[Closed] Sopping sweat pouring down my face and my glasses

What helmet is it? A Giro?
This came up in conversation with a couple of other STWers recently & the common theme seemed to be we all used Giro helmets. The pads in mine don't go all the way around the front & as such, when they become saturated, they end up pouring all the sweat out down the middle of my forehead & get the same problem. I have a UVEX with less padding, but the same thing doesn't happen.

What you can do, is when stopped, take your glasses off, tip your head downwards & squeeze the helmet against your head to push the sweat out. It's a bit grim, but works quite well.
Or continue to wear a thin buff or one of those roadie cycling caps?

I tried riding looking up this morning and sweat ran down back of my neck.
Couldn’t see where I was going though!
Best rinse my bike as it’s been poring off me this week.
Maybe might use a roll on deodorant on the front of my bald head!

Halo headband.

forget anything else, I've tried them all. You'll still need to do the helmet squeeze and wring out the headband but it does actually work.

Ditch the plastic hat* and get all that lovely cooling breeze thru your flowing locks? surely safer than not being able to see because of sweat in your eyes
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
* not a serious suggestion

Oakley DTR helmet has a silcon sweat gutter thing instead of a pad and works much better than a pad

A buff can work. Single layer, let the long end of it hang over your neck. This not only provides sun protection for your neck but also provides an area for sweat to wick to and dry off a bit in the wind/air.

+1 for a buff here, I wear one all year round when cycling.

+1 for Halo headband, more effective than a buff for my industrial quantities of perspiration.

+1 for the Buff. Tried it at the weekend and it worked well.

They also do an under helmet version. I wasn't sure it worked quite as well as the normal Buff, but it was significantly hotter than the previous test day.

I use a cheap decathlon headscarf thing. It stops the majority of the sweat dripping into my eyes. I do have a gutr but I don't actually find that it works very well.
If you're a cap person I have a mesh cap with peak from chapeau.cc which works quite well too.

I've got a Bontrager Lithos helmet that came with a "NoSweat" pad. It has a silicon strip that that stops the sweat running into your eyes. It works really well, I'm on my second pad after the first one fell to bits, unfortunately the 2nd one is going the same way and I can't find a replacement in medium.

I've just ordered a Halo band to try.

I've started using a cap, which is fine...

Until I take my helmet off and get ribbed mercilessly for looking like a roadie.

Works well though.

periodically face down, push helmet into forehead, drip on floor.. bleugh

A few years ago I bought a Castelli (other brands are available) summer cap - thin, light wicking material with the normal peak.

I don't ever remember using it, but tried it this morning as I too suffer from sweat in the eyes and on the glasses.

Worked a treat. Just noticed they do an "A/C Cycling Cap" now which seems to have an even lighter hat section.

I cut about 3" off the end of a buff as the pads had dissolved in my helmet.

Having it hang down your forehead a bit (and extending out to the vents inside) gives the sweat somewhere to evaporate from.

A 1" strip would probably be enough, and cooler, but the 3" version doubles as an emergency mask, if a bit grim and smelly.

++however many for a buff. Buy an el cheapo version from Mountain Warehouse/Decathlon/Trespass/cheapy outdoor retailer of choice, and cut it in half (across-ways, obvs 😉 ). Hey presto, two single layer buffs, perfect size for going under a lid.

I too was sceptical about using them on a hot day, but then got an official 'hot weather' Buff as a freebie, so tried it. It worked well, wicking the sweat away and stopping it running into my eyes. However, it worked/works no better than the subsequent versions made, as above, out of a cheapy one.

Another one for the Halo Headband. One of the best pieces of kit I own. Essential for summer riding.

I've started using a Buff a couple of weeks ago - assuming I'd have to remove it pretty promptly in the heat - but it's been great so far. I think pretty much everyone has one by now as the sporting event freebie of choice, so give it a try.
I also tend to clean the pads in my lids quite often; icky detail that comes from doing lots of offshore racing as a young-un and putting on what looked like dry oilies for a watch: Salt sticks around in fabric after the water that carries it evaporates. So when it gets wet again, you end up with a super-strong and quite nasty salt solution in that fabric.
I tend to take my bike helmet into the shower with me at the end of a ride and use a shower scrunchie thing and a little bit of shampoo to clean the pads without taking them out of the helmet. If I'm riding two days in a row I have a second, older lid I can use, or I just carefully remove the pads and put a spare set in - although that can make the fabric delaminate from the foam. Endura are great for throwing in a spare set of pads with their helmets. Absolute godsend.

