Eye Protection - Recomendations?

[Judge664]

Hello Everyone! 😃

 

I am new to airsoft, and whilst i have spent a fairly decent amount on gear as i am absolutely loving the sport... i am stuck on eye protection at the moment.

 

Definitely not afraid to spend afew £ for the right gear, my eyes are the most precious things i have, and i wish to keep them.

 

Currently, i have a set of ESS Advancer V12's which i adore the fit and comfort of them - Removed the foam around the edges to improve airflow. incredibly strong too. However despite proper use of the anti-fog cloth. they fogged up within 5/10 mins of my first game and rendered me almost completely unable to see. Just to play out the day i bought some Mesh goggles on site (Kombat.UK ones) and before anybody says anything, i know they are less than ideal.

 

i do NOT intend to use them again at all - uncomfortable, and before i even bought them, i knew they were not the best integrity, but for 1 day. i took the risk.

 

I want something that will last me, i have seen the WARQ helmets but (correct me if im wrong) the rigidity of the helmet looks as if it would cause me issues when using my holographic sight. However if this is the price i pay for fog-free and safe play. ill do it.

 

does anybody have any really good suggestions? id love my Advancer's to work out but, they fogged up so quick i was simply not able to use them. (Bought on the recomendation of Airsoft cam man and Wasted Space who in his review said he couldnt get them to fog up)

 

What do you use? I run quite hot as i am far from the perfect picture of fitness! i have seen some higher quality mesh products out there but i remain skeptical due to BB fragments / Paint Flecks going into my eye.

 

I thank anybody for any help they can provide me.

[Adolf Hamster]

you could try revision anti-fog wipes.

 

there's a few solutions out there, like fan assistance or dual pane lenses. i must confess i'm considering trying some dual pane lenses at some point.

 

helmets can be a problem, but you can bypass some of the issues with running your sight on a riser, bore offset can be annoying when firing out of cover but it works well enough.

[Uncle Pauly]

I used to use a WARQ helmet, but ditched it because:

• Aiming down sights was difficult without using an angled scope rail.
• The visor took a close-range hit that broke the seal between the two layers, after which it fogged constantly. Although to the credit of the company, they sent out a replacement visor immediately (their customer service is very good).

Just passing on that feedback in case you ever consider buying one.

 

I now use a set of Smith Optics Outside The Wire (OTW) Turbo Fan goggles. Expensive and a bit tricky to find in the UK (bought mine from the US), but they work very well. I did originally suffer from some fogging when using them - then I tore out the foam dust shield around the frame of the goggles, leaving just the plastic mesh (sufficient to stop a BB), and since then they've performed flawlessly (I've read that removing foam shielding is good advice for pretty much any goggles - it's useful if you're riding on an APC in the desert, as these googles are intended for, but not so great when tooling around and working up a sweat playing airsoft 😉).

 

The ESS Turbofan goggles are similarly well-regarded (and similarly expensive) - i.e. they're designed for 'real world' military use and just like the Smith Optics comfortably exceed the protection you need for airsoft (I think the Smith/ESS can in fact stop a .22 round, but "don't try this at home kids"!). I don't have any experience with them myself, but I did consider them before buying the Smiths.

[Judge664]

I have read about these dual pane lenses, i read mixed reviews as to their success.

 

Ill try anything, i just wish to have fog free game. 

 

These revision anti-fog wipes, have you had success with these yourself? are the sprays well thought of?

 

I just found it amazing that everyone using goggles was absolutely fine through the day.

 

I did read about the turbofan's and similar products. may look into this, be a shame if i cant work something out for the Advancers though. 

[Lozart]

I share your pain @Judge664, I sweat like a paedophile in MotherCare! For CQB games I use ESS Turbofans with the ESS anti fog wipe (used to use V12s but had the same issues as you). They work well but still "rain out" from time to time, usually when you've been running about then stop still for a bit).

 

Another option would be the Revision turbofan goggles (I forget the name right now) as they can also be fitted with a dual pane lens giving you the best chance of avoiding fogging.

 

Weirdly, when I play in woodland I just use ESS glasses as there's generally more airflow so they stay clearer anyway.

 

It's also worth looking at what you use as a mask and headwear as these will affect airflow and potentially cause you more issues.

[Uncle Pauly]

4 minutes ago, Judge664 said:

I did read about the turbofan's and similar products. may look into this, be a shame if i cant work something out for the Advancers though. 

