I’m such a luger…

Sure, the Winter Olympic games in Sochi, Russia ended four months ago, but that doesn’t mean I still don’t groove on the whole winter sports thing. In fact, a recent safety purchase I recently made has me thinking about one of the most death-defying sports of the entire spectacle – the luge.

A luge mask

You remember the luge, don’t you? The sport where male or female drivers sit on an unnervingly small sled and side down a twisting course at breakneck speeds while wearing spandex and just a tiny helmet? Oh, and on that tiny helmet, they have a very futuristic looking visor that helps improve their aerodynamics and keeps the wind off their faces.

It's the mask!

Well, this past Father’s Day, my wife and sons presented me with a Full Face Safety Visor from Infinity Cutting Tools, and I think I may finally be in love with my eye protection. This baby is something else. Traditionally, full face safety shields have been standard issue for turners for years, but they have normally been held on the head by means of a headband, making them a little uncomfortable to wear.

Not this. It’s a lightweight design that is held on through a pair of standard ear arms like you would find on a normal pair of glasses. Oh, did I mention glasses, as in I can wear my prescription glasses under the visor while in the shop? Or a dust mask as well?

Coated with an anti-fog layer, I have yet to get these babies to fog up. And, that’s with me panting in my hot Florida shop, which normally has my regular safety glasses totally hazed over.

I really like how they don’t affect my vision at all. I can look anywhere and there’s no distortion whatsoever. They also protect my entire face, so there’s less of a chance of me catching something in the chin or a cheek, causing a disfiguring accident. Hey, I don’t get paid at work for my good looks, so I need all the help I can get!

I’d be lying if I said I never saw these before. Just this past March, my son Steven wore a set of them while turning his first pen. So, he was definitely feeling the love back then. I was intrigued back at the Tampa Fairgrounds, and I’m glad I have my very own for woodworking.

Peeking out the microfiber bag

Another great thing about this visor is that it comes with a microfiber cloth bag to store it in. This helps keep the surface from getting scratched up, but also serves as a great cleaning cloth in case I get finger smudges on it.

Simple to use. Lightweight. Full face protection. I may look like a luger, but this visor makes me feel like a big time winner, baby!

2 thoughts on “I’m such a luger…”

  1. I like it, but I’m going to have to stay with my 3M full face shield for about 1/3rd of the price.
    The 3M one also affords some forehead protection.

  2. I like full-face shields. Got one for free (slightly used) from the dentist’s office years ago. Clips onto glasses like yours does. I still prefer regular safety glasses for most of my dangerous work, though — I don’t wear corrective lenses, so I have the luxury of not worrying about how something works with my glasses.

    cl

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