Face protection

[Kaza66]

Hi guys- I know there are a few similiar topics like this on here already. But I was just wondering what face protection load outs everyone uses and what's the best compromise between safety and being able to see ( without steaming up etc.) and being able to aim via scopes properly.

Thanks

 

[remus]

mesh googles, cheapo full face mask lower half, 2 hole balaclava. does the job well, looks well and no problem with aiming(not that i aim....)

 

[Kaza66]

Interesting- thinking of going similiar but with a neoprene as appose to lower mesh at im looking to get (and use) a decent scope. What are your mesh goggles like protection/safety wise?

 

[T.W.A.T]

Mesh goggles are good. The downside is they get dented when hit (doesnt really affect them). I would recommend them instead of glasses/goggles

 

[millermonsterNI]

I prefer glasses. Feel they give better around vision. All down to what u prefer.

 

[Kaza66]

Do you glasses ever steam up miller?

 

[M_P]

Give the ESS ones a go, I've never had steaming issues with them.

 

[remus]

depends on the mesh. i know the mesh on my full mask dented quite easily, but never had a problem with the googles. i know one of the guys at our site prefers to wear plastic but has a pair of mesh as well for when they steam up(finds a isolated corner crouches into it and quickly swaps them, or go to safe zone) will depend on how much moisture comes out of your face making them steam. i would recommend mesh till you find the goggles you want..

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

When I first started playing I bought some proper ballistic lens eye pro and they steamed up all the freakin' time, they were sealed around the eyes though, so they restricted vision a lot and the seal didn't help the steaming. I couldn't get on with them at all.

So I went for mesh.

Recently though, I got some Revision Sawfly eye pro and aside from them not being sealed around the eyes, making me feel immensely unsafe, they haven't steamed up too badly.

Though I think a part of that might be that now I've been playing for 3+ years, I've lost the fear of being shot, so I don't sweat myself stupid as much and keeping your cool is generally the best way to avoid them steaming. That and them being well ventilated, which these are, what with there being such monstrous, gaping spaces around the edges. That's not to say they don't steam up still though, I did have a few instances of it last weekend on their first run.

My overall verdict is that they might stop a 12 gauge shotgun from 3 yards, but I feel safer wearing mesh goggles that are full of tiny holes. The mesh ones have an elastic strap instead of glasses arms to hold them on as well, so mesh wins by a mile in terms of comfort. Especially if you're wear any kind of headset.

For night games proper clear lenses are a must though, wearing mesh is similar to wearing dark sunglasses. During night games I literally couldn't see my hand in front of my face with mesh on, but with lenses it was alright.

Best to have a pair of both for different game scenarios/situations.

As for a face mask, I've never worn one so I can't comment.

 

[jcheeseright]

Ed, for glasses I recommend trying ESS Crossbow suppressor frames, the arms are REALLY REALLY thin and flat so fit under comms (I use them with sordins) very comfortably. Same problem as the sawflys regarding gaps obviously but there's no direct line to your eyeball from any of the gaps.

 

[Ian_Gere]

Woven mesh doesn't darken your vision anywhere near as much as perforated sheet mesh. The only safe looking type I've come across so far are ski goggle types, which are solid and excellent for forward vision, but do restrict your vision right in front of your chest and down to your feet.

Neoprene 1/2 face masks are really comfortable... until you warm up! Then they get hot and sweaty. You may have to mod one or both sides for headsets too, because they have ear guards.

I don't have a problem aiming while wearing my mesh 1/2 face, but then again it's a simple one with no wide ear bits. I must add that I enjoy having the extra strap I've put on it for stability, my goggle-strap and headset + strap so that both ears get covered. I really hate getting shot in the ear! I had to add some foam inserts to stop it rubbing my nose and cheekbones too.

I've been investigating what to do with eyepro and vision aids recently because I'm going blind in my old age. The 1st contact lenses I tried were a dead loss, which omly leaves the mega expensive ones to try - which I probably can't afford to use regularly anyway... but I'm also making enquiries about various types of stainless steel mesh to make replacement lenses for ESS Advancers - SS304L #10 failed the point blank shooting test, but I have more samples in the post. I picked up an ESS RX prescription lens insert thingy from fleabay t'other day too, so I think that if I get lenses shaped for just the lower part, just up to my nose in my field of vision, and have them ground purely as reading glasses, I should get sufficient close up clarity without much steaming up, and even if they do steam up, I'll be able to see over them for distance vision anyway.

I know ppl rave on about Hero Sharks, and yeah they are really solid, but they're not so good for seeing through. The blobs in between the bits where 3 circular holes are divided by metal never disappear completely from my vision, no matter how long I wear them. Also the paint chips off when they get hit and it comes through. Not that it does any damage - it's just like dust in your eye.

 

[Kaza66]

Awesome! Thanks for all the replies. Really helpful. I'm considering a pair of ESS Revision or Sawflys, then a mesh goggle too. Could you seen me a link the the ski goggle type Ian?

Much appreciated,

Thanks!!

 

[Stormhall]

I wear normal viper tactical goggles with a lower mesh face mask and yes it fogs up ALL the time. I've been advised to take out the foam inserts to stop the fogging but I don't know if my goggles will be comfortable anymore.

 

[Ian_Gere]

@Kaza: ski goggle type with detachable brim

Bearing in mind what Ed said about Sawflys above, I'd steer clear. As James said, the ESS Cross Series look better - the lenses seem to curve around towards the temples more than the Sawfly's do.

Russian anti-fog gunk - I use this on my MK 6a Helmet Anti-Mine Visor and S10 Respirator: it works at least as well as wipes, maybe better, and is cheaper.

