How to Buy A Paintball Mask – Complete Buying Guide

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So, you guys might have guessed already that paintball masks act as a first line of defense in the game-zone. Cause, paintball masks are not just for show, they protect the very crucial eyes and the head that you use to focus in the game.

As such, are you looking for a guide that can help you find the best paintball masks for your game? Then, fear not.

In this article you are going to learn:

  • About the types of paintball masks
  • Features of Paintball Masks
  • Tips For Buying Paintball Masks And Goggles
  • Customizing your paintball mask

Types of Paintball Mask

Types of paintball masks

There are mainly 4 types of paintball masks. Such as-

1. Basic Mask:

These masks are the most simple and plain masks it can get. They are the cheapest masks you can find in any store both online and in retails. They come with rubber gaskets, single pane lens lacking good ventilation. And rubber parts are easy to clean.

Mostly, ventilation takes part mostly in the nose area. And, these type of paintball masks doesn’t introduce advanced features. The rubber part gets pretty annoying and the lenses on these tend to fog up often which is why it is better to look for the three types instead.

2. Intermediate Mask:

These Intermediate masks have a lot of common features except the foams instead of the rubber on the inside. These masks also come with poor ventilation and a single pane lens.

These masks are certainly better than the basic ones, but, if you are choosing to use these masks for a longer time, then it’s better no to go with them. These masks are not comfortable as you might think but, they won’t rub on your face tirelessly.

3. Advanced Masks:

Now, this is where the good parts come in. These advanced masks are a lot better than the previous two types. These masks come with very good features and a great amount of comfort. And they offer softer and thicker paddings of foam.

These types of masks also provide much better ventilation both inside and sideways, and comes equipped with dual-pane lenses. These dual-pane lenses can be a bit of a hurdle for cleaning and maintenance, but they are a lot better for preventing fogs.

These masks are quite spacey on the insides and do not suffocate or restrict you while playing. These masks offer a wide field of vision. But, the lenses don’t sit tight on your face, and if you wear glasses, then, these masks can be a sure-go for you.

4. Premium Masks:

These premium masks are a lot comfortable and user-friendly. But, to get the full potential of it, you should buy the right size and fit it on to your head properly.

These masks come in with very top-notch padding, dual pane lens both lightweight and easy removable adjuster. These have a lot of ventilation going on throughout the whole mask, have a wide viewing field of vision, and never even fog up.

You can get most of the parts as replacement equipment for your masks. But, they are a bit on the expensive side compared to the other types, but because it offers a wide range and tons of features, they are worth the money.

Tips for Buying Paintball Masks and Goggles

paintball mask buying guide

1. Comfort And Fit Must Be Excellent – If it Doesn’t “Fit Like A Glove”, Don’t Even Buy It

After you are certain about which mask you’re going to get, all the decisions are going to point to how much comfortable it is. Cause, comfortability is not an added feature, it is a must that the mask should provide excellent comfort.

Furthermore, make sure that the mask fits your head well. It should form a good seal and provide comfort while preventing fog and providing protection. So, if it doesn’t fit, find another.

2. Consider The Trade-Offs Between Single-Pane And Thermal (Dual-Pane) Lens

Single pane lens has an anti-fog coating, but they don’t perform that well in different environments and situation. And, just because a mask comes with dual pane lenses, it doesn’t mean that it is a better quality mask too. So, do keep that in mind.

Single pane lenses are quite easy to clean and maintain, and these are cheap both new and replacement as well. On the other hand, a Dual-pane lens is preventive of fogs but sensitive to damages and the insides are sensitive to scratches.

It needs some time and patience to work out, clean, and maintained as well.

Dual-pane ones are a bit expensive, but they are pretty durable and lasts a long time. But, compared to single-pane ones, they are a bit sensitive.

3. Invest In A Good Mask And You Will Be Able To Find Replacement Parts When Necessary

It is better to avoid cheap masks as they don’t have replacement parts. You just buy another one and throw that out after breakage. On the other hand, if you buy a better quality one with extra money, you will find the replacement parts after it breaks.

Cheap masks after buying many times will cost you more than you had initially thought. But, with advanced and premium masks, you can just replace the part that is damaged. Other than that, these masks are pretty fine as is and you’re going to enjoy these.

4. How Much Space Do You Need On The Inside?

It is recommended to account for the space you need in a mask. As some people have different facial features and even wear glasses. So, depending on the space you need, buy these masks.

Some people prefer a mask that is not too tight, not too big, or even bulky. When testing fit, try to test masks while wearing glasses if you are a glasses person. Pay close attention while trying them out, cause the lens can be either too close or too far off.

5. Don’t Buy A “Cheap” Mask

A paintball mask is going to be the most important puzzle in your game when you are buying. As you get a cheap or less expensive gun, you can still get the enjoyment and be competitive. You can consider under $200 paintball gun as a less expensive gun.

Whereas, if you buy a cheap paintball mask, it can be really hard to be competitive or even enjoy it during gameplays. These masks tend to fog up and require wipes to clear the fogs off. And they might usually break up on you or even fall apart.

As a result, it can be said that “You get the thing exactly what you pay for.”

Customize Your Paintball Masks

Now, as you finish buying masks or even think of customizing your paintball mask according to your need, you might be surprised to see that you can even upgrade parts of your paintball mask.

Like, some paintball masks have a protective cover on both sides of the paintball mask to cover your ear properly. But, you can find replacements as well as new parts of other designs that can go with your mask.

Again, some masks come with thermal lenses, but you can upgrade the lens as much as you like by replacing stock ones with either smoke lens, yellow lens, mirrored lens, etc. Read here the benefits of various lenses.

Moreover, you can add custom layered foams to adjust according to your facial features as much as you like and fit it to your head properly, and prevent sweat to come down to the lenses.

And lastly, you can buy some easily removable straps if your mask supports them. By using these straps, you can ensure that the masks stay on your head and fit nicely.

And in this way, you can have them customized according to your need and enjoy your game. Good Luck!

Verdict

It is certainly very hard for beginners and even some people to narrow your mask selections down without knowing what they can perform and offer.

But, once you get the hang of the types of paintball masks and their features, you can get the job done according to your needs and comfort. And paintball mask is one’s first line of defense. So, one has to make sure that the mask does not break on them while on continuous usage.

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