A mask is the most important piece of paintball equipment. Find out what to look for before buying a paintball mask.
Paintball. Period.
People who are going to play paintball need to use a paintball mask. Not sunglasses, ski goggles, safety goggles, shooting glasses, or anything else. Paintball masks are made for the sport and must meet strict industry standards. Nothing else is specifically made to withstand the impact of a paintball going at over 270 mph.
Peripheral Vision
Paintball lenses are larger, and thus offer much more peripheral vision than most other types of goggles. Paintball players need to be able to see out of the corner of their eye when wearing a mask. In a game, this could save someone from a sneak attack. Also, players must make sure they can comfortably look through their paintball gun sights with the mask on.
Buy Thermal
Few things can make a person breath as hard as paintball. The last thing a player needs is a paintball lens fogging during a game. Thermal lenses (which are actually two lens panes with a tiny pocket of air between them) prevent that from happening. Some masks say anti-fog, but are actually just single lenses with an anti-fog coating on them. This is better than nothing, but the anti-fog film will eventually wash away.
For Four-Eyes
Paintball players with glasses should make sure the mask fits comfortably over their glasses. Players should not have a problem finding a mask that works for them. However, there's a good chance either the lens or glasses will fog up, so having thermal lenses is doubly important.
Ear Protection
A paintball in the ear is almost as scary as one to the eye. Paintball masks should cover the ears completely and comfortably. There is no need to give up sound quality for safety, however. Players should rub their thumb and index finger together next to the ear flap while wearing a paintball mask. The sound should be audible. If not, keep on looking!
Face Shield
A good face shield is critical. A paintball mask should have a large, flexible face shield that protects the nose, mouth, and chin while allowing the player to breath and talk clearly. (Note: Just because a paintball mask comes down to a person’s chin doesn’t mean that the player can’t get a mouth full of paint. Relax! It tastes awful, but it’s completely safe.)
Visors
A good visor will keep the sun out of a paintballer’s eyes, rain out of his face, and paint from dripping inside his mask. Make sure the visor is somewhat flexible. Wearing a bandana or backwards baseball cap under the paintball mask can also help.
Good Fit
People should always try a paintball mask on before buying it. Even if a mask has an excellent reputation, that doesn't mean it was made for a certain person’s face. Paintballers run, crawl, jump, slide – not to mention, shoot – with a mask on. That is why it is so important that the paintball mask is comfortable and secure. Look for lots of padding around the lens and a wide adjustable strap. People planning on wearing a baseball cap or anything else on their head should make sure it fits under the mask.
