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Face shield wet inside

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 4:52 am
by Zombie Master
Just got back from a two hour ride in steady rain. First long wet ride since spring. Don't ever remember having trouble with on coming headlights due to a face shield getting wet on the inside. What do you do to combat this problem?

Re: Face shield wet inside

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 7:16 am
by SteveD
There's usually a couple of issues when riding in steady rain.
1. Yours...wet inner visor from rain dripping down.
2. Condensation on the inner visor.

My trick is to keep the visor open at the bottom, just a tad, to reduce the condensation.
To keep the rain out, a wide strip of a flexible tape that covers the top of the visor, the helmet just above, and the gap that happens 'cause it's slightly open. The tape needs to be loose enough over the gap so you can momentarily close the visor if required. You need to decide how much you want it to be able to move.

It's not perfect, but it works for a while. A heavy downpour sees it fail 'cause the water gets in from below, and if you close it, condensation destroys the vision anyhow.

I haven't done this for a while...maybe more than 10 years ago. Whenever I've needed to do this, I've forgotten, or didn't have tape.

Re: Face shield wet inside

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:36 pm
by ME 109
'Rainex' applied to the visor helps to keep the visor clear. The water beads and runs off. It's good stuff.

Re: Face shield wet inside

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 6:17 pm
by Garnet

Re: Face shield wet inside

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:10 pm
by SteveD
ME 109 wrote:'Rainex' applied to the visor helps to keep the visor clear. The water beads and runs off. It's good stuff.
What about water that gets down the inside of the visor? The outside is easy enough to keep clear, with rainex and finger wipers etc....but once the inside gets wet the condensation is difficult to control. I use an anti fog treatment on the inside, which needs a regular application. It works for condensation from breath on a cold morning, but once water gets inside, it's overwhelmed.

Re: Face shield wet inside

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 5:59 pm
by ME 109
My Shoei helmet has a device that holds the visor open 'just a tad' which allows enough air to keep the visor fog free.
It also allows any water inside the visor to bead and drop out.
I apply rainex to the inside and outside of my visor.

Re: Face shield wet inside

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 8:16 pm
by Garnet
My new Shoei has that too but doesn't seem to work that well, once up to speed the visor snaps shut. My old Shoei could be left open juat that tincy bit, just enough to make a lot of noise and keep my visor clear.

Re: Face shield wet inside

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:17 pm
by Zombie Master
ME 109 wrote:My Shoei helmet has a device that holds the visor open 'just a tad' which allows enough air to keep the visor fog free.
It also allows any water inside the visor to bead and drop out.
I apply rainex to the inside and outside of my visor.
I have some of that stuff around. So it works OK on a plastic face shield?

Re: Face shield wet inside

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:42 pm
by Scot
Zombie Master wrote:I have some of that stuff around. So it works OK on a plastic face sheild?

Recommended for your face shield. NOT recommended for your windshield!

(Hey ZM . . . i before e, except after c) :mrgreen:

Re: Face shield wet inside

Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:16 am
by SteveD
The rainex sure works, but I've always been reticent to use it on visors with "special" treatments on them.

The BMW visors have these, and I'm unsure if it's wise to use it on them, especially the inside.

I've seen their visors with the "special" layer peeling off and at $80+ per visor I'm a little cautious.

My visor is easily kept open a tad at the bottom, and my previous Schuberth Concept had a lateral design to allow it also. They even sold visors with heat strips thru them! Not cheap though!

Bottom line is, it's best to keep the water on the outside of the visor.