Dye i4 Mask

[i3666]

Who uses Dye's i4 paintball mask for airsoft?

 

I keep hearing good things about them, espically with regards to them not fogging. It would also appear that aiming down iron sights is a tad challenging but a raised red dot 'seems' to be fine, is this correct?

 

All in all, they seem like one of the best eye/face protection solutions for airsoft but I want to hear what others think, cheers.

 

Thanks

 

 

UPDATE 17/11/15: So, I have have now been using Dye i4's for CQB since my original post and to put it simply, I find them brilliant. I run around a lot (I mean a lot) and whilst wearing a full woolen balaclava they still do not fog up at all. I have used them in both night and day games with the supplied clear thermal lenses & found them to be fog free, comfortable, lightwieght and protect all my face. The ear protection is good too. Even close up face shots have not hurt. All the components on the mask are replacable too. Just be careful NOT to put any liquid on the inside of the thermal lense of course, and only wipe with a dry microfibre cloth. My only negative comment is that aiming down iron sights is a bit of challenge due to the mask covering the cheek, but a raised sight is fine. I don't tend to precisely aim with irons anyhow in quick paced CQB, so that is no big issue.

 

Out of all the eye pro I have tried, these are the ones I will stick with. Would I recommend others getting Dye i4's, hell yeah!

[Jedi_Master]

I have one, best eyepro I have used to date. Well worth the money. Aiming down rifle is fine. No time to reply fully, use search for 'fogging' and 'prescription' and read through previous posts on Dye i4. There have been several in last 3 months

Edited November 8, 2015 by Jedi_Master

[i3666]

I have one, best eyepro I have used to date. Well worth the money. Aiming down rifle is fine. No time to reply fully, use search for 'fogging' and 'prescription' and read through previous posts on Dye i4. There have been several in last 3 months

 

 

I did try searching for Dye and i4 prior to posting but nothing came up, which really surpised me.

 

 

Thanks for the constructive comments too, that helps

[Sacarathe]

Search wont work with less than four characters. Sucks if you want to know about HPA.

[i3666]

Search wont work with less than four characters. Sucks if you want to know about HPA.

 

Ahh, I did think it was strange that nothing came up! I would of thought someone had previously discussed this too. Any links on the mater welcome

[i3666]

This is a good review:

[Jedi_Master]

I think the Dye i4 mask is excellent and would recommend them. I bought mine on Amazon from BZ Paintball Supplies Ltd for £75 (free P&P), which saved about 25% off the normal price.

 

Their duel pane thermal lens is good, with a clear field of view and wide peripheral vision. I also bought a spare lens (Thermal HD) for the summer so that I can easily swap out the clear lens with one that will reduce sun glare. Yet again Amazon has retailer who sell spare lens for £20 instead of £35.

 

The ear protection on the mask is useful, soft padding which is comfortable and can be removed, and stops painful ear shots.

 

Dye i4 may be more expensive than some eyepro but I think it is worth the money for the level of protection the mask offers, the build quality, and the design which helps air flow in and out of the mask. Comfortable to wear for extended periods and only takes a few minutes to adjust the strap to get perfect fit.

 

I have experienced some fogging indoors when wearing a Fast helmet. This is due to the top air vents not being able to let all the heat / moisture escape out of the top of the mask when under the helmet. Wearing a balaclava and beanie hat with the mask over the top so that the vents are clear works a treat. I have recently invested in a pair of FANZ quick disconnect 9v fans (sold on eBay by fanzkit in Canada for £27) to mount on/in the mask but have yet to install and try them out. Hopefully the fans should solve the Fast helmet issue by moving more air through/around the mask.

[i3666]

I think the Dye i4 mask is excellent and would recommend them. I bought mine on Amazon from BZ Paintball Supplies Ltd for £75 (free P&P), which saved about 25% off the normal price.

 

Their duel pane thermal lens is good, with a clear field of view and wide peripheral vision. I also bought a spare lens (Thermal HD) for the summer so that I can easily swap out the clear lens with one that will reduce sun glare. Yet again Amazon has retailer who sell spare lens for £20 instead of £35.

 

The ear protection on the mask is useful, soft padding which is comfortable and can be removed, and stops painful ear shots.

 

Dye i4 may be more expensive than some eyepro but I think it is worth the money for the level of protection the mask offers, the build quality, and the design which helps air flow in and out of the mask. Comfortable to wear for extended periods and only takes a few minutes to adjust the strap to get perfect fit.

 

I have experienced some fogging indoors when wearing a Fast helmet. This is due to the top air vents not being able to let all the heat / moisture escape out of the top of the mask when under the helmet. Wearing a balaclava and beanie hat with the mask over the top so that the vents are clear works a treat. I have recently invested in a pair of FANZ quick disconnect 9v fans (sold on eBay by fanzkit in Canada for £27) to mount on/in the mask but have yet to install and try them out. Hopefully the fans should solve the Fast helmet issue by moving more air through/around the mask.

 

 

Brilliant, thanks again.

 

I am going to try the Balaclava and i4 combo for CQB and I will report back on my findings too....

[SeniorSpaz87]

I use one here in Florida, at 90*+ Fahrenheit (don't know Celsius, but I guess 35?), and I'm a guy who fogs up anything I touch after 30 seconds. This, I do not.

No fog: check

I took a full spray to the face with a P* ramped up to 450 and only scratched it.