I HATE buffs under a helmet.

A cap is the answer but none of this technical fabric nonsense a basic cotton one is perfect. And the peak is infinity better than the stupid peaks on the helmet for keeping the sun out.

For reference... A sweaty baldy.

Interesting regards Giro helmets, I get this sweaty eyes/glasses issue too, using a Savant.

Buffs work great, can be too hot (for me), Have a Oakley Drt5 the silicon strip is very good at diverting the sweat away from the eyes.Always used Urge helmets, the gangster pad they had was great,but dumped the stored contents in one go, usually as you were dropping into a set of steep switchbacks🤣

Giro chronicle MIPS here, love the fit but the sweat torrent in the bottom of higher G landings, shoots pretty much always when it's least convenient. It seems to me that the MIPS/ pads/head sit so well together it draws the sweat in to the pads ready to be dispensed. Squeezing the pads out regularly helps a bit but half way down an interesting descent isn't happening.

I'll try a cut down buff.
The halo band looks like a good solution and wasn't aware of the product.

Cut down buff user here I am tempted by the Halo 2, then I watched this

how long does the compression mark stay on forehead?

Interesting thread as I suffer from a sweaty bald bonce. My trouble is that at least once a ride it gets in my eyes and stings so much I have to stop, close my eyes and sort myself out.

On the odd occasion I have to close my eyes before I stop as it stings that much. Not a great idea and slightly embarrassing to go with it, so I too will look into the Halo headband.

Should probably look into why my own sweat stings so much as well !

This is the primary reason I bought the Oakley DRT5 helmet.

I too sweat profusely in anything over 12 degrees, and after a particularly hot day doing Afan W2, where on the 2nd climb back up I was basically drinking my own sweat there was that much running down my face, I swore to find a solution.

The DRT5 helmet gutter is brilliant, has stopped the sweat running down my face, it redirects it to over you ears, and a quick tilt back of your head gets it all running out the back of the helmet - the only downside is for it to work you have to have it fairly tight which means you end up with ridges imprinted across your forehead when you take it off, which can look a little strange!

+1 for Halo headband, more effective than a buff for my industrial quantities of perspiration.

So I noticed this especially when I moved to a...Giro helmet! Halo headband is the answer. I was not convinced; I was sceptical; I am converted! Works a treat.

great to hear it's not just me - the sweat torrent as I 'oomph' through a compression is really quite ridiculous.

Thing is, this has been happening for years, finally getting round to doing something about it after this morning's ride when the second half of a great enduro run was ruined by salt and sweat streaked glasses.

Thanks to Teej for chiming in too - I did wonder if you might 🙂

It's a MIPs Met Helmet currently, but also happened with Bell, Specialized and IXS in the past - anything with pads basically!

Ordered a Halo - lets see

n0b0dy0ftheg0at
Free Member
Interesting regards Giro helmets, I get this sweaty eyes/glasses issue too, using a Savant.

That's what mine is....Savant with no padding right at the front.

I’ve ordered a Halo band.

Big selling feature of the TLD A3 I bought a few months back was sweat routing but, it doesn’t seem to do anything at all.

Probably don’t have it tight enough or something daft.

Petroleum jelly. Smear a band across the top of the eyebrows and bridge if nose. No more sweat in the eyes.

This should solve all your problems.
Sweat Gutter

My problem is I run far too hot to wear any buff, headband or skull cap I have tried over the years. That an my very large head tends to mean that there is so little space in there anyway most options are uncomfortable.

How many drug injections did the model have, to not be in fits of laughter in those photos? 😆

My trouble is that at least once a ride it gets in my eyes and stings so much I have to stop, close my eyes and sort myself out.

I get this too. And it's compounded even more when it rains as you get a constant trickle of stinging sweat into your eyes.
I'm off to look at these Halo things now....

been using a sweat Gutr for over a decade. tried cut up buff, just saturates same as the helmet pads. normal sweatbands too. Just bought a new Gutr and it works well, though they've changed the design a bit so it's not quite as tight on your forehead.
may try a halo, looks interesting.

I use the Castelli version of the Halo.   Works well for me as I would imagine the Halo one does.

Nice light weight, don't know I'm wearing it and, for me, it fixes the sweat in the eyes problem.

I've been using a buff this summer on the MTB and a cotton cap on the road bike.

Almost solved the problem for me!

