 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all...
I've got a very nice, several years old pair of Oakley Flight Deck XMs with a Prism Rose lens.
I've managed to avoid so far needing to clean the inside of them, however its become obvious that there's a combination of dried sweat, no doubt some skin/dandruffy type stuff; and courtesy of a young french idiot a few days ago who skittled me HARD enough on an otherwise empty piste to knock the goggles clean off my face/lid and into the snow when I hit the deck - dried water spots from the snow that got in there. (I did the "bangy out and blot with the bag" thing as advised by Oakley, but still...)
So how to clean?
Oakley are very good at telling you what NOT to do (pretty much anything), but not what TO do, when the inevitable happens and there's "stuff" on the inner face of the lens. I've tried blotting it with the microfibre bag, but its not shifting anything...
Ideas please!?
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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OK, some risk but would depend on if you feel the lens is otherwise scrapped and only course is to replace.
Using Kodak Photo-Flo wetting solution (it's used to wash clean negative films etc that comprise of gel coating to hold image) to wet the surface and gently clear any marking with your fingers, not a cloth or any substitute.
The coating will go cloudy while wet which will clear when dried. Effectively you've got to wash the surface then shake off excess which should clear easily as it's specific in formulation to do this with really low surface tension.
Dry slowly, warm air (filter no dust if possible) or room dry to get really clean surface reset to something like original.
As noted, there's risk in doing this as I've not completed it on goggles, but substantially more in film handling.
Hi-Fi aficionados use it to clean disc effectively too 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yes it’s a pain - the coating is excellent but fragile - regret we’ve been very careful and only ‘dust off dry inner lens gently’ with the soft part of the bag. That gets rid of loose detritus including skin flakes. This is what SportsRX says:
…To clean your Oakley goggle lenses only use water and a mild soap. Do not use cleaning solutions. Use the goggle bag or a soft cotton cloth to remove excess water. Never rub the inner lens surface when wet…
Skis.Com says:
f any water has found its way to the inside lens, use the microfiber bag to blot the water on the inside lens, but never rub.
But that’s blotting up liquid water not dry droplet marks….
Regret everyone says ‘argh it’s a problem….’
https://www.newschoolers.com/forum/amp/848816
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@valais2, thats as ski forum that I hadn't come across before? USA based I guess, any good?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Is there anything different about goggle lenses vs their normal sunglass lenses? I've got 2 pairs of Oakley Prizm polarised sunglasses and always cleaned them with the little wet lens wipes or a glass cleaner spray (for glasses, not window cleaner!) and microfibre cloth and never noticed any degradation of coating or reduction in their effectiveness. Haven't tried cleaning my Prizm rose gold Line Miners yet.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I had a similar problem with an Oakley lens, after I face planted and smeared suncream over the inside of my goggles. I figured it was probably toast, so may as well have a go at cleaning. I dissolved some pure soap into warm water and then dunked the lens in for a few minutes, shaking the lens around in the water, but not touching the coating at all. As hoped, the soap dissolved the grease, and I left it on the table to dry. I am still using this lens.
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@SKia Optima, The goggles are 2 layers rather than one, so they have an anti-fog coating on the inside, which I don't think the sunglasses have. My Oakley sunnies clean up fine with the microfibre cloth, but I wouldn't wipe it on the inside of my goggles. You could try the method in the post above if you have smears inside your goggles – obv the outer lens shines up fine with the cloth, like any other lens.
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| Scarlet wrote: |
| I had a similar problem with an Oakley lens, after I face planted and smeared suncream over the inside of my goggles. I figured it was probably toast, so may as well have a go at cleaning. I dissolved some pure soap into warm water and then dunked the lens in for a few minutes, shaking the lens around in the water, but not touching the coating at all. As hoped, the soap dissolved the grease, and I left it on the table to dry. I am still using this lens. |
This is similar to the Photo-Flo, well exactly the same principle but the proprietary product has some element of anti fungal component usually, to prevent ultimately that growth if it gets damp in dissipating fog.
Usually its quite safe to touch the coating once it's wet, but with something that doesn't disturb ( no cloth material ) the coating. Fingers are fine usually, or silicone gloves (silicone squeegee is used on film) but that's usually flat unlike these lens.