Heavy duty: check

Customablility: huge

As with most masks, you can have trouble going ADS. I can not look down my AK sights with my mask, but I can look down the barrel, I'm only an inch high for the iron sights. M4 irons and standard profile RDSs are perfectly fine.

 

I love mine, and completely believe it's money well spent.

[LordGeorge]

My boss bought one not so long back and he swears by it.

No fogging, no matter the weather and a whole lot of protection.

Personally i wouldnt as i like having a little a possible in the way with aiming down sight etc.

[Sacarathe]

So it works with FAST helmets?

[SeniorSpaz87]

So it works with FAST helmets?

Yes, even with the added optional visor.

[MrMcG]

Following this thread keenly!

[Jedi_Master]

I did have to modify my Fast helmet, followed a couple of YouTube videos fro reference, to get the mask inside it. Fairly simple process: remove screws from front of rails, cut plastic straps and carefully pull off front padded section, remove soft padding from polystyrene part and replace soft padding into helmet and reattach the rails. Effectively you remove the front padding to allow the mask space to sit inside the helmet, otherwise the helmet rests on the mask and there is this small oval gap offering no protection to the forehead. Think you need the FMA or Emerson type Fast helmet to mod it, not the cheaper china clone with solid polystyrene insert, although you could probably remove some of the insert to make space (depends on your craft skills).

 

I did actually buy a second Fast helmet, the type with the air holes in the top (maritime ?) as that may release more heat, however, it did not arrive before I wanted to go skirmishing so I just modified my original helmet. I can still use the dial at the rear to tighten it to fit.

[MrMcG]

Do they all come with thermal lenses? Looking at one now and the buy it now button is screaming my name but I can't see in description the words thermal lense

[i3666]

Do they all come with thermal lenses? Looking at one now and the buy it now button is screaming my name but I can't see in description the words thermal lense

 

 

To the best of my knowledge, they all come with thermal lenses but the color maybe different. I would recommend Just Paintball as they are UK based and free delivery. You can also ring them to check on the lens query too.

[i3666]

**** Just a word of warning people, a mate of mine whos into paintball has seen fake i4's and the way you can tell is there are no Dye logos on them. They did a test on them and they break real easily! ***

[MrMcG]

Thank you!

 

I'm hoping this could be the end of my eye pro worries I have tried the guarder glasses were good but bb got into the side of them no damage to me but a warning. ESS turbo fans but they still fogged... I now have a full face mesh mask which is great but it sticks out a bit so going ADS is tough and well it's mesh which sometimes plays havoc with your field of view

[i3666]

Thank you!

 

I'm hoping this could be the end of my eye pro worries I have tried the guarder glasses were good but bb got into the side of them no damage to me but a warning. ESS turbo fans but they still fogged... I now have a full face mesh mask which is great but it sticks out a bit so going ADS is tough and well it's mesh which sometimes plays havoc with your field of view

 

 

I am the same as you mate. I am HOPEFULLY getting my i4's today and playing on Thursday at a CQB, so I will report back on my findings.

 

Like I said, Just Paintball are a good, honest retailer and I have seen them at Paintball a event and they are sound

[Jedi_Master]

I just had a look on Amazon, and although some are not titled as thermal, i.e. Dye Paintball Goggle, Barrack Grey, but in the description is should say whether it has a thermal lens. There are genuine ones for £90-100. Mine is the Dye Precision i4.

[dex]

As above, good mask, comfortable with good vision. Cheek weld is a big issue tho - in the end its why I sold mine (only wore it twice, then sat in its box for a year). Now going with ESS glasses and a Division 6 lower face mask which works a treat.

[i3666]

So, I have have now been using Dye i4's for CQB since my original post and to put it simply, I find them brilliant. I run around a lot (I mean a lot) and whilst wearing a full woolen balaclava they still do not fog up at all. I have used them in both night and day games with the supplied clear thermal lenses & found them to be fog free, comfortable, lightwieght and protect all my face. The ear protection is good too. Even close up face shots have not hurt. All the components on the mask are replacable too. Just be careful NOT to put any liquid on the inside of the thermal lense of course, and only wipe with a dry microfibre cloth. My only negative comment is that aiming down iron sights is a bit of challenge due to the mask covering the cheek, but a raised sight is fine. I don't tend to precisely aim with irons anyhow in quick paced CQB, so that is no big issue.

 

Out of all the eye pro I have tried, these are the ones I will stick with. Would I recommend others getting Dye i4's, hell yeah!

[Jedi_Master]

To update on fitting fans to the Dye i4 mask to solve fogging indoors when wearing a Fast helmet.

 

I installed my FANZ quick disconnect kit, which was not too difficult. I went for the simpler top mounting on the fans and lead using the supplied clips and cable ties (as opposed to fitting them inside the mask). The 9 volt battery box is velcroed onto the side of the fast helmet and power lead connected to the fan lead from the mask. Simple on / off swith on battery box. The 9v fans push the air around inside the mask and kept it clear all day at The Mall on Sunday, so a sucessful result. The fan whine was audible when stealthfully moving around the basement and waiting motionless in the shadows but was not too loud or annoying, and I did not really notice the noise.

[MrMcG]

Used mine for the first time last night overall very happy with it

 

A tiny bit of moisture build up occurred in the bottom corner but a dab with cloth sorted that it took some heavy hits up close yesterday and no problems I did find it very warm however but this is Epsom underground so that probably doesn't help

 

Very happy

[JohnTEE]

Had one for around a month and find it amazing! Used it 3 times now with no issues.