Sweaty speky bloke 🙂

Happily using strips of cotton sheet, folded over and tied at the back. Cost me 2/10 of sod-all,and has been working fine for the last 10yrs.

You need this. I'm rocking the no hair on the top style and I have never had a drop of sweat venture into my face. Also protects against the sun.
Couldn't live without one, not hot either.
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Castelli/Summer-Skullcap/OW64?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&co=GBR&cu=GBP&glCountry=GB&id=1161504&ds_eid=700000001845766&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=UK_EN_Profit_Google_Shopping_All+Users_Brand_All+Products_Mobile&ds_cid=71700000053301088&ds_ag=A_B_1161436_Castelli_Summer+Skullcap_Headwarmer_19+GBP&ds_agid=58700005613312512&ds_k=PRODUCT_GROUP&ds_kid=92700051197502438&ds_kids=p51197502438&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6NmHBhD2ARIsAI3hrM02u7-H6wMreSxLwCglJtV32j4ODmuKdgtpaFEkBffg9VF0HOqfx9UaAsnmEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

+1 for the Halo. I've got the headband and roadie cap version. Whilst good, both seem to have their limits in that they eventually get saturated and stop being so effective. Vasoline on eyebrows and outside corners of eyes also helps (me....)

Just glad it sounds like there are a few of us similarly afflicted, and not just me...!

Also tried a MET helmet with non-fabric pads. OK in doesn't soak up sweat (then "release" when saturated), but bloomin' uncomfortable fit...

Saw a "yoof" jogging on the main road yesterday evening. Car read out said 31 degrees. Not a drop of sweat on him - wish I was wired like that

Forget running, I've just had a cup of tea, for which the combined effect of temperature and caffeine has nudged my internal thermostat from 'just ok' to 'TOO HOT' - pass the sweat gutter!

Saw a “yoof” jogging on the main road yesterday evening. Car read out said 31 degrees. Not a drop of sweat on him – wish I was wired like that

15 degrees, running - I'll be covered in sweat head to toe after 5k. Hate people who don't sweat.

The other day, just standing in the garden moving normally, sweat was dripping off my head.

After years of taking the proverbial out of anyone wearing one, I recently bought a cycling cap for a long sunny road ride. 5 hours in the saddle and for the first time ever I didn't get sweat pouring down my face and into my eyes. I've put off wearing one on the MTB but think I might do with this weather.

Protects your bonce from the sun as well, which is handy for baldys.

I use the skullcap that zippy linked to on page one, albeit on the road. I did over 5 thousand feet of climbing in the peak district Sunday and didn't suffer any dripping sweat, and believe me, I sweat for Britain. I think the mesh top helps pull the moisture upwards.

Friend that I raced with made a micro headband (1 cm wide ) with some sort of rubber v channel beneath it.Set at an angle so the sweat would kinda run off to his neck ,he assured me it was excellent. I never got round to copying it but the small headband bit worked well.That Halo thing looks like it would be hot in this heat.

Another heavy sweater here with a Oakley DTR, no longer get sweat in my eyes, when I’m wearing my £15 On-One XC, I wear a £10.99 for 3, Amazon sweat band, and will carry a couple on longer rides.

There are several different versions of the Halo for sale where I am:

Fixed band
5cm, 50-60cm
2.5cm, 50-60cm
5cm rear to 7cm front, 50-60cm

Velco strap attaching
5cm, 44-60cm

I wear a 54-58cm helmet, so any should fit me. But there are three options there to break down.

1) Have it fixed, 2.5cm or 5cm all around
2) Have it fixed, 5cm rear, 7cm front

3) Velco strap version 5cm all around

If you've got no hair like a fair few of us have, having a velcro strap that could be under your helmet attaching plastic straps would be a painful solution? I'd imagine someone with a lot of hair wouldn't suffer that issue?

And so, if a fixed band, being an excess sweat type person, in a very hot environment (you guys may be having a heatwave, but the Realfeel here has been 37-41c in the last week.) Which of the three fixed bands would you go for? The thinnest possible (2.5cm) and squeeze it out during your water pitstops?

Helmet without peak and cycling cap all year round. It works for me.

I'd forgotten how much I sweated until reading this and it inspired me to get my old headbands out. This is an old buff, cut into about 1.5-2" wide strips. I wore one on last nights quick loop and realised what a difference it makes, and they're small enough that you can sling spares in a jersey pocket and have a fresh one for after the cafe stop / lunch / whatever.

Everything else seems like over engineered solutions to me?

