Hi folks,

I'm about to get back into wearing contacts, and find that I need a mirror to put them in.

Any MYOG / cheap purchase ideas for a small hand mirror which is light and not made of glass ?

Thanks in advance, Jules.

Carry a compass with a sighting mirror. Works for emergency signaling too.

Coghlans makes a $2 acrylic mirror.

Dimensions (W x H): 2.75" x 4.25" Weight: 0.5 oz.

If that's too big, you can cut it down to any size you like because it's plastic.

That's what I did--got the Coghlan's mirror, cut the end with the hole so it was 1/2 the original length, tied on a piece of really thin Spectra cord that I got from ZPacks a couple years ago so I can hang it up. 0.3 oz. I heated the blade of a cheap knife to do the cutting. I probably could have cut it smaller.

I haven't yet figured out how to floss around my bridgework without looking at what I'm doing. I've spent far too many $K at the dentist to neglect dental hygiene!

Edited by hikinggranny on 09/26/2010 16:57:06 MDT.

> Carry a compass with a sighting mirror. Works for emergency signaling too.

Ditto.

Coincidentally, a Silva Field 26 arrived in the post this morning, to replace my old one which has developed a bubble too big to ignore, after many years service.

The mirror is about the size of that in a powder compact.

Edited by captain_paranoia on 09/27/2010 11:35:03 MDT.

Years ago I wore contacts and used a contact lense case which came with a little mirror attached to one of the caps. The mirror was maybe an inch in diameter and had some curvature so as to make your eye look bigger. Similar cases are probably still available. I no longer wear contacts but I still carry the little mirrored cap as my only mirror. If you go solo you need to be able to remove something from your eye of course.

I use a small mirror that came with my record player years ago. It was meant to be used for aligning the cartridge cantilever. It measures about 1 x 1.5 inch.

Edited by osaether on 09/27/2010 13:34:02 MDT.

Thanks all, it's given me a few things to think about.

http://hikelight.com/acc_misc.html

Scroll about half way down the page

Okay, before you judge me and scoff...I sometimes hike with my girlfriend. She loves the outdoors, but has not accepted the hat/buff look and she INSISTS on brushing her hair in the morning. Of course, I don't argue. =)

We purchased a tiny round brush at WalMart for $1. It was in the travel needs section, along with the travel size soaps, etc. Anyhow, it is about the size of a small makeup compact. It folds up flat. when unfolded, the bristles pop out and the handle is a round mirror. I don't know the weight, but it is not much at all. Maybe an ounce. Maybe less.

The ONLY justification I could muster was that it was multi purpose and small.

Certainly not as small and light as the Coghlan's mirror trimmed, but useful and it keeps her happy.

I used to have a brush like that. It's a great piece of equipment.

The Sun Company Feather weight mirror is the lightest, thinnest (actually flexible) mirror that I have been able to find; much lighter than the Coughlans at 0.30 ounces. I've used mine for 7 seasons now with no damage. I recently found them at HermitsHut.com, but the company website at http://www.suncompany.net/productDetail.php?stockNumber=530 also shows them. Buy extras as I've heard they've been discontinued.

I work for a glass wholesale company and we carry a bunch of thicknesses of mirror. I currently use a 3x3 inch square of 1/16" thick glass mirror. I covered the back with clear packing tape so if it gets broken, it wont leave shards of glass everywhere. It weighs well under an ounce. I would be happy to send you one for free if you wanna try it out.

I was just at the store, and noticed a small mirror intended for a parakeet - small, light, and cheap.