the Costco readers (Desgin Optices) are very light- 0.3 oz, but their case is not- 1.2 oz

I've been looking for a light case, in the meantime I've been wrapping them w/ a small optic cleaning cloth and a rubber band 0.1 oz- handy to clean my sunglasses as well, but not overly protective- albeit they are relatively hardy glasses

Edited by mtwarden on 08/15/2009 21:02:38 MDT.

They are a single piece of plastic with a springy bridge so that they clip on to your nose. Not that badly really, just wouldn't wear them on a first date.

They are designed to fit in your wallet. I keep a pair in my compact digital camera pouch. Can't see those blasted displays w/o them. I think youngsters shouldn't be allowed to design cameras. Only old folks like me.

^ looks like these might be what your talking about- look pretty light/compact

http://www.ballbeauty.com/wallet_reading_glasses.htm

Edited by mtwarden on 08/30/2009 11:27:15 MDT.

I just bought a three pack of these (e-bay w/ free shipping)

while these are NOT going to substitute my normal readers at home that have temples, these are going to work just fine for map reading, compass reading, etc in the back country

weight is only 3.5 grams, the little wallet sleeve they are stowed in is 4.0 grams

I'm going to stow mine in a small optic cloth that weighs 4.0 grams as well- can clean my sunglasses, camera w/ it as well

I bought some glasses like those for our trip in Switzerland.
They worked fine in the plane from Australia to Europe, and they worked fine the first evening in a refuge.
But they failed miserably and totally once we started walking.
Why?
Combine sweat and sunscreen with something which inherently relies on skin friction to stay on, and ... they popped straight off. Every time. My wife was greatly amused.
I resorted to cheap UL specs.

Cheers

Roger, thanks for the report- that would have been my problem after leaving my good ones home-

I more or less agree on the "pinch on nose bridge" type of mini-reading glasses that can fit in a wallet. Thanks (and I do mean thanks) to the link given earlier, I also ordered something like three sets of these, and after some experimentation I think I'll be fine with these replacing my formerly "lighter than usual" reading glasses. The ones I had been carrying were in a small metal tube (smaller than normal drug store reading glasses), and are basically normal reading glasses but with less vertical glass. I would have to hold my head at just the right angle and get in the habit of keeping it there in order to read.

In that context, the pinch-on-nose-bridge type aren't necessarily a step down so much as a step sideways. More ~glass (lense anyway) to see through, but at the cost of a less comfortable way of wearing them. Since they are lighter and pack small, I think I can get used to them.

Note that I don't tend to want to use these when on the trail; it's possible that will change as my vision continues to degrade (one foot on a banana peel and the other one ...). But for now, at least, sweat isn't an issue for me, but a good thing to keep in mind.

I'll third I4U lenses (i4ulenses.com). I've used them since 2003. They are about the lightest, most compact and durable reading glasses anywhere. I attach a string and an alligator clip and just let them dangle when not in use.