I tend to live my life in varying stages of dampness. I usually saturate normal headbands, even in the winter (!) although a full buff when running does work for a while, cut off strips just wouldn't cut it for me.

Just ordered one of those halo's so we'll see if that does the trick. Although might get a cycling cap for road rides as well and give that a go.

I like the Oakley DRT idea and rode the other day with someone who's very pleased with his, but alas I can't see it fitting on my 63cm head when the size guide says the L only goes up to 60.

Do any other helmets have the same feature?

Cycling caps don't go on my bonce, and those headbands look too thick to fit between my head and helmet, although i might try one.

I am a sweaty man also, get issues with sweat dripping onto the inside of the lens when riding wearing my Kask Rex and fake Jawbreakers, I ended up going full enduro and just wearing goggles for the descents in the summer, will flip back to glasses for Autumn, but back to goggles in winter as the cold makes my eyes teary in proper cold even when wearing glasses!

I haven't worn my peaked MTB helmet for about a year now. I wear my road helmet with a cycling cap underneath all year round.

Head doesn't get cold in winter, peak as it is close to glasses keeps the rain off better and in the summer my head is not hot as it keeps the sun off and I have no sweat issues.

Cap wise, Galibier do a large cap which fits my head, most caps come in a single size which are a smidge too tight for me.

Various skull caps here - from thin with a double brow band, to windproof for winter. It's enough to absorb the sweat, then evaporate when you are moving quicker with air flow, but with well vented lids.

Looking ahead, Aldi usually do them in their winter cycling sales.

Just a thought - was the subject supposed to be "STopping sweat.." rather than the slightly more appropriate "Sopping sweat" ?? 😀

Yep! noticed too late to change it, but the autocorrect one works well too, doesn't it 🙂

I usually use a cap or a buff, but have just got a halo off the back of this thread.

Might go for a spin tonight, so will report back on my sweatiness later 🙂

Please report back, i sweat lots and I can deal with the sweat to some extent but it’s the constant dripping of sweat into my glasses that gets me, once a little few drips has happened it impossible to clean them properly without being streaky and awful to wear, and I need them as I wear contacts so I’m willing to try anything

I looked at the halo one years back but never did anything about it, this thread has reminded me to perhaps try it now

I found the solution in this heat is just to pop the helmet off for the climbs, and put a running visor on. That gets damp, clip to waist and replace with helmet on the down. Dry by next climb.

Another sweaty beast here.
I've tried everything including Halo bands and they all give up after a while.
For me start with nothing so don't get too hot then after about have and hour try the head band.

Though recently I just don't bother, no pad in helmet and let it dip away.
If it does need managing a cycling cap is best, not for stopping but more letting the sweat run along the peak to dip further away from my face.
Glasses last an hour tops in summer then just give up.

I have Giro lids for road and MTB, recently had to replace the velcro pads on the road lid as they fell to bits with sweating and washing, took to wearing a cap on the road and that solved things a bit but this last week has been painful.

Also, never put sun lotion on your forehead and then forget and go out riding turns a sweaty bonce into eye poison.

Update: Halo arrived yesterday. Early am ride in very warm, humid and dank conditions.

1) +ve - no sweat down face issues, did not remove helmet once (though not a long ride, enough to get a positive mark so far)
2) -ve - caused more glass fogging - maybe had it too low on my brow and it restricted airflow through the glasses?

from my experience (I need a halo even in the depths of winter).

You need to put it 'too high' on your head and loosen your helmet  more than normal, putting the helmet on pulls the halo down so it sits under the helmet, then tighten it.

In summer I'll still need to take it off and wring the damn thing out every thirty minutes but they're by far the best solution I've found to keep it out of your eyes.

update:
I bought a standard halo, the one that's wider at the front than the back. figured more material to soak sweat, the better.

tried lots of things previously and settled on being a long term sweat gutr user as it keeps the helmet air flow free (steady now) and is pretty unobtrusive.

found in recent heat that the Gutr was cascading sweat down my temples and glasses were getting dribbles down the front where they made contact with it, meaning I'd need to stop and clean them off periodically to be able to see.

First ride yesterday evening with the halo. Oh my, what a difference. yes glasses did get a spot of sweat on them when they made contact with the band, but it was so slight it evaporated pretty quick.

2 hours and I was a sweaty mess, but could see fine, the occasional helmet squeeze to get rid of excess moisture (I know) as is standard practice for sweat monsters, and all good.

What a wonderfully simple bit of kit that works! The Gutr's will be sat in the spares box I think.