 

I use Abbey Anti-Fog Spray with my Smith Optics. Not sure how beneficial it is - I have literally zero fogging with the Smith Turbofans - but it seems to get good reviews.

 

Good tip above about reviewing what other headgear you're using. I use a sealed helmet (no air holes) but wear a mesh mask on my lower face to help with airflow.

 

Ultimately, fogging is hard to pin down because what works/doesn't work for one person doesn't always translate the same way to someone else. So there's always some trial and error involved.

 

I've seen some of the lads using the new EXFOG system, which seems like a good product and can be used with pretty much any googles. Again, no experience of using it myself but possibly worth a look.

[Judge664]

what about those who use the 'Tactical Glasses' ? i always wear lower face pro, just wondering if perhaps these do not fog up, and i could fit up or even create something to prevent BB's launching upwards into my eyes, what kind of success people may have with these?

 

certainly wouldn't spend time on the field with them without ensuring that risk was at a minimum

I should add, Ultimately i suspect ill be going for one of the Fan options, either Smiths or ESS

[Monkman]

Revision Anti-fog wipes...ever since I was given one I have never stopped using them!  I bulk buy them from Ebay and always take a load with me and hand them out to people I see who are fogging up badly on game days....and it really works.  (WOn't stop sweat mind you..but I never ever fog up)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Revision-Anti-Fog-Cloth-Wipes-Choose-Quantity-Required/292007864217?hash=item43fd066799:m:mJ87guBQIMvD33sKkx_Rhgw

 

I also use Revision goggles & glasses as well...can't beat quality military gear. (All sourced from ebay)

 

[Rogerborg]

<them-feels-bro.png>

 

I've tried pretty much everything down the years to stop fogging, inside a motorcycle helmet and then airsoft, and I mean all the sprays, spit, soap, shaving cream, Cat-Crap(tm), and even po-tay-toes.

 

 

The least useless potion I've settled on is, as above, Revision anti-fog wipes.  They don't come cheap, but one eBay bulk order will do you for a good long time, plus you get to be a safe zone hero.

 

But they don't work for me with single pane lenses, or even with dual pane Pyramex iForce goggles - they come close, but not quite.

 

So I use them with a set of DIY double glazed goggles.  This is really simple to do to your choice of any single-lens goggles: 0.7mm-1mm thick PETG clear plastic for the inner lens, cut it to fit just inside the frame, and stick it to the outer polycarb lens using 2mm-3mm thick double sided tape cut into a long, thin (~2mm wide) strip and run around the edge of the PETG.  As hacks go, it's cheap, easy and very, very effective.

 

But...

 

I can still, just occasionally, fog up that combination too.

 

So what I double glazed was a set of fan goggles.  I use a side-fan version:

 

https://www.taiwangun.com/en/glasses-goggles/protective-goggle-with-built-in-anti-fog-fan-black-fma-2

 

But if I were buying again, I'd likely go centre-fan: https://www.taiwangun.com/en/glasses-goggles/protective-goggle-mod-2-with-built-in-anti-fog-fan-black-fma

 

In either case, remove any foam from around the frame to increase ventilation.

 

And... oh joy, the full combination works.  A clean down then a quick Revision wipe at the start of the day and we're good while moving.  Then when I'm standing still after exertion and the fog starts to creep in, a quick blast from the fan sorts that out, maybe just a couple of times a day.

 

You might get away with less, and many folk do.  But I'd rather have the full arsenal to hand.

[RobHedley]

2 hours ago, Uncle Pauly said:

The ESS Turbofan goggles are similarly well-regarded

 

I will second the recommendation for the ESS Turbofan. I have a pair and they are fantastic. Comfortable and no fogging. I bought the set with the 3 lenses (Clear, Yellow & Smoke) which all comes in a protective bag as well. They are pricey but after a year of buying various Bolle, Revision etc etc etc and every single anti fog gel, wipe, cream etc etc I have probably spent more than the TurboFans. Factor in the amount of times I have walked back to the safe zone mid game, stumbling and swearing as I can't see, to only be walking back the same way 10 minutes laters as the bloody things have fogged up yet again!! With that in mind the ESS Turbofans are a bloody bargain!

[Judge664]

42 minutes ago, Rogerborg said:

 

So what I double glazed was a set of fan goggles.  I use a side-fan version:

 

https://www.taiwangun.com/en/glasses-goggles/protective-goggle-with-built-in-anti-fog-fan-black-fma-2

 

But if I were buying again, I'd likely go centre-fan: https://www.taiwangun.com/en/glasses-goggles/protective-goggle-mod-2-with-built-in-anti-fog-fan-black-fma

 

In either case, remove any foam from around the frame to increase ventilation.

