Paintball Masks are as important as Paintball Markers because they protect your face from any paintball related injury. Without the perfect mask, you will not only feel uncomfortable during the game but can also get a serious injury. The best paintball mask will help you enjoy paintball, while remaining comfortable and safe
Here are the 12 popular paintball masks which are currently topping all market charts.
1. Dye Precision I4 Thermal Paintball Goggle
Dye Precision I4 Thermal Paintball Goggle combines the best of everything for the most perfect and comfortable fit. The goggles are equipped with an anti-fog lens which also give a clear horizontal peripheral vision. A scream venting feature makes communication easier.
2. GXG XVSN Paintball Masks
GXG XVSN Paintball Mask gives you the maximum protection by covering your whole face. It is a perfect fit, regardless of your face shape and can even fit your prescribed glasses, if necessary. The best part is that it is available for 155 dollars on Amazon, which is super cheap!
3. Invert Helix Thermal Paintball Goggles Mask
Invert Helix Thermal Paintball Goggles covers your whole face and comes with some amazing features. It has an interchangeable, thermal optic lens that gives vision at all angles.
4. Sly Profit LE Goggles
Sly Profit LE Goggles has nylon frame, that increases its durability. The inside foam is lined with velvet and provides good shock absorption. Your eyeglasses will fit comfortably inside this cool paintball mask.
5. Empire Paintball Helix Thermal Lens Goggle Mask
Empire Paintball Helix Thermal Lens Goggle is a mid-range goggle which delivers everything a high-end goggle has. It has a full-face coverage, anti-fog thermal lens and a superior venting feature. Everything at a lower cost!
6. JT Spectra Flex 8 Thermal Paintball Goggles
JT Spectra Flex 8 Full Head and Face Coverage Thermal Paintball Goggles is one of JT’s bestselling product. It also lies on the mid-range cost bracket and is known for its durability and strength. Perfect for beginners and people who don’t want to shell out much.
7. VForce Profiler Thermal Paintball Mask
VForce Profiler Thermal Paintball Goggle Mask not only gives a full-face protection, but is also very comfortable to use. It has thermal lens, which can be interchanged quite easily.
8. Coxeer M01 Army Skull Skeleton Airsoft Paintball Mask
Coxeer M01 Army Gun Game Face Mask offers full face protection and comes in a unique design cover of a skull skeleton. The mask is made from environment friendly materials and is smell free.
9. Proto Switch EL Goggle Mask
Proto Switch EL Goggle gives you the best of both vertical and horizontal vision. A venting feature will keep the heat at minimum and also reduce fogging of lens. A comfortable fit will make you concentrate only on the game.
10. V-Force Grill Paintball Mask
V-Force Grill Paintball Mask comes in a multitude of designs and colours. It provides a full-face protection and comes with high end interchangeable lens. The venting prevents fogging and the light weight makes it easier to carry.
11. Virtue VIO Contour Thermal Paintball Goggles
Virtue VIO Contour Thermal Paintball Goggles has a hard-stylish exterior and a soft comfortable interior. The lens is anti-fog and can be interchanged if needed. This mask offers a hundred percent UV protection.
12. Empire E-Flex Paintball Mask
Empire E-Flex Paintball Goggle System lets you breathe freely, through its superior venting feature. It has anti fog lens, which will give you a clear vision at all times during your paintball play.
What are Paintball Masks?
Paintball Masks are or “goggles” are protective gears that every paintball player wears at all times while playing. They are mandatory for everyone, because they protect players from high speed flying paintballs.
They cover the whole face and in some case, even the throat. Lens is the major feature of all masks as most of the protection is provided to them.
Construction
For a better understanding, we will look at the various parts of a paintball mask. These are:
Lens
Lens are the main part of all goggles and are made of carbonate polymers, which make them tough and resilient. They are covered with a thermal, anti -fog and an anti- scratch coating for further durability.
There are two types of lens available in the market: single pane and dual pane. Single pane lens is made of a single piece, while dual pane (thermal lens) have two lenses glued to each other.
Dual lens give better performance as compared to single lens but are more expensive than the latter.
Goggle Frame
The frame provides a general structure to the lens by keeping it fixed at one place. The interior of the frame is lined with foam to provide support and comfort. Additional features like venting on frames, help prevent fogging.
