Clip on magnifier

[east wind]

I believe at least a couple of guys on here use these aids. The ones I've looked at seem bulky and cumbersome.
Reviews and suggestions most welcome.

Mac

[bibio1]

Mac,

Brilliant post will watch with interest. I don't need glasses but I now struggle with fine print. Threading line in hook eyes is equally difficult.

[haresear]

I believe at least a couple of guys on here use these aids. The ones I've looked at seem bulky and cumbersome.
Reviews and suggestions most welcome.

Mac

Mac, I've moved away from the type that clip onto your glasses. They kept hitting my hat brim and flipping down enough to be distracting when I'm trying to spot fish.

I now use the type that clip on to a hat brim. "Cap Eyes" I think they are called. They are pretty robust, having a metal clip rather than plastic. The added weight means you need a fairly stiff hat brim to support them. I'll try to find a link.

Alex

[haresear]

This is what I'm now using. Fred uses these now as well.

http://www.flyshop-online.co.uk/acatalog/Clip_on_Magnifiers.html

Alex

[Wildfisher]

Yes I use those too. Not cheap though. Another consideration is the hat. Unless the brim is stiff it  will flop  down. Not wanting to look like Cooter in The Dukes Of Hazzard I don't wear baseball caps (they look especially  ridiculous on middle aged overweight men  :lol: ), so I bought a new Tilly hat and the magnifier at the same time. It all mounts up.

[Noddy]

I tried the Carson magnifier which clips on to a hat. It was good enough, about £10 on Amazon.  Don't use it much these days as the new varifocals are sufficient.

Jim

[east wind]

Paul, I'm short sighted but showing signs of slowly going downhill. At the moment though I get by threading a fly with these.
http://www.sportfish.co.uk/c-f-spare-threaders.html?gclid=COy9mIGPqskCFRESGwod75sNAA

The blue circle would cover the flies you use. I just drill a small hole through the centre of the circle and attach to my lanyard, very handy especially in the gloaming These are the best I've used, a pack will last me the season.

Alex and Jim, this type looks much less intrusive than what I've been looking at, cheers. Will check them out, do they take a bit of getting used to?

Fred I've also found the tilly type hat to be the best all rounder, as well as making my feel educated and a cut above the riff raff on and off the river 
I'd recommend this one, outstanding value for money
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371013434975?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The magnifiers are for my brother as I'm finally winning the battle to get him back into fly fishing. He has some sort of autoimmune condition that affects his eyesight. I'll be road testing them myself though.

[haresear]

Alex and Jim, this type looks much less intrusive than what I've been looking at, cheers. Will check them out, do they take a bit of getting used to?

Just a  bit of getting used to.
They are adequate for tying on flies, minor tangles etc., but for sorting out bad tangles or anything else a bit more involved , I switch to a pair of varifocals.

Alex

[east wind]

Just a  bit of getting used to.
They are adequate for tying on flies, minor tangles etc., but for sorting out bad tangles or anything else a bit more involved , I switch to a pair of varifocals.

Alex

I'm thinking they would be a help to him for tying on flies, setting knots and quick untangling. Big tangles he can't cope, first i hear the swearing then the nippers come out.

[bibio1]

The magnifiers are.expensive. tried eBay but they are equally expensive and no suppliers from china.

It's amazing how much the magnifying glasses help though. You just don't know how good they are until you try them. Anyway most of the rest of me still works so I won't complain.