 

And... oh joy, the full combination works.  A clean down then a quick Revision wipe at the start of the day and we're good while moving.  Then when I'm standing still after exertion and the fog starts to creep in, a quick blast from the fan sorts that out, maybe just a couple of times a day.

 

You might get away with less, and many folk do.  But I'd rather have the full arsenal to hand.

 

Interesting, I must admit i had seen these cheaper FMA ones around, do they do the job well?

 

interesting that only one side has the fan on the older-style. i too would buy centre fan!

 

are these comfortable?

 

if i buy them, i will probably seek to replace them with Turbofan ESS eventually.

[Musica]

2 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

<them-feels-bro.png>

 

I've tried pretty much everything down the years to stop fogging, inside a motorcycle helmet and then airsoft, and I mean all the sprays, spit, soap, shaving cream, Cat-Crap(tm), and even po-tay-toes.

 

 

The least useless potion I've settled on is, as above, Revision anti-fog wipes.  They don't come cheap, but one eBay bulk order will do you for a good long time, plus you get to be a safe zone hero.

 

But they don't work for me with single pane lenses, or even with dual pane Pyramex iForce goggles - they come close, but not quite.

 

So I use them with a set of DIY double glazed goggles.  This is really simple to do to your choice of any single-lens goggles: 0.7mm-1mm thick PETG clear plastic for the inner lens, cut it to fit just inside the frame, and stick it to the outer polycarb lens using 2mm-3mm thick double sided tape cut into a long, thin (~2mm wide) strip and run around the edge of the PETG.  As hacks go, it's cheap, easy and very, very effective.

 

But...

 

I can still, just occasionally, fog up that combination too.

 

So what I double glazed was a set of fan goggles.  I use a side-fan version:

 

https://www.taiwangun.com/en/glasses-goggles/protective-goggle-with-built-in-anti-fog-fan-black-fma-2

 

But if I were buying again, I'd likely go centre-fan: https://www.taiwangun.com/en/glasses-goggles/protective-goggle-mod-2-with-built-in-anti-fog-fan-black-fma

 

In either case, remove any foam from around the frame to increase ventilation.

 

And... oh joy, the full combination works.  A clean down then a quick Revision wipe at the start of the day and we're good while moving.  Then when I'm standing still after exertion and the fog starts to creep in, a quick blast from the fan sorts that out, maybe just a couple of times a day.

 

You might get away with less, and many folk do.  But I'd rather have the full arsenal to hand.

You've not tried using a DYE mask 😎

 

 

1 hour ago, Judge664 said:

 

Interesting, I must admit i had seen these cheaper FMA ones around, do they do the job well?

 

interesting that only one side has the fan on the older-style. i too would buy centre fan!

 

are these comfortable?

 

if i buy them, i will probably seek to replace them with Turbofan ESS eventually.

The price for turbofans and thermal lenses your approaching the same price for a dye mask which is FULL face so if you can stomach wearing one I'd consider it. The complaints I hear for DYE masks is not being able to get down on low iron sights. This is usually the same issue with lower face masks from my experience and I won't play without face protection so I went all in. Other complaints are they are used by paint ballersnot "AIRSOFTERS" i.e navy seals don't wear them so it ruins peoples immersion. 

 

Pyramex-i-force with revision wipes worked really well for me but not perfect and my mask has never fogged on me but my friend has the same mask and he gets some fogging but nothing he hasn't been able to play with. 

 

[Judge664]

I had seen the DYE mask's but, honestly i cannot stand the way they look, and my face-pro has flexible cheeks so i can get my face right down to my sights without an issue.

 

I have to be honest, if i was going to go for the Mask approach i would buy the WARQ mask, similar to the DYE but i prefer the design even if it is a little more £ - Each to their own ofcourse!

 

i am tempted to give the FMA ones a good go as they are very cheap. if it breaks quickly ill just replace for a better model e.g. a genuine ESS model.

 

failing this, if the FAN goggles dont do anything for me, i think i might buy a better set of mesh goggles until i can get myself a WARQ mask.

 

really hoping some fan goggles do the trick though as i want to be able to use my sights properly.

[Heath]

I've had trouble with fogging, and bought a pair of Bolle X810s. There are removable blockers at the top and bottom of the lens so you can get free flowing air all the way across the lens with no restriction. The gap itself is pretty small, so the risk of anything getting in is minimal, but you can always just remove the top blocker to let hot air flow out of the top. I've had a little bit of issue with sweat, but they haven't fogged up. 

