Full face helmet - sunglasses or tinted visor?

[Bassmatt]

Looking for peoples thoughts on which is preferred and why.
I'm leaning towards sunglasses as I can take them off if it gets dark and will be carrying them with me anyway, but I do like how a dark visor looks

My last two helmets had drop down sunvisors which were great but my new helmet doesn't have this feature.

[Tazz]

All depends what sort of riding you do, predictible communting or just for fun?

After two trips (I'm a slow learner) in the rain at night I usually stick to sunglasses or internal sun visor now.

[Gremlin]

Don't really like sunglasses in helmets, but otherwise I'm often using them. Commuting/city helmet is permanently a tinted visor, not too phased riding in the dark with it as there is a fair bit of ambient light.

Country riding, with one helmet I carry a spare visor and switch if riding at night, as I found you worked harder being able to see less. Better to have a clear visor handy. Other helmet has the internal visor, but during the summer I use a smoke external visor as the tint isn't sufficient and then use a clear during winter as the tinted internal is enough (most of the time).

[quickbuck]

Looking for peoples thoughts on which is preferred and why.
I'm leaning towards sunglasses as I can take them off if it gets dark and will be carrying them with me anyway, but I do like how a dark visor looks

My last two helmets had drop down sunvisors which were great but my new helmet doesn't have this feature.

I would lean towards a tinted visor. A nice light tint for this time of year.... Or a tinted Pin-Loc.

Reason:
Sunglasses combined with a visor can actually alter your vision (Different focal lengths). I had a flash pair of Bollies that I wore under my helmet years ago and it felt like you were 10 foot off the road! Not really a good result.... made cornering a little strange.

Along those lines, with the twin visor systems, many hours of R&D are spent to keep the focal lengths neutral between the two lenses.

[baffa]

Depends on the time of year.
If it's summer, I tend to rock a tinted visor.
I normally ride with glasses so I cbf bringing my spec sunglasses.
It's annoying during winter though, clear mornings then dark evenings.

[TheDemonLord]

I always rode with sunglasses, until I broke both my pairs

[Maha]

Sunglasses can be a pain but it's easy enough to stop and take them off, I use to wear them primarily for when I lift the visor in 50 km area's.
However, opted for a clear visor for the longest time now and since ages ago, I have been putting a strip of black insulation tape along the top of the visor exterior, keeps the sun off you eyes and the clarity is amazing than without it.

I used a tinted visor when I first started riding and would carry a clear in case it got dark before I got home.

Current helmet has an internal tinted visor and I still use the tape system.

[Katman]

Bell are now doing photochromic lenses - darken in the sun and lighten in the shade.

It can't be long before other manufacturers follow suit.

[TheDemonLord]

Bell are now doing photochromic lenses - darken in the sun and lighten in the shade.

It can't be long before other manufacturers follow suit.

That would be hotness on my Shoei - although I still liked riding at speed with the visor up with my sunnies - get the breeze through the whiskers.

[swtfa]

I found it difficult getting the sunglasses pass the padding in my helmet and then had to deal with the pressure of the glasses on my temples... headache. I now have a helmet with internal tinted visor - noice

[Ender EnZed]

If you already have a decent pair of sunglasses (that fit comfortably under your helmet) then the only advantage of a tinted visor is that you look a bit better. Which will almost certainly only be noticed by you, and other men who are thinking about whether a tinted visor might make them look better.

[pritch]

I don't like wearing sunglasses under a helmet so I have a different visor fitted each to helmet. Sort of, look at the weather, pick a helmet.

Before I had this option though I used to be a fan of these: http://www.helmetsunblocker.com/

I have posted about these before and some KBers* who seem obsessed with reinventing the wheel start talking about using insulation tape etc etc. Never mind that you can't see through insulation tape.

These things work, they are not expensive, and you can change it from visor to visor. It sticks to the inside of the visor with a mixture of dishwashing liquid and water.
Normally you look under it but if you get sun in your eyes you just dip your head.

If you have an Arai you need the Arai Sunblocker which has cutouts for the brow vents otherwise it's pretty much one size fits all.




*Sorry Maha.

[caspernz]

Internal sun visor works for me. Now I no longer have a butler to follow me around with spare visors etc this is the most sensible option...

Once the development of the photochromatic thingemeebob is reliable and in full production this will be worth a crack.

[baffa]

Bell are now doing photochromic lenses - darken in the sun and lighten in the shade.

It can't be long before other manufacturers follow suit.

Shoei (and others probably) sell a visor with graduated tinting.
Quite handy. Completely clear at the bottom, and a dark tint at the top.

[Swoop]

Both. Tinted visor and sunnies. That's my default setup.

Also a pair of clear wrap-around glasses* for foggy mornings or nights. The clear visor is rarely used.



* Go to your local NZ Safety shop, they have a good selection of clear wrap's.