Can You Go Go-Karting with Glasses?

Many of us don’t have a 6/6 vision, which means that eyeglasses are needed. While my vision is still great, I have to admit that I can’t leave the house without my favorite pair of sunglasses. Still, eyeglasses are more popular than ever, and they can be your worst nightmares in certain situations when they start fogging up. So, what happens when you want to go go-karting, but you need to wear your eyeglasses? Will you be able to wear them?

The answer is yes; you can wear your glasses in a go-kart race. They’ll have to fit your face nicely, though, and you’ll need to wear them correctly so that you stay safe and have a good time. I’ve included everything you need to know about wearing glasses and go-karting below.

So, how about we start with the basics and learn how to correctly wear your glasses when in a go-kart?

Can You Wear Glasses with a Helmet?

For safety reasons, you’ll have to wear a helmet from the moment you enter until you exit a go-kart. Thankfully, the go-kart tracks on which I’ve been karting have always provided me with a helmet.

The necessity of a helmet raises the question of what process you should follow when putting on your helmet if you’re wearing glasses. I can tell you that if you don’t follow the steps correctly, you’ll most likely bend or even break your eyeglasses frames.

So, before you put on your helmet, you’ll need to take off your glasses. The helmet is reasonably tight on your head, meaning that your eyeglasses are history if you keep them on. But, you can easily wear it by just sliding it on your head.

Once you’ve put on the helmet, you’ll need to open its visor. Most helmets come with a visor for safety purposes, but some may be open-faced. Either way, you’ll now be prompted to wear your eyeglasses again.

This part is a little tricky. You’ll need to adjust your glasses so that they don’t feel too tight around your head. But, you’ll have to be careful that the frame, especially if it’s slim, doesn’t get too pressed by the helmet; otherwise, it might get bent.

If you want to race multiple times in a session, keep in mind that the g-forces won’t only hurt your arms but also your temples. That’ll happen because of the pressure from the eyeglasses and the helmet. If you feel any significant pain in your head, you should take a 5-minute break.

That being said, once you’ve put on your glasses and you’re ready to race, you’ll almost immediately face another issue. Your eyeglasses are fogging up, and you can’t see the track clearly! 

How To Prevent Fog On the Glasses?

I think that we’ve all had our glasses fog up because of the face masks that we have to wear. The same happens when you wear a helmet, as any motorcycle enthusiast will tell you.

However, there are numerous ways that can prevent your glasses from fogging up. I’ve added the four most common solutions for fog on the eyeglasses in the table below.

Out of the four products, the best one has to be the anti-fog liquid. Compared to the other products, the only issue is that you’ll need to apply it often (i.e., before a session). But it’s pretty effective and affordable.

The worst one is by far the anti-fog lenses. It’ll cost you the same as buying a new pair of eyeglasses and isn’t more effective than the other options. Plus, you’ll need to reapply an anti-fog liquid on the lenses regularly so that they stay effective.

That being said, as is true with everything, there are a few DIY ways to prevent your glasses from fogging up. The most effective one is washing your eyeglasses’ lenses with soapy water. The soap particles will remain on the lenses, thus making them less likely to fog.

But, there are also some which are less effective. Namely, vinegar and toothpaste tend to destroy the lenses’ coating. This makes them vulnerable to scratches and glare. Another method to stay away from is saliva because it doesn’t stop fog from accumulating on the lenses… plus it’s unhygienic.

Then again, contact lenses are becoming the norm for anyone who has vision problems. So, are contacts better than glasses when you go go-karting?

Is It Possible To Go Go-Karting with Contact Lenses?

Contact lenses are much more comfortable when wearing a helmet. You won’t have a frame squeezing against your head through every corner.

Thankfully, you can wear contact lenses when you go go-karting. However, they can dry out quickly because of the wind coming into your eyes while you are at high speed on the go-kart course. 

Many karting fans who wear glasses have mentioned that the peripheral vision when you wear contacts is much better. But, it all comes down to what you prefer. I’d personally opt for the contact lenses since I’d be able to take a better look at my opponents as I fly past them.

That’s all I had to say about going go-karting and wearing glasses. I’d suggest you try karting with eyeglasses, contact lenses, and without any eyewear to see what fits you best. 

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