A question on the halo...

It supposedly only goes up to 60cm. But I'm a 63. Has anyone with a bigger head got one? How are you getting on with it?

I bought a Halo band on the back of this very thread. Only tried it once so far on a short and not overly hot ride but no sweat running down my shades at all so it looks positive. thanks STW for yet another small improvement to my life.

Funny this topic has come up and has never been an issue for me until the other day and then as soon as I'm going down a trail and especially into a compression, sweat pouring down my face. Odd as although it was humid I've ridden in conditions like that loads and not had it before.

Just exceptional conditions maybe, or I've hit an age where overnight this has kicked in? 🤷‍♂️

Following the earlier part of this thread, I bought a Halo headband.

Lifechanging!!
Really impressed with this simple bit of kit. No more stinging sweat in my eyes. An unexpected benefit is that my glasses stay virtually fog-free. They used to steam up at the slightest hint of a slow/steep climb, but with the Halo in pace my glasses stay almost completely clear.

Great stuff!

(I bought the standard sized, fixed length band)

Forgot to update the thread after my ride too. I also bought one from this thread. Wore it last week on a ride that was about 26 degrees and humid when I went out.

Still had to stop once to clear my eyes but in those conditions I suspect it may just been sweat from the inch below the band.

On the whole it worked very well and was completely wet through when I peeled it off.

I bought a Halo off the back of this thread too. Used on a 40 mile roadie Sunday in warmish conditions.,No cascade of sweat but I wasn’t gunning it. It was sopping wet with sweat when I squeezed it out after the ride. I think on harder working, longer rides a squeeze during a ride might be needed but def better than not having a Halo at all.

Halo. Am I repeating what others have said...hell yes ^^ and in summer for me 31degs is a cooler day

So im a real sweater, it pours out of me everywhere, no matter what im doing if get gets a little warm ill sweat

Im a long term Sweat GutR user (5+ years) its been great, not had any issues with sweat getting in my eyes, i find it comfatable and its nice and thin so takes up litttle space on my head

So at the start of this year i managed to lose the Sweat GutR in a house move (god knows where it has gone!)

So off the back of this thread i thought id give the Halo sweat band a go

I bought the thinest one they do and decided to try it out today

So my ride was a 12 mile mtb ride with 1650ft of climbing at a temperature of 18 degrees

The Halo sweatband struggled lots, i had to keep stopping evey 4 miles to wring it out as it was getting overwhelmed and dripping into my eyes, plus even though it was the thinest version they do the band made my head hot whch in turn made me sweat more!

Will see if its any better on the road bike but if not then i think ill be orderering another Sweat GutR

9c on ride today, no need to worry about this now.

Sweaty bloke here, always had trouble with sweat in the eyes and blurry glasses. Bought a Halo, works a treat. Then bought a new Oakley DRT5 in a sale, also works a treat. Spoilt for choice now.

So after reading this with interest and bought the Halo 2 band last week. Took it for first ride yesterday and I was impressed. Now it was only 20 degrees here yesterday but it still did its job. Only downside was i didn't drink enough as I didn't feel i was sweating but when I finished the ride (2hrs) the band was saturated. Would definitely recommend it also very comfortable.

So after reading this with interest and bought the Halo 2 band last week. Took it for first ride yesterday and I was impressed.

+1 here too, but bought the slim band. Wasn't the hottest day, but 6 hours and lots of climbing and no sweat in eyes at all. Well comfy under the hat.

Great stuff

Got my halo the other day and used for run, only 7k but halo did it's job, the rest of my a right sweaty mess, but nothing in my eyes!

I cut a buff into strips about 5-8cm wide to use as headbands. They help, but by far the most effective tactic is to remove your glasses on climbs and stick them in your helmet vents pro roadie style. At low speeds on MTB climbs insect collisions are far less of an issue. Make sure you wipe your face with the back of a glove before you put them back on.

What’s the slimmest halo one called? All I can see is standard?

I’d like it as thin as possible but still do it’s job as i fear it may hurt my head with helmet as well if it’s too thick/big?

most effective tactic is to remove your glasses on climbs and stick them in your helmet vents pro roadie style. At low speeds on MTB climbs insect collisions are far less of an issue

Agree with this. I also often tilt my helmet back on climbs to have a clear forehead. Before descents I wipe brow and squeeze the pads and it’s usually fine after that. I carry a couple of pieces of absorbent kitchen roll to help absorb the sweat too.