Top 10 Belay Glasses of 2019

This wiki has been updated 15 times since it was first published in December of 2018. If you've ever spent a day assisting a climbing friend at the base of a high wall, you know how taxing the activity can be on your neck. These belay glasses let you avoid having to constantly tilt your head to monitor the situation. They use prismatic lenses that allow you to keep an eye on your buddy without needing to raise your eyes, ensuring hours of painless climbing. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki. If you'd like to contribute your own research to Ezvid Wiki, please get started by reviewing this introductory video.

Editor's Notes

January 07, 2019:

With their goofy designs and not-so-obvious utility, belay glasses can seem like an unnecessary investment for climbers already drowning in gear. But for anyone who's ever used them, their advantages are clear. Not only do they make belaying more comfortable by letting you monitor your buddy without having to strain your neck, but they also make it safer, since a sore neck can be a distraction. All of the models we've included here meet those standards, though some do it better than others. For example, models like the Epic Peak Light Weight and JNW Direct Goggles, though definitely more affordable, come with their own set of flaws, including cheap materials and bulky frames that can obscure your peripheral vision. For most people, it's probably best to invest instead in a higher-quality pair such as the Metolius Upshot or Y&Y Vertical Classic, which, though pricier, are much more durably and ergonomically made.

Last updated on January 11, 2019 by Chase Brush

Chase is a writer and freelance reporter with experience covering a wide range of subjects, from politics to technology. At Ezvid Wiki, he applies his journalistic expertise to a similarly diverse assortment of products, but he tends to focus on travel and adventure gear, drawing his knowledge from a lifetime spent outdoors. He’s an avid biker, hiker, climber, skier, and budget backpacker -- basically, anything that allows him a reprieve from his keyboard. His most recent rovings took him to Peru, where he trekked throughout the Cordillera Blanca. Chase holds a bachelor's in philosophy from Rutgers University in New Jersey (where he's from), and is working toward a master's at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism in New York City (where he now lives).

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The 10 Best Belay Glasses

1. Y&Y Vertical Classic

2. Y&Y Vertical Plasfun

3. Metolius Upshot

4. Crush Climbing Crush Vision

5. Belaggles Pink

6. Y&Y Vertical Clip Up

7. Epic Peak Light Weight

8. Belay Specs Pro

9. Y&Y Vertical Plasfun Basic

10. JNW Direct Goggles

Editor's Notes

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