Make your own Netspex (Midge headnet + safety glasses)

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 timparkin 22 Jul 2020

I bought a pair of Netspex a few years ago and they've been an essential item for life in the Highlands. Since climbing, I've also seen the benefit of being able to see the rock ripples and textures as opposed to being blind with a normal headnet (early summer morning Glen Nevis climbing).

https://www.tgomagazine.co.uk/gear-editors-column/netspex/

I recommended some to a friend but found out you can't make them anymore so I tried making some myself and am very happy with the result (better quality glasses than the original and don't fog up as much. 

http://static.timparkin.co.uk/static/tmp/netspex-homemade.jpg

The recipe is a pair of Bolle Slapsi safety glasses (£5.50) plus a Smidge head net (£5.40) and I used tent seam sealer to attach the glasses on the inside (put small located marks on the inside to get the position right). I just pushed the seam sealer through the netting around the edge of the glasses and then once set, used a very  sharp blade (stanley knife, mount cutter, etc) to cut out the net that covers the lenses. 

The Bolle glasses are hard wearing and sit a bit proud of your face so you get a bit more airflow. I'm going to play with adding a bit of absorbent material above the glasses to soak up any sweat drips. 

Anyway - they work a treat and I'm making some for friends now. 

Tim

Post edited at 11:48
 ebdon 22 Jul 2020
In reply to timparkin:

I shall add this to reasons I don't live in Scotland.....😉

1
cb294 22 Jul 2020
In reply to timparkin:

That looks brill! I have an old pair of glasses, so I will build myself a version with prescription lenses for my next Sarek trip!

CB

 peppermill 22 Jul 2020
In reply to ebdon:

Oh you become desensitised to it. 

I realised I'd been living in Scotland too long when friends from London on a climbing trip to the US last year were flapping about all the mosquitoes and I hadn't even noticed them......

OP timparkin 22 Jul 2020
In reply to peppermill:

> Oh you become desensitised to it. 

> I realised I'd been living in Scotland too long when friends from London on a climbing trip to the US last year were flapping about all the mosquitoes and I hadn't even noticed them......

Not sure - When it's 6am in Polldubh and you can't see your hands for midges, the thought of climbing and having my face covered the same isn't worth thinking about (my wife is pretty much immune to midge bites, she just comes out with a few red dots. However, she went gardening one evening and when the bites hit well over a hundred she started feeling quite unwell). 

A few midges knocking about - normal, a few hundred on a still day - I can cope. A few thousand landing on you while belaying or looking for the next marginal foothold..... hmmm, nope.


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