If somebody has one to sacrifice it may be worthwhile to experiment.
Liquid soapflakes are available in normal laundry supplies here, but fungal vulnerability may be a risk longer term.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Scarlet wrote: |
| @SKia Optima, The goggles are 2 layers rather than one, so they have an anti-fog coating on the inside, which I don't think the sunglasses have. My Oakley sunnies clean up fine with the microfibre cloth, but I wouldn't wipe it on the inside of my goggles. You could try the method in the post above if you have smears inside your goggles – obv the outer lens shines up fine with the cloth, like any other lens. |
Ah, ok. So it's the antifog coating that requires the sensitive handling. I'll make sure not to use my usual sunglass cleaning methods on the inside then!
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Spectacle-wearers will tell you that there's a lot of difference between the polishing cloth you get with your glasses and more expensive cloths available from opticians. I found that it's worth getting a proper spectacle-cleaning cloth from an opticians even 'though it seems pricey for a small piece of fabric. This cloth is the only thing that'll get my goggles properly clean without scratching. They're obviously designed for the multi-layered lenses on expensive spectacles (I have about 4 layers of coatings on my prescription Ray-Bans, the outer one quite fragile) so should handle the simpler layering of goggles. But make sure the cloth itself isn't just stuffed into your pocket - keep it in its bag to avoid picking-up contaminants.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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But you cant use any cloth type on some of these anti-fog coating in ski goggles.
They use a gell type coating that's highly hygroscopic to absorb water droplets (preventing it accumulating on the surface) then eventually to dry out after use to bring it back into normal range. Slightly damp and it'll feel like a semi dry glue with the "tack" characteristics that has.
They aren't multi coated on inside surface.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I soak my Oakley lenses (including various cycling lenses that are also Prizm) in warm water with washing up liquid. Let air dry until not quite dry and then gently wipe with the lens cloth.
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Well, i buggered mine up. My lovely hu vis yellow that were about 12 years old and can't be replaced 
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You know it makes sense.
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@holidayloverxx, if it's any consolation, they do seem to have a lifespan, even if you treat them delicately. My partner has a pair of Oakleys with the original persimmon lens, probably also about 12 years old. From the front, it's completely crazed, like a smashed car windscreen, though he reckons he can still see. He's not that careful, but I don't believe anything particularly untoward has happened to them, they are just old. The elastic is going too though, so I don't think it's worth trying to source out-of-stock lenses, just start again.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| ski3 wrote: |
If somebody has one to sacrifice it may be worthwhile to experiment. |
I have 4 lenses for my Oakley Prizm Flightdecks, and the foam 'padding/separation' between the two layers of the lenses has gone wonky/gammy on all of them, some to the extent that I can't even get the lenses into the frame any more. So in a fit of rage, I tore two of them apart.
You can peel the inner layer off the outer layer relatively easily. The outer layer is the coloured bit, and is quite rigid. The inner layer is quite thin clear flexible plastic, and simply stuck to the outer layer with some double sided sticky foam.
Once I find some suitable double sided foam tape I'm going to try and repair mine.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Scarlet, honestly they are fine otherwise. The elastic was a bit loose so I sewed it
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| ski3 wrote: |
But you cant use any cloth type on some of these anti-fog coating in ski goggles.
They use a gell type coating that's highly hygroscopic to absorb water droplets (preventing it accumulating on the surface) then eventually to dry out after use to bring it back into normal range. Slightly damp and it'll feel like a semi dry glue with the "tack" characteristics that has.
They aren't multi coated on inside surface. |
So what cloth type can you use, if not an expensive optics cleaning cloth for multi-coated Zeiss spectacle lenses like mine then? Or can it only be done by immersion in a cleaning liquid? It seems unbelievable that Oakley could sell glasses that can't actually be cleaned.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Its probably worthwhile a question to Oakley (Luxottica) but doesn't look like they would answer given general internet chat about the topic.
Looks like they want to just sell more lenses given the above, and more goggles by changing the shape etc to give obsolescence.
Yes, you're entirely correct about traditional coatings in lenses you indicate, ultimately from camera lens manufacture originally, but does appear they haven't used that method/materials on that inner surface.
The answer does seem elusive without their contribution.
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