Face protection

[BigStew]

So 23 years of playing have I managed to avoid facial scars and lost teeth, but with a new customer facing job and wanting to play more CQB I think its time I look at face protection. Problem is I am a big sod and masks I have tried either didn't fit at all or were deeply un comfortably. Any larger tall people have experience with the balaclavas with the built in masks or any recommendations?

[Tackle]

I picked up a few of those "built in jobbies" for myself/son/his gf, Tbh the fit is fairly snug, which is probably a good thing as you don't want the mask moving around, but obviously larger/longer heads are gonna struggle. 

Might be time to consider splurging on a full dye mask or ronin style mask ?, as sods law says bb's will find their way past lesser stuff, usually the day before important meets at work etc🤔

[concretesnail]

I've tried the built in balaclava type but didn't get on with the fit. I now use a delta Mike snood with built in mesh panel. It's much better. Easy to pull up and down, breaths better for keeping cool and it's nit bulky.  I think there's different versions with more or less mesh so it might be worth having a look. 

[Impulse]

I've never used face protection either, but I have a friend who swears by his Delta Mike snood with mesh panel, so I'd recommend them off of his feedback.

[TobiasC95]

2 hours ago, BigStew said:

So 23 years of playing have I managed to avoid facial scars and lost teeth, but with a new customer facing job and wanting to play more CQB I think its time I look at face protection. Problem is I am a big sod and masks I have tried either didn't fit at all or were deeply un comfortably. Any larger tall people have experience with the balaclavas with the built in masks or any recommendations?

There's the Bravo Mesh Balaclava masks. These have been something I have been considering. You can get these from Lonestar Tactical.

They seem to me like they would do the job. I've had some similar products in the past, but I think these might be a tad better for comfort. I have a big.... nose so the ones to just cover teeth seem like a good option.

[Beorn]

I've got a Delta Mike snood, the mk.2 version. Only run it out once so far but it was a very close quarters, sweaty environment and it was great. Comfortable and easy to slip on/off between games, good amount of mesh to protect the teeth.

One thing to note is that the mk.2 has a slightly bigger mesh area than the mk.1, so it offers a bit more protection for the lower face. That being said, depending on how big your shnoz is, it doesn't provide much nose protection really, and the cheek areas are only protected by the lighter breathable mesh material of the mask, the metal bit only really protects your mouth/lower nose area. All in all its a great piece of kit though for the price.

I've also seen people rocking  those NB tactical masks but they are a rip off in my opinion. 80 quid including postage is mad just for a face mask. Believe it or not, I found an amazon seller selling the NB tactical 'ghost' balaclava for 5 quid, compared to the 20 they're flogging them for on their website. I snapped one up and was thinking of pairing it with a standard mesh mask for the NB tactical look and performance... at a tiny fraction of the cost
 

Edited February 23, 2023 by Beorn

[C-Diddy]

Another shout for the Delta Mike Snoods. 

 

I've got a couple of the Mk2s think they're great. Comfortable, breathable and offering good protection for your gnashers. Shots outside of the mesh still sting however 😂

[TobiasC95]

Might pick one up myself. Look decent

[CR91]

Another option is https://nb-tactical.com/en/ mesh mask just add your own snood. Has nose protection the delta mikes don’t if that’s a concern 

Edited February 23, 2023 by CR91

[RostokMcSpoons]

Always been happy with one of these, since I got one...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aoutacc-Foldable-Airsoft-Protection-Paintball/dp/B07FBJG365/ref=asc_df_B07FBHGBNL/

 

It's definitely saved me from some stingers around the face and ears, and saved a tooth probably - I got pinged right in the mouth mesh last time out.

[BigStew]

14 minutes ago, RostokMcSpoons said:

Always been happy with one of these, since I got one...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Aoutacc-Foldable-Airsoft-Protection-Paintball/dp/B07FBJG365/ref=asc_df_B07FBHGBNL/

 

It's definitely saved me from some stingers around the face and ears, and saved a tooth probably - I got pinged right in the mouth mesh last time out.

Tried one I found it pinched and rubbed quite badly.

[Badgerlicious]

2 minutes ago, BigStew said:

Tried one I found it pinched and rubbed quite badly.

Yeah those masks rub my ears really badly, and also don't work at all with larger comms.

 

Lonestar also do a snood mask with nose protection. I have one of their masks without it (Bravo) and it fits super nice. Doesn't slip I have a 61cm head, for reference. 

[Tackle]

Have you tried one of these ? 

