Best eye + mouth protection

[jaeproductions]

As you guys'll know if you're on these forums quite a bit, I'm a newbie to airsofting that's only recently just joined the forums.

I've already got some SRC Goggles, they do their job and everything, protects me fine, but I do look pretty silly in them.

I need to ask you for your opinion because I know most people wear ballistic-rated glasses (that look really cool) but they are usually expensive and I don't know how much protection they provide.

I'm also not sure about mesh goggles either because I have seen YouTube videos where they are shot from very close range with a ~400 FPS velocity AEG.

Everybody has heard about BBs shattering and getting into people's eyes!

Wearing goggles as opposed to a full-face mask, I also think I should have at least some kind of protection for my lower face. After all, don't want to get damaged teeth either, and I heard a guy sniping got a pellet up his nose because he was laying prone and it got stuck in his brain.

I use a cheap Chinese mesh mask but it's usually a bit uncomfortable and it the mesh is woodland camouflaged and therefore doesn't really go with other loadouts.

Considered just having a shemagh (I want to get a Multi-Terrain-Pattern/Multicam style loadout) but I guess the light material wouldn't stop a round from doing damage.

How important do you personally think it is for protection other than for eyes?

Finally, it seems Herosharks are very good. Are they worth the extra money and does the mesh still provide good visibility?

Thanks for your help in advance

 

[SheriffHD]

well you can get a good set of ESS blastic glasses for £40, which for keeping your eyesight safe, is cheap.

because i am short sighted, i have just spent £150 on a pair of blastic prescription glasses with a titanium frame and transitions lens thats the only reason a person should pay alot for glasses

Although before that i was using a pair of these http://www.zerooneairsoft.com/product_info...roducts_id=5295 and they worked real well for me, and they were very comfortable to wear.

 

[RR01]

Mesh masks are good, although uncomfortable as you have found. They also restrict your ability to get a good sight picture if you are using a scope or red dot, as you cannot get as good a cheek weld to the stock as you do without. Do they protect? Yes and there are a few occasions when I've wished I'd worn mine.

Depending on your eyesight (I wear glasses for distance) shooting glasses may not sit well with a mesh mask, as the bridge of the glasses may sit too far forward to make the mesh mask fit properly, however those without prescription inserts should fit better, but the mask may need a bit of customisation to fit snugly.

As for mesh goggles, yes they should be safe, but I have experience of a young team mate who had a standard BB break up on contact and bits hit him in the eye. I've also heard, but cannot verify, that Bio BBs are more prone to breaking on contact with mesh because of the different material they are made from.

 

[jcheeseright]

I wear these:

http://www.tactical-kit.co.uk/crossbow-sup...ens-10302-p.asp

along with either this:

http://www.zerooneairsoft.com/product_info...roducts_id=6005

or this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACM-Mesh-Wire-Ha...=item3f0c01f995

depends what I'm playing as to which mask I use, if I'm woodland then I use the skull face one, as it's lower profile and allows me to look down my sights better while still keeping all my teeth. The TMC one with ear protection and more substantial mesh is for CQB.

One top tip though, before you buy a gucci looking gun that's AWESOME, buy some decent eye protection. Do NOT cheap out on it in order to get a nicer AEG, even a systema will be pretty bad if you only have one eye!

 

[jaeproductions]

I think I'll get the Bolle's.

Great price considering as the SRCs cost me £15 and the Bolle glasses are also ballistic rated or whatever.

Thanks!

Still though can anybody tell me if wearing just a shemagh will be OK?

Going to Patrol Base today and I don't know if I should get one or not.

 

[Richard65]

If you just wear a sheemagh then I would also use a mouthshield - as they do in rugby etc.

 

[jcheeseright]

agreed, while it may look cool and 'operator' to run around with just a pair of glasses on cosmetic dentistry is really expensive!

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

For me mesh goggles are the only option, unless I don't mind being blind. Goggles with solid, unbroken lenses ALWAYS steam up, no matter what I do and there's nothing worse than not being able to see.

Sure my eyes are more safe, but the rest of me is at risk because I might run into a tree and impale myself or something because I fogged up lol. I've had a BB shatter through my mesh once before, but it was from a 500fps sniper, shooting at least .36g BBs if not higher and I was on the brink of the minimum engagement distance of 20m... Can't believe the nob went for a headshot... But anyway, I'd be suprised if it ever happened with a standard AEG, what got to my eye was just like a flick of sand, you'd suffer worse on a beach. Though I accept that I might've just had a lucky, one off experience with that shot, it may have been worse for others.