[Skara]

There are millions of threads on this forum about eyepro.

 

I'll give my €0.02 anyway

 

So. There is one thing most airsoft players miss, and that is VENTILATION.

 

Your eyepro fogs because the air that your skin renders moist and hot (lyk ur momz vegena lelz) doesn't get replaced by fresh, dry air.

 

This happens for a number of reasons,

• lack of venting holes around the lens/frame, damp air stays there;
• use of scarfs/kefiahs/neoprene condoms to cover the mouth, they send air upwards rather than away from your face;
• helmets/hats, hot air tends to go upwards and they are a pretty effective barrier, so the air stays between your skin and the lens.
• being a fat fuck like me, who starts sweating like a pig in March and stops mid November

Dual pane lenses help, but they are still affected by ventilation, so are fanned goggles albeit in a lesser way.

 

I personally use shooting glasses and whilst they do fog up sometimes (especially when it's damp), they also "unfog" pretty quickly by just shifting them away from the eyes (yo, don't get mad, it's a 2mm movement that doesn't compromise safety in any way, my glasses have a huge lens) for a couple of seconds. I also run a OT mesh mask, and I found that when the mesh is further away from the mouth it tends to block much more steam than when it's compressed against it. Currently working on tailoring a new mouth protection.

I do have a pair of dual pane goggles (Valken Sierra, a rebrand of these Pyramex goggles) which didn't really work in their pristine status, the first time I wore them they fogged in less than 5 minutes and I was standing still, at the car park, waiting for the others to kit up. I now have modified them by enlarging the tiny ventilation slits and the difference was night and day. Now they last around half morning if it's not damp. Still, I'd take my glasses over those unless sniping (I run a lot less and I don't overheat as much).

[Judge664]

6 hours ago, Skara said:

There are millions of threads on this forum about eyepro.

 

I'll give my €0.02 anyway

 

So. There is one thing most airsoft players miss, and that is VENTILATION.

 

Your eyepro fogs because the air that your skin renders moist and hot (lyk ur momz vegena lelz) doesn't get replaced by fresh, dry air.

 

This happens for a number of reasons,

• lack of venting holes around the lens/frame, damp air stays there;
• use of scarfs/kefiahs/neoprene condoms to cover the mouth, they send air upwards rather than away from your face;
• helmets/hats, hot air tends to go upwards and they are a pretty effective barrier, so the air stays between your skin and the lens.
• being a fat fuck like me, who starts sweating like a pig in March and stops mid November

Dual pane lenses help, but they are still affected by ventilation, so are fanned goggles albeit in a lesser way.

 

I personally use shooting glasses and whilst they do fog up sometimes (especially when it's damp), they also "unfog" pretty quickly by just shifting them away from the eyes (yo, don't get mad, it's a 2mm movement that doesn't compromise safety in any way, my glasses have a huge lens) for a couple of seconds. I also run a OT mesh mask, and I found that when the mesh is further away from the mouth it tends to block much more steam than when it's compressed against it. Currently working on tailoring a new mouth protection.

I do have a pair of dual pane goggles (Valken Sierra, a rebrand of these Pyramex goggles) which didn't really work in their pristine status, the first time I wore them they fogged in less than 5 minutes and I was standing still, at the car park, waiting for the others to kit up. I now have modified them by enlarging the tiny ventilation slits and the difference was night and day. Now they last around half morning if it's not damp. Still, I'd take my glasses over those unless sniping (I run a lot less and I don't overheat as much).

 

appreciate your response, i was considering settling for airsoft glasses / shooting glasses instead.

 

do you recommend any in particular?

[Musica]

23 hours ago, Judge664 said:

I had seen the DYE mask's but, honestly i cannot stand the way they look, and my face-pro has flexible cheeks so i can get my face right down to my sights without an issue.

 

I have to be honest, if i was going to go for the Mask approach i would buy the WARQ mask, similar to the DYE but i prefer the design even if it is a little more £ - Each to their own ofcourse!

Seen a guy wrap his dye with camo tape and really changed the aesthetic. Also the lowers on the dye are flexible and bend around stocks but just like wearing anything around your face/eyes it does sit you higher than bare skin but same height for me with my one tigiris half cloth hald mesh mask and pyramex goggles.

 

The WARQ has some advantages i.e full head cover and you can buy a mic attachment which I would love for my dye.  Very expensive and I couldn't find many reviews on it.