I've got a couple, bought as loaners for glass wearers/kids etc (can't encourage friends & family to give it a try & then be blamed when they take a big hit in the mush lol), there's plenty of room in them & scope for bending & shaping for a better fit. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tactical-Airsoft-Protective-Military-Paintball/dp/B0779BNRQM/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?adgrpid=53003732797&gclid=Cj0KCQiAutyfBhCMARIsAMgcRJSS2ryh44tF2uzzOvsTWF69c0uGfewDcCbPdIFku26rDmh4DAtFG6UaAnYjEALw_wcB&hvadid=259070294095&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9045999&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=483161837748043974&hvtargid=kwd-316917775913&hydadcr=8614_1759603&keywords=airsoft%2Bfencing%2Bmask&qid=1677167249&sr=8-9&th=1&psc=1

[BigStew]

10 minutes ago, Tackle said:

Have you tried one of these ? 

I've got a couple, bought as loaners for glass wearers/kids etc (can't encourage friends & family to give it a try & then be blamed when they take a big hit in the mush lol), there's plenty of room in them & scope for bending & shaping for a better fit. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tactical-Airsoft-Protective-Military-Paintball/dp/B0779BNRQM/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?adgrpid=53003732797&gclid=Cj0KCQiAutyfBhCMARIsAMgcRJSS2ryh44tF2uzzOvsTWF69c0uGfewDcCbPdIFku26rDmh4DAtFG6UaAnYjEALw_wcB&hvadid=259070294095&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9045999&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=483161837748043974&hvtargid=kwd-316917775913&hydadcr=8614_1759603&keywords=airsoft%2Bfencing%2Bmask&qid=1677167249&sr=8-9&th=1&psc=1

yeah they are handed out to the hires at my local site they don't fit.

[Emergencychimps]

This is such a individual thing that I haven't found a great solution off the shelf.....and I have been looking for years. 

 

I made a version of the delta mike face pro about a year before they launched, posted a bunch of pics on a forum. 

 

The trouble I found with it (which the properly done ones might not suffer from) is that as a big guy, I need heat and sweat to be escaping around my neck area. I tried having them real short and it just wasn't great. Getting the retention right wasn't easy and then add in hot breath being directed into my glasses and soon enough in game I was charging around with it pulled down. 

 

I have then bought a bunch of the super cheap facemasks and trimmed them down into various shapes, tried them with ball caps, helmets, beanies and the only way I get that consistent comfort and protection is when its clipped into the helmet. I used pliers and a hammer to bend it to my face, glued protective matting to the inside of the mask (even stitched sniper tape into it. Trimmed it at the sides so it's not as wide, trimmed the bottom off so it doesn't hang so low and it follows the jaw line. Even trimmed in a "dent" to the jawline so that I could look down my optic a bit easier and trimmed some of the excessive vertical "bars" out so that my breath could flow easier. 

 

It works great now but has taken hours of making right for me. 

 

When I do cqb without the mask I find the face shots really affect my day more than they should, I often only present a small target, they are generally valid fair shots etc but getting shot in the mush repeatedly wares on my morale - simple solution is to wear the facemask. 

[Tackle]

1 hour ago, BigStew said:

yeah they are handed out to the hires at my local site they don't fit.

Just how big a noggin are we talking Stew ? 

😜

[Krisz]

6 hours ago, BigStew said:

So 23 years of playing have I managed to avoid facial scars and lost teeth, but with a new customer facing job and wanting to play more CQB I think its time I look at face protection. Problem is I am a big sod and masks I have tried either didn't fit at all or were deeply un comfortably. Any larger tall people have experience with the balaclavas with the built in masks or any recommendations?

You're a mad lad. I would never play without lower face mask...

I ain't tall but I did spent some time trying to find a suitable solution for face protection. Dye i4/i5 paintball mask never fogs up and i5 is made for bigger heads. But a tactical helmet is never gonna flush with it and not everyone likes the look of it and people are gonna think you're a speedsofter. The horror!

Lower mesh face mask is quite good for me because it's fully adjustable but I had fogging issues because the seal is so perfect with googles that air couldn't escape properly.

I bought an earlier mentioned but similar balaclava+mesh combo which you can bend to your face but I don't know how good or bad is gonna be when average temp. is hot or at least warm all day long.

 

Edited February 23, 2023 by Krisz

[BigStew]

1 hour ago, Tackle said:

Just how big a noggin are we talking Stew ? 

😜

Worryingly accurate. ARP9 for scale 

[MrTea]

Half-mask snood face protection; Delta-Mike. Haven't played in this yet. Waiting to try it out.

Balaclava type; any brand except OneTigris, I found theirs to be too big and wouldn't keep the mesh in place.

Cygnus Armory do a mix between a balaclava and Delta-Mike.