As for face protection, I don't wear any other than my mesh goggles, if someone's shooting at me from close range then the first thing I do is shut my mouth and get my head down, then yell for covering fire to help me deal with them before I lose a tooth. I don't ever want to wear a lower mask, or a full mask because I feel it restricts me, I can't aim as well (or at all really) and I can't move as well either. There's also the comfort issue you mentioned and additionally, if you carry water around with you, or any drink for that matter, I find it annoying having to go somewhere safe to take the mask off so I can have a drink. Without a mask you can just grab the tube to your water pouch/camelbak or whatever and drink in your fox hole, whilst under fire, or whatever.

However, I've had a mate have his tooth shot out and seen it happen to 3 or 4 other people as well and it is expensive to have your teeth surgically reconstructed... £400ish from what I've heard. But! I'd personally rather risk it and stick to just my goggles.

I'd like to stress now that I'm in no way suggesting everyone copy me, I'll be the first to admit that it's probably a stupid and reckless approach to have, but until I lose a tooth, I'm not going to wear a mask.

I think more general skin protection is something people ought to consider more often though, 'cos I've never had anyone question it before, but from experience, I often roll my sleeves up and my arms are utterly ruined... Scarred along their entire length. I've even got stretch marks on my right shoulder somehow... I'd advise getting something that's full arm length, light and very breathable, 'cos otherwise you'll look like me, with buggered arms.

 

[iAcorn]

I dont suggest you copy daredevil Ed... After looking at and hearing of the injuries people have sustained from not wearing lower face protection I would always protect my lower face. In my first three games the most common place I was shot were

1) THE FACE

2) The hand

3) The ass

2 & 3 are okay because I have gloves and my ass is already quite well padded...

The reason you get shot in the face more is it is the first thing you poke out of cover. since thats where your eyes are located.

But being shot in the face is not nice. At the moment I run with this as my primary mask:

https://twitter.com/InsaneAcorn/status/2237...4540289/photo/1

It does restrict vision a bit but it offers some of the best protection as nothing is getting through that. It also has enough space at the bottom to fit a tube from your bladder in (that sounds wrong) incase you're thirsty on the field. Plus its quite intimidating.

However I am leaning towards getting a separate lower mesh mask with goggles for the outdoor, larger games as this does stop you aiming down sights a little. For CQC though, I will stick with this as I can shoot people pretty accurately by aiming with instinct from those distances.

 

[M_P]

I can't stand lower face as it always feels too bulky for me. But I wouldn't suggest not wearing it to a friend.

I've seen a really nice low profile one that I'd probably be happy wearing but can't remember wear :/

 

[BrutalLemon]

Hey guys sorry a bit late on this but I found these on ACM's website. They are damn cool

http://www.acmgear.com/raider-gen3-c-230_271.html

I'm gonna get a couple at some point as I love the look of them and they are obviously very well made.

 

[jcheeseright]

They're a solid choice, 100% guaranteed to not lose a tooth to a BB!

 

[Ian_Gere]

I wear this on my lower face:



It started as a bog standard tan mesh mask and was given to me because the 1st owner found it too uncomfortable to wear. So did I, so I modded it. The foam inserts were made from some packing and stuck in place with double sided sticky tape. The main problem was getting the foam to rest on my face without also pressing on my nostrils, which is why there is some sculpting involved. After that, I found that the single strap was not enough to keep the mask in place so it doesn't slip obscuring my vision or pressing my nostrils closed, so I added another and also that paracord to stabilise the straps relative to each other.

Now it's very comfortable. The colour changes started because the tape is white, but then I got into making it woodland-sci-fi-chic lol. The only problem with it now is that it really could do with a good wash and I suspect the tape will not do well in the machine. I'm going to stitch the foam to the mesh and hope for the best!







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I'm totally with Ed on seeing where you're going being a safety imperitive, but I don't care about scarring. I've got loads of scars anyway, including on my face, so what's a few more? My problem is sh!t teeth combined with a major dentisto-phobia. That smoking hole in the mesh probably isn't such a good plan and, believe it or not, I have had a BB in my mouth through it, but it didn't hurt - it must have clipped the mesh on the way and slowed down a lot before it hit my lip.

The advantage of a separate lower mesh is that you can can shift it to drink or smoke easily enough. I've smoked wearing this during a firefight... not one that I'd planned you understand, but I just had to deal with incoming BB's, fag in mouth, and returning fire... what can you do?

 

[Finius]

I've gone for the minimalist approach to protection, I wear basic Bolle ESS glasses and just man through the mouth shootings since courtesey of poor genetics all my teeth will end up pulled by the time I've forty anyways...

 

[joshcowin]

I wear revision glasses and a gumshield,i used to wear just glasses but since a accident i have to wear one for airsoft worth it though im not planning on 2 pegged teeth for £600