Problem with glasses!

[w4p2 0]

I am wearing reading glasses and they are an irritating problem. I need them to read the altimeter
and need to get rid of them for landing because even if worn at the bottom of your goggles, they will
get in the way just when you are supposed to judge the flaring height.

As a student jumper I am landing at aprox 45 deg angle, so optical goggles don't help.

Are optical covers available for altimeters. Probably not, I would have discovered them by now.

So what would be good solution, maybe I should keep wearing my reading glasses, and as a sailor, let go the led line at mark twain on final.

[wmw999 2,584]

You could get an altimeter with a bigger dial. An Altimaster 2 (which can be gotten pretty inexpensively used) is quite large. Then you can either see it blurry, or have it a little farther away and see it.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[w4p2 0]

Thanks Wendy

I have tried to source one. About three weeks ago I even started a thread for easy read altimeters, but so far the only answer I have come up with is a digital one.

My main concerns are the 900 ft, 600 ft and 300 ft points on the approach, after 300 ft I would not need it. On the analog meters, there is no bloody way I can read it to that accuracy without glasses.

Maybe a magnifying tape on the lens... I do not now and it is a real aggravation.

Cheers: JL

[WFFC 1]

JL-
I have an FT50 since the alternating numbers are bigger, easier to read. I would suggest contacting Alti-2 directly (email info@alti-2.com) and asking them if it would be possible to get a custom dial with larger numbers. Anything is possible and, well, you might just start a revolution for them...

-----
~~~Michael

[w4p2 0]

Ty michael

I will get in touch with them. But there must be a simple solutions like optical lens. There must be xx thousand skydivers who have cracked the same problem.

Cheers: JL

[gremlin 0]

Am short sighted. so need glasses to read my alti but have never had problems when judging flare points etc. A bigger alti is only going to cure symptoms, you need good close vision to see signals etc when in fs or ff. Try different size glasses so you can see both close and distance. Your optician should be able to help you the most.

ADAM

I'm drunk, you're drunk, lets go back to mine....

[darkwing 5]

this is pretty much what jumpers with bifocals have to deal with. I don't have this problem and I wear bbifocals. Maybe your reading glasses are too big? Are they they half-lens style? I have seen some plastic, stick-on magnifiers that would make regular sunglasses into bifocals, that way the altimeter reading part would be small, and relatively out of the way.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[nightjumps 1]

Just a thought:

1. Wear two dytters for freefall.
2. Go down to your local sign shop and get vinyl numbers made to place on your altimeter that are a larger font.

i.e, 4,000 - a large "4"
3,000 - a large "3"
2,000 - a large "2"
1.000 - a large "1"

Depending on where you are in your student progression program, you should be learning what size certain landscape objects (buildings, roads, trees) are at 600 and 300 feet. That way you can quit concentrating on the altimeter and concentrate on situational awareness.

[bezerk 0]

Have you considered bifocal contacts? If you've never worn contacts they might be difficult to get used to but the bifocal contacts they have today work very well. I don't wear them but am in Optometry School and have had to try them on and I didn't even notice the change from the far to near prescription.

[PhreeZone 20]

Instead of worring about exactly where 900,600 and 300 feet are on the altimeter start to learn where it feels right to be in the pattern. If it feels like you need to be going crosswind at a point odds are you need to turn that way, if it feel like your are about 10 seconds from landing, you might want to point into the wind.

At about 1000 feet I'll only glance at the altimeter one more time and thats just to make sure I'm at the right altitude to hook it around. If I'm 100 feet high thats cool, 100 feet low and its not cool.

Fly the pattern, not the altitudes.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[w4p2 0]

Thank you for everyone's input.

I guess there is no simple solutions and I just have to get used to wearing glasses and get them sized down. I hate it hate hate hate hate.....

I guess I am starting to see the effects of age. Just wondering what might go next

Cheers: JL

[cloud9 0]

Actually there are a couple of easy methods of curing your problem. The easiest of course is get some bi-focal. Look through the bottom when looking at the altimeter and look through the top when landing.
A second and fairly simple fix might be to look in Scuba diving shops. They sell a small lens that sticks to the glass on a face mask. You can place it anywhere on the mask that you like. It would work just as well on a pair of goggles. It's inexpensive and comes in a variety of corrections.
Good luck with your search.

[w4p2 0]

That will be it. You said it.

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