In the US, the average price of a teeth implant is anywhere between 1 500 $ and 6 000 $. That’s a steep price to pay for not wearing a face mask 😷. But as anyone who ever wore a facemask knows, they can be uncomfortable. How to fix that and have a comfy, fog-free experience? Read on to get all the info and tricks.
We’ll be going through the following:
- Mesh masks
- Chris’ secret mesh mask trick
- Paintball masks
- Balaclava Mesh Masks
- Faceshields
- Mouthguards
Lazy to read? We got your back with a video:
Mesh Masks: The Most Common Solution
The first and most common type of face pro is a standard mesh mask. These are manufactured by adding straps to a face-shaped metal mesh. Especially full mesh masks are bulky and not really good-looking. On the other hand, though, they offer excellent protection, are very affordable and proven to work well. You can get a mask for around 10 bucks, which is why they are always recommended, especially for beginners.
Most Popular Feature: ✅ Affordability
With a mesh mask, you can use all sorts of eye protection, like glasses or goggles. You can also use these with Helmets. But be aware as a combined setup with a helmet, goggles, and mesh mask can get quite bulky and uncomfortable, and it will likely lead to fogging issues because these traps heat and moisture under your glasses.
Speaking about fogging, you should check out the AntiFog Unit, which can solve this once and for all. Another way to improve comfort is to connect the mesh mask directly to your helmet. It gets rid of the mask strap and makes the setup less flimsy.
Simple Trick: Make the most out of a mesh mask
Another solution Chris found throughout the years is to cut the straps off the mesh mask and zip-tie it to the goggles. This way, you can only have one overhead strap, making the whole solution more lightweight and convenient to use, but it requires a bit of crafting.
Shopping cart for the Mesh Mask Trick:
If you are interested in doing this with your mask, here is what you will need. Note that you need just one mesh mask; it’s more about preference.
Paintball Masks – solution everyone knows
The second most common type of face protection is a Paintball mask. Given the popularity, you can find these in all price ranges, starting from affordable 40-dollar versions and going all the way to 200-dollar premium masks.
Most Popular Feature: ✅ Full face protection in one package
As the name suggests, they were primarily used in paintball but grew in favour within the airsoft community thanks to their high level of face and eye protection combined into one easy-to-carry package. However, they are not perfect.
Compared to setups with a helmet, the back and top of your head are exposed. You could wear a cap to offer some protection, but it is not enough if you bump your head somewhere on the field. Also, given the closed form factor, cheaper masks tend to fog up, which may ruin your game. That’s why we would recommend going more premium, which is not good news for beginners on a budget.
‼️ Watch out for fogging with cheap masks.
If you want to pick one of these up, though, the Dye Masks are one of the best on the market and very good at handling the fogging issue as well.
Balaclava Mesh Masks: Innovation in Face Pro
If you care about military looks, cool balaclava mesh masks are becoming increasingly popular. They combine the mesh mask you know with a standard balaclava. This way, you can lose the annoying straps associated with mesh masks, and the thin fabric provides at least a bit of protection for the rest of your head. However, since this solution is still reasonably niché, getting one of those can be a bit more pricey, retailing at around 30 to 80 bucks.
Besides a bit higher price, this solution has other drawbacks. For example, the fit is pretty much fixed, as you have little to no adjustment on the balaclava.
The second most significant problem is the balaclava itself. It tends to trap a bit more heat and, as a result, may fog up your glasses. On the other hand, these balaclavas just look tactical and don’t break the immersion.
Faceshields and why nobody uses them
Even less frequent form of face protection – a Faceshield. These are not really popular in airsoft, even though you can get some affordable 20-buck solutions on your airsoft helmet. Why? Well, there are multiple reasons.
The one most bothering is that these shields usually don’t really cover your eyes and face from all sides, leaving some room for getting hit at a weird angle. If you ask us, this is just not worth the risk, and you should pair the shield with another set of safety glasses. But then there is this common fogging issue again. You have 2 layers trapping heat on your face ruining your game.
For these reasons, most people using a face shield do it primarily for style. You can create unique-looking loadouts if you want to run a face shield; just be aware of the potential issues.
Mouthguards: Unique solution for REAL MEN
Now let’s talk about Josef’s personal favourite, mouthguards. These are mostly seen in fighting sports like boxing or MMA. But this type of face, or rather, teeth protection, is getting increasingly popular with airsofters who don’t mind getting hit in the face but still fear losing their teeth due to an unlucky shot. As Josef likes to say, skin heals, but teeth do not.
Most Popular Feature: ✅ Affordable and minimalistic
Why use one? They don’t limit you in any way. You can easily breathe and aim your rifle. Moreover, they don’t trap any heat that would cause fogging issues. Last but not least, they are very cheap.
Also, these are easily custom-fitted with warm water, making them quite comfortable. Besides not protecting the skin, the only problem is that it’s a bit harder to talk with a mouthguard on.
You only need one mouthguard…
At this point, let’s talk about some common misconceptions about mouthguards. First, you only need one of these to cover your upper teeth as the lower part is covered by your lip, which offers them “protection”. We sometimes get asked if you need one piece for each of your jaws – you do not.
Besides that, yes, these are safe to use for your teeth. Josef has been using them for years, and he would probably never play without one again. As he describes it: “It saved me many times already”.
Watch out: ❌ Not suitable for beginners
But in all fairness, we would not recommend a mouthguard to a beginner simply because of the lack of actual face protection. Getting hit in the face means you will feel it and have marks all over it. This may be especially problematic in CQB fights, where you get hit often throughout the day.
Bonus: NOVRITSCH Prototype
There is one more thing worth showing. The upcoming Novritsch Face Mask combines good protection with convenience. It looks like a regular mask attached to your goggles, but it has magnets which allow you quickly detach the mask and put it back on easily. No need to take your whole head setup apart just to drink some water during a quick break while keeping your eyes protected.
What do you think? Is that a cool solution? And which Face Protection are you using?
