Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

[jrgillespie1]

Hi,
I'm looking to start airsoft soon and I have a fairly limited budget but obviously will need to buy protective gear. I have a helmet and half facemask that I use for skiing/boarding and that I know are reliable in terms of protection and not steaming up any goggles I wear with it. However, I realise that the goggles I use for skiing probably won't be suitable for airsofting, so I'm wondering what eyewear would people recommend and why?
Also, when it comes to gloves I've been recommended Oakley's but they're quite expensive - are there any decent alternatives for cheaper?
Finally, I was considering knee/elbow pads - which are the best/cheapest/are they worth getting?
Lol sorry to sound stingey but student lifestyle and all.
- Cheers,
James

[Proto]

Re: Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

Sites rent out eye protection for like a couple quid so you could just use theirs along with your stuff. Regarding gloves, I use some cheap wool half-finger gloves and they work brilliantly at only £5.

[G33m4N]

Re: Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

Oakley glove review.

http://www.airsoftkb.com/?p=1215

I like knee pads after kneeling on a BB at the stan (OW) elbow pads i felt are a waste of time.

as for Google's I would say Mesh for the win, and its worth investing some Heroshark ones , and while your there look at his face masks.

remember your eye are very impotent keep them safe don't buy cheap crap masks. as i have seen then shot thought with ease.
and look after your teeth, brush every day and wear some sort of lower face protection. ( dad mode OFF )

[Fenrisianspirit]

Re: Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

Goggles wise I was silly and bought a 60 odd quid pair of Bolle goggles, they definitely work but fog up if I don't take precautions lol. Seen a lot of people recommend ESS V12 goggles for airsoft as they are issue goggles and have vents to help against fogging.

Agree with Proto on the gloves, I used a pair of half fingers last time I was out, protects most of the hand against the sting of a bb hit but also allows me to keep my dexterity (something I appreciate). Oakley gloves certainly look nice and are great for unit impressions but definitely not the be all and end all for protection (still looking at a pair though).

I would certainly recommend a set of knee pads, I've come back from skirmishes with knees absolutely killing me from where I've banged them and the like, plus kneeling on bbs is really uncomfortable. Elbow pads are more of a personal preference, I wouldn't use them but can see their application in CQB arenas being nice to have.

Most importantly, do not skimp on eye protection, your eyes are invaluable. I had a friend decide to use a pair of Oakley sunglasses as his eye pro for a skirmish, needless to say he crapped himself when someone shattered the lenses.

[original poster]

Re: Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

Goggles - ESS V12's - About £20 on eBay

Gloves - Oakley SI Assault Gloves - About £35 from various places

Knee Pads - Blackhawk V2's - About £20-25 on eBay!

Hope that helps

[K3nny]

Re: Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

i wear mesh goggles mate its eliminates fogging and i can see perfectly with them.
only problem i have had with these is that doing a night game or in woods and its a little dark it is sometimes i find quite hard to see clearly buy you can still see.

never had a problem with them, doubt i will wear anything else from now on.

glove wise i wear oakley si assault, there massively comfortable and very very protective.

not got any knee pads yet, but i'm going to be buying some black hawk v2's as i heard they are wicked.

you just got to try a few things out and see what you get on best with.

[jrgillespie1]

Re: Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

Thanks for the suggestions and everything, will probably get the ess v12's off ebay as i tried mesh some time ago in back yard plinking and didn't like them. the oakley's sound good as well though zeroone do some cheaper mechanix gloves i might go for. just thought of the most important protection (how could i forget!) - is there padding or something to protect the crown jewels?

[original poster]

Re: Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

Thanks for the suggestions and everything, will probably get the ess v12's off ebay as i tried mesh some time ago in back yard plinking and didn't like them. the oakley's sound good as well though zeroone do some cheaper mechanix gloves i might go for. just thought of the most important protection (how could i forget!) - is there padding or something to protect the crown jewels?

Very few people do unfortunately although some guys wear boxes from ice hockey/cricket etc.

[iBakez]

Re: Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

use a flannel lol Sounds stupid but definitely protects that region!

[K3nny]

Re: Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

endure the pain in the coin purse! its fine. :D

[Menashem]

Re: Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

For covering and prtecting the meat and two veg, baggy combats have usually done the trick for me That and sensable posistioning when crouching, i.e. Knee thats towards emeny is raised covering the gentlemans vegetables.

[vvilko]

Re: Advice on protection for a new player - eyewear, gloves, face, etc

yep same advice as menashem. baggy combats always work for me. never really had a problem.... or lay on your front!