 

[Ian_Gere]

Just finished making these:

- mesh replacements for Advancer V12's​

​

The mesh is #8 SS316 Stainless Steel 0.71mm wire 2.5mm aperture 60% clear + 2 coats of each of Krylon Flat Black & Clear Coat. Visually it's very easy to see through, does not cause optical illusions and disappears from view after a short time of wearing. Although the technical specs say 60% clear, it does not feel like the vision is darkened noticeably. Ballistics wise it's not so good - it will withstand any BB hit, or at all likely full auto burst, but in so doing it deforms. I feel confident that the slight dents caused by 318-ish FPS hits from 5m can be left alone, or bent back for the cosmetic appearance, without compromising safety, but the larger deformation caused by hotter hits will make them unsafe for further use.

This is a first go at recreating the shape of the polycarbonate lenses which I achieved by making a paper template and bending the excess wire into shape around the edge. It's pretty scruffy and I wouldn't do it that way again. I'm going to try using templates to form a wire perimeter and then cut and bend the mesh wires so each makes a single loop around it. That should make it a lot neater and easier to fit into the lens carrier slot.

 

[Kaza66]

Ia

Just finished making these:

- mesh replacements for Advancer V12's

The mesh is #8 SS316 Stainless Steel 0.71mm wire 2.5mm aperture 60% clear + 2 coats of each of Krylon Flat Black & Clear Coat. Visually it's very easy to see through, does not cause optical illusions and disappears from view after a short time of wearing. Although the technical specs say 60% clear, it does not feel like the vision is darkened noticeably. Ballistics wise it's not so good - it will withstand any BB hit, or at all likely full auto burst, but in so doing it deforms. I feel confident that the slight dents caused by 318-ish FPS hits from 5m can be left alone, or bent back for the cosmetic appearance, without compromising safety, but the larger deformation caused by hotter hits will make them unsafe for further use.
This is a first go at recreating the shape of the polycarbonate lenses which I achieved by making a paper template and bending the excess wire into shape around the edge. It's pretty scruffy and I wouldn't do it that way again. I'm going to try using templates to form a wire perimeter and then cut and bend the mesh wires so each makes a single loop around it. That should make it a lot neater and easier to fit into the lens carrier slot.

Click to shrink...

Ian, they are top notch!! How much? haha. What days you down this month? My herosharks are serving me well!!

 

[Ian_Gere]

Well, the mesh didn't cost me anything because they're made from the bits of a sample piece which I used for checking its resistance to being coated in sweat and spit or rain water and left wrapped in a damp towel for a week, to see what happens in a kind of worse case scenario for goggle abuse - no noticeable effects whatsoever Wish I could say the same for the rest of the sample, but I shot it to sh!t :lol:

The company that supplies it have been pretty good so far though: they gave me samples of 2 grades of steel in 2 mesh sizes each so I could test them and they've just agreed to send me some more samples of #6 0.9mm and #6.4 0.8mm meshes in SS304 so I can see if the thicker wire/larger apertures work any better and are still ok to see through.

Depending on how well these new samples do at resisting impacts, I may have a go at hardening it by heating it until it glows orange and quenching in oil, but I have no experience of tempering metal whatsoever, so i'm a bit reluctant unless I can find somebody with blacksmith skills to tell me what's what.

I'm hoping to get to Skirmish the next two weekends, mate, with my AK's and maybe my SVD. Not sure about my G36 b/c something weird is going on with it - the gearbox fires on semi & full-auto when not in the lower receiver, but only semi when in and the selector plate seems to be moving just fine so I'm pretty flummoxed! How about you?

Edit: oh and cheers btw! Up close they really are a bit scruffy, but as proof of concept, ie that I can make mesh replacements for these polycarbonate lenses with hand tools and fingers, I'm pleased. What is especially good is that there is already an insert made for prescription lenses that sit behind the protective lenses of these goggles (I have one) and I'm hoping that the mesh will provide enough ventilation that they don't fog - at which point the playing field will be somewhat levelled between you young whippersnappers and my old man eyes! All I'll need to do then is get you to wear a few kilos of lard in your webbing and I'll be doing fine

 

[Kaza66]

Aha, aweso,e! Let me know how the others go on too!! I'm thinking not this weekend but the weekend after as I only get back off holiday tomorrow. Though I might head down to the halo mill market and stay for a game on the 31st. I'll let you know once I decide

 

[Lozart]

I WAS using a JT sports *cough*paintball*cough* mask with the 360 Thermal lens in but that was steaming up (I sweat like a pig in heat) so I tried a pair of Bolle Tracker safety glasses and some anti fog spray. No worries at all. SOme minor fogging if I stood still for a long period but as soon as I started moving again they cleared out fine. Bearing in mind this was an indoor game on one of the hottest days of the year I reckon that's pretty damn good for a pair of £8.99 safety glasses!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bolle-Tracker-Safety-Glasses-Specs/dp/B003UGDQ66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375798684&sr=8-1&keywords=bolle+tracker

 

[Shinobi]

I plan on using a lower mesh mask, a balaclava/Buff for tacticool, and a pair of mesh goggles/My Bolle Contour protective glasses. I've worn the Bolle's before (NOT FOR AIRSOFT YET, on hols), but god they never steam! I breathed on them directly for 10-15 seconds and nothing, and wore them continuously through the hot weather in Portugal! (Not even using any antifog spray) They've got some protective ratings aswell, easily withstand 400+ fps pointblank! (There's a vid on YT, and i've shot them myself) Only problem is non full seal, but they'll fit you abit better than me i'm sure

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bolle-Contour-Smoked-Safety-Glasses/dp/B004OX3J70/ref=sr_1_6?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1375808164&sr=1-6&keywords=bolle+contour