Straps
They are attached to the frame and help keep the google on the face. Good quality straps are important as they help in providing better fit.
A Buying Guide
If you are confused about how to make a decision on your next paintball, then worry not, I am here to take you through the basics on how to buy a mask that will suit all your needs.
Quality V/s Cost
Paintball Masks are available at many different prices and if we look at the price bracket, paintball masks can be as cheap as 13 dollars (Coxeer M01 Army Skull Skeleton Airsoft Paintball Bb Gun Game Face Mask) or as expensive as 159 dollars (Virtue VIO Contour Thermal Paintball Goggles). Some of them even take a middle part and lie anywhere between 60 to 100 dollars.
The quality of the mask increases with its increased cost and you will get a paintball mask with better features if you shell out a few extra bucks. High end masks have better durability, more safety features and are more comfortable to use. So, my suggestion will be to look at the features not the cost while buying paintball masks, because isn’t it better to purchase a single long-lasting mask than continuously replace a cheaper mask.
Features to Look For
Every paintball mask must have some features to keep you comfortable throughout a demanding paintball game. These are some of the things to look out for, while buying paintball masks:
- Full Face Coverage: Select a mask that covers your whole face, for better protection. This does not mean maximum, but better coverage. The mask needs to be a perfect fit, designed to be just right for the counters of your face. It should not hang or continuously slide off.
- Anti-Fog Thermal Lens: Fogging of lens is a common problem faced by all players and it causes a lot of disturbance during the game. Therefore, it is important to buy anti fog thermal lens that completely prevent or keep fogging to a minimum.
- Interchangeable Lens: Paintballs fly at about 300 fps and can cause damage if they hit lens regularly over a period of time. Therefore, scratches and minor breaks are common if you regularly play paintball. It is important to keep change the lens when small cuts begin to appear, as it might not only compromise your vision but also cause injury. For this reason, look for googles which have interchangeable lens for easy replacement.
- Venting: Venting allows room for breathing and also prevents fogging of lens in many cases. A good venting feature will help you avoid feeling claustrophobic during long play hours. It also helps to carry out conversations with your fellow team mates.
The Best Brands Selling Paintball Masks
Whenever in doubt, look for these bestselling brands, who manufacture high quality paintball masks. Some of them are as follows:
- DYE Precision: DYE was founded in the year 1994 and has since then produced top quality paintball equipment. It has a worldwide presence, with offices in almost all continents. It also supplies equipment to many professional paintball teams and they are without a doubt, one of the world’s largest paintball manufacturing companies.
- G.I. SPORTZ: G.I. SPORTZ is yet another paintball manufacturing company that produces a wide range of products under different brand lines. Its product line, VForce produces a range of lightweight, durable and comfortable paintball goggles.
- Empire: Empire manufactures paintball masks at reasonable prices, as compared to other high-end brands. The low cost does not mean low quality here as all googles from Empire are high quality products and they do deliver what they promise.
Other Additions
There are other additional features that you can use with your paintball goggles and these include:
- Head Bands: Many people use a headwear before putting on their goggles. This has numerous benefits. It not only provides an extra protection to your head, it absorbs a significant amount of sweat, which in turns make the interior foam last longer. People with long hair are advised to use some kind of headwear like scarves, headbands, fitting caps etc before putting on their masks.
- Fans: Fans keep fogging away and are a must for people who wear prescribed glasses under their goggles. This feature will not only give you a clear vision but will also keep you cool in a sweaty game.
Maintenance
Paintball masks too require regular maintenance to keep them in a usable condition. Here are some tips to keep your goggles in a good as new condition:
- Do not put your dual pane thermal goggles directly in water for cleaning as water may seep in between the lens, resulting in loss of vision.
- If you have a single pane lens with anti-fog coating, then do remember to reapply the coating through anti fog sprays at regular intervals.
- The first step while cleaning is to remove any excess paint on the lens through a wipe water cloth. The cloth material needs to smooth with no ragged edges.
- Remove the lens and all re attachable parts to clean all the edges with the cloth, to remove any paint residue.
- It is recommended to use a micro filter cloth dipped in water for all cleaning purposes. Avoid the use of any cleaning sprays, paper cloth etc.