 

[Skara]

16 hours ago, Judge664 said:

 

appreciate your response, i was considering settling for airsoft glasses / shooting glasses instead.

 

do you recommend any in particular?

Anything rated really, with a large lens.

Revision Sawflys seem to be great and largely available on eBay for pennies.

Failing that, anything from ESS, WileyX, Smith optics, Oakley offers plenty of protection but they also come with a premium price.

 

Still, it's the eyes we're talking about and I'd take serious eyepro over a fancy weapon attachment every day.

[Heath]

17 hours ago, Musica said:

Seen a guy wrap his dye with camo tape and really changed the aesthetic.

 

 

Another shot of it here.

[Rogerborg]

On 08/01/2020 at 15:26, Judge664 said:

Interesting, I must admit i had seen these cheaper FMA ones around, do they do the job well?

 

Yes, they've been fine.  Or, at least, my specific set - QC is always the concern with off brands.  But 2mm+ of polycarb is 2mm+ of polycarb and should do the same job of protecting your eyes.

 

Mine have taken plenty of 0.25g / 1.1J hits from a few feet away without any concern: being hit in the eyepro is actually my favourite spot as it's impossible to not notice it, but has zero discomfort.  The face seal is comfortable enough.

 

Having one side fan is quite peculiar, and they do noticeably clear from that side.  Also, the side fan version takes 1 x AA battery, which doesn't give you a lot of oomph - I've actually switched to using a 3.7V lithium cell on short bursts.  The centre fan version has a 2 x AA box, which seems like a much better idea.

[Uncle Pauly]

20 hours ago, Musica said:

The WARQ has some advantages i.e full head cover and you can buy a mic attachment which I would love for my dye.  Very expensive and I couldn't find many reviews on it.

 

WARQ are solid products, but impossible to aim down sights with (at least using a standard M4 variant). When I briefly owned one, I had to use a 45-degree angled scope mount, which was ok but not ideal.

 

In terms of fogging, they simply don't. Very well ventilated and use a dual-pane visor design. I returned mine after the visor cracked (BB hit playing CQB): not sufficient to break the visor at all, but enough to break the seal between the two panes so that it began fogging up immediately. WARQ responded by sending out a new visor, no questions asked (great service), but I'd already made up my mind to switch to a more standard goggles and lower mesh set up.

[djben9]

On 08/01/2020 at 12:08, Lozart said:

 

Another option would be the Revision turbofan goggles (I forget the name right now) as they can also be fitted with a dual pane lens giving you the best chance of avoiding fogging.

 

 

Revision Desert Locust Fan googles my friend 

 

Ive managed to use both ESS  and Revsions, both have no foam. They are not 100% perfect on me, i still get occasional drizzle.

You need a clean lens before you apply antifog, Best ive found is the Fogtech wipes and Revision wipes

 

tbh you may find you struggle with them, you may find they are 100% perfect. I still use my ESS v12s and have no issues with them, we are just all different. Id love to be able to use 'glasses' but find they fog on me walking from car to chrono range!

 

FMA ones you need to be wary of as the lens is not as thick, or didn't used to be when i got a set a few years back. They may be better now, they get hit and can deform. Look at reviews on youtube, there was a french guy i think (was on airsoft peak website) that didnt rate them

 

[FirsthandSnow]

Sorry to restart an old thread.

 

I actually use ESS V12's myself, I figured what was good enough for the British Army was probably good enough for me. However, unlike what you have mentioned, I havent had much fogging, more just the odd run of sweat on the lens.

 

I too took the foam out and always fully open the lens to allow for as much airflow as possible. I also use Nuprol anti fog which I apply through the course of an event day and find generally my vision to be okay.

[MadMole]

Bolle X800, problem solved. They don't have foam that stays wet and holds moisture in the googles, rather a full rubber top seal that stops sweat running into the goggles an a huge 2mm air gap all the way around top and bottom for flow, that isn't sealed by a helmet or face mask

 

Want a fan. £1o gets you a small battery powered fish tank air pump with silicon hose on ebay, just route hose over helmet and into any pair pf goggles. Instant ventilation (But not needed on the Bolle's)

 

Other option is close eyes and spray antiperspirant over your face in morning

 

 

[Rogerborg]

2 hours ago, MadMole said:

£1o gets you a small battery powered fish tank air pump with silicon hose on ebay

 

Is that in theory, or in practice?  The ones I'm seeing are bulky units taking 2 x D cells.