BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi everyone!

We're about a month away from the start of our Kili trek and I wanted your opinion on contacts vs. glasses. My husband and I are both daily contact lens wearers.

Did anyone have a problem wearing contacts throughout the trek up Kili? Would glasses, plus prescription sunglasses be the better option?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
jen

Hi

I used glasses during my trip and I can't really see how contact lenses could be a good option. When I did the walk I felt like I constantly had dirty hands so I think it would have been difficult to handle the contacts. Here is my trip report with pictures and links http://gardkarlsen.com/kilimanjaro_index.htm . Maybe you can find some useful info there :-)

Glasses better. Get yourself one of them stap thingies that go around your head so that they don't come off.

Actually, if you are far sighted and have good distance vision without the glasses, trying going without them - that's even easier!

I'm pretty badly short sighted, anything more than 20-30 metres away is a bit of a blur to me, but I have prescription sunglasses which I wore.

They were great, and protects your eyes from the UV rays and potential snow blindness too.

At night I didn't use glasses, and summit night being pitch black and really just focussing on where you put your feet, it wasn't an issue.

croakies (neoprene strap that keeps glasses on) is a must

also, I use a product called "katcrap" - rub on anti fog for lenses - worked great with humidity and cold

Haha, sounds funny, I'm gonna rub katcrap on my glasses! :P

Good idea though, my sunnies fogged up at various times.

ski shops sell it... I spelled wrong (typo)...

its available in australia now

www.catcrap.com.au

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

Guess I need to get some catcrap!!!

-jen

Hi jen,

I was on Kili about a month ago and wore contacts daily with out any problems. It is dusty but I also had sunglasses. I made sure to clean my hands each time before I took my lenses out at night.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this too you yet but the one lifesaver I brought with me were "Wet Ones" they are wipes you can use to clean your whole body. You will be absolutely covered in dust at the end of each day.

Good Luck!

Heather