Face Protection for Glasses-Wearer

[MrMoo]

Hello all,

After meeting with my very friendly age verifier, it was recommended to me that I make my first purchase a decent set of eye protection. Sadly, this is complicated by the fact that I wear glasses, so, I'm not actually sure what would work for me. Ideally, I'd go to a physical store and try on some different masks until I find something that fits, but, there aren't many in the area, and selection is limited. Before I start digging around for a retailer in the area that might carry something, I was wondering if anybody might suggest something that could be purchased online.

Another issue, of course, is the face mask. I'd prefer to have one, rather than just goggles (call me a coward, but, I don't like being shot in the face). I'm told this makes it difficult or impossible to aim down your sights, however. Are there any ways around this? Maybe some guns like those AKs with the folding metal stocks (they angle downwards slightly) would give me enough room to aim? Any tips are appreciated.

[hav0k]

Bullet ants come with a piece where you are able to put your lens in.

[666]

Some people who wear full face paintball masks cut pieces out of the side of face protector so they can aim with iron sights. You'll basically get protection for your nose/mouth area only.
Or there are things like this available.
http://www.evike.com/images/large/Ma...3Skull_T-0.jpg

[lurkingknight]

I switched to contacts for playing games... it makes eye protection so much easier to deal with. Some facemasks don't merge well with some goggles, and rather than playing mix and match, I just bought a set of contacts for airsoft. A set of weeklies (one box for each eye) with 6 pairs of lenses lasted me the year last year at a cost of about 60 bucks and allows me to wear whatever I want for eye pro and face pro.

[Mr. inked]

you can buy a set of revision desert locust and they come with a insert you put behind the goggles....down side to this.....very expensive as they send you the insert frames and you take them to your eye doctor to make the lenses if you have a tight budget then go with just some paintball goggles over your glasses

As for the mask thing ive never used a lower mask at most ive just a shemagh around my mouth thats about it.

[Mr. inked]

sorry they dont come with the insert you buy that seperatly**

[MrMoo]

All good advice, thanks all!

Sadly, I don't really have the budget for prescription goggles. Contacts are a smart idea, but, I've always been iffy about poking things in to my eyes (hence why I don't wear them already). I may give them a shot, though.

[Chotto]

Best thing I found so far are the MAuri PAintball mask and goggles with built in fan. Worked great until the wiring broke. I eventually removed the mask portion. They can be found at a couple of local dealers, or online.

I picked up the Revision Desert locusts. To get the lenses for the insert was $90.

[OPENchestWOUND]

E-vents or Helix will fit over any glasses.

[lurkingknight]

the Rx insert kit for goggles is usually about 20 bucks or so. Then you take that frame like you would any other to your optometrist to get fitted for lenses. You can get some pretty cheap lenses for around 50-60 bucks.. depending on your prescription. My eye glasses are like 200-300$ lenses with all the coatings and thin/light weight options...

For your goggles, you don't need thin/light weight... they clip into your goggles which are held on by a giant elastic strap.

You don't need anti glare... your goggle lenses usually have that already.

You don't need anti fog if you get the right goggles that have a fan.

The only problem with the rx insert that is if you are like me with a wide head, the rx insert is not comfortably wide enough so that you get an unobstructed field of view. My eye glass frames are generally in the 50-55 width.. which is on average about 10mm wider than most other people.

[MrMoo]

More great advice from everyone! I appreciate it.

Something with a fan definitely does sound like a good idea, and it's interesting to know that Rx lenses aren't too expensive. Might be worth looking in to. Rx goggles might be a good investment, though, that still leaves the problem of being shot in the face, which doesn't sound like a great deal.

As for my other issue of aiming down iron sights while wearing a mask, any tips on that? Is it avoidable, or should I just give up on the mask idea?

Edit - Didn't see the tip about cutting out part of the mask. That could work. I also saw some flexible masks? Are those any good?

[lurkingknight]

cutting/modding a mask to give you cheek weld is not a problem, you can mod a steel mesh lower half mask with a pair of tinsnips and a hot glue gun. There's a youtube video of someone doing it. The problem comes when you remove too much material that it doesn't sit well on your face, you may need to find another way to secure it.

The major risk is dental damage, a welt or bleeder on the face is not the end of the world.

Depending on the gun of your choice though, it may or may not be as big an issue. The taller the sights are on a gun (height over bore) the less of a problem cheek weld is, but this complicates aiming as you have to keep in mind how tall your sight is off your BB target and how you sight in the gun with the hopup.

[MrMoo]

Are there any mesh lower face masks that have some give to them? Something flexible, I mean, that could compress against your cheek when you bring the gun up to aim. I suppose it would still throw your aim off somewhat, but, it would be better than nothing. If those even exist. Are they all rigid?

[666]

Check this one out
IronFace Mesh Lower Facemask Review - YouTube

Honestly, if you are really concerned about face shots than look at shemaghs like it was said before. Those things are not expensive and pretty universal, unless you are building specific impression and shemagh doesn't fit in it. Serious facial injuries are not common, at least where I play. BB hits are not as bad as one might think. Keep you mouth closed and your teeth will be fine.

[MrMoo]

Originally Posted by 666

Check this one out
IronFace Mesh Lower Facemask Review - YouTube

Honestly, if you are really concerned about face shots than look at shemaghs like it was said before. Those things are not expensive and pretty universal, unless you are building specific impression and shemagh doesn't fit in it. Serious facial injuries are not common, at least where I play. BB hits are not as bad as one might think. Keep you mouth closed and your teeth will be fine.

That makes sense to me. It looks more comfortable (and fashionable) than a face mask anyway, and if it will at least take some of the welts and bleeding of face hits out of the equation, that should be more than suitable. I think most of the fields around here are open, wilderness type places than CQB, so, I'm hoping to not be shot up close in the face too often anyway.

I'll couple it with some goggles, of course. I'm just getting in to the game, so, I'm not really sure I want to invest in some full Rx goggles yet, so, I think I'll just try and find some that will fit overtop of my glasses for now, and if I find that I enjoy the game and want to keep playing, maybe I'll invest in some down the line.