days. Canadian orders typically take 2-3 weeks depending where they are going. Canadian orders have the option of First Class or Priority. From what I've been told they take about the same time but Priority costs more and has tracking.

We try to respond quickly to email if we can but I've been in Indian Creek for the last few days.

Paul P · · RSA · Joined May 2012 · Points: 5

Thanks for the update, Belay Specs. Looking forward to no more neck strain! :)

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

I tried these a few weekends ago and unless I don't move a lot they tend to make me motion sick. So if and when I develop neck issues, I may get some. But for now they really aren't for me.

shadetee · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2014 · Points: 0
Michael Maraiah wrote:All this talk about the justification of the costing of belay glasses. Mike's Belay Glasses- $39.95 can be had now at: BelayGlass.com Your choice...
I have and will continue to discourage ANYONE from purchasing this style of belay glasses. THEY ARE A RISK TO YOUR SAFETY! The design blocks out your peripheral vision and you are completely blind to ground level conditions. Rope snagged on a rock or shrub; an uncontrolled dog or child running by; or in the gym some idiot starting a route under your climber.

I've been using belayspecs for 1.5yrs now. I saw a guy with CUs at the gym, and I went about investigating. Found this thread and opted to try belayspecs. In my own direct comparison, I did prefer the CUs. A more polished look, a little lighter, both functionally great. I would be willing to pay $10 more for CUs, but at the current price difference I still recommend belayspecs.

I also strongly believe the flexible steel frames to be the ideal construction. It responds very well to impacts; having taken a few climbers to the head during falls. Belaggles feel pretty durable and could probably stand up to most hits; though maybe leave a minor bruise on the side of your face. Mike's glasses look like they would snap like a twig on such a collision.

I expect CUs and belayspecs to survive beyond the climbing life of most of their owners; making them great investments. Having worn corrective glasses for over 20 years, I would not expect any arm-hinge design to last as long.
brucy · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 672

I'd like to make some points on the investment in belay glasses based on experience.

I had been using CU's for 2 years til the prisms took such a beating from rocks hitting them, being dropped on the way to putting them away in their case, loaning them out to people who didn't know to use the keeper cord, whatever. Eventually, the prisms got to the point where there was so many scratches and chips that interfered with vision- I simply wore them out. At $160 a pop, well, I didn't much like the arithmetic. True, the temples lasted just fine, tho that's not what really wears on belay glasses.

2.5 years ago I decided to try Mike's because, quite frankly, they were so much less money. Also, they were the only other glasses out there then. Here's what I found then and since. All belay glasses require looking around the prisms, and, to some extent, around the frames and arms. It's a skill that you learn when you get your CU's, Belay Specs, Belaggles, or Mike's- this isn't guesswork here, I've used them all. Blind to ground level conditions? I haven't had any problems with that at all, you just tilt your head a little and look underneath- duh.

Another thing I've found. The more you spend for belay glasses- I agree- the lighter the package seems (mostly because the prisms are smaller) and the added bonus of being able to wear other glasses on top of them if you need- I don't so this is a nonstarter for me. The Mike's I've used have been thru the wars. The prisms are starting to get chipped, but not yet to the point that I can't see using them another year or so (maybe it's the sheer size of the prisms, I don't know). The hinges and arms have been blasted, and yes "impacted", and show no problems. So I don't know what "actual" experience others have had with them, but this has been mine.

Something else to note. I climb an average of some 240 days a year; virtually every climb, the glasses are used. That's an awful lot of pitches and use.
So, my point seems to be is this, if you expect that the service life of belay glasses will outlive the climbing life of their owner's- I've got another think for you on this point. Based on experience and that of my friends, I really wouldn't expect to get more then 3-4 years worth of use from any glasses.

chuffnugget · · Bolder, CO · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 0

^+1, i ve used mikes for over a year several times a week.

Great value so I'm not stressing over their safety at the crag like an uncased ifon or a baby. I'd be a wreck with